“Trigun,” created by Yasuhiro Nightow, is a Area Western manga. People fleeing from Earth crashed on the desert world No Man’s Land many years in the past, and it is turn into a frontier very similar to America’s Previous West. Our lead, Vash the Stampede, is a gunslinger with a tempting bounty on his head. Whereas Vash has the weapon of a cowboy, he is additionally a pacifist sworn to not take a life. This dichotomy makes “Trigun” as philosophical as it’s action-packed.
Studio Madhouse tailored “Trigun” right into a 26-episode anime in 1998. That sequence is the explanation most individuals know what “Trigun” is. Because it mixed science fiction and Western storytelling, “Trigun” is commonly in comparison with modern anime “Cowboy Bebop” and “Outlaw Star” and held in comparable esteem. “Trigun” is so beloved that in 2023, Studio Orange rebooted the sequence as “Trigun Stampede.”
Not like the unique, “Stampede” was animated in 3-D and introduced in parts from the now-finished manga, which the unique anime clearly could not adapt. But it additionally omitted an vital a part of the unique sequence, which left many followers confused and heartbroken.
In “Trigun,” Vash is commonly accompanied by Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson, two insurance coverage adjusters attempting to invoice him for all of the harm he unintentionally causes. “Stampede” reimagined Meryl as a journalist … and gave her a brand new accomplice, a grizzled previous drunk named Roberto De Niro. Roberto wasn’t a dangerous character however changing Milly felt like fixing one thing that wasn’t damaged.
The season finale of “Stampede” hinted that Meryl was getting a brand new accomplice, and now the second (and reportedly ultimate) season, “Trigun Stargaze,” options Milly. A personality poster exhibits her new design in full; like the unique Milly, the “Stargaze” iteration is tall, brunette, and giddy.
©2026 Yasuhiro Nightow
Milly Thompson is crucial to Trigun’s story
Milly and Meryl are made to distinction one another in persona and physicality. Meryl is brief and raven-haired, Milly is tall and light-haired. Meryl carries a number of small derringers, Milly wields a two-handed “stun gun” (which she exhibits off within the “Stargaze” trailer).
Meryl is high-strung and takes her job (too) significantly, whereas Milly is happy-go-lucky and generally oblivious. She’s not silly, however she typically has her head within the clouds as a result of she’s at all times on the lookout for the sunny facet in any scenario. Fairly than Meryl minding Milly, although, it is normally the mellow Milly reining in Meryl’s brashness.
Very like Vash himself, Milly is hilarious and immediately lovable. Lia Sargent’s cutesy efficiency as Milly within the English dub of “Trigun” complemented that characterization. Milly could also be twice the scale of a typical “moe” anime character, however she’s simply as cute as one.
“Trigun Stampede” concluded with Vash and his evil twin brother Thousands and thousands Knives unintentionally destroying the town of July. “Stargaze” will decide up 2.5 years later, when Vash is now residing underneath the assumed identify “Eriks.” Per the sequence’ synopsis from Crunchyroll, a fleet of colony ships from Earth will arrive at No Man’s Land and supply to shepherd the planet’s inhabitants to a brand new residence earlier than Knives returns, which pulls Vash out of hiding.
It is unclear what story Milly will play on this conclusion past standing by Meryl’s facet. Within the unique anime, Milly had a tragic romance with Vash’s fellow gunslinger, Nicholas D. Wolfwood (paralleled by Meryl creating emotions for Vash), however it’s unclear if “Stargaze” will comply with that story, too. Regardless of the case, although, “Trigun” followers in all places ought to rejoice that Milly Thompson is again for this ultimate trip.
“Trigun Stargaze” premieres on Crunchyroll in January 2026.
