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Trigun follows the adventures of Vash the Stampede, a legendary and feared gunfighter who is a pacifist at heart. With its Western-inspired setting on an alien planet, unique characters, and a blend of humor, action, and philosophical themes, this series has become a cult classic anime since its release in 1998.
Fans of Trigun will likely enjoy other anime that feature exciting gun-based action sequences, quirky characters, western-inspired settings, philosophical themes, and a mix of drama and comedy. Here are 10 great anime series to consider if you're looking for something similar to enjoy.
Disclaimer: This list is not ranked in any particular order and reflects the writer's opinions.
From Fire Force to Desert Punk: Must-watch anime for Trigun admirers
1. Cowboy Bebop
Hailed as one of the greatest anime series of all time, 1998's Cowboy Bebop is an obvious choice for Trigun fans. Cowboy Bebop features a crew of mismatched bounty hunters traveling across the galaxy to apprehend criminals. Led by the calm, cool, and collected Spike Spiegel, the crew of the spaceship Bebop gets mixed up in no shortage of antics, action, and adventures.
With its pulpy, jazz, and blues-inspired soundtrack, neo-noir visual style, and western touches, Cowboy Bebop has a similar vibe and energy to Trigun. It also masterfully mixes humor, tragedy, intrigue, and thrilling action set pieces across its compact 26-episode run.
2. Desert Punk
If you especially enjoy the desolate desert landscape that provides the setting for Vash the Stampede’s adventures, 2004’s rowdy anime Desert Punk should prove a highly enjoyable watch.
Set in a post-apocalyptic future where most of the world has become deserted, Desert Punk focuses on Kanta Mizuno, a wandering mercenary known as the “Demon of the Desert." Rude, lecherous, and unquestionably skilled with firearms, Kanta makes his living taking on dangerous jobs involving bandits and gangs in the harsh wasteland.
The series boasts plenty of intense action scenes showcasing Kanta’s fighting and sharpshooting prowess, much like Vash. While it has a more overtly comedic tone than Trigun, Desert Punk still incorporates some thoughtful ruminations on human nature and morality.
3. Samurai Champloo
Made by the same acclaimed director behind Cowboy Bebop, Shinichirō Watanabe, 2004’s Samurai Champloo is another excellent pick for Trigun fans. Blending Edo period Japan with anachronistic elements of hip-hop culture, it follows Mugen and Jin, two diametrically opposed swordsmen who accompany the quirky Fuu on her quest to find a mysterious “samurai who smells of sunflowers.”
As with Trigun and Cowboy Bebop, the characters and their relationships are at the core of Samurai Champloo. It swaps out gunplay for sword fights but features the same brand of stylized, kinetic action sequences that Trigun excels at. The series is also evenly split between stand-alone episodic adventures and an overarching central story, akin to Trigun.
4. Baccano!
This cult favorite series from 2007 adapts the first of a series of light novels set in Prohibition-era America, weaving a complex tapestry of interconnecting storylines about immortals, gangsters, thieves, and more.
With a large ensemble cast, multiple interweaving plot threads, and non-linear storytelling, Baccano! can be a bit difficult to follow at first. However, its excellent dub and colorful array of characters with often shifting motivations and morals should appeal to Trigun fans.
Much like Vash and the other pivotal characters of Trigun, even the villains and minor players of Baccano! prove to have more depth than first meets the eye. The alchemical source of some characters’ immortality could be seen as the show’s take on Trigun’s plants.
5. Blood Blockade Battlefront
This recent series aired in 2015 and offers Trigun fans a similar blend of comedy, philosophy, and action, albeit filtered through the lens of manga artist Yasuhiro Nightow’s distinctively quirky style.
The premise revolves around a gateway between Earth and the netherworld opening up in New York City, leading to humans and demons coexisting there. The stories follow the human Leonardo Watch and the superhuman Libra secret society as they maintain balance and order between the species.
With a surprisingly moving emotional core beneath its weird, funny surface and moments of sharp societal critique mixed with over-the-top action, Blood Blockade Battlefront should appeal to Trigun enthusiasts.
6. Black Lagoon
For those looking for a darker, seedier take on the gun-toting action hero aesthetic Trigun nails so well, 2006’s Black Lagoon is an excellent choice. Featuring fluid animation and technical directing that highlights the hard-hitting shootouts, it centers on the Lagoon Company, a mercenary group that smuggles goods in and around the seas of Southeast Asia in the 1990s.
Protagonist Rokuro "Rock" Okajima provides an audience surrogate as his morality and idealism clash with the cynical, ruthless criminals he finds himself surrounded by after joining the Lagoon crew. Revy, Rock’s partner and one of those criminals, has abilities with dual handguns that rival even Vash himself.
7. Fire Force
This 2019 anime takes place in an alternate version of Tokyo, where “Infernals"—people who combust into deadly flames—are a recurring threat to humanity. The show follows Special Fire Force Company 8, a group of firefighters with special abilities who fight to put an end to Infernals while also investigating their origins.
Boasting slick, fluid animation that highlights the fire/flame-based action and abilities of its characters, Fire Force shares Trigun’s talent for balancing high stakes with genuine emotion and light comedy. Protagonist Shinra, with his kind nature, principles, and turbulent past, has parallels to Vash the Stampede.
8. Gintama
With over 365 episodes (plus several movies), this long-running action comedy series offers Trigun fans no shortage of content to enjoy. Taking place in an alternate 19th-century Japan where aliens have invaded and banned swords,
Gintama follows Gintoki Sakata, an eccentric samurai who takes on odd jobs with his friends to pay the rent. Jobs often deteriorate into more dangerous, high-stakes adventures. Gintoki has Vash’s penchant for hiding his competence beneath a silly, lazy exterior.
While the comedy dominates, Gintama finds plenty of opportunities for emotional, philosophical, and even metafictional storylines over its epic run. Also, there are countless standout action set pieces as Gintoki repeatedly proves a highly skilled and dangerous fighter when circumstances demand it.
9. Yu Yu Hakusho
Longtime anime fans may have already seen this one, but for newer converts, it's a must-watch in the vein of Trigun. The premise revolves around delinquent Yusuke Urameshi getting killed while trying to save someone’s life, leading to him becoming an “Underworld Detective” who uses his newfound ghost powers to investigate supernatural activity.
Yu Yu Hakusho uses its action-packed fantasy plot as a backdrop to tell a meaningful coming-of-age story, with Yusuke undergoing profound character development over the series' 112 episodes and multiple arcs. The central quartet of the main characters forms an engaging, endearing family. Additionally, the dub is considered one of the medium's all-time best.
10. Hitman Reborn!
At first glance, the seemingly hapless teenager Tsunayoshi 'Tsuna' Sawada doesn’t appear to share much in common with Vash the Stampede. However, as is eventually revealed over the extensive run of the Hitman Reborn! anime, there is much more to Tsuna than his unimpressive surface characteristics indicate.
After being informed he is next in line to become boss of the powerful Vongola mafia organization, Tsuna undergoes training from the eccentric Hitman Reborn. When push comes to shove, Tsuna always shows the same capacity for compassion and conscience as Trigun's Vash, albeit with some new deadly combat skills in the mix as well.
Conclusion
Trigun remains one of anime’s most beloved and influential classics, blending science fiction, westerns, martial arts, philosophy, and more into an endlessly fun, moving package with wide appeal.
Fans wanting more anime with similar attributes would do well to check out entries like Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Baccano!, Blood Blockade Battlefront, Black Lagoon, and the other works covered here. Each offers its own similar, but still distinct, mixture of elements likely to satisfy fans of Vash the Stampede’s legendary adventures.
