Vash the Stampede

ヴァッシュ・ザ・スタンピード RACE: Plant AGE: 150+ years old DATE OF BIRTH: July 21, 2455 HEIGHT: 5'11" (180 cm)

Vash the Stampede (ヴァッシュ・ザ・スタンピード,, Vasshu za Sutanpīdo?) is the main protagonist of the anime and manga series of Trigun. Vash is also known as The Humanoid Typhoon due to the destruction and chaos that often surrounds him. Wielding a huge nickel revolver, he travels from town to town to learn more and protect what his adoptive mother, Rem, treasured most: love and peace. He is initially discovered by Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson, two Bernardelli Insurance Society representatives investigating claims made due to damages caused by the mysterious Humanoid Typhoon. In the 2023 reboot, he is found by rookie reporter Meryl Stryfe and her senior partner Roberto de Niro, seeking an interview.

In the 1998 anime, Meryl and Milly find Vash while he is being chased by bandits who want to collect the bounty on "The $$60,000,000,000 (sixty billion double dollar) Man". He escapes while Milly and Meryl eventually learn that Vash is actually the person they are assigned to track.

In the 2023 anime, Meryl and Roberto find Vash tied up in the desert, hanging upside down by his legs and surrounded by birds. Their interaction is interrupted by JuLai military police, looking for Vash on account of his $$6,000,000 bounty (six million double dollars). Meryl points them in the opposite direction, then leads Vash to a nearby town to interview him.

In the manga, they discover Vash facing off against Father Nebraska and Son Gofsef after he was avoiding a conflict with the somewhat innocent townsfolk who aimed to use the sixty billion double dollar bounty on his head to correct the financial problems vexing their town.

Vash is represented as a tall blond man, about 180 centimetres tall, with blue-green eyes. Vash's hair looks like needles, which sometimes betrays him, or gives his friends a chance to come up with nicknames for him (example: Needlehead). As a result, his entire body is a kaleidoscope of large scars, pieces of lost flesh replaced with metal plates, metal seams. In the anime, Vash loses his left arm in a conflict with Knives in July City . This arm was later replaced with a cybernetic prosthesis with a built-in weapon.

Vash’s typical ensemble includes a long, crimson trenchcoat with a high collar, assorted straps, and black buttons. It has slits on both sides from the waist down, which allow for ease in running, jumping, and climbing. His right sleeve is simply part of the trenchcoat, but his left sleeve is secured by a series of black straps and buckles.

Underneath his coat, he wears form fitting dark pants and knee-high combat boots with retractable knives in the toes and circular metal plates at the knees. His top is black and sleeveless, and is also tight to his body. Occasionally he will wear a pair of light amber-colored glasses, although they are not prescription or used specifically for use in bright sun.

Personality: Vash displays throughout both the manga and the anime two very distinct personalities. Initially, Vash usually exaggerates foolish characteristics to make people feel un-threatened and to hide his identity, as well as using these outrageous actions and chronic kindness as a way to mask his own pain (as noticed by Millie). He exhibits an almost obsessive love of doughnuts, engages in lecherous behavior, plays games with the local children and aids and befriends the adults, as well as making the occasional bizarre joke or quip (for example, upon meeting Wolfwood, he introduced himself as "Valentinez Alkalinella Xifax Sicidabohertz Gumbigobilla Blue Stradivari Talentrent Pierre Andres Charton-Haymoss Ivanovicci Baldeus George Doitzel Kaiser III"). He frequently voices the catchphrase, "This world is made of love and peace," which is usually complemented by his flashing of the "V" or Peace sign, much to the confusion of friends and acquaintances and the chagrin of his enemies.

Vash's other side is an utterly tormented and lonely being and is rarely shown when he is in the company of others. Due to his long life and legendary (and infamous) reputation, Vash has lost both a great many friends and his only family. In several instances (as implied by Luida) people he trusted have either betrayed him or been killed for simply knowing him. For the 20 years (between the loss of July and the revocation of his bounty) he was a hunted man and frequently had to hide his identity and fend off waves of persistent bounty hunters. Thus, he is often prone to brooding and depression whilst alone or engaging in deep introspective thought.

A point of conflict in the series is the inner differences between Vash and Knives, his twin brother, and their regard for humanity. Despite his long-suffering and ill-treatment by human beings, Vash chooses to remain hopeful and loving toward humanity; whereas Knives has fallen into a deep-seated hatred of the entire race despite never personally suffering at their hands. Their personalities also have other key differences: Vash cannot stand the despair of being alone, whereas Knives revels in his loneliness and has no desire for any company other than Vash.

Because Vash refuses to kill any of his opponents, he often suffers at the hands of a number of very unscrupulous enemies. As a result, his body is a patchwork of large scars, chunks of missing flesh supported by metal mesh, and stitch marks. Despite his hesitance to show his body (especially to ladies, whom he believes would be repulsed), Vash never uses his power to remove them or repair his body, choosing to keep the scars as a reminder of the price he pays for his unlimited mercy.