Initial announcement
Intense skepticism.
Trailer
Skepticism intensifies
Episode 1
• Cold Open
• • Oof. I do not like the order in which they are presenting events.
• Episode Proper
• • Meryl's partner could be replaced by a box that absorbs alcohol and says "You're naïve!"
• • Hang on, Vash's characterization is pretty good, actually.
• • So are all the incidental townsfolk?
• • Why is JuLai the only month-city that they're giving an affected spelling?
• • These cops aren't just bad people, they're bad characters.
• Denouement
• • This resolution leaves Vash looking significantly less badass than the 90's version. I like it.
• • Wait, are they not going to immediately sell him out?
Comparison with old:
• Writing
• • Character: =
• • Theme: =
• • Pacing: -3
• Production
• • Visuals: =
• • Music: -10
Overall:
This might be vaguely worthwhile. I guess I'll keep with it for now. Shame we can't have Imahori Tsuneo's amazing BGMs to go with it, though.
Episode 2
• Cold Open
• • This could be entirely cut and no information would be lost.
• Episode
• • Okay, yep. I was confused when this didn't happen at the end of the first episode.
• • Wait a second. These villains are actually characters!
• • With circumstances and motivations, even?!
• • Wait a second, there isn't any action-packed showdown?
• Denouement
• • Oh goddammit. The status quo hasn't been fully established yet. Don't introduce the disrupting element already!
Comparison with old:
• Writing
• • Character: +2
• • Theme: +5
• • Pacing: -6
• Production
• • Visuals: =
• • Music: -8
Overall:
The characterization and themes are really good here. I also really appreciate the decision not to oversell Vash's coolness like the original did.
The pacing is very bad, though. That's probably somewhat unavoidable if we've only got a 12-13 episode run to work with instead of the original's 26, but I feel like there was probably a better way to deal with that than to do away with the mystery elements entirely.
I still miss the old soundtrack, but I must reluctantly admit that it wouldn't fit the less action-oriented direction they've taken this version of the story in.