TRIGUN STARGAZE is the final installment of the newest anime adaptation of the original popular and classic action manga TRIGUN by Yasuhiro Nightow. Beginning two years after the events of TRIGUN STAMPEDE, TRIGUN STARGAZE continues the story of gunslinging pacifist Vash the Stampede as he clashes with his twin brother, Millions Knives. Alongside other characters like reporters Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson and “undertaker” Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Vash explores what it means to protect, live, and coexist, and what the challenges are to achieving and securing one’s ideals.
While the original Japanese finale has now aired, ahead of the TRIGUN STARGAZE English dubbed finale (which premieres Saturday, April 11 at 7AM PT) we had the incredible opportunity to speak with two of the series’ English dub voice actors. Included in this interview were David Matranga, English voice of Nicholas D. Wolfwood, and Alexis Tipton, English voice of Milly Thompson.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Q: My first question is to David. Wolfwood is a morally conflicted and very layered character. How do you approach showcasing that, especially in contrast to a character like Vash?
David Matranga: The contrast is actually what really helps define the character. The fact that there is this other character that he bumps up against in his journey that is different — it heightens and showcases what’s already there. And at the end of the day, the character that has been created, that’s been drawn, the animation, everything that’s in the soil of that character, that feeds me. And it’s my job to kind of ingest all of that and put it into the witch’s cauldron or whatever, and then figure out the way that it comes out. And that’s from watching the Japanese voice actors, from watching the animation, all of that.
I really just take it one moment at a time. And that’s after, like I said, putting all that in there, and letting it ruminate. And then taking it one moment at a time, we see exactly what you said, the conflicted morality, the trying to be something but never feeling like he lives up to that really, and kind of some of the self-loathing that comes with that. And so, yeah, for me, it’s just being an open receptacle to that, and then doing what we do and letting it come out. And then it’s tweaked by the director and all that stuff. That’s really how I approach it.
Q: And for Alexis, Milly was introduced early in STARGAZE. When voicing those initial scenes, like the bar fight in Episode 1, what kinds of guidance and direction did you receive, and what was your approach?
Alexis Tipton: I do remember a note that I was given, because again, it’s our first time meeting her, that whole thing. And we go from she and Meryl are about to enjoy their delicious desserts, and that’s a very kind of like, “Ooh, desserts,” kind of girly. And then we get into “Oh no, now we got to take out these bad guys before we can actually sit down and enjoy our meal.” And that was definitely a good invitation to juxtapose that. It was like, okay, here’s Milly and her sweetness and her optimism and her, “Oh, you know, this is just a normal day. I’m having a little dessert. But I can also hold my own in a fight.” And so I remember getting a note from the director of we can make her sound a little stronger in this moment, as opposed to when she’s just being relaxed and casual. But obviously, it’s clearly not difficult for her. So there also can’t be a lot of stress — this isn’t like an intense fight. This is easy for her. It’s just sort of a stepping stone between her and the dessert. So it was kind of interesting finding those levels. And she, we don’t see her fight very much, but she’s clearly a very capable person in a fight. And so that was fun, being able to kind of find those different colors in a very short amount of time. And it’s why her entrance, I think, is one of my favorite parts of what we’ve seen from her in that season, because it just highlights everything about her in a very short amount of time, which is really, really fun. And then we just get to enjoy those colors going forward.
Q: One thing I’m curious to hear both of your thoughts on is the way the main group of characters interact. As they’ve interacted and had more cross-pollination of different personality traits and experiences, do you feel like different aspects of the characters have rubbed off on others in ways that you’ve had to take heed of and actually incorporate into your voice acting?
David Matranga: Well, I think that’s probably in the original creation, you know what I mean? I’m reminded of a scene — I forget what episode it is, but the four of them are there and they’re strategizing.
I think Wolfwood says something like, “Oh, well, if I just kill Vash now, then problem solved, right? Knives can’t get him. And then he can’t get what he needs in order to eradicate humanity.” And they’re all there. And Meryl’s doing her thing, Milly’s doing her thing. And so the way I interpret it, the best way I can answer that is that’s in the soil of the writing. They’re all sort of impacted by each other in that moment. You’ve got someone like Wolfwood putting out kind of a controversial point of view. Vash is taken aback.
Milly and Meryl are like, “Is he being serious?” And so I don’t know if it necessarily changes my voice acting approach, but I think we change all the time, but depending on who we’re talking to in real life.
And so I make up at least that that happens. I think Milly has definitely impacted Wolfwood in a way where it’s made him maybe see things in a different way. You know what I mean? It’s all up to interpretation.
Alexis Tipton: She just does not entertain whatever he’s got going on. She just treats him like she treats everybody else. And that’s great. And yeah, I don’t know if anyone’s really affected — I mean, I think Milly was really excited to meet Vash because she has been hearing about him and it’s like, “Oh, you’re the guy that we’ve been looking for. This is really exciting.” But I think her effect on Meryl is interesting because Meryl — they’re sort of polar opposites in a lot of ways. A lot of Milly’s life is about bugs and worms and that’s Meryl’s absolute nightmare. But yeah, they help each other a lot. They support each other a lot.
I think they have a really great team dynamic. But yeah, your comments about it being baked in the soil, I would definitely agree with as well.
Q: That makes sense. And then my last question, what we’ve seen thus far of STARGAZE, have there been any scenes that stand out to you as favorites?
Alexis Tipton: Oh, there’s so many fun moments like with Milly. I, again, I just love how we keep discovering things about Milly that she just sort of introduces as not a big deal. And then we’re like, “Wait a minute, what? Go back,” like the worm taming — coming from a family of worm tamers. And sometimes Milly will have suggestions that are just out of left field and it’s like, “Okay, that’s what we’re doing.
Awesome.” And so, yeah, she’s very memorable in that way.
David Matranga: Honestly, there are so many, it’s hard to choose one. But I will say, I love small, nuanced moments that, as a viewer, you may see it, you may not. There’s one that comes to mind. He’s taking Vash — they’re on the motorcycle. He’s taking Vash to the orphanage to Melanie to kind of care for Vash — right now I’ve got to go do this thing with Livio. And Melanie recognizes him and tries to say, are you Nico? And he cuts her off every time. It happens like three times. And it’s very small, right? It’s not some big scene, but he interrupts her. And so you could interpret that he knows that she’s recognizing him, but he cannot deal with the vulnerability of that moment, with the emotions of that moment, whatever it is.
And so he keeps interrupting her. And he leaves without ever saying, and there’s this unspoken thing there that’s so beautiful to me. And it gives you so much information about what that means to him, and what it means to the character of Melanie. It’s so beautiful. So yeah, it’s not a big fight. It’s a small little couple of lines back and forth that’s so powerful.
We’d like to thank David Matranga and Alexis Tipton for taking the time to speak with us about TRIGUN STARGAZE and thank the folks over at Crunchyroll for holding a junket with members of the press. Also check out our interview with Johnny Yong Bosch, English voice of Vash the Stampede, and Sarah Roach, English voice of Meryl Stryfe. TRIGUN STARGAZE is streaming on Crunchyroll. The TRIGUN STARGAZE English dubbed finale premieres Saturday, April 11 at 7AM PT.
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