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 Johnny Yong Bosch, English voice of Vash the Stampede, and Sarah Roach, English voice of Meryl Stryfe.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Q: My first question is to Johnny. One important element of the story is reconciling Vash’s own internal positions on pacifism with the world around him. When it comes to moments where you’ve encountered this contrast as a voice actor, what’s your strategy for communicating it?
Johnny Yong Bosch: Well, I lean into whatever is happening on the screen. There’s obviously internal conflict — he hopes for the best. But yeah, I just really just lean into what’s happening, what the story is, what’s been animated, and how the scene is supposed to play out.
Q: And for Sarah, Meryl has a lot of sides to her character — from serious to short-tempered to energetic. How do you navigate presenting different sides of that character?
Sarah Roach: She’s not unlike myself in that way. I think very similar to what you [Johnny] said. It’s just reacting to the circumstances that she’s in. And I think for her, she’s maybe just a little more intense than the average person would be. So I take that into consideration.
Q: For both of you, both of your characters have some degree of hope for the future of humanity, even the coexistence of humans and Plants in contrast to characters like Knives. Does this outlook affect the way you’ve approached your characters across both seasons and how, if so?
Sarah Roach: Yeah, I think Meryl’s love for the people she cares about and also humanity is — it informs everything she does. And I think it’s part of the reason why she’s so dedicated to her job and to her friends is because she cares so much about them.
Johnny Yong Bosch: I think that hope is always there for Vash and that can lead to both situations, a great outcome or a terrible one. And I think that’s the interesting thing about this story and for him to be a pacifist in a very violent world. But that journey is very interesting, but yeah, all his decisions are made in the hope of humanity.
Q: And my next question, to Johnny again, Vash has a lot of dark parts of his past that presumably are rather hard to draw from personal experience to relate to exactly. What do you look toward for inspiration to tapping into that past?
Johnny Yong Bosch: Well, we all experience very difficult things in life and I’ve had my fair share of tough times. And so while those things and revisiting those emotions are not the most enjoyable things, because of those experiences, I think I can tap into certain emotions that Vash will go through and things that he faces.
Q: And Sarah, similar question. Are there any parts of your own life and personality that you draw from when voicing Meryl?
Sarah Roach: Yeah, I think every experience that I have is another experience being alive, if that makes sense. And so in order to help these characters feel even more alive than they already are with all of the beautiful animation, I do draw on my personal experiences.
Q: Looking across both seasons now, have there been any scenes that were either surprisingly difficult, whether it be for technical reasons or just giving more difficulties than you originally anticipated?
Johnny Yong Bosch: I don’t know if I’ve had anything that has felt overwhelmingly difficult. Certainly there were some that were more emotional — the end of STAMPEDE for sure was definitely more emotional and passionate, but it was so much more fun to play through that. But there hasn’t been anything for myself that’s been too terribly difficult.
Sarah Roach: I think kind of the same. I think certainly Meryl in STAMPEDE has a major shift in her character and goes to a more emotional place in her scene with Roberto in the elevator. And it wasn’t difficult, so to say, but it required a different level of care and really taking the time to kind of sit in that moment and then give it a shot.
Q: That makes sense. When navigating those moments that require extra care, have there been any moments where you got extra direction that felt especially meaningful to you or especially helpful?
Sarah Roach: I mean, Jeremy Inman, who is our ADR director, is such a great director. And I feel like the way that he directs really connects with me. I’m trying to think of any specific instances. Sometimes I’ll do a take and then he’ll say, “Try this.” And I’m like, “Oh, that’s exactly what Meryl would do here.” And so it’s kind of a collaborative effort in that way.
Johnny Yong Bosch: Yeah. I don’t know if I’ve gotten anything that was a specific direction, but it’d be like adjustments here or there, like maybe try a different color on it. But yeah, I don’t think I’ve received any specific direction. At least I can’t think of any.
Q: And then my last question: across the many scenes we’ve had thus far, are there any scenes that have stood out to you as a favorite in these two seasons?
Sarah Roach: I mean, I love the introduction to Vash in STAMPEDE where he’s hanging there from a thread and Meryl and Roberto kind of stumble upon him. The whole interaction that ensues is one of my favorite scenes.
Johnny Yong Bosch: Yeah, there are a few. I like when he’s running through the town getting shot at. That’s always fun. The action is great in this. The animation style — you can really see what’s going on. I love the ending of STAMPEDE. There are a few things in STARGAZE. Some of the action as well has just been really great. The character design is really awesome too, for a lot of the Gung-Ho-Guns. The music’s been great. We haven’t quite finished yet, so we haven’t got to the end. We have a couple more episodes, but I’m sure that things are going to be pretty crazy in these final two.
We’d like to thank Johnny Yong Bosch and Sarah Roach 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. TRIGUN STARGAZE is streaming on Crunchyroll. The TRIGUN STARGAZE English dubbed finale premieres Saturday, April 11 at 7AM PT.
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