The Trigun anime and manga series features an extensive cast of characters created by Yasuhiro Nightow. The series takes place on a fictional desert planet where humanity has taken up root after leaving Earth. In this western/steampunk setting, civilization is sparse and mostly lawless. The plot and characters of the series differ greatly between the original manga and its anime adaption, the anime only following roughly up to the second volume of the manga before diverging into its own unique telling of the story. The series' storyline follows the adventures of the legendary gunman Vash the Stampede as he spreads his message of love and peace throughout the world while combating his brother Millions Knives and the Gung-Ho Guns assassins' leader Legato Bluesummers.
The main character of the series is Vash the Stampede, a jovial, pacifist gunman who is always followed by disaster and misfortune due to the large bounty on his head. During the early part of the series he is constantly chased by Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson, insurance agents assigned with the duty of evaluating damages involving Vash. Early on he also meets Nicholas D. Wolfwood, a violent and serious traveling preacher who becomes Vash's strongest fighting ally and friend throughout his adventures. Over the course of the series, Vash interacts and befriends many people across the globe. At odds with Vash and his companions is his twin brother Millions Knives, who hates humans and Vash's way of life. Closely following Knives is Legato Bluesummers, a cold and powerful man and his group of super-powered assassins, the Gung-Ho Guns.
Vash the Stampede (ヴァッシュ・ザ・スタンピード Vasshu za Sutanpīdo?) is a sentient Plant known as "The Humanoid Typhoon" due to the destruction which surrounds him. Wielding a huge silver revolver, he travels from town to town. He is initially discovered by Meryl and Milly, representatives from an insurance agency investigating claims made due to damages caused by the mysterious "Humanoid Typhoon". The pair 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 and his brother, Knives, were born on a colony ship that was part of a fleet sent to find and settle a new world in order to extend the human race. They were raised by Rem, who instilled upon Vash the philosophy that every being deserves life, and Vash now takes this to the extreme by always attempting to save everyone. Knives on the other hand, sickened by the actions of the humans around him, caused the fleet to crash, which killed Rem and many others. Vash has made it his purpose to hunt down and stop Knives from harming anyone else. Vash was forced to destroy the city of July during one of his confrontations with Knives, which haunts him considerably and starts his reputation.