American Flag in Trigun?

Postby **Bobtheduck** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 1:21 am

sorry if this was brought up, but did anyone see the american flag in today's episode of trigun? It was backwards and it was made of crops, but it definately had that american flag look... What you all think of this? Is there some hidden symbolism or commentary on the US?

I am having a very hard time with the simplistic and, shall we say, off answers that this show is trying oh so hard and obviously to give for questions that don't have such difinitive answers. (sorry, you die-hard trigun fans)

Off-topic: Anyone seen "Protesting the Protestors"?

Postby **sskg0tt0** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 1:53 am

never noticed it...what ep is it on?

Postby **inkhana** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 7:40 am

I don't know about that, but here's something else. Naturally I'm not able to read the Trigun manga, (it's in Japanese) but there is something kinda along the same lines. There is a scene (I forget just where; I think it was when Legato first appears) and he has a small case of coins, which, upon enlarging, you see are actually halves of US quarters. Dominique the Cyclops also has a half of one quarter; it might be correct to assume that other Gung Ho Guns did as well. At any rate, I have no idea if that's a spoiler or anything, for those who haven't read the manga...but I thought it was interesting. In response to the original question, I didn't notice it and I have no idea what it might mean..

Postby **Stephen** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 11:07 am

If you can tell me the ep# I own the series and can try to get a screen shot maybe...

Postby **StarMasayume** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 11:17 am

Yeah, it was last night's episode... with those guys taking the hostages to get back at that daughter's father, the part where he was reminesing about "the grim reaper" and his parents in the crops that they died in. When I saw the shot it DID remind me of a backwards american flag, I couldn't decide if it was just me or if they meant anything by it. If there's any symbolism there, I have no idea (but so yeah, I did notice it). ^_^

-star

First, Ban all the Trolls. . . · Postby **MillyFan** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 3:31 am

StarMasayume wrote:Yeah, it was last night's episode... with those guys taking the hostages to get back at that daughter's father, the part where he was reminesing about "the grim reaper" and his parents in the crops that they died in. When I saw the shot it DID remind me of a backwards american flag, I couldn't decide if it was just me or if they meant anything by it. If there's any symbolism there, I have no idea (but so yeah, I did notice it). ^_^

-star

I may be wrong (and feel free to correct me if I am) but I don't think it was an anti-American message or anything. . .

As for the manga, I know someone online who has every edition, and he told me what the coins meant one time. Unfortunately, I forgot it for the most part so I'd have to go back and ask, but IIRC part of it is that the coins are tokens of affection/honor from Knives (again, not sure on this, need to go back and ask) and that's why the Gung Ho Guns and especially Legato want to collect them. . .

Oh, and I think a lot of the "American" stuff (i.e. another one was the data screen on Rem's relative in July shown in episode 26, which listed him as a resident of Cleveland, LOL) was to kind of give the series a different background, one for which I must grant some originality points even if it was often an hilariously inept attempt (i.e. the bodyguard ad in episode 2 being in Engrish and the quick draw contest application in episode 10 being in slightly better Engrish :grin:

).

Much anime has the "at least one of the main characters are Japanese and this was obviously set in Japan or in a place like Japan" background. However, it seemed that, aside from two things (Rai Dei and the shape of the canceling-out angel arm blast in the final battle) there seemed to be an attempt to intentionally avoid that stereotype in Trigun. Even Rai Dei's "Japaneseness" was used as somewhat of a parody on that very stereotype (the "I can't read that" scene when he presented the kanji scroll to Vash).

I would answer your "Protesting the Protestors" question, but that would derail this thread into a pointless political flamewar, and I really don't want to ruin a good anime thread with one of those debacles. Sorry :sweat:

(if you want to debate the war elsewhere though, you're on! :poke:

See you there!)

Postby **Technomancer** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 4:53 am

Well said.

I can't say that I noticed any specific "messages" in Trigun. A few Americanisms wouldn't be totally out of line in a show like this in any case, given its Western-style backdrop.

Postby **Bobtheduck** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:10 am

MillyFan wrote:I would answer your "Protesting the Protestors" question, but that would derail this thread into a pointless political flamewar, and I really don't want to ruin a good anime thread with one of those debacles. Sorry

(if you want to debate the war elsewhere though, you're on! See you there!)

No thanks... Don't think it would get either of us anywhere... I'm going to have to contradict my instincts here and say no... I just love that "documentary" in the same form (though opposing that creator's views) as "Bowling for Columbine" which I think is about the biggest... well, yeah... In any case... I need to stop before I "go there" if I haven't already done so.

By "in the same form" I meant that it was a stacked proof documentary in much the same way that BFC was... Neither of them are true documentaries. I can't help but laugh at all the stupid crap that comes from people on both sides of the argument! Everyone tries to make the other one look stupid... However, I see more of the anti-war people doing that usually, so it's great to see it on the other side (even though that sort of tactic is rediculous) Oh, and by the way I know that BFC had nothing to do with the war, I was only comparing them due to the stacked proof... Ok, end of disclaimer (aka saving my butt)

Postby **Bobtheduck** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:15 am

Technomancer wrote:Well said.

I can't say that I noticed any specific "messages" in Trigun. A few Americanisms wouldn't be totally out of line in a show like this in any case, given its Western-style backdrop.

Basically, the simplistic message I was reffering to... well, it's the overall message of Trigun (though I admit I still haven't seen the last couple eps, so this may change, but not likely... If it does, I'll retract what I said) But I strongly disagree with it. I think it is a very naive and deceptive view... Hmm... I think I just "went there" but I'm not sure... I'll stop to keep from going further into "there."

Trigun has not been one of my faves, to put it simply...

BTW, the "go there" thing is not a mocking quote of anyone here, but a marking of a proverbial statement... So don't freak out.

Postby **Technomancer** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:18 am

Ack! I should have written "no specific messages about the US". There is very clearly a message that runs through the whole series :sweat:

Postby **That Dude** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 8:43 am

I don't think that Trigun is anti American or anything. Yeah anyways there actually is an American flag (if I remember right) on one of the SEED ships on the ep that shows Vash and Knives as kids.

Postby **Needle Noggin** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 4:59 pm

Alot of anime have amirican flags like in Dragonball when Goku fought Murasaki.

Postby **Takachi** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 3:20 pm

Plus one thing to remember is that after WWII America did occupy Japan for about ten years, hence their great American similarities.

American Flag in Trigun?

American Flag in Trigun?

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