REVIEW: ‘TRIGUN STARGAZE’ Episode 8 — “Goodbye, My Friend”

TRIGUN STARGAZE Episode 8, “Goodbye, My Friend,” sees Wolfwood (Yoshimasa Hosoya, My Hero Academia) escape The Ark with Vash (Yoshitsugo Matsuoka, Fire Force) in tow. But when they are pursued by Razlo, the Tri-Punisher of Death, Wolfwood must confront his old friend’s alter-ego, despite being wildly outgunned. 

Opening TRIGUN STARGAZE Episode 8 is a flashback that summarizes the nature of Livio/Razlo. The presentation, from Conrad’s (Ryûsei Nakao, Live A Live) voice-over explanation to the lighting and Livio’s twisting facial animations as he changes personalities, creates an unsettling vibe to launch the episode with. This perfectly encapsulates both the strengths and weaknesses of everything to follow. 

Throughout TRIGUN STARGAZE Episode 8, the presentation is top-notch. The overwhelming, maniacal threat posed by Razlo and the gritty determination of Wolfwood are nailed down through the combination of animation and voice acting. The energy that builds once the fight starts never breaks until the very end. It grabs you and pulls you in. With every hail of bullets, shower of energy beams, and rocket explosion, the series flexes its visual muscles, missing not a single opportunity to wow the viewer. 

TRIGUN STARGAZE Episode 8 nails the visuals, keeping the fight high-energy and frenetic.

All this energy and tone are undercut by the episode’s oversights: the attempt to make the conflict emotionally meaningful for its combatants. The narrative hits the viewer with Razlo so suddenly and leaps into the fight with such gusto that the personal elements never have ample time to sink in. We know of the connection between Wolfwood and Livio from the events of season one, but with so many more elements added and no time to process them, the episode loses the potential emotional payoff it strives for. 

The closest TRIGUN STARGAZE Episode 8 comes to landing its heartfelt elements is a brief flashback to Wolfwood and Livio as kids. The hand-drawn, sketch-style animation uses the series’ top-tier visual skill to create a moment of genuine feeling within the action-heavy narrative. 

This one moment of emotion isn’t enough to save the episode. The previously mentioned lack of clarity with the situation hits hardest as the battle comes to a close. With Wolfwood down and Razlo ready to deliver the final blow, Livio reasserts himself to prevent his second persona from killing his old friend. 

Unfortunately, TRIGUN STARGAZE Episode 8 doesn’t nail the emotional tone.

This sudden forced takeover of their shared body leaves the moment clouded and ill-implemented. While Livio has an emotional heart-to-heart with his other self, apologizing for what Razlo had to endure and the nature of his existence, the viewer is left bewildered by what’s transpiring. Could Livio have taken control at any time? If so, why wait so long? If not, what allowed him to step in at that moment? It feels too convenient with how little we know about what’s going on. 

The misses with TRIGUN STARGAZE Episode 8 persist right up until the final moment. With Wolfwood seemingly succumbing to his injuries, the show pulls a fake-out death for the protagonist that feels like the final nail in the episode’s emotional coffin. It’s as if the writers are confirming that we weren’t really supposed to get too involved in this episode’s narrative, so they undercut the final moments with a poorly executed joke. 

TRIGUN STARGAZE Episode 8 delivers a ton of visual splendor. From fight scenes to mood-setting, Studio Orange continues to showcase that there is little they can’t achieve with their unique animation style. However, while nailing the visuals and action are important, this entry loses sight of the emotional core of its narrative, failing to allow the audience to fully invest in the meaning of the clash that plays out, ultimately reducing the story to a case study of style over substance. 

TRIGUN STARGAZE Episode 8 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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