Trigun Maximum is a sci-fi and action manga series by Yasuhiro Nightow, serving as the direct continuation and main body of the Trigun epic. Picking up two years after the conclusion of the original series, the story follows the pacifist gunman Vash the Stampede as he emerges from hiding. Accompanied by the traveling priest Nicholas D. Wolfwood and insurance agents Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson, Vash must face his cruel twin brother Knives and his deadly syndicate of assassins, the Gung-Ho Guns, in a final battle for the survival of humanity on the desert planet. The series is renowned for its scale, complex moral philosophy, and incredibly detailed, chaotic artwork. It is highly regarded for shedding the lighter episodic elements of the prologue to dive into a brutal, high-stakes narrative that tests Vash's vow of non-lethal pacifism to its absolute limits, delivering some of the most iconic confrontations in seinen history. It serves as the definitive realization of Nightow's vision, providing the deep lore, backstory, and conclusive resolution that the original 1998 anime adaptation could only partially touch upon. The manga is celebrated worldwide for its heavy emotional weight, striking visual style, and its status as an absolute masterwork of the Space Western genre. Other Notable Works Yasuhiro Nightow: Trigun, Blood Blockade Battlefront (Kekkai Sensen) Comparable Peers: Gungrave (Concept creator), Hellsing (Contemporary dark action classic) Series Details Japanese Name: トライガン・マキシマム (Toraigan Makishimamu) English Title: Trigun Maximum Story: Yasuhiro Nightow Art: Yasuhiro Nightow Original Publisher: Shonen Gahosha (Young King OURs) English Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Release Years: 1997–2007 (Japan) / 2004–2009 (English) Volumes: 14 (Complete - also available in Dark Horse Omnibus and Deluxe formats) Age Rating: Older Teen (14+) Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Space Western, Drama, Seinen **Comics & manga are assumed VG+ or better unless otherwise noted. No broken spines, no writing, no stickers, and may have light shelf wear. Mid-2000s or earlier manga may have slight yellowing due to the age of the paper. All manga and comics are assumed to be pre-owned.