After five years of development, Trigun Stampede made its anime debut in the winter of 2023. With its return to television, fans are wondering what happened to a certain character from the original 1998 anime, who is missing from the new anime's visuals and trailer. So, why was Milly Thompson replaced in Trigun Stampede?
RELATED: The Best Action-Filled Anime to Watch
What Is Milly Thompson's Role in Trigun?
In the original Trigun anime, Milly Thompson works as an agent for the Bernardelli Insurance Society alongside Meryl Stryfe.
Simply put, Milly and Meryl want Vash the Stampede to stop causing problems for their insurance company.
Every time Vash destroys a house, the Bernardelli Insurance Society is obligated to provide service to their clients who have been displaced.
Because Vash frequently causes trouble, Milly and Meryl must ensure that he will stop his wrongdoings, as their insurance company is at stake.
She stands out from the cast of Trigun due to her tall and strong build yet soft demeanor.
Who Replaced Milly Thompson?
As of writing, it is unclear and unconfirmed whether Milly Thompson has been replaced by Roberto Deniro, the new character in Trigun Stampede.
While they are diametrically opposed, Milly and Roberto share one thing in common: they both work with Meryl.
On that note, Meryl's role in Trigun Stampede has been changed as well.
She is now a rookie reporter who aspires to be a senior editor at the Department of News someday, whereas she was an insurance agent for the Bernardelli Insurance Society in the original anime.
Unlike Milly, Roberto is a drunken veteran journalist who joins Meryl in covering the Humanoid Typhoon, Vash the Stampede, in the hopes of landing a big scoop one day.
While he does not believe Meryl will become a bigwig someday, he still keeps an eye on her in the most dangerous situations.
Why Was Milly Thompson Replaced?
It is unknown whether Milly Thompson has truly been replaced in Trigun Stampede, as previously stated.
Because she is a beloved character, many fans will miss her in the new anime, as well as her pivotal role in making the original anime more iconic.
On the plus side, it's possible that Trigun Stampede is a prequel to the original anime.
The reason for this is that Vash the Stampede appears much younger, and the bounty on his head is not as large as it was in the original. Furthermore, July has not yet been decimated!
Nonetheless, if Trigun Stampede takes place before the original anime, Milly Thompson will almost certainly appear later on.
Will Milly Thompson Appear in Trigun Stampede?
While there has been no word from the producers about Milly Thompson, we are speculating that she will appear in the series later on.
However, given that Trigun Stampede will only air 12 episodes this season, there's a chance she won't appear at all.
Fans can only wait and see how the plot unfolds in Trigun Stampede, but they will see some new locations, new character designs, and a new storyline.
Understandably, Trigun Stampede is not what fans were expecting after so many years of waiting. Because of this, Trigun Stampede Episode 1 has received mixed reviews.
Trigun Stampede is airing on Crunchyroll and Hulu every Saturday for international regions and most parts of the US!
Want the latest on all things anime? Make sure you follow us on Twitter!
READ NEXT: Trigun Stampede Staff Address the New Anime’s CGI in Interviews