I finally can verbalize my thoughts on why the Angel arm situation is so fucked up even if you don’t look at it through a lens of it being sexual assault. Knives completely disregards the autonomy of anyone hes In contact with. Even the dependent plants, who he sees as his sisters. But Vash-his own fucking brother who he claims to love- is not afforded any autonomy. Because when it comes down to it knives doesn’t care. The Angel arm incident is to directly show how powerless Vash is. That Vash isn’t even allowed control over his own powers, but Knives is. Knives violates Vash’s bodily autonomy and makes him go against his principles (which at the time are the only things he’s living for!!) as a show of power. A “look at this, your ideals mean nothing because you’re too weak to uphold them.”
I think this along with the very obvious metaphors for SA is what makes this scene so gut wrenching. It’s Vash trying to hang on to his personhood, and this is one of the very few times we see him do it. Vash barely ever actively fights to protect himself, he mainly just dodges and runs. Except for his fights with Knives and a couple of the Gung-ho-Guns. Vash is actively fighting and being overpowered and that’s why it’s so disturbing
Full resolution detail scans of the production materials printed in the "Monthly Satellite Times" newspaper insert included in the Trigun Stage 8 Laserdisc release. (2/2)
Scanned, stitched together, newsprint paper texture removed by me.
13. Rai-Dei the Blade (1)
14. Rai-Dei the Blade (2)
15. Radio man
16. Rai-Dei the Blade's sword gun
17. E.G. Mine (armed form)
18. E.G. Mine (unarmed form)
19. Townspeople
20. Vash's hidden gun
21. Vash's Angel Arm (1)
22. Vash's Angel Arm (2)
[ID: Digital Art of Vash and Wolfwood from Trigun Maximum. Vash’s body is turned slightly away from the viewer as he holds a staggering Wolfwood by his shoulder. He has one foot ahead of the other, the foot in the back used to stabilize himself from tipping over. Wolfwood is tethering into Vash, his weight pressed into him with his arms wrapped around Vash’s waist and his face is hidden away as he leans against Vash’s shoulder. Vash’s expression can be seen, his eyes wide and mouth tight-lipped, and his face is flushed red. A speech bubble comes out from Wolfwood, saying a drawled “Spikeyyy...”. The background are desaturated pastels of blue and green, showing night time, as they stand in the middle of an empty street that is also lit by the moon not depicted. Yellow light is seen coming from the inside of a saloon. End ID]
Angel using the number of arms out as a way to signal how he's feeling in the current context.
Only two arms out while carrying dishes from the kitchen to the dining room so Husk can help him? Flirty.
Four arms? Just fine, normal even.
Six arms? Don't fucking talk to him give him a wide berth NO ONE HELPS ME I DO EVERYTHING IN THIS HOUSE mom type energy. HIGH chance of getting smacked when he inevitably slips into an angry tirade in italian.