Anime Duel: Spike Spiegel Vs Vash The Stampede

Seriously, who didn’t have this debate back in the day (0:56)? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today, a space cowboy is in pursuit of a bounty worth 60 billion double dollars. That’s right, it’s Spike versus the Humanoid Typhoon himself, Vash the Stampede! Imagine, if you will, these two iconic characters walking into a bar. Spike strikes up a conversation, because he’s heard through the grapevine that there’s a disastrous man on the loose. Vash tries to play dumb, but Spikecan see through that goofy smile of his. He’s the bounty that he’s been searching for, so it’s time to whip out those guns and jam!

Round 1: Strength and Endurance

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Technically speaking, this battle is man versus a plant, which may put Spike at a disadvantage. As a plant, Vash not only possesses superhuman capabilities, but his ultimate ace in the hole is his Angel Arm. When fully powered, this devastating weapon is capable of destroying entire cities in one blow. However, Vash doesn’t have much control of this weapon. In fact, he doesn’t even like using it, and instead relies on his skills as a gunman... or he finds other means to defeat his enemies. While Vash’s skills are nothing to scoff at, Spike would be more than a match for him. He’s good with a gun and thinks quick on his feet, so much so that he’s survived some impossible odds. Unlike Vash, Spike doesn’t have to rely on weaponry to win a fight. The blue suited bounty hunter is skilled in the art of Jeet Kune Do, which makes him a threat for up-close battles. This makes Spike much more versatile than Vash since he’s good with guns and skilled in hand-to-hand combat. With both being skilled gunmen, the deciding factor may boil down to what they can do without weapons, which is something Spike would be ready for. And we’ve all seen how much punishment Spike can take before he goes down.

Spike: 1 / Vash: 0

Round 2: Allies

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Neither of these two legends work alone, and if thins really got tense whose to say that their friends wouldn’t jump in to lend a hand? Both Spike and Vash are equipped with an amazing cast that’s doing their best to roll through life. The Bebop crew consists of Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Radical ‘we’re not even going to try to say you’re full name’ Edward and the dog that made us fall in love with corgis before it was cool. Jet is the sensible, level headed one of the group, with Faye acting as the femme fatale, and Edward being the wild-card hacker whose eccentric personality is as high as her IQ. Much like the Bebop crew, Vash’s allies got together through random circumstances. Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson are insurance agents on the lookout for the Humanoid Typhoon while Nicholas D. Wolfwood is a priest who’s almost equal to Vash in skill. When it comes to fighting, Jet and Faye are usually ready for battle, but Vash’s allies have a major advantage: the element of surprise. No one suspects the insurance agents to be such sharp shooters, and who would’ve guessed that the priest’s cross was armed and dangerous? Let alone the fact that Wolfwood alone would be able to hold his own against Spike. There’s also the fact that Vash’s allies have his best interests in mind. It’s not that the Bebop crew don’t help each other, but it’s usually the means to an end, whereas Vash’s team care for one another and could be considered, at the very least, friends.

Spike: 1 / Vash: 1

What is it that drives these men to take hold of that iron and push themselves further than anyone before? For Spike, it’s about getting that next bounty. Once upon a time he held onto that gun for the Red Dragon Syndicate, but the decision to leave and be with his partner’s girlfriend forced him to fake his own death in order to escape the wrath of Viscous and the Syndicate. You could say his determination now lies in his desire to make ends meet, but he’ll push himself to the limit when it comes to the ones he cares about -- especially Julia. While Spike is fighting for survival, Vash genuinely wants the best for humanity. His mentor, Rem, taught him that every being deserves life. Now Vash is so determined to protect everyone that this mantra extends to his opponents. Everyone around the loveable doughnut eater wants to cash in on that huge bounty, to the point that entire towns will try and hunt him down, but Vash takes it in stride and manages to defeat his opponents without actually killing them. No matter how vile his adversaries may be, Vash has no intention of killing them. To us, that makes Vash more determined than our space cowboy. While both are survivors, Vash has a lot more to fight for, and that could very well push him to victory.

Spike: 1 / Vash: 2

Vash is kind of an idiot. He’s so busy spouting out words like “Love” and “Peace” that he’s barely able to dodge the bullets flying at him. That’s not to say that he lacks the ability to focus and pull of some incredible gunplay, but it’s definitely something Spike can take advantage of. But then again anyone who knows Vash knows that often times his doofish behaviour is just an act… No one can believe that he’s the Humanoid Typhoon, which leads to people underestimating his abilities. Spike, on the other hand, doesn’t deny his abilities, but he doesn’t really show them off, either. He lays low until it’s time to get to work, and even then, he’s so relaxed that it can get under his opponents’ skin. Essentially, we have two characters who are underestimated and use it to their advantage. We’re pretty certain that both men would be able to tell that the other is more skilled than they’re letting on. However, Spike is the kind of person who would be able to figure out Vash’s one fatal flaw: not wanting to kill. While it’s admirable, it’s a trait that Spike would be smart enough to exploit.

Spike: 2 / Vash: 2

It all comes down to this. The bounty hunter versus the wanted man. Spike has had some rough training in his lifetime, not just as a bounty hunter who’s trying to survive, but as a former member of the Red Dragon Syndicate. Being part of such a deadly group is no easy task, especially when you’re partnered up with someone like Vicious. Spike may be a rather cool guy, but he’s also a trained hunter and killer. Vash, on the other hand, has learned everything through experience. Being an outlaw kinda makes you learn how to protect yourself, especially when you’re trying to stop yourself from killing your adversaries. Vash has learned to deal with his opponents without harming them... even if it leaves a town or two in shambles. That being said, Vash is at a severe disadvantage because he isn’t trained. That’s not to say his self-taught skills aren’t impressive, but he’s so scared of his own abilities that he doesn’t even attempt to use them. Spike may have left his past life behind, but he still uses the skills he’s developed and isn’t afraid to do so. Vash is so scared of himself that he isn’t even willing to try and learn. This round, and the fight go to Spike Spiegel.

Spike: 3 / Vash: 2 That was a pretty tough match, but in the end, our space cowboy wins the day. Vash is afraid to use his full abilities, and while he does try to defeat his opponents without killing them, we doubt that he’d be able to take Spike down. But let’s turn it over to you, Mojoholics. How do you think this fight would play out? Let us know in the comments, but with Love and Peace in your hearts, and don’t forget to subscribe for more intense Anime Duels here at WatchMojo.com.