5 Years Later, Yasuke Creator’s New ‘Trigun’ Replacement Anime Can Redefine Steampunk

Steampunk anime has plenty of room for giant machines, dangerous outlaws, and strange worlds, but few shows combine these elements with the energy of a Western setup as effectively as Trigun. Now, Yasuke creator LeSean Thomas is bringing a fresh take on the genre with Bass X Machina, an adult animated sci-fi arriving on Netflix on November 3, 2026 (via @netflix on Twitter/X).

Animated by Studio Mir, the series follows a cybernetic bounty hunter trying to protect his family in a lawless world filled with mechanical weapons and supernatural threats. With its striking visual style and darker themes, Bass X Machina has the ingredients to give steampunk anime a fresh identity.

LeSean Thomas’ Bass X Machina Could Be the Next Trigun

Trigun remains a memorable example of how anime can mix Western imagery, science fiction, gunfights, and questions about morality. Its dusty landscapes and dangerous encounters are only part of its appeal; the conflict between violence and compassion gives the story its real weight. Bass X Machina approaches similar territory from a darker direction, making it a compelling new series for fans of Western-inspired anime.

Created by LeSean Thomas, known for Yasuke and Cannon Busters, the upcoming show takes place in a lawless steampunk version of the Wild West. Its central character, Bass, is a cybernetic bounty hunter and father inspired by real-life frontier legend Bass Reeves. While history remembers Reeves as a famed Deputy U.S. Marshal, Thomas’s sci-fi reimagining positions him as a reluctant gun-for-hire who declares he “doesn’t have a country”. Voiced by Brian Tyree Henry, Bass faces outlaws, enormous war machines, and supernatural dangers while trying to protect his family.

Bass is not just another gunslinger who goes around hopelessly trying to survive in an unfriendly world. He has people to protect, and his responsibilities force him to make difficult choices in a setting where the law has little power. This sets the stage for a more personal take on themes of justice and survival, along with the price of violence.

Where Vash’s story in Trigun famously explores whether kindness can survive in a brutal world, Bass’s struggle places the protection of his family at the center. And if the show manages to combine both elements successfully, it could be a great successor to the Western anime genre.

Bass X Machina Could Give Steampunk Anime a Bold New Direction

Bass Reeves from Bass X Machina. | Credit: Studio Mir

What makes Bass X Machina especially interesting is its combination of steampunk technology, Western imagery, and supernatural horror. Rather than relying on familiar steam-powered machinery alone, the series builds its world around a lawless frontier where giant war machines and dark forces pose threats alongside human outlaws. That mix gives the setting room to feel both industrial and unsettling.

Studio Mir’s involvement is another major reason to pay attention. This South Korean animation studio has experience working on shows such as The Legend of Korra and Devil May Cry, and its involvement in Bass X Machina is expected to make the most of the action-filled setting and unique characters in it. The visual approach will be particularly important because steampunk depends on more than elaborate machinery; the technology needs to feel like a natural part of the world.

Thomas’s previous projects have already explored action-driven worlds that blend different animation influences. With Bass X Machina, he has an opportunity to push that approach further by placing a Black frontier hero at the center of a steampunk Western setup. The result could offer a different perspective on a genre that often leans on familiar frontier heroes and mechanical spectacle.

Ultimately, Bass X Machina does not need to imitate Trigun to stand beside it. Its combination of family drama, supernatural danger, and ambitious world-building gives it a distinct identity. If its storytelling matches its visual ambition, the Netflix series can help expand what steampunk anime looks and feels like.

Now the big question: Are you excited to watch Bass X Machina when it arrives on Netflix on November 3, 2026? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.