Name: Vash the Stampede
A.K.A.: "Eriks," "Tongari" ("Needle-Noggin" in dub)
Occupation: Gunman, outlaw, self-professed "Love Hunter"
Distinguishing Characteristics: Blond, blue/green eyes, mole by left eye, artificial left arm, too many scars to count (the most noticeable being a metal grid on his chest). Usually seen with spiked hair, red coat, and sunglasses.
Weapons: The silver Colt .45, machine gun (concealed in left arm), Angel Arms (concealed).
Philosophy: "Love & Peace!"
Comments: Vash is a staunch pacifist who absolutely refuses to kill, no matter what the circumstances. He is also extremely fond of donuts and shrieks like a girl when people shoot at him. Oh, and he's got $$60,000,000 on his head.

Name: Nicholas D. Wolfwood.
A.K.A.: "Chapel the--" *coughs * I mean, nothing, really, but a lot of fans call him Nick.
Occupation: Itinerant Minister and Gunman
Distinguishing Characteristics: Dresses like Elwood Blues (black suit & shades) and smokes constantly. Speaks Kansai dialect (generic southern/redneck/hick accent in dub).
Weapons: Cross Punisher No. 1 (numerous handguns concealed in arm of cross), Cross Punisher No. 2 (machine gun/rocket launcher).
Philosophy: "Shoot first, ask questions later, and may God go with you."
Comments: Financially supports the orphanage where he was raised--in a rather unusual and morally ambiguous way.

Name: Meryl Stryfe
A.K.A.: "Derringer Meryl"
Occupation: Claims Investigator, Bernardelli Insurance
Distinguishing Characteristics: Short black hair, dangly earrings, yells a lot.
Weapons: Many small Derringers hidden in her coat.
Philosophy: None, really.
Comments: Takes her job very seriously, and has a firmly denied but blatantly obvious affection for Vash.

Name: Millie Thompson
A.K.A.: "Stungun Millie"
Occupation: Claims Investigator, Bernardelli Insurance
Distinguishing Characteristics: very tall and strong for a woman, long brown hair, by turns unusually perceptive or not all there.
Weapons: Stungun (extremely large and heavy--probably only Nick's weapon is heavier.)
Philosophy: Don't worry, be happy?
Comments: The youngest of ten children. Writes home regularly. Has a semi-thing going on with Wolfwood.

Name:Legato Bluesummers
A.K.A.: --
Occupation: Psychopath
Distinguishing Characteristics: Blue hair, gold eyes, disturbing smile. Wears an unusual white coat with spikes and a skull on one sleeve.
Weapons: Freaky mind-control powers
Philosophy: "Eternal suffering to Vash the Stampede."
Comments: Knives' right-hand main/leader of the Gung Ho Guns. He is usually seen eating something sweet (ice cream, cake, ect.)

Name: Millions Knives
A.K.A.: --
Occupation: Environmental Activist.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Ostensibly identical to Vash, except for lighter hair color/shorter hair, absence of mole, and evil gleam in eyes.
Weapons: The black mate to Vash's Colt, Angel Arm (concealed).
Philosophy: "One must kill the spider in order to save the butterfly."
Comments: Vash's twin brother. Knives hates/despises humanity and wishes to wipe out the human race and create an environmental Eden. He has a disturbing obsession with Vash, and an extremely low pain threshold.

Name: Rem Saverem
A.K.A.: "That girl Vash keeps having flashbacks of"
Occupation: Crew member, "Project Seeds" colonization ship.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Long black hair
Weapons: Are you kidding?
Philosophy: "No one has the right to take another's life." "Your ticket to the future is always blank." "When you turn around again, the future is there waiting for you." et cetera et cetera.
Comments: Rem raised Knives and Vash and is the source behind Vash's refusal to kill. She comes across as rather na�ve, and likes red flowers, particularly geraniums.

Name: Gung Ho Guns
A.K.A.: --
Occupation: A group of gunmen sent by Legato (and thus, Knives) to kill/inflict emotional pain on Vash.
Distinguishing Characteristics: With the exception of Zazie and Rai-Dei, each seems to be a cyborg of some type.
Weapons: Everything you can imagine, and a few things you can't.
Philosophy: "We do whatever Legato/Knives-sama tell us to do. Die, Vash, die!"
Comments: The GHG are fanatically loyal to their leader--with one significant cross-carrying exception.

In order of appearance, they are:
Legato Bluesummers (leader)
Monev the Gale (big, wears a mask, spent 20 years training to kill Vash)
Midvalley the Hornfreak (play a saxophone, presumably Legato's second in command)
Dominique the Cyclopes (only female, long hair, has one cybernetic "demon eye")
E.G. Mine (looks like a walking ball of spikes)
*Rai-Dei the Blade (dresses like an archaic Japanese swordsman, carries a katana).
*Leonof the Puppetmaster (manipulates extremely realistic--and deadly--puppets)
*Grey the Nine-Lives (an unstoppable giant killing machine)
Hoppard the Gauntlet (a human bullet)
*Zazie the Beast (a misleadingly cute little boy)
Chapel the Evergreen (a tall priest with a giant cross-shaped weapon)
Caine the Longshot (a sniper)

*Killed by Wolfwood

# A note on Chapel. In the anime, he is Wolfwood's master (making Nick sort of a Chapel in training). In the manga, Nick is Chapel. Either way, poor Nick's got some severely divided loyalties.