Toma

Toma, also called Thomases, are animals that exists in the Trigun universe.

Overview

Toma are large, bipedal bird-like animals used by the humans of No Man's Land as pack animals, transportation, and for food.

Biology

Toma are large animals with brown feathery fur. They stand on two legs. They have small vestigial wings. Toma have long necks with a very small head consisting of mouth and small round eyes, one on each side of their heads. They have a long tail with a scaly underside and a rounded end with spiky protrusions on the top.

Manga

In the manga continuity, toma have horse-like hooves.They have pointed beak-like mouths and a short, thin tongue. Their eyes have no visible pupils. They have no fur on their chests/underbellies.

A toma hoof.
Toma head.
Two toma heads.
Tomas as seen from below.

Anime

In the anime continuity, thomases have bird-like clawed feet with three toes. They have small, rounded mouths with flat teeth. They have long, skinny tongues. Their eyes are green with a small round pupil. Their chests/underbellies are fully covered in fur.

A thomas without any gear.
Thomas heads without any gear.
Thomas faces, visible from beneath their shields.

Stampede

In Stampede, the toma look much different than the ones seen in the manga and anime continuities. They are far more birdlike and look very similar to emu.

Stampede toma.

Gear

Toma are typically seen wearing a large shield-like cover over their neck and head with a harness attached below the head. These shields often have eye-like patterns on the wider portion near the base of the neck that resemble eyespots.

Riding

Toma used for riding are equipped with saddle blankets, saddles, and saddle bags, similar to those used for horses. Additional luggage can be loaded and carried behind the saddle.

Saddle, saddle blanket, harness, and shield with several examples of eyespot designs.
Meryl's thomas saddled and carrying luggage, with rider.
Meryl's thomas saddled and carrying luggage, without rider.
Milly's thomas saddled and carrying luggage, with rider.
Meryl's thomas saddled and carrying luggage, without rider.

Carts

Pulling a cart.

Carriages

Two uniquely heavily-armored thomases pulled this carriage, seemingly belonging to Legato Bluesummers.

Legato's carriage.

Weapons

Two toma equipped with remotely-activated weapons and missiles were seen in Badlands Rumble. The toma were alarmed when these devices were activated and ran around in a panic when the missiles fired off, further adding to the chaos.

Weaponized thomases.
A diagram showing how the weaponry unfurls.
A diagram showing how the weaponry unfurls.

Food

Toma meat is edible and used as food by humans on No Man's Land.

Smoked thomas meat is extremely tough, even capable of stopping bullets.Badlands Rumble

A food vendor selling smoked thomas meat.
Trying to cut a slice of the smoked thomas meat.
Vash showing the hunk of smoked thomas meat that stopped a bullet and saved his life.

Notable Toma

In Other Works

Toma make a cameo appearance in the 2003 Gungrave anime. They are seen being used in place of horses in horse racing. These toma use the clawed-foot design seen in the 1998 anime and wear similar neck shields, harnesses, and saddle blankets. There are several black-colored toma, a coloration not seen in any iteration of Trigun..

In episode 5, Brandon, Gary, and Widge are running a betting operation around these races. They are seen watching one of the toma races on television, with two of the racing toma being named "Michael Stampede" and "Black Chapel." These tomas' names appear to be references to Vash the Stampede, with Michael Stampede's gear and jockey's apparel having red accent colors and the number 3 perhaps being a nod to the series name Trigun as well as Vash's three guns; and Nicholas D. Wolfwood, with Black Chapel's jockey's apparel having a cross design on the back and the name "Chapel" being an alias used by Wolfwood in the manga.

Episode 5
"Underdog #3, Michael Stampede, is closing on #2, pre-race favorite Black Chapel!"
Gary watches the race.
The racing toma.

In episode 7, Harry and his associates are watching a toma race from an executive suite at the top of the grandstands. The toma in this episode have eye-like patterns on their neck shields very similar to the design on Meryl's toma's gear in the 1998 anime.