Cowboy Bebop was tolerable, but didn't have anything near resembling the heights it's hyped up to
A lot of the hype was years ago when brought to VHS and especially when aired on adult_swim in 2001. It's great show that broke ground, but does not seem as unique anymore to newer and younger anime fans. Certain old-school anime or Bebop fans over hyping the show for 20 years did not help. Though I disagree.
Bebop is more interesting and unique than a lot of the anime that comes out today. Even more than back in the past. At least anime from 80s, 90s, and 2000s were off doing to their own things, even if trends were being followed. The industry was not perfect and had plenty of problems that still are not solved today. The problem modern anime is how homogenized it has become.
Trigun was a completely awful, cringeworthy, slog to reach the end.
I call bullshit.
Trigun ain't cringe-worthy nor completely awful. If it did not appeal to you, fine, but nothing is cringe-worthy about
Trigun. You want actual fucking cringe, watch
Love Hina, Inuyasha, Elfen Lied, Eureka Seven, .hack//Sign, or any early 2000s anime that never made it past their pilot or OVAs. These shows are either boring, annoying, cringe filled, or all the above.
but Trigun is something I don't get. The bloodless firefights weren't really anything to write home about(not saying I need violence and gore, but the fights weren't that fun to watch), and I found Vash to be rather annoying. I think I found the setting somewhat interesting but that was kinda it?
Not all the fights are bloodless. That is definitely not true. There is many a blood spillage without going overboard with the gore. I don't know what show you were watching, but that don't sound like
Trigun. As for why you don't get it, this should clear the air: