Many badass anime scenes involve sword fights or clashes between elemental spells and/or incredible abilities. But what about guns? In anime, a gunslinger duel can add a unique touch of classic Western.
Guns have a uniqueness that makes them cool in ways that even swords and magic lack. Whether they're crafted to the personality of their wielders or simply non-lethal works of art, guns can be awesome.
Here are our picks for the coolest and most iconic guns in anime and what makes each one uniquely memorable!
20. Jigen's Smith & Wesson Model 19 (Lupin the Third)
In Lupin the Third, Jigen Daisuke of Lupin's crew prefers to use his Smith & Wesson Model 19 revolver gun.
The Model 19 is chambered for .357 Magnum, giving it more stopping power and reliability, which is well-suited for Jigen's high-speed 0.3-seconds quick-draw and superhuman accuracy.
19. Spike's Jericho 941 R (Cowboy Bebop)
In Cowboy Bebop, Spike Spiegel owns a Jericho 941 R with a custom hand grip. The "R" in Jericho 941 R means that the gun has a combination safety and decocker.
Aside from those bits, there's really nothing "special" about the gun—but it fits well and looks cool in the hands of the space cowboy, not to mention how cool the model is in real life.
18. Beyond the Grave's Cerberus (Gungrave)
In Gungrave, Cerberus is a set of three handguns named after the three-headed dog from Greek mythology who guards Hades.
The high-caliber Left and Right Heads, designed with cross-shaped patterns of white and red, are owned by Beyond the Grave (real name Brandon Heat) as his primary firearms.
His arsenal also includes the Death Hauler, a large coffin-like gun that works like a machine gun and rocket launcher.
17. Genya's Double-Barreled Shotgun (Demon Slayer)
In Demon Slayer, we're accustomed to the members of the Demon Slayer Corps wielding Nichirin swords. But then Genya Shinazugawa was introduced, who wields a double-barreled shotgun.
The cartridges are made of the same ore used to forge Nichirin swords, making his shots just as lethally effective against demons.
But with this kind of weapon, he has a distance advantage since he can shoot foes from afar, making him especially dangerous.
16. Mine's Pumpkin (Akame ga Kill!)
In Akame ga Kill!, Mine of the Night Raid owns a huge gun-type Teigu called Pumpkin, which uses its wielder's spirit energy as bullets.
According to Mine, the greater the danger she's in, the more powerful Pumpkin becomes and the farther it can shoot.
Pumpkin can also be configured in three different modes: the long barrel for additional power, the sniper barrel for far-ranged shots, and the machine gun barrel for multiple shots.
15. Gene's Caster Gun (Outlaw Star)
Gene Starwind uses a caster gun to fight enemies when he's not on his XGP ship. The caster, like most guns, uses ammunition called caster shells, which are products of utilized mana and harnessed in shells.
The caster shells give off different types of magical effects that are still useful against the new spells and magic users of the Towards Star Era.
14. Franklin's Double Machine Gun (Hunter X Hunter)
In Hunter X Hunter, Franklin Bordeau of the Phantom Troupe uses an Emitter-type Nen ability called Double Machine Gun.
As the name suggests, he can shoot Nen bullets with a high rate of fire and piercing power from the fingertips of both his hands. We saw him use this ability to massacre the people at the invaded auction.
13. Wolfwood's Cross Punisher (Trigun)
Throughout Trigun, we see several huge cross-like weapons called Punishers, but Wolfwood's Cross Punisher is the most notable one as it's the one also used by Vash the Stampede himself.
Wolfwood's Cross Punisher isn't just a machine gun on one end and a rocket launcher on the other, but it also has a compartment for handguns on the rest of the arms.
12. Urameshi's Spirit Gun (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Yusuke Urameshi's signature ability—and the first one he learned as a Spirit Detective—is the Spirit Gun. It concentrates spirit energy at the tip of his finger and fires it as a beam.
During the early episodes, he's limited to one shot per day. Later, with training and heightened spiritual energy, he can use up to four.
In his fight against Yomi, Yusuke uses an unlimited number of shots that are combined with demon energy, making them more destructive and able to break Yomi's shield.
11. Alucard's Casull and Jackal (Hellsing)
Hellsing ARMS .454 Casull was the first handgun Alucard used in Hellsing to hunt vampires and ghouls. Its rounds are powerful, leaving huge holes in targets before they disintegrate into ash.
The 13mm Combat Pistol Jackal was later created by Alucard's request, as the Casull was unable to meet his needs during his fight against Anderson.
Compared to his original Casull, the Jackal fires a much larger bullet with far more destructive power, as seen when an entire wall is destroyed by a single shot.
10. Marian Cross's Judgment (D.Gray-Man)
Marian Cross uses an equipment-type Innocence called Judgment, which takes the form of an auto revolver. Cross is known to effectively utilize his weapon and can empty a load in a matter of seconds.
With the ability Bullets of Condemnation, Judgment fires homing bullets that won't stop until they hit their target, even if they're blocked by an obstacle or get stuck on something that isn't the target.
9. Vash the Stampede's .45 Long Colt (Trigun)
Vash and Knives's .45 Long Colt isn't the kind of gun an ordinary gunslinger can handle. Its notable features include a break-action chamber and a low barrel, but the coolest part of the gun is hidden deep within its housing.
The .45 Long Colt is created with a miniature Plant placed inside, which merges the .45 Long Colt to Vash's or Knives's arms when activated, creating a weapon of mass destruction called Angel Arms.
Being an independent Plant, only Vash and Knives are able to use this feat that no one else can.
8. Death the Kid's Demon Twin Guns (Soul Eater)
In Soul Eater, Death the Kid's Demon Twin Guns are the weapon forms of the Thompson sisters, Liz and Patty.
They look like normal guns in their initial form, but instead of shooting bullets, they shoot compressed soul wavelengths. Later, in their Soul Resonance forms, the Demon Twin Guns turn into cannons for even more destructive firepower.
Furthermore, Death the Kid holds these guns in an unconventional way, pulling the trigger with his pinky finger and making them (and himself) look even cooler and more badass.
7. Hajime's Donner (Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest)
In a world of magic and swords, Hajime Nagumo crafted sets of weapons that are unique to his world: guns.
With his knowledge of different things and his ability to transmute matter (as a Synergist class), Hajime is able to create whatever guns—and even cars—he needs for his adventures, with the readily available elements as his main ingredients.
His first firearm, the Donner, is a six-round revolver made from Taur Stone, Shtar Ore, and Azantium Ore, which are all minerals he found in the depths of the dungeon in which he fell.
Apart from handguns, Hajime also crafted other bigger and stronger weapons, including the Metzelei (a miniature machine gun capable of firing tens of thousands of rounds per minute).
6. Zafkiel's Pistol and Musket (Date A Live)
In Date A Live, Kurumi Tokisaki's Angel, called Zafkiel, takes the form of a giant clock that wields a flintlock pistol and musket (which stand for the hour and minute hands of the clock).
What makes this pair of guns extraordinary is that they're imbued with the power of time. The special bullets—ranging from 1 to 12, based on the hour hand—have different effects on targets, like dilating, distorting, freezing, or even skipping time.
Kurumi Tokisaki knows how to use these effects to the fullest, taking advantage and even shooting herself with the special bullets. That's why she's known as the Worst Spirit.
5. Kite's Crazy Slot Number 4: Carbine (Hunter X Hunter)
Kite's Nen ability called Crazy Slots is a peculiar one. He summons a talking head clown, which then turns into a random weapon based on the number that appears on its roulette.
The Crazy Slots Number 4 weapon is the Carbine. Its long barrel gives suppression that allows for silent yet powerful shots, while the long stock makes it look like a big and badass rifle.
The whole thing is complete with the distinctive Crazy Slots clown head attached at the end.
4. New-Type God Arc (God Eater)
Initially, there are two types of God Arcs in the God Eater series: the sword type and the gun type.
However, a New-type God Arc is eventually introduced, which can adapt and turn into a sword for melee combat or a long-ranged gun for distance fights and support from afar.
Another feature that's unique to the New-type God Arc is that devoured Aragami cores can be converted to ammunition (unlike the old gun-type God Arcs that need physical ammo refills).
3. The Reaper's Invisible Scythe (Assassination Classroom)
Skilled assassins can hide their weapons almost anywhere on their body, but The Reaper's Invisible Scythe in Assassination Classroom is dangerously concealed like no other.
The Invisible Scythe is a small gun with the barrel, chamber, and trigger mechanism built and operated inside The Reaper's hand.
Though the fired round is too small to be considered destructive, The Reaper can shoot it accurately into his target's heart, which causes excessive bleeding and death by blood loss.
2. 45MW.TRG Dominator (Psycho-Pass)
In Psycho-Pass, the 45MW.TRG Dominator (fully known as Dominator Portable Psychological Diagnosis and Suppression System) is the standard-issue gun for agents of the Public Safety Bureau.
Like many anime guns, the Dominator can kill, suppress, and annihilate targets. But what makes this firearm unique is its special system that reads the Psycho-Pass of whomever it's pointed at.
The Dominator allows its wielder to determine whether his/her target is a threat—or a possible threat—based on the readings.
In other words, even if the wielder shoots someone who's doing nothing, it can still be justified if the Dominator considered that target to be a threat. (Then again, is it really justified?)
1. Juzo's Head Gun (No Guns Life)
Gun Slave Units like Juzo Inui have a distinctive feature: their heads are guns. In Juzo's case, his head is a revolver model. Others have different models, like Seven and his Desert Eagle model.
The Head Gun is powerful as it shoots a laser-like beam that can melt steel and concrete in a hundred-meter range. But Gun Slave Units can't fire their own heads—they need their Hands partners to do so.
Aside from his Head Gun, Juzo Inui also has a revolver in his right hand, adding explosive power to his superhuman punches when loaded.
