Anime is an amazing medium to show off the power of guns. Many beloved anime feature characters wielding truly impressive arsenals of weaponry, with guns being a particular reoccurring favorite.
Guns in anime can be realistic, fantastical, demonic, and more. The best guns in anime are so stunningly powerful and mesmerizingly stylish that they stick in the minds of viewers for the rest of time. These are some of the most iconic anime guns that show off the best of what anime weaponry has to offer.
10 Bright Pink and Full of Personality, It's P-Chan The P-90 (SAO Alternative: Gun Gale Online)
LLENN's P-90 in this Sword Art Online side-story is eye-catching, full of personality, and extremely deadly. Given the name "P-Chan" by LLENN, it's a gun she treasures most dearly. After obtaining the gun early on in the series, she can be seen with it throughout most of the series.
In all practicality, this gun would make its user stand out arguably too much on the battlefield, but when paired with LLENN's prowess, it makes her both cuter and deadlier. While this gun is just a standard military P-90, it makes a killer impact thanks to the bond it shares with its owner.
9 The Thompson Contender Is A Sleek Match For Kiritsugu (Fate/Zero)
Another gun you could find in real life, but with a much sleeker and sophisticated look, the Thompson Contender serves as a plot-important weapon for Kiritsugu during the events of Fate/Zero. Being a weapon he uses in countless fights against many cunning and powerful mages, it gives him the edge in battles where the odds are stacked against him.
Combined with the origin bullets Kiritsugu uses to shut down the magical circuits of his magi opponents, this weapon makes Kiritsugu one of the strongest contenders in the Fourth Holy Grail War. The Thompson Contender stands out as a classic amongst Kiritisugu's arsenal and adds to his aesthetic as a ruthless magus assassin.
8 Judgement Drips Style And Holy Power (D.Gray-Man)
While General Cross doesn't show up until late into D.Gray-Man, his entrance is made all the better with his signature innocence weapon: Judgement. A weapon that encapsulates the religious aesthetic of the series' protagonists, it suits the style of this manic Black Order general.
Not only does it look gorgeous, but this gun packs a hell of a punch, being able to fire holy, innocence-infused bullets deals great damage to the demonic enemies of the story. Not to mention the fact that the bullets do not stop until they hit their target. It makes it a difficult weapon for any foe to deal with. This gun is a truly monstrous weapon for an equally monstrous man.
7 Mami's Flintlocks Are Refined And Overwhelming (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
The power to summon an unlimited amount of flintlock rifles at once is incredibly strong. The iconic magic of Mami from Puella Magi Madoka Magica, these guns carry the grace and confidence of their user. The artisanal design combined with the onslaught of bullets these guns can produce makes Mami a particularly powerful magical girl.
Though we don't get to see them for too long in the series, these guns leave their mark. As well as being able to appear in large numbers, they can also change shape, weapon type, and power depending on how Mami summons them. With guns like these, most of the witches who found themselves at the hands of Mami were very unlucky.
6 Pumpkin And Mine Pack A Mean Punch (Akame Ga Kill)
Pumpkin helps make Mine one of the deadliest tsunderes in anime history. One of the imperial arms in Akame Ga Kill, Pumpkin is a mechanical powerhouse that can defeat numerous foes with ease. Despite the cute name, this gun houses demonic power. When combined with Mine's tactical knowledge and precision, sees many foes meet their end throughout the series.
The gun comes with multiple attachments which can transform it from a rifle to a machine gun, to a sniper within mere moments. A weapon that works for every situation, making it always ready to pop enemies in the most efficient way possible. All of this power helps Pumpkin stand out as one of the most iconic imperial arms of the series.
5 Spike Makes The Jericho 941-R Shine (Cowboy Bebop)
Another very real but classic-looking gun comes from Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop. You can find a wide range of Jericho pistols around today, but none come with the style added by being wielded by the amazing Spike Spiegel. The two come as a pair throughout the series, and Spike regularly demonstrates his finesse with this particular weapon.
While not being particularly outstanding in terms of power or ability, this gun stands out as a cultural icon due to the way it is used throughout the story and how well it pairs with Spike. From his spinning gun tricks to his quickfire precision, Spike makes this gun the icon that it is.
4 The Demonic Pairing Of Casull And Jackal Makes Alucard Even Deadlier (Hellsing Ultimate)
In Hellsing Ultimate, we first see Alucard as a deadly menace with only the Casull pistol. Later he picks up the Jackal pistol, which is designed as a straight-up upgrade of the original. However, closer inspection would suggest that these guns function mechanically best together and help Alucard kill foes even faster.
Alucard's aesthetic is that of a bringer of death, and the combination of Casull and Jackall only accentuates this. Dual-wielding weapons is already pretty intimidating, but in the hands of a demon, it's all the more frighteningly awesome.
3 The Demon Twin Guns Are Living Weapons That Ooze Perfection And Symmetry (Soul Eater)
While Death the Kid may not appear threatening at first, when combined with his Demon Twin Pistols, he is a strategist unrivalled. When first introduced in Soul Eater, Death the Kid immediately shows off his immense power, precision, and knack for combat. The pistols serve to make him a powerful weapons master, while also adding to his iconic symmetrical appearance.
Not only are the guns powerful, but they're also living weapons that take the form of the demon twins Liz and Patty, iconic characters of the series in their own right. Their transformation sequences into these sleek pistols combined with Death the Kid's dramatic style and unique wielding technique make the three characters instantly recognizable to seasoned shonen fans.
2 The Classic AGL Arms .45 Long Volt Is More Than Your Average Revolver (Trigun)
Trigun paved the way for guns in anime, being one of the first and most iconic gun-oriented series to air during the classic era of anime. This is largely in part thanks to the great action delivered by the power combo of Vash and his AGL Arms .45 Long Volt pistol. Not your standard pistol, this gun packs a mean punch.
These guns are the weapons of choice for both Vash and Knives throughout the story, being a mismatch of different styles of revolvers and other real-life weaponry. These guns transcend reality and show a lot of love for the style and practicality of classic revolvers. Combined with the fantastical Angel Arm method of using this gun and the killer marksmanship of Vash, the .45 Long Volt set the bar for anime guns.
1 The Dominator Is A Weapon That Does It All At A Heavy Psychological Cost (Psycho-Pass)
The standard issue weapon for members of the Public Safety Bureau in Psycho-Pass, the Dominator possesses extraordinary power and acts as the sole judge, jury, and executioner within the dystopian hellscape of a series. This stylish piece of sci-fi equipment has it all: built-in security measures, different modes of fire, super sophisticated AI technology, and much more.
The best thing about the Dominator is that is only as lethal as the system wants it to be, allowing the viewers to truly experience the depraved depths of the setting and the choices of the characters within it. Hard choices have to be made when using this weapon. This gun catalyzes a lot of the conflict within the show and takes center stage as the most innovative and impressive aspect of the series.