7 Perfect Action Anime With Guns

Battles involving guns have a unique rhythm, marked by highly skilled maneuvers and quick tactical reasoning. The variety they offer is also widely appreciated, as fans can get anything from close-quarters handgun combat to long-range clashes using sniper rifles. In most cases, a single shot is fatal, which means characters are constantly placed in high-stakes situations that test their resolve.

Lycoris Recoil

Lycoris Recoil is one of the most acclaimed “girls with guns” anime released in recent times. It centers on covert young female operatives known as Lycoris, employed by an organization called Direct Attack to keep the peace in a fictional Tokyo. They consist of orphaned girls trained from childhood to be deadly assassins skilled with a wide range of weaponry.

The story follows the main characters Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue, who are both Lycoris agents but have very different dispositions. Chisato is a bubbly, energetic girl hailed as one of the most talented Lycoris ever to live. She has the ability to consistently dodge bullets, even at close range, and is famous for her strict pacifism.

Takina, on the other hand, is a lethal pragmatist who starts out with a robotic demeanor. She encounters Chisato at Cafe Lycoreco as punishment for disobeying orders during a mission, and the two form a partnership. They develop a heartwarming relationship with strong slice-of-life elements while also embarking on dangerous missions and facing malicious actors.

The two are joined at the Cafe by the genius hacker Kurumi, their guardian Mika, and the former DA intelligence agent Mizuki. They are opposed by the overarching antagonist, Majima, a terrorist determined to peel away the DA’s peaceful facade. This leads to a massive conflict with spectacular gunfighting action throughout.

Gungrave

Gungrave is a supernatural mafia tale based on the 2002 video game of the same name. It was produced by Madhouse and created by Yasuhiro Nightow, becoming one of the standout anime of 2003. It follows the undead gunslinger Beyond the Grave in his quest for vengeance against the man who put him in the dirt thirteen years ago.

While the game wastes no time diving into his pursuit, the anime details his tragic backstory. He was originally named Brandon Heat and was joined at the hip with his fellow street-punk best friend Harry MacDowel. The two joined and rapidly climbed the ranks of the powerful crime syndicate Millennion, with Brandon serving as the brawn and Harry the brains.

Brandon became the syndicate’s top hitman, but his loyalties shifted along the way, and he openly voiced his commitment to the organization’s leader, Big Daddy, over his best friend. This decision ultimately led to Harry’s betrayal, as he mercilessly shot Brandon in the eye and killed him in an elevator.

Thirteen years later, he is revived by a scientist using a forbidden technique known as necrolization. He is determined to end Harry’s reign, armed with two massive handguns and an arsenal of lethal weapons he carries in a giant metal coffin. His journey is far from easy, however, as he faces other, considerably more powerful, supernatural entities.

Black Lagoon

Black Lagoon begins centered on the average businessman Rokuro Okajima. His life changes forever when he is kidnapped by the notorious Lagoon Company while on an assignment to deliver a mysterious disc. He is subsequently abandoned by his corporate bosses and decides to join the group after realizing he has nothing left to lose.

The crew consists of members Dutch, Revy, and Benny, with Dutch as the composed veteran leader, Revy as the foul-mouthed gunslinger, and Benny as the talented tech specialist. The most notable of the group is undoubtedly Revy, the series’ poster girl, famous for dual-wielding two customized Beretta 92FS pistols.

She is often paired with Rokuro, now more commonly known as Rock, and the two share many significant experiences, leaving a profound impact on one another. Rock adapts to the criminal life surprisingly well over time, as his morality is gradually tainted. In contrast, his presence has the opposite effect on Revy, softening her heart and progressively changing her worldview.

The anime is set in a brilliant crime ecosystem with a special focus on the fictional town of Roanapur in Thailand. Confrontations between massive crime syndicates often lead to violent gunfights, and the Lagoon Company is never far from the action. Rock draws on his sharp intellect and diplomatic skills to survive, while Revy serves as his able protector.

Trigun

Trigun is a series also created by Yasuhiro Nightow and produced by Madhouse. It centers on Vash the Stampede, who is known as the Humanoid Typhoon for the destruction he causes wherever he goes. The truth, however, is that he is a pacifist whose reputation arose because of the damage caused by those after the massive bounty on his head.

Despite his peaceful stance, he is an exceptionally skilled marksman with superhuman abilities owing to his mysterious heritage. Alongside the relentless bounty hunters, Vash is also pursued by a dangerous group of assassins known as the Gung-Ho Guns. They are highly specialized killers assembled by his twin brother Millions Knives and led by the sinister villain Legato Bluesummers.

The series amazingly depicts several of Vash’s confrontations with members of the group and highlights the interesting dynamic he shares with his brother. He is notably joined on his travels by Nicholas D. Wolfwood, a fellow gunslinger wielding the massive Punisher, a cross-shaped weapon that doubles as a machine gun and a rocket launcher.

Hellsing Ultimate

Hellsing Ultimate is yet another anime produced by Madhouse, but this time in conjunction with two other studios. It is set in a fictional version of the United Kingdom, where deadly supernatural creatures roam in the shadows. It centers on the titular Hellsing, an organization employed by the British government to eradicate these monstrous abominations.

The group is headed by a woman named Integra Wingates Hellsing, and their ultimate weapon is the ancient and immensely powerful vampire Alucard. Though he is a vampire himself, he swore fealty to Integra and ruthlessly executes any threats he is assigned to. He commonly wields the Jackal and the .454 Casull, two oversized pistols made specifically for monster extermination.

The series features constant high-octane action as Alucard repeatedly faces both experimental enemies and formidable forces from rival organizations such as Millennium and Iscariot. Hellsing Ultimate is generally preferred over its predecessor from 2001, Hellsing, as it fully adapts the manga’s content, whereas the latter is largely unfaithful.

Psycho-Pass

Psycho-Pass is a dystopian anime set in a futuristic Japan where society is governed by a mysterious omniscient entity called the Sibyl System. The network thoroughly scans every individual’s mind and creates a comprehensive profile known as their Psycho-Pass. It crucially obtains each person’s Crime Coefficient in the process, a number that reflects their potential to commit a crime.

Above a certain threshold, some citizens are labeled latent criminals, and beyond that, others are considered unsalvageable and targeted for elimination. This decree is carried out by special teams, each consisting of Inspectors and Enforcers. Inspectors are tasked with directing investigations, while Enforcers are composed of latent criminals employed to perform hazardous fieldwork.

These officers are armed with special firearms known as Dominators, which assume different forms based on the targets they are aimed at. They take the form of a Non-Lethal Paralyzer when dealing with latent criminals, and that of a Lethal Eliminator when aimed at individuals with Crime Coefficients exceeding three hundred.

Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop is an iconic space western anime centered on a group of bounty hunters called the Bebop Crew. They travel from planet to planet in search of their next pay, and are each deeply flawed characters with significant baggage. They are made up of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Ed, and Ein, each with their own special roles.

They all have compelling backstories, and over the course of the series, their pasts and characters are explored in detail. The show largely follows an episodic format and rarely features adventures involving all crew members. It expertly draws its viewers into its rich setting and retains intrigue through numerous exciting clashes.

Spike is the main character, and he is usually seen wielding an IWI Jericho 941, often finding himself embroiled in lethal gunfights. He is also a skilled martial artist, specializing in Jeet Kune Do. His character arc is the main driving force of the overarching narrative, and as a result, many of his showdowns take the spotlight.