10 Best Gun Wielders In Anime

Some characters excel at using guns more than others. Here are our picks for the very best!

There's something about a character who is highly skilled with firearms that adds an extra layer of hype to any action anime. While swordplay and hand-to-hand combat will always be staples of the action genre, a carefully choreographed shootout can be equally thrilling.

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The fluidity of motion, the accuracy of aim, the types of firearms deployed – all of these factors determine whether an anime gun wielder achieves legendary status. And of course, a healthy dose of style and visual flair cement their status as the coolest characters in any series.

Kohta’s skill with weapons is so great that he is even able to shoot the fuel tank of a moving bus, causing it to explode and wipe out an entire horde chasing them. In the anime, he is portrayed as an otaku and military enthusiast.

His vast knowledge of different weapons, calibers, and modifications serves his class group well after a zombie outbreak transforms their high school into a dangerous battlefield. Each headshot is accompanied by Kohta’s maniacal giggling and hooting as bits of zombie brains splatter the walls. This reveals his inner psychopath that’s been suppressed for so long due to bullying.

As an expert practitioner of the ‘Senshi Kawa,’ Rushuna follows a strict code of non-violence, only using her six-shooter revolver to disarm her opponents. With her signature blonde hair, stylish hat, and charming smile, Rushuna may look sweet and innocent. However, her mastery of ricochet shots allows her to take on even the most formidable marksmen and entire gangs single-handedly.

Roshuna is most popular for her reloading technique which involves throwing all six bullets up into the air and catching them in the chambers of her revolver as she spins. She accomplishes this reload in the time it takes most gunmen to draw and aim their weapons.

Hol Horse first appears as a hired assassin, sent to kill Jotaro Kujo and his companions. While he can be comedic – especially when bickering with his younger best duo Boingo – Hol Horse means business. He is a mercenary through and through, fighting for the highest bidder without concern for honor or ideals. Hol Horse's Stand, Emperor, takes the form of a revolver.

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This stand is unique in that it’s a weapon rather than an independent fighting entity. Emperor enables Hol Horse to control the trajectory of its bullets and manipulate them with great precision. However, he is also known to be somewhat cowardly and opportunistic, often choosing to flee from battle or switch sides when the odds are against him.

Riza Hawkeye, the personal adjutant to Colonel Roy Mustang, is a highly skilled sniper and firearms expert in the Amestrian military. She typically carries multiple firearms, with her primary weapon being a semiautomatic pistol. In addition to her pistol, she is often seen carrying a sniper rifle, which she uses for long-range engagements.

In Fullmetal Alchemist, Hawkeye first learned marksmanship from her father, an alchemist who worked closely with Mustang as his former master. Though Hawkeye abhors violence and killing, she sees firearms as a necessary evil in her line of work. Her philosophy is that guns should only be used by those who understand both their power and consequences.

Kenny, the captain of the anti-personnel control squad, first appears mysteriously in Season 3 of Attack On Titan and quickly establishes himself as a dangerous gunslinger. He wields a unique firearm called the Anti-Personnel Vertical Maneuvering Equipment. This weapon is a combination of a grappling hook system and dual pistols designed to counter the Survey Corps and their traditional ODM gear.

Some of Kenny’s most memorable gun-fu moments in the show include his over-the-top poker table assault and his battle against Squad Levi in the Underground Chapel. His taunts and jokes, often delivered mid-combat, highlight his delight in toying with his victims.

With his lanky pompadour and easygoing but competent attitude, Ryo Saeba defined the archetype of a slick '80s action hero. While he is skilled in hand-to-hand combat, his weapon of choice is a .357 Magnum revolver. His 100 Shock attack – firing 100 rounds so quickly it sounds like just one – never fails to leave his enemies swiss cheese.

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But the most bizarre is his Angel Shoot and Devil Shoot – mystical gun kata that seem to bend the laws of physics. Ryo will take on any job for the right price. However, he has a weakness for beautiful women clients. His prurient tendencies frequently land him in hot water, and not just with the ladies.

In the underworld of the Black Lagoon anime series, there are many dangerous characters living by their own lawless code. But none is as feared with a gun as Revy, the lethal gunslinger who serves as the muscle for the Lagoon Company smuggling group.

Volatility and temper as short as her shot is fast, Revy wreaks havoc with her customized Beretta 92Fs pistols. She is the epitome of the "don't mess with me" spirit. Simply lighting up one of her ever-present cigarettes is enough to make most bad guys – and good guys – tremble.

Vampire Alucard's signature weapons are his dual oversized pistols, the .454 Casull and Jackal. The long-barreled Casull fires devastating hollow-point rounds, while the Jackal contains rounds with mercury cores, both customized to have maximum effect on vampires and ghouls.

When pistols aren't enough, Alucard brings out the big guns – literally. His arsenal includes the Valkyrie M2HB, a Thompson Contender single-shot pistol, and even a Hollywood-worthy hand cannon that can blast holes in reinforced steel doors. More than a few villains have been caught monologuing when Alucard decided to abruptly end the conversation with a burst of gunfire.

Despite his reputation as a natural disaster on two legs, Vash the Stampede is one of anime’s most iconic pacifists. Vash is armed with a custom silver revolver that can fire special .45 caliber rounds at supersonic speeds. His sharpshooting skills are highly unconventional, as he often employs trick shots, acrobatics, and improvisation to outsmart his opponents.

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For all his skill, Vash's unique weapon and style of gunplay would not work for an ordinary human. But Vash is far from ordinary. Whether through biology or biomechanics, Vash has super-keen eyesight, reflexes, and hand-eye coordination that border on precognition.

Jigen Daisuke is a sharpshooter and Lupin III's right-hand man. His weapon of choice is a Smith & Wesson Model 19 Magnum revolver, which he uses with remarkable precision. One of his most famous techniques is the ‘0.3-second draw,’ where Jigen can draw, aim, and fire his revolver in just 0.3 seconds.

This lightning-fast skill has made him a formidable opponent and a symbol of gunslinging prowess. Jigen, with his fedora, suit, and old-fashioned revolver, is also an iconic symbol of old-school anime. While he may not be the very first gun-wielding character in anime history, he has certainly had a significant impact on the portrayal of gun wielders in the medium.

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Omar is an Evergreen Writer at DualShockers. His love for anime sparked a lifelong fascination with the Japanese culture. And even though he doesn’t want to admit it, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has messed up his fashion sense.