What do you think is the best weapon in anime?
Key to any action anime are the weapons used in them. There are all sorts of weapons, from short ranged daggers to long ranged guns and cannons. Here we'll cover some of the unique, recognizable, and strong anime weapons. They might not be scientifically or mechanically practical, but they sure are cool!
The Dominator
From Psycho-Pass
The Dominator from Psycho-Pass
The Dominator from Psycho Pass is a special weapon that is able to identify its holder so it can authenticate its user, which is a great feature considering how powerful these things can be. Dominators are the go-to weapons of the Inspection and Enforcement officers. They come with a whole list of modes, some having the ability to literally cause their targets to pop like a balloon. That sounds like a lot of power to give someone, but the key feature of the Dominator is its ability to read the mental stability of the target; this can mean the difference between getting your lights punched out and being turned into hamburger meat.
Death Scythe
From Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)
In the dark world of Black Butler, death scythes serve as the primary tools of the grim reapers (other than their snazzy spectacles, of course). They're the deadliest weapons in existence; not only can they cut through nearly anything, but they are also one of the few weapons that can permanently kill anyone, including Grim Reapers themselves. Having the power to kill anything from normal humans to demons makes these fully customizable and highly efficient death tools serve as a serious threat to all.
Sakabato (Reverse Blade Sword)
From Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan (Rurouni Kenshin)
The Samurai often saw their swords as the embodiment of the warrior spirit. That belief was never made more true than with Kenshin's Sakabato from Rurouni Kenshin. Forged by the legendary Isshin Shishi sword smith Shakku Arai, Kenshin's Sakabato is a katana that has its blade reversed, leaving the front of the blade blunt. Kenshin is a powerful warrior who took a lot of lives during Japan's Meiji revolution. Ever since the end of the revolution, he's sworn off killing and the Sakabato gives him the perfect way to defend his loved ones while upholding his vow to never kill again.
The Tessaiga
From InuYasha
Forged from the fang of the great demon Inu no Taisho, the Tessaiga is the favored weapon of the title character, InuYasha. Along with being able to change its form, this demonic super sword comes with a whole roster of special abilities, including absorbing abilities of other weapons. Being able to create barriers to deflect enemies and allowing the wielder to launch powerful attacks like InuYasha's signature Wind Scar Attack - an ability so awesome it can slay over a hundred demons with a single swing.
Cross Punisher
From Trigun
Trigun's Cross Punisher is so over-the-top that there were only ten of them ever made. Weighing around three-hundred pounds, this beast of a weapon can not only unleash an incredible barrage of bullets, but also act as a small armoring being, able to store a collections of guns inside its secret compartments. The Punisher is the signature weapon of Nicholas D. Wolfwood, a classy killer with a heart of gold who ends up using his skills as a professional assassin to support the woman he loves and the orphans he cares for. Armed with the Cross Punisher, Wolfwood has the power of a one man army, able to blow away entire squads of enemies.
Zanpakuto
From Bleach
In the world of Bleach, the Zanpakuto is the main weapon of the Shinigami. Every Shinigami is given a basic version of this weapon. Although their basic forms often appear as normal Japanese katana, they can actually take on many different forms and sizes, once the shinigami manages to awaken it. A Zanpakuto has the ability to purify the corrupted spirits known as hollows. When a Shinigami learns the name of their trusty weapon, the Zanpakuto can form a connection to its owner and its power can grow to world shattering proportions.
Cerberus Handguns
From Gungrave
The Gungrave Cerberus Handguns are the signature weapons of the resurrected Brandon as "Beyond the Grave." A pair of 15mm caliber handguns with 60cm barrels, these pistols carry a devastating punch and allow any gun fighter to run head-on into danger in style. In addition to these fictional guns, Gungrave also features lots of real guns!
Tsubaki Nakatsukasa
From Soul Eater
Soul Eater's Tsubaki Nakatsukasa stands out from other weapons on the virtue of being an actual person. In her humanoid form, she is a caring and forgiving young woman. When bad guys start rearing their ugly heads though, she's always ready to throw down. When things get tough, she transforms into her demon weapon form, a pair of deadly scythes with extendable chains which allow her partner, Black Star, to expand the devastation to enemies both up close and from a distance.
Dragonslayer
From Berserk
The Dragonslayer is the primary weapon of Guts, also known as the "One Hundred-Man Slayer". The sword's weight gives it a significant advantage in battle, putting a good amount of smashing power against enemies. Of course, having rocks for muscles is pretty much a necessity. For those who do have a steady exercise routine of daily massacre, this sword packs so much killing power it can cut through things that are normally impenetrable. The sword has slain so many evil spirits that the blade inherited the special property of existing in both the physical and astral realms. Being part of the astral realms allows the wielder to kill creatures few others can.
The Jericho 941 R
From Cowboy Bebop
The Jericho 941 R from Cowboy Bebop is the trusty weapon for the god of all things cool, Spike Spiegel. It's customized with personalized grips and a rarely ever seen laser sight mounted on the right side. It might not be the flashiest of weapons, but when battles begin, it's the best companion a space cowboy can have.
The Jericho 941 R is a real weapon designed by Israeli Military Industries/Israeli Weapons Industries (IMI/IWI). In America, it's also known as the Baby Eagle. This weapon does not make its only anime appearance in Cowboy Bebop, as Ghost in the Shell's Batou also wields a Jericho.
Excalibur
From Fate/stay night
Excalibur from Fate Stay Night is the companion sword of the legendary King Arthur, who, in this series, is actually a girl. In the land of lazy historians, Excalibur is held as the strongest of divine swords, not only having all the qualities of a great European style bone breaker, but also the ability to transform its user's magical energy into a wave of explosive offensive power.
The Scissor Blade
From Kill la Kill
The Kill La Kill Scissor Blade has it all right there in the title, sort of. This odd choice for a weapon is literally one half of a rather large pair of scissors. It has a long list of powers, including being able to change size depending on the task at hand and cutting life fibers like the scissors of Apropos from Greek mythology.
Caster Gun
From Seihou Bukyou (Outlaw Star)
Ever thought what would happen if you combined magic with cool guns? Well, if you did, the Caster Gun from Outlaw Star is probably what you'd get. The Caster Gun is the signature weapon of Outlaw Star protagonist and smart mouthed bounty hunter, Gene Starwind. Acting as Gene's trump card, this mystical mystery of a weapon uses special rounds that have been imbued with special magical properties, giving each and every shell its own unique, often explosive, effect.
X-Gloves
From Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
The X-Gloves are a pair of weaponized mittens made from the baddest of asses. Now the phrase "badass pair of mittens," probably isn't one you hear every day, but if there was ever a time to use it, it'd be to describe the X-Gloves. While initially appearing as an ordinary pair of woolen mittens, in the hands of Tsunayoshi Sawada, they're a real hot item... literally. When Tsuna uses a Dying Will with them, they change to metal and give him access to attacks that range from a super heated strike to throwing a wall of flames at an opponent.
The Claymore
From Claymore
The Claymore sword is one serious piece of hardware on its own. With the ability to sever multiple human heads in a swing, it's a pretty terrifying weapon to see being aimed in your direction. It's like the medieval equivalent of Drago from Rocky IV. It serves as the iconic weapon of the half-human, half-Yoma witches from Claymore. They use the heavy-hitting power of The Claymore to obliterate terrifying monsters, to save humanity and to kill the otherwise un-killable.
Historically, Claymores are Scottish two-handed swords, and the name comes from the Gaelic claidheamh-mór, which means "Great Sword."
13mm Jackal
From Hellsing
Hellsing's 13mm Jackal is one of the most over-the-top handguns ever made. Weighing in at thirty-five pounds, it's presented as Alucard's upgrade after deciding he needed a weapon with a little more stopping power. The Jackal is a real heavy hitter. It fires large hollow point armor-piercing rounds coated in Macedonian silver, which basically means whatever Alucard hits will be turned into a misty cloud of blood, whether the target be human or vampire.
The Hellsing Jackal is a fictional anime weapon, and no usable replica exists in real life.
The Z Sword
From Dragon Ball Z
The Z Sword from Dragon Ball Z is probably one of the most interesting pieces of weaponry you can come across. This ancient mystical sword not only has enough power to cut through tyrannical super villains better than coffee cuts through your digestive tract, but it also has the capability to trap and hold a Kai. Kais are the deities that run all the other deities in the universe. And if that weren't awesome enough, this sword is so heavy, only the most powerful warriors in existence can even lift it up, let alone wield it effectively. That essentially puts this divine weapon in the same category as Arthur's Excalibur or Thor's Mjolnir.
The Rose Branch Bow
From Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
Needless to say, this bow isn't an ordinary killing machine. Formed from the magical energy of the transformed version of Madoka Kaname, this super-powered weapon has the unique ability to harm and kill witches, evil creatures that feed off of human suffering.
Spirit Sword
From Yuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho
They say the sword is the embodiment of the warrior's spirit. The Spirit Sword from Yu Yu Hakusho sort of takes that idea and makes it literal. The spirit sword is the go-to weapon for Kazuma Kuwabara. It can pretty much do anything a sword can do... and much, much more. It can be extended to attack at long range and can even shift into different shapes. These abilities are possible because this particular sword is made of pure spirit energy, a literal representation of Kuwabara's fighting spirit.
The Death Note
From Death Note
The Death Note is probably one of the most infamous items in anime. Some might find it difficult to classify a notebook as a weapon, but what else could haul in a higher body count with such precision. All someone needs to do is think of a person's face and write their name down and bam! The person dies of a heart attack. If that weren't coldblooded enough, the writer can even choose exactly how their victims will die. Pretty brutal. Death Note paints a vision of darkness, nihilism, and a world where you should probably think twice before cutting someone off in traffic.
Check out the ultimate anime weapon!
And there you have it－20 of the most amazing weapons in anime, all bundled up into one amazing article!
But there is one more type of weapon, maybe the most "special" of them all, that we would now like to introduce to you via a video clip from the Samurai Flamenco series. Meet Flamenco and his "lethal weapons"!
