There isn't much story to this show, it's just different happenings in their very strange middle school life as weapons. The story also spends an absurd amount of time in bathhouses, for reasons unknown. I had zero interest in the story itself, and would have easily dropped this show were it not for the legitimate information presented on guns. A large portion of runtimes and stories are devoted to the history, functionality, and differences between guns. Admittedly, it is quite interesting, and kept me watching. If you aren't already knowledgeable about guns, you'll probably come out knowing more about them than before watching. Still, educational merit doesn't salvage a weirdly horny, mostly boring story. 3/10.
The art isn't great. During school life scenes it is quite uninspired and bland, although it picks up slightly during the action scenes. Still a lot of still portraits minus gun recoil. Mediocre at best. 5/10.
The sound is fair! It doesn't steal the show, but it is a redeeming quality of the show. The OP and ED are fair, and the guns surprisingly sound pretty heavy and real. There is good variation in sounds of guns. I'm not knowledgeable about guns enough to know if the sounds are accurate, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. 6/10.
The characters are quite full of tropes and common conventions, and sometimes have aspects that seem almost stereotypical or racist. Each gun has an origin country, and so they behave as though they are of that country, and it comes across as quite tone deaf sometimes. Also, somehow Americans don't know what snow angels are according to this show. Strange. 4/10.
I enjoyed this more than I thought it would just because of the neat gun commentary and information about weapons I did not know beforehand. A good 6/10.
Overall, Upotte provides interesting facts about guns and weapons in a unique fashion that is entertaining in its own way. However, this does not save the fact that the show has a fairly boring story, with stereotypical characters packed with common conventions. Gun education saves the show from being a dud, but surely doesn't make the show a sure shot. 5/10.
