Weapons in anime shows do not shy from the spotlight. From intricate animation sequences dedicated solely to their powers to the most out-of-this-world features, anime weapons themselves often have enough weight to carry storylines by themselves.
On this list, amazing anime weapons that spawned their own fans since the pilot episode are featured. Check them out below and say which one made you guffaw the most.
The Death Note
It’s not a gun or a sword that comes first on this list. It’s actually just a notebook. The Death Note, the black notepad that kills anyone whose name is written on it, is an especially powerful weapon. While writing on a notebook isn’t as dramatic as sword fights, it’s exactly this understated power that gave this anime a sombre, extremely dark mood.
Inuyasha’s Tessaiga
For people who believe size doesn’t matter, meet Inuyasha’s weapon of choice. The sword is a regular katana, but give it to someone who cares for people and is part demon (eg. Inuyasha), you get a sword absurdly out of proportion. Size is definitely power here as this sword is able to end several opponents at once. Fun fact: the blade was actually fashioned from Inuyasha’s father’s tooth.
Nicholas Wolfwood’s The Punisher
Since we’ve mentioned size, let’s talk about the Punisher. This gun doesn’t have any of that understated charm. It’s a large chunk of metal that houses four pistols on each side arm and two machine guns in front. In case that is not enough, A rocket launcher is poised for attack at the back.
Kenshin’s Sakabato
Everything so far on this list held potential for destruction. This sword earns a spot for being the exact opposite. The Sakabato, a sword with a reversed blade, allowed the anime’s star, Kenshin, to avoid inflicting harm. The fictional weapon advocated peace, ushering in a new era in the anime’s reimagining of historical Japan. Interestingly enough, a similar, non-harming weapon has been discovered dating back to the Edo period.
While this doesn’t begin to map the vastness of anime weaponry Japan has given us, this list samples the unbridled creativity of the artists. From a seemingly harmful paper that leads to certain death to swords designed for peace, anime has given weapon aficionados a lot of things to daydream about.
