15 Most Powerful Rifles in Anime

From gravity-bending cannons to real-world anti-materiel monsters, anime has showcased some of the most formidable rifles you’ll see on screen. Below is a carefully sourced list of standout rifles as they actually appear in anime—covering how they’re described in-universe, what they fire, and what they do in specific scenes. Where a design is fictional, we point to the franchise materials that specify its tech; where it’s a real firearm, we cite databases documenting its on-screen use.

To keep things clear and verifiable, each entry names the rifle, identifies the anime where it’s used, and summarizes the weapon’s capabilities or the role it plays in that story. Citations follow each entry so you can check the details yourself.

RX-78-2 Beam Rifle (seen in ‘Mobile Suit Gundam’)

The RX-78-2’s primary weapon is a mobile-suit-scale beam rifle whose shot output is described as comparable to a warship’s main gun of its era. In the franchise’s technical notes, the rifle uses E-cap technology to store charged Minovsky particles and then fires them as mega-particles, which is what gives it such extraordinary destructive power against armored targets.

Gundam reference material explains that Minovsky physics underpins Federation and Zeon beam weapons, with Minovsky and mega-particles enabling compact, battleship-class firepower in a handheld format for mobile suits. That framework also explains why beam rifles dominate once Minovsky particles proliferate on the battlefield.

Positron Sniper Rifle (seen in ‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’)

During Operation Yashima, NERV requisitions a prototype positron sniper rifle to engage the Angel Ramiel from extreme range. The episode documentation notes that the rifle required the total electrical output of Japan to fire, underscoring both its energy demands and its classification as a dedicated anti-Angel platform.

Franchise guides further describe the weapon as originating in the JSSDF’s R&D program and being modified for Evangelion use, with markings such as “SUPER-POSITRON” on the barrel in later depictions. These materials situate the rifle among named Evangelion weapons with unique power and logistical requirements.

Kaneda’s Laser Rifle (seen in ‘Akira’)

In the climax, Kaneda deploys an experimental man-portable laser rifle powered by a backpack battery and linked cooling assembly. Plot summaries and franchise notes specify its use against Tetsuo in the stadium confrontation, alongside an orbital laser fired by the Colonel.

Series resources identify the weapon as an advanced heavy laser system; franchise wikis documenting the anime emphasize its cutting beam and battery-dependent firing cycle during the battle.

Hellsing ARMS 30 mm Anti-Midian Cannon “Harkonnen” (seen in ‘Hellsing’ / ‘Hellsing Ultimate’)

Seras Victoria’s signature long-range piece is explicitly described as a 30 mm anti-tank/anti-aircraft cannon engineered by Walter C. Dornez for anti-Midian combat. Official franchise materials note its tremendous size, bespoke ammunition types, and the fact that only superhuman users can practically wield it.

Character weapon profiles within the series list the Harkonnen as Seras’s preferred long-range support arm, detailing its load options and tactical role in set-piece engagements.

“Harkonnen II” Long-Range Defensive System (seen in ‘Hellsing Ultimate’)

The Harkonnen II is a semi-automatic 30 mm system purpose-built for localized defensive bombardment of Hellsing Manor. Series references identify it as an “Extra Long-Range Bombardment Firearm System,” again credited to Walter’s manufacture for Seras.

Franchise write-ups emphasize the II’s defensive doctrine and longer-range employment compared with the original Harkonnen, contextualizing how the organization scaled Seras’s rifle platform for specific operational needs.

PGM Hécate II (seen in ‘Sword Art Online II’)

Within the ‘Gun Gale Online’ arc, Sinon acquires and fields the PGM Hécate II, a French 12.7 mm anti-materiel sniper rifle. Series documentation notes both the real rifle’s dimensions and the in-story acquisition path as a high-level drop, aligning the weapon’s heavy caliber with long-range boss engagements.

Character equipment pages further detail Sinon’s weapon swaps and the Hécate II’s status as her primary rifle during that arc, reinforcing that the model is portrayed with its real-world mass and length characteristics.

Barrett M82A1M (seen in ‘Jormungand: Perfect Order’)

The Barrett M82 family is a semi-automatic .50 BMG anti-materiel platform designed for long-range interdiction. Its on-screen appearance in ‘Jormungand: Perfect Order’ includes the M82A1M variant used by an Excalibur contractor in the episode “Pazuzu,” as cataloged by screen-cap databases.

Manufacturer history and platform overviews describe the rifle’s development and adoption, providing context for why anime featuring modern PMCs and state actors depict the Barrett as a go-to .50-caliber rifle.

CheyTac M200 “Intervention” (seen in ‘Detective Conan’)

The bolt-action CheyTac M200, commonly chambered in proprietary .408/.375 CheyTac for extreme-range precision, appears in ‘Case Closed: Dimensional Sniper’—used by Subaru Okiya in a sniper duel sequence. Weapon references identify the model and scene frames with scope and bolt details.

Technical summaries note the M200’s design purpose for very long-range anti-personnel/anti-materiel roles and its ballistic system, which is why it’s selected in fiction for set-pieces involving kilometer-class shots.

Howa Type 89 (seen in ‘GATE’)

‘GATE’ depicts the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force with its standard-issue Howa Type 89 5.56×45 mm rifle, including the folding-stock Type 89-F variant with integral bipod and rifle-grenade use. Episode-indexed databases catalog paratrooper scenes and grenade-launch employment.

Background entries on the Type 89 explain its adoption to replace the 7.62 mm Type 64 and situate it among contemporary assault rifles, which matches how the series equips JSDF units across large-scale operations.

Seburo C-26A (seen in ‘Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex’)

Section 9’s signature carbine/assault-rifle analogue in ‘Stand Alone Complex’ is the fictional Seburo C-26A, depicted with a 50-round magazine, bullpup layout, forward ejection, and an integral brass catcher. Episode documentation details the feed geometry and ejection into the top-mounted catcher.

Franchise wikis profile Seburo as Masamune Shirow’s in-world manufacturer and list the C-26A’s stated chamberings and role as Section 9’s standard long gun, clarifying why it appears across urban CQB and mid-range engagements.

Dragunov SVD (seen in ‘Black Lagoon’)

‘Black Lagoon’ repeatedly shows the SVD 7.62×54 R designated marksman rifle in the hands of Hotel Moscow and VDV veterans, including Balalaika in flashback and ops sequences. Reference frames identify the rifle, PSO-1 optic, and usage as the faction’s standard sniper arm.

Catalog pages for the SVD family track its frequent use across media, which aligns with the series’ Russian underworld portrayal and the rifle’s doctrinal role bridging infantry rifles and dedicated sniper systems.

Heckler & Koch PSG-1 (seen in ‘Highschool of the Dead’)

In ‘Highschool of the Dead’, Special Assault Team sniper Rika Minami is shown clearing an airport with an H&K PSG-1, with the series even observing correct magazine capacity across shots. Screen-cap documentation identifies the rifle and the aired sequence particulars.

That database entry places the PSG-1 among the show’s battle-rifle and precision-rifle inventory, providing model-level details (optic, bipod) that match the weapon’s real-world semi-auto precision role.

Gravitational Beam Emitter (GBE) (seen in ‘Blame!’)

‘Blame!’ materials describe the GBE as an extremely powerful directed-energy rifle that emits concentrated graviton energy, producing perfectly cylindrical beams that can bore through the City’s Megastructure. Franchise sources consistently characterize it as a rare, top-tier handheld weapon.

Universe guides also note that only a direct GBE blast reliably penetrates the Megastructure’s layers, which is why the rifle is framed as a decisive asset in the series’ most destructive confrontations.

X-Rifle / X-Shotgun (seen in ‘Gantz’)

Gantz equipment lists document a long-range energy rifle (often called the X-Rifle or X-Shotgun) that functions like the X-Gun but with greater range and integrated optics. Canon notes indicate a stated effective range of at least a kilometer within missions.

Multiple chapter and mission references show characters carrying the X-Rifle in hunts, with franchise wikis distinguishing when the anime refers to it as a rifle versus the manual’s “X-Shotgun” label.

Tsuranuki Zutsu “Piercing Gun” (seen in ‘Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress’)

Within the series’ steam-tech arsenal, Ikoma and Takumi build the Tsuranuki Zutsu specifically to pierce the Kabane’s iron-hardened hearts. Franchise entries describe its design, materials, and rationale as an upgrade over standard steam guns used by the bushi.

Ancillary notes on the setting’s steam firearms explain how conventional steam guns use lead projectiles and why the Piercing Gun’s pressure and penetrator design are singled out for effectiveness against armored targets.

Share your picks—what did we miss and which anime rifle would you add to the list?