Is No Guns Life good? Is it worth watching? A review.

The anime No Guns Life is based on the manga series of the same name, written by Tasaku Karasuma. The story, with its beautiful depiction of a post-war-world, has found wide popularity and has been a raging hit within the otaku and weaboo community.

The first season of the anime No Guns Life was planned for a release in two installments. The first installment aired from October 10 to December 26 2019.

The second installment was to be released in the month of April 2020 but unfortunately had to be delayed due to the pandemic.

1. Quick Review

The anime is a delightful watch. The plot, which focuses on the dystopian setting of alienation in an advanced society is beautifully crafted. Its cyberpunk aesthetics are edgy and make you pay more attention than you think you might.

It also brings forth important philosophical and ethical lessons about many issues like human experimentation, torture, et cetera. These lessons deepen the aesthetic and entertaining appeal of such an anime.

2. Is it worth watching?

The anime is totally worth watching. It is not any contemporary anime that is replete with clichès and static plot. It is a beautiful rendition of human suffering and hardships but one that also speaks of resilience and strength even in the face of it.

The fight scenes are highly realistic and intense that one can’t help but get absorbed into its World. The world creation is so elaborate and intricate for a dystopian background, which largely contributes to bestowing viewers with an amazing experience.

I. Plot

The plot of the anime is set in the dystopian world in a futuristic era, where much of the world has been devastated by numerous wars and conflicts. This future is populated with certain people called the “Extended,” whose body parts have become artificially modified i.e., cyborgs.

However, with the end of one great war, these Extended, who were recruited as soldiers, were left with no option but to resort to violence and crime for their survival.

One of them is Juzo Inui, who functions as a ‘resolver’ – someone who takes care of problems caused by other Extended.

As he encounters a renegade Extended who has been accused of kidnapping a young boy, his whole worldview flips and he decides to investigate the crimes of the evil corporation.

The plot is extremely innovative and you’d be hard pressed to find comparisons. The superpowers like gun head, for example, are creative and well elaborated. These superpowers help add intensity and excitement to every fight scene.

It explores complex philosophical issues amidst tragic events that transpire in a dystopian landscape that we all wonder about.

II. Characters

The character of Juzo Inui is brilliantly designed. The complexities and intricacies of Juzo as a human, are explored in depth treated with a degree of sensitivity you would expect from this genre.

He is very likable and is not your typical teenage hotheaded protagonist. He is a calm and collected person who takes decisions based on his intuitive sense of who he feels is right or wrong.

He definitely stands out among anime characters for having a gun instead of ahead. This aspect is drawn in detail and helps make it more believable

But the catch is that he can’t trigger the gun himself, someone else has to do it for him. I really liked the philosophizing of this crucial disadvantage of his head. The character development of Juzo is elaborate and charted well.

3. Final Thoughts

Though the anime may seem like a unique concept (which it is), any seasoned anime viewer will directly recognize influences from iconic anime like Akira, Ghost in the Shell, et cetera.

That being said, it still has many new additions that refine many cliches and tropes used in previous cyberpunk anime. It is not just a direct copycat of other cyberpunk anime.

The plot progression is often pushed forward with countless fight scenes, which are thrilling and are the main attraction of the anime. It also forces you to ponder many profound questions during its course.

4. Grade

5. Info Card

6. Watch Order

A watch order isn’t necessary at all for this anime.