Gunblades in Media

[Dusk Eclipse]

I recently build a character who fights using dual wielded gunblades (don't judge me :smalltongue:) and I tried to find some inspiration, but apart from Final Fantasy (specifically Advent Children movie) I've got nothing, so I was hoping the playground can help me find something along the lines of that. Visual media such as anime or movies is preferred though.

[Ravens_cry]

Gunblades, I am given to understand, are basically supposed to be a primitive vibroblade (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Vibroblade), where the shock of the cartridge firing allegedly does more damage while cutting with the weapon. So look up things of that nature. Plenty more examples in sci-fi media.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Actually I'm going with the more awesome/ridiculous idea of a sword that can also shot bullets.

[Maquise]

If you want to go to ridiculous extremes, I would look at the webshow RWBY by Roosterteeth.

[Cicciograna]

Actually I'm going with the more awesome/ridiculous idea of a sword that can also shot bullets.

These are, indeed, actually a thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistol_sword

[Dusk Eclipse]

The more ridiculous the better yes.

[dysprosium]

Ayumi from X Blades dual wields gun swords. I have not played this game however.

http://bestgamewallpapers.com/files/x-blades/ayumi.jpg

[CarpeGuitarrem]

If you want to go to ridiculous extremes, I would look at the webshow RWBY by Roosterteeth.
RWBY is "stick a gun on it" for...let's see...bracers, a scythe, a pair of tonfa, a hammer...pretty much every weapon in the series.

D'argo from Farscape has a blade that converts into a gun, too. But it's not a "high action" style of show, so he uses one mode or the other in a fight, generally.

[dehro]

there's plenty on google images under gunblades, both real and made up ones.
http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/mm368/RaymondJesseSchluter/782.jpg

[Prime32]

Nanoha has magic staffs with gun mechanisms, but pulling the trigger doesn't shoot anything, just release the cartridge's energy into the staff to make it better at shooting things. Given the variety of fighting styles in the series, the same mechanism is also added to a whip-sword, a hammer, a gauntlet, and a gun.

Cervantes from Soul Calibur has a pistol-dagger.

[Knaight]

These are, indeed, actually a thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistol_sword

Of course, there's a reason they tend to be on the small side - bayonets on rifles are really a lot better than a large 'gunblade' would be.

[Spiryt]

These are, indeed, actually a thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistol_sword

These absolutely nothing suggesting that they were ever anything more than craftsman display of skill and expensive curiosity.

That Wiki page is one large 'citation needed', never seen any source at all about 'flintlock axe pistol' being used by Polish cavalry, never-mind being 'trademark'.

As far as ridiculous examples go, this one fits the 'ridiculous' part perfectly

http://www.dawneuzbrojenie.republika.pl/cz37r.jpg

though probably not exactly in similar way as most media 'gunblades'.:smallwink:

[TheThan]

Cervantes from soul Soulcalibur and Porthos from the 1993 Three Musketeers movie both use pistol swords (already linked).

[Eldan]

Actually, Wiki quotes a few actual uses:


In 1838, the United States Navy developed the .54 caliber, single-shot smoothbore Elgin pistol, which was equipped with a 11.5-inch Bowie knife blade[4] and was intended for use by boarding parties; it was the first percussion cap gun in naval service,[5] but only 150 were made. The Navy specifically intended them for the Wilkes-South Seas expedition. Reportedly, in 1840 a naval landing party used the pistol to good effect when Fijian warriors attacked the sailors on the island of Malolo.[6]

And then there's the Apache Revolver:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_pistol

[Cicciograna]

These absolutely nothing suggesting that they were ever anything more than craftsman display of skill and expensive curiosity.

That Wiki page is one large 'citation needed', never seen any source at all about 'flintlock axe pistol' being used by Polish cavalry, never-mind being 'trademark'.


Unfortunately I couldn't find more informations about these weapons. I remember having seen many of those in Paris at the Musee de l'Armee: when I get home I can try to post some photos.

However, I was just pointing that such weapons do indeed exist, but I can't assure for their reliability: I am the first to recognize that these could well be traps for the wielder, as there is a great risk for the barrel to explode.

[Math_Mage]

If you want to go to ridiculous extremes, I would look at the webshow RWBY by Roosterteeth.
Second this. Ruby's sniper rifle/scythe, Ren's pistol-blades, and Blake's...whatever it is are the most fun I've seen anyone have with gun-blades. (Also, Sun has gunchucks, yo.)

[Trixie]

That Wiki page is one large 'citation needed', never seen any source at all about 'flintlock axe pistol' being used by Polish cavalry, never-mind being 'trademark'.

You didn't look hard enough then:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/P%C3%B3%C5%82hak.jpg

Though English wiki got half of the description wrong.

Anyway, there were real gunblades (http://zonwar.ru/podrobno/nosg_nrs2.html) issued relatively recently, and antagonist in Gunsmith Cats OAV in fact uses one to (somewhat) realistic effect :smallconfused:

[Tengu_temp]

Imca from Valkyria Chronicles 3 wields Val, a really heavy gunblade that can be used as a machinegun, melee weapon, and a freakin' mortar/missile launcher.
http://static.zerochan.net/Valkyria.Chronicles.full.887991.jpg

Haken Browning from Endless Frontier has a gunblade as one of his weapons, though unlike the usual cutting blade, it seems to have some kind of impact stake.
http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091226124617/superrobotwars/images/1/1f/Mugen_no_Frontier_Haken_Browning.jpg

[Kitten Champion]

The Dot.Hack//G.U. universe has a gunblade wielding class, the Steam Gunner.

http://dothack.neoseeker.com/w/i/dothack/thumb/7/7c/Kuhn.jpg/280px-Kuhn.jpg

I've never played it, but doesn't Gears of War have a chainsaw/assault rifle composite?

[LaZodiac]

MY NAME IS MR KNIFE.

http://i795.photobucket.com/albums/yy231/bibu09/Animations/JackKnife.gif

YOU MAY CALL ME JACK.

[Spiryt]

You didn't look hard enough then:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/P%C3%B3%C5%82hak.jpg

Though English wiki got half of the description wrong.
:

Uh, I can find plenty of such weapons made in Poland or for Polish users, but that's not the point.

There's still nothing about them being actually used.

This is 'copy of cavalry half pistol' made in unspecified time. Who knows who and why had attached axe blade to it.

[Closet_Skeleton]

I've heard mentions of them being popular in India as well but never seen a non-European one.

The gun combined with a Halberd was supposedly actually used for hunting with and I've seen two in European countries (England and Venice I think but I'm not sure). Venice definately had a few pistol axes and a lot of gun crossbows (so you can reload while you reload :smallconfused:).

[paddyfool]

One of the villains from Once Upon a Time in China uses them, if you're interested in a live action kung fu depiction of pistol swords.

Then there's Chevalier from Worm, for a literary version of a cannonblade.

[Ceiling_Squid]

Gunblades, I am given to understand, are basically supposed to be a primitive vibroblade (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Vibroblade), where the shock of the cartridge firing allegedly does more damage while cutting with the weapon. So look up things of that nature. Plenty more examples in sci-fi media.

Kind of glad that he's just going with a gun that is also a blade, because that is at least pretty cool in a dual-purpose sort of way, and has some historical precedent. That whole "transmitting the shock of the firing cartridge into vibrations in the blade" always seemed like it was both technically bizarre, and honestly not all that cool-sounding even if it worked as described.

Can't wrap my brain around it, which is probably why I never liked the Final Fantasy gunblade concept. Always seemed to stretch believability a little too hard to be to be a "unique" fantasy weapon, and just coming out strange rather than cool. Even in full-on fantasy open-minded mode, I cannot help but realize that the limited ammunition is a problem, as well as the fact that those vibrations would not last long enough to be useful. If you've got a fantasy setting, why not just go with an actual vibro sword?

That same "melee weapon supplemented by explosive cartridge" concept is, I think, much better put to totally awesome use with the revolving stake (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsKtVdt2VaQ). At least in that case you're justifiably driving a piercing weapon forward in a simple mechanical action, instead of trying to handwave an ineffective low-tech vibro-weapon effect.

[Mewtarthio]

Second this. Ruby's sniper rifle/scythe, Ren's pistol-blades, and Blake's...whatever it is are the most fun I've seen anyone have with gun-blades. (Also, Sun has gunchucks, yo.)

I believe the technical term for Blake's weapon is "gunbladewhip." That's tied with my favorite RWBY weapon alongside Yang's shotgunfists (What's that? You say sticking a shotgun's firing mechanism into your gauntlets so that you have constant explosions going off right next to your hands is ludicrously dangerous? Perfect! Yang loves danger!).

To be fair, though, not everyone uses guns, even if you expand your definition to include rocket launchers. Weiss uses magic (albeit with a revolver-type mechanism in her sword to power it up), Penny launches her blades with telekinesis, and Pyrrha has a rocket-powered javelin.

And then there's poor Juan with his totally mundane broadsword...

[Math_Mage]

I believe the technical term for Blake's weapon is "gunbladewhip." That's tied with my favorite RWBY weapon alongside Yang's shotgunfists (What's that? You say sticking a shotgun's firing mechanism into your gauntlets so that you have constant explosions going off right next to your hands is ludicrously dangerous? Perfect! Yang loves danger!).

To be fair, though, not everyone uses guns, even if you expand your definition to include rocket launchers. Weiss uses magic (albeit with a revolver-type mechanism in her sword to power it up), Penny launches her blades with telekinesis, and Pyrrha has a rocket-powered javelin.

And then there's poor Juan with his totally mundane broadsword...
That's, uh, why I listed all and only the characters that actually have gunblade weapons. :smallwink:

[Trixie]

There's still nothing about them being actually used.

Read about one of pretty much first hussar reforms around the time of king Batory? That's right, adding 2 pistols to their armament. Now, sadly, the pistol cost a small pile of polish gold zlotys so only the richest nobles could afford throwing it away after shooting to draw saber or koncerz, the rest often tried to use pistol as melee weapon. That's why you sometimes see armoured handle - because it made a makeshift mace in a pinch.

Now, do everyone use axe half-carbines (półhak doesn't mean half-pistol, you're looking for 'krócica') with axe add-ons? Of course not, without it they were cheaper and commanders tried to give men time to swap weapons. That's why I said wiki is wrong. Still, it is right polish cavalry used pistols - both hussars and cossack light horses. In XVIth century, cavalry without long range option was dead cavalry.


This is 'copy of cavalry half pistol' made in unspecified time. Who knows who and why had attached axe blade to it.

So, you're saying museums put ahistorical, wrong objects on display? Okay :smallconfused:


That same "melee weapon supplemented by explosive cartridge" concept is, I think, much better put to totally awesome use with the revolving stake (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsKtVdt2VaQ). At least in that case you're justifiably driving a piercing weapon forward in a simple mechanical action, instead of trying to handwave an ineffective low-tech vibro-weapon effect.

I like how in anime enemy always waits politely with exploding until hero jumps away :smallsigh:

Anyway, no, this doesn't make sense. At all. You have gun, you use gun, you have spike, you use spike, not try to combine most glaring weaknesses of both while creating completely new ones. That's why real gun-knife I linked had the functions separated - l33t gun-st4bz just are not effective.

[Eldan]

So, you're saying museums put ahistorical, wrong objects on display? Okay

Shockingly often, yes.

[Mrc.]

To be fair, though, not everyone uses guns, even if you expand your definition to include rocket launchers. Weiss uses magic (albeit with a revolver-type mechanism in her sword to power it up), Penny launches her blades with telekinesis, and Pyrrha has a rocket-powered javelin.

And then there's poor Juan with his totally mundane broadsword...

Erm, Pyrrha does have a gun function as part of her weapon, it becomes a rifle several times. I put it in the category of 'Weapons-That-Have-A-Gun-That-Is-Totally-Useless", along with Blake, Ren and, to a certain extent, Weiss. On the flip side of this we have Yang's shotgun fists, Sun's shotgun chucks, Ruby's sniper and Nora*. People who not only have guns, but whose guns actually do stuff. The best example I can think to illustrate this point is the fight Ren has with the King Kaagit (sp?). He stabs the thing, breaks its tooth and explodes its head, but his guns might as well post their bullets and hope it dies from a paper cut whilst opening them.

*I count Nora as a weapon in and of herself, purely because trying to apply logic to Nora is pretty much the definition of the phrase "Exercise in futility".

[thubby]

you should watch rwby

the premise can best be described as "magic gunsword kung fu against nightmares"

[Southern Cross]

You should take a look at Kamen Rider Wizard (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRfzqAg_Dk8&list=PLFKrAGs_82doRZ95Oyp-aFHjXnFUUhR7z) then. His WizarSwordGun (Yes that's what it's called on the Kamen Rider Wiki) not only fires silver bullets ( which are the only bullets that can take out the Phantoms, the show's monsters) but can also do extra elemental damage, with the elemental type matching the Style in use.

[Prime32]

You should take a look at Kamen Rider Wizard (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRfzqAg_Dk8&list=PLFKrAGs_82doRZ95Oyp-aFHjXnFUUhR7z) then. His WizarSwordGun (Yes that's what it's called on the Kamen Rider Wiki) not only fires silver bullets ( which are the only bullets that can take out the Phantoms, the show's monsters) but can also do extra elemental damage, with the elemental type matching the Style in use.They're pretty common among Kamen Riders. The current one, Gaim, is odd in that the gun's barrel comes out the side of the blade and it has severely limited ammo.
http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131027033701/kamenrider/images/c/c5/MusouSaberZan.jpg

[Southern Cross]

Which is why I prefer Wizard to Gaim: Haruto gets more versatile gear....

[Fjolnir]

I didn't see it mentioned, Rai-Dei the Blade from Trigun has a fairly interesting application of the gunblade wherin he actually fires the sword blade at short range, in the anime he spikes Vash to the ground with it before the fifth moon incident.

[OracleofWuffing]

Phantasy Star Online likes to call them Gunslashes, or maybe Gunkatas, eh, it's kind of up in the air. They can't be dual wielded, but breaking convention's half the fun. Here's a listing (http://pso2.cirnopedia.info/weapon_07.php#nav) of what they have.