is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kenichi Sonoda. It was published in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Monthly Afternoon from 1991 to 1997 and was followed between 2004 and 2008 by a sequel series Gunsmith Cats Burst which included the same characters and situations. The series describes the adventures of young women fighting crime in Chicago.

Plot

Nineteen-year-old Irene "Rally" Vincent operates the titular "Gunsmith Cats" gun shop but also works as a bounty hunter, which is the impetus behind many of the stories. She is assisted in both activities by her housemate, and former sex worker "Minnie" May Hopkins. Rally is an expert combat shooter and marksman with an array of weapons, as well as a brilliant driver. May is an explosives expert, knowing the inner workings of and many uses of all manner of explosive devices. Teenage ex-burglar and lock-picker Misty Brown later joins the team and there is also Becky Farrah, a top, if expensive, source of information on underworld activity.

Bounty hunting has of course led Rally to make many enemies, most notably Gray, the leader of gangsters whose use of armaments, including bombs, has likened them to terrorists; and Goldie Musou, a leading figure in the Mafia who uses drugs to manipulate people to the point that they can be brainwashed into killing their nearest and dearest. Bean Bandit, a man who specializes in delivering illegal goods, often features as an alternate ally or enemy—depending on the behavior of his clients, most of whom are being hunted by Rally.

Production
After leaving anime production company Artmic to work as a comic artist, Kenichi Sonoda presented some of his story concepts and illustrations to Kodansha. These did not impress the editors but an illustration of two girls caught the attention of one of them, who suggested Sonoda develop a concept for it. Sonoda stated in an interview that the drawing was the genesis for the series. At the time Sonoda did not have any plans for the illustration but decided to expand his Riding Bean concept into a developed story. Due to licensing issues, Sonoda was originally unable to use the Riding Bean concept or character around the time he was creating Gunsmith Cats. However, during the run of the series the rights were returned to him and he added Bean Bandit into the series. Although Sonoda was a fan of the Japanese police drama series Taiyō ni Hoero!, he decided the show did not fit his preferred Western style. The story is influenced by American gun-action movies such as The French Connection and The Blues Brothers.

Sonoda chose the Shelby GT500 as Rally's car after realising that the cars in driving movies from the 70s were often Ford Mustangs. He researched the various models and selected the GT500 because it was the most powerful rather than any attraction to the car itself. When drawing guns, Sonoda would use a combination of magazines and his own replicas.

Character names were taken from American TV shows such as Bewitched and The Fugitive. The character of Minnie-May was the result of a compromise between Sonoda and the publisher.

Media

Manga
Written and illustrated by Kenichi Sonoda, Gunsmith Cats began publication in the February 1991 issue of Afternoon, a monthly manga magazine published by Kodansha. The series ran for 76 chapters until the June 1997 issue of Afternoon. The complete series was published in 8 volumes between December 16, 1991 and July 23, 1997.

The series was adapted for publication in English by Studio Proteus and published by Dark Horse. Chapters were initially released as individual issues on a monthly basis from May 1, 1995 until August 15, 2001. Their release completely removed a scene where Minnie May performs oral sex on a man and another had blood stains on a bed removed, this censorship was done with the approval of Kenichi Sonoda. The individual chapters were then collected into 9 trade paperback volumes between October 1, 1996 and February 13, 2002. The series began serialisation in the British magazine Manga Mania from September 1996.

A four-volume omnibus edition of the series, Gunsmith Cats Revised Edition was published in Japan between July 22, 2005 and October 21, 2005. The fourth volume includes the manga and "making of" materials of Riding Bean and Sonoda's early sketches and notes. This edition was then published in English by Dark Horse between March 14, 2007 and December 19, 2007. The English edition used the original Japanese format of reading from right to left for the first time in its English publication. It was sold shrink-wrapped and with an 18+ Mature warning on the cover.
 
A sequel Gunsmith Cats Burst was later released. Five volumes were released in Japan between June 23, 2005 and November 21, 2008. The English edition was published by Dark Horse between May 2, 2007 and April 14, 2010.

Anime
A three-part anime adaptation was created. This adaptation is an original story for the characters but includes several references to the manga storyline.

The OVA was licensed by ADV Films (currently known as Sentai Filmworks) who released the first episode in North America on February 20, 1996. There was a choice of either subtitled or dubbed VHS, as well as a bilingual Laserdisc. A special edition was also released of the subtitled version, along with a 40-minute making of documentary. ADV then chose the series for their first release in the United Kingdom. The first volume was released on June 3, 1996 as subtitled or dubbed VHS and also included the documentary.

A DVD release of all 3 episodes and the making of special was released in North America on March 27, 2001 before being rereleased as part of ADV's "Essential" range with a lower price on April 13, 2004.

On December 3, 2017, AnimEigo announced that they acquired the license for Gunsmith Cats, and that they will host a Kickstarter campaign to produce a Blu-ray edition for the series. The Blu-ray shipped in 2019, with AnimEigo announcing that "the Gunsmith Cats Explosive Edition Kickstarter was our most successful yet."

The anime adaptation was directed by Takeshi Mori. Although Mori was interested in cars, he had no knowledge of guns and had made an effort to research them for the production. He made sure the story was interesting to prevent the anime from focusing only on the guns and cars. The music for the anime was composed by former Weather Report drummer, Peter Erskine. During production of the anime adaptation, members of the staff made several trips to Chicago to scout locations, including visits to a Gun Shop and a Police Academy. During these trips the staff were able to handle and fire real guns for research, something not possible in Japan with its gun laws. A Shelby Cobra GT-500 was recorded in Hollywood for sound effects purposes, and almost all of the other sound effects were recorded using Foley.

The anime adaptation was broadcast on the Encore Action Channel in September 2000.

The series was also referenced in the Nintendo 3DS game Project X Zone 2.

Reception
The series was nominated in the "Best American Adaptation of Foreign material" category of the 1997 Harvey Award.

In Manga: The Complete Guide, Jason Thompson is critical of Sonoda's depiction of women as "thin-hipped plastic toys with pubic hair" and some "frankly pedophilic" plot elements. However, he praises the "skilled storytelling" and describes the English localisation as "excellent".

Mike Crandol of Anime News Network was critical of the final volume Misty's Run, believing the previous volume would have been a better end and the "true climax" to the series. He highlights a lower quality of art in comparison to earlier volumes as a sign that Sonoda may have been losing interest in the series. However he notes that despite this, the story is still "smartly executed and action packed".

Manga Mania described the anime adaptation as "colourful, crazy stuff" and "a highly enjoyable feast". Comparing the manga and anime they noted that despite Sonoda's attention to the cars and weapons in the series, the setting feels more like a generic American town than Chicago. However they praised the attention given to the anime adaptation's more accurate portrayal of the city. In The Anime Encyclopedia, Jonathan Clements and Helen McCarthy call the adaptation "good fun" and observed the lighthearted approach to the series in comparison to the manga. They believe it deserved a version for TV. However they conclude that the low demand for pulp crime in the 1990s was a problem.

Mike Crandol of Anime News Network was largely positive about the anime adaptation but noted the simplified gunplay compared to the manga. He praised the attention ADV paid to the DVD package compared to their other titles and the quality of the English dub. In summary he called the anime adaptation "an excellent introductory piece of anime" due to the familiarity of the setting for those new to anime and called the adaptation a "solid piece of fun filmmaking". In another review on the Anime News Network, a reviewer praised the series for looking and sounding "like a gritty, grey suburb of modern Chicago," the impressive quality of the anime, action, and artwork. Raphael See of THEM Anime Reviews praised the series for delivering on "much of what its manga predecessor offers," having a "fairly intelligent story, smooth animation, furious action, and continued humor". He only complained that the series is too short, hoping that more will later be in production.

References

External links

Gunsmith Cats
1995 anime OVAs
Adventure anime and manga
ADV Films
Anime and manga set in the United States
Comics set in Chicago
Crime in anime and manga
Dark Horse Comics titles
Fiction about bomb disposal
Fictional portrayals of the Chicago Police Department
Fictional bounty hunters
Girls with guns anime and manga
Kodansha manga
OLM, Inc.
Seinen manga
건스미스 캣츠(Gunsmith Cats)는 무기상과 현상금 사냥업을 하는 라리 빈센트와 미니 메이의 활약을 다룬 만화이다. 1991년부터 월간 에프터눈에 연재되어 97년에 완결되고 후속작이 04년부터 같은 잡지에서 연재되어 08년에 완결되었다.

등장인물 
 라리 빈센트
무기상점의 주인, 일명 건 스미스.

키168cm. 건샵 '건 스미스 캣츠'의 오너이자 총기물의 프로. 뒷세계에서 일하면서도 순수함을 잃지 않는 극중의 히로인 중 한 명이다. 실질적으로 이야기를 이끌어 나가는 리드 캐릭터로 총에 관한한 넘버원의 프로라 할 수 있다. 본업인 건샵 이외 범죄자들을 대신 잡아다 주는 현상금 사냥꾼을 부업으로 하고 있다. 가장 싫어하는 것은 마약.

 미니 메이
라리 빈센트의 동업자로 폭탄전문가

라리 빈센트와 더불어 건샵의 동업자이자 그녀의 파트너. 라리가 총기물의 프로라면 그녀는 그녀의 애인인 캔에게서 배운 지식을 바탕으로 한 폭파물의 프로이다. 애용하는 무기는 그녀가 한껏 솜씨를 다해 개조한 수류탄들. 그녀가 캔과 헤어지고 화류관으로 몸을 숨겼을 때 복용했던 한약(?) 덕택에 거의 나이를 먹지 않고 있다. 덕분에 걸핏하면 초등학생으로 오해받기도 한다.

 베키
계산에 철처하며 어떠한 정보라도 수집할 수 있는 정보사냥꾼.
라리와 메이가 일을 할 때 주로 뒤에서 보조해 주는 역을 한다. 돈 계산에
너무 철저한 것 때문에 오해받기도 하지만 정이 많은 인물이다. 주로 사건의 해결점을 마련해 주는 역을 한다.

 나타샤 라디노프
애니메이션에서 등장하는 인물.
소련 특수부대출신으로 소련이 해체된뒤 암살자로 활약. 칼을 잘 다루는 인물 라리 빈센트와 격렬한 총격전 끝에 사망한다.

 골디 무소
키 185cm, 체중 66kg. 철의 골디라는 별명을 가진 암흑가의 여성 보스.

원래 대학에서 심리학을 전공한 평범한 여대생이였으나 마피아 두목의 딸이라는 이유로 조직간의 암투에 휘말리고 급기야는 아버지가 암살되면서 보스가 되었다. 뛰어난 의학 지식과 격투능력을 지녔고 원래 심성이 상당히 착한 그녀였으나 아버지의 죽음에 크게 충격 받아 아버지를 살해한 반대세력을 잔악무도하게 몰살시키면서 철의 골디라는 별명이 붙으며 악명을 떨쳤다. 라리 빈센트를 좋아해서 어떻게든 자신의 밑에 두고 싶어하지만 라리 빈센트는 골디가 갱이라는 이유로 적대시한다. 결국 라리 빈센트가 쏜 몇십발의 탄환이 몸을 뜷고 지나 사망했다고 생각했지만 실제로는 죽지 않았다. 라리 빈센트의 적이라고는 하지만 라리 빈센트를 이용하기 위해 구해준 적도 있다. 라리 빈센트에게 몇십발의 총탄을 맞고 다리에서 추락한 이후 사실상 악역으로서의 역할은 중지되었다. 실제로 골디 무소는 레즈비언으로서 라리 빈센트를 짝사랑하고 있다. 결국 라리 빈센트는 골디가 뒷세계에서 평판이 엄청 좋다는 점 때문에 골디와 적대하는 것을 그만두게 되며 골디는 라리 빈센트의 조력자가 되고 싶어한다.

 로이 콜맨
시카고의 형사. 라리가 바운티 헌터로 오게 될 때부터 도움을 준 성격 좋은 형사이다.

 조나단 워싱턴
무기 밀매 조직의 보스. 무기 밀매 외에는 별로 관심이 없어 보인다.
자신이 직접 개설한 야한 사이트는 실은 그의 중요한 키워드로 작용한다.

 빌 콜린스
ATF(총기 마약 단속국)의 요원.
사람을 부려 먹으려는 것이 좀 거슬리기는 해도 실력은 어느 정도 있는 편이다.

 립랩
스피드엔젤이라는 별명을 가진 코브라 스포츠카를 좋아하는 소녀. 헤어스타일이 발군. 잘못하면 남자로 오해할 수 있으나 여자다. 빈 반디트와 같은 운송업자(트랜스포터)다.

 빈 반디트
나름 인간성도 좋은 28세의 거구 운송업자. 별명은 로드 버스터. 평소에는 도로의 무법자 그자체이지만
민간인이나 어린아이들이 뒷세계에 오지 않도록 노력하는 면도 있다.

 케이트
여경으로 라리랑 약간의 친분이 있다.
조금 덜렁댈 때도 있지만 기본적으로 도움이 되는 편이다.

 파시 바카락
괴팍하고 빈 반디트를 어떻게든 감옥에 넣기위해서 뭐든지 한다. 산탄총을 주로 쓰며 OVA 라이딩빈에서는 GT-500을 몰기도 한다.

 라이언
파시경부의 부하. OVA 라이딩빈에서는 상관 잘못만나 만날 갈굼당하는 얼뜨기처럼 보이지만 건스미스캣츠 버스트편에서는 나름 카리스마(?!)있는 면도 있다.

OVA 
 THE NEUTRAL ZONE（1995년11월1일）
 SWING HIGH!（1996년4월1일）
 HIGH SPEED EDGE（1996년9월1일）

스탭

 감독:모리 타케시(もりたけし)
 연출:모라타 카즈야(村田和也)
 총감독 작화 캐릭터 디자인:마츠바라 토쿠히로(松原徳弘)
 작화감독:코바야시 토시미츠(小林利充)
 음악:피터 어스킨
 제작:OLM

캐스팅

 라리 빈센트=네야 미치코, 이현진
 미니 메이 홉킨스=아라키 카에, 양정화
 베키=히사카와 아야, 이지영
 나타샤 라디노프=소우미 요코, 이명선
 조나단 워싱턴=이케미즈 미치히로, 정승욱
 빌 콜린스=오오츠카 호우츄, 최준영
 로이 콜맨=사와키 이쿠야
 조지 블랙=고우리 다이스케, 이주창

 OP. 〈끝없는 한숨(果てしない吐息)〉 노래 : 네야 미치코, 아라키 카에, 히사카와 아야
 ED. 〈어떻게든 해야 해!(何とかしなきゃ!)〉 노래 : 네야 미치코, 아라키 카에, 히사카와 아야

외부 링크 
 

일본의 만화
일본의 애니메이션
투니버스의 텔레비전 프로그램