Nemesis Addiction

Gun oil and Gun-powder are my favorite fragrances."

Author Kenichi Sonoda is a gun enthusiast, and Gunsmith Cats is a gun-nut's absolute dream written by one. Set in Chicago, Illinois, during the 80s - 90s, it was influenced by the 1980s comedy-action film "The Blues Brothers." It follows the duo of tough gals: Rally, our main character, Minnie May, her partner in their day job as gunsmiths, and their side-job as bounty hunters in Chicago’s underworld.

The manga focuses on three things: guns, girls, and cars.

Starting with the girls, our pistol-packing protagonist, and main character - Irene "Rally" Vincent. Taught to shoot with an AR-7 by her father (an Olympic-level shooter), Rally has become an ace shot when it comes to just about anything and everything. From the WA2000 that she keeps in the back of her stylish 1967 Shelby GT500 to her .25 DuO that’s kept in a sliding rail around her forearm. Within the first chapter, she’s shot a finger off of two different people, and that’s not all she’s going to do when it comes to sheer badassery. In later chapters, she performs more feats of absolute marksmanship, and some seem like major deus-ex when she's in a bind, but though some actions depend on luck - most of what she does in the manga is completely feasible with the right training and knowledge.

Rally’s Partner, "Minnie" May Hopkins, is a petite bombshell with expertise in high explosive ordnance. She follows Rally’s bounty hunting quests with an explosive pep and usually provides a lighter tone due to her sometimes bubbly nature. As mentioned earlier, she’s skilled at rigging and disarming explosives quickly and always carries a small amount of C4 and detonators within the heel of her boots. When Rally is down or needs a room breached, Minnie May is right beside her, ready to deal with anything. The characters have a good dynamic with each other; having bonded in many previous missions and mornings in the gun store, they’ve developed a comedic approach to things and usually bicker charmingly.

Diving into the style of Gunsmith Cats is quite the treat for a gun-nut and a petrolhead, as Kenichi Sonoda captures both in stunning black and white style. All the guns have been beautifully transferred onto paper; both the cars and guns have painstaking detail on all of them. Rally’s 1976 Shelby GT500 Cobra has each individual grill and headlights drawn spot on, and the decision to include the white Le Mans stripes on the car provides such a nice touch for classic car enthusiasts. Even when it comes to little details on Rally’s CZ, they are perfectly drawn, with attention to the hammer and even magazine release of the pistol. Overall, the style feels like reading a full series about Dirty Harry, with high-octane fun fights and clever gunplay from Rally herself.

The story is best enjoyed by going in blind; it’s nothing special in the beginning with small inconsequential villains. However, when the main antagonist Goldie comes into the picture, the story pops the clutch and shifts into the next gear. The 5th Volume, “Bad trip,” is a highlight within the series, where Goldie’s manipulative and strategic mind is put front and center. After that, the manga still maintains good pacing and interesting plot points; however, I feel that at some points, it may slow down. In general, I felt I stayed more for the characters than I stayed for the story.

Overall, Gunsmith Cats is an incredible manga but niche, with the focus being on a buddy cop duo and gunfights. It, in general, is one of my favorite action mangas due to its compelling characters, but it does suffer because of its slightly repetitive nature. Don’t let that discourage you. Rally still remains my favorite action manga hero and will most likely remain so, as I have yet to find any action manga that challenges it.

This has to be the most American manga I've ever come across. To understand Kenichi Sonoda's mindset, just remember that he loves three things: cars, guns, and women. He intricately details all three in his artwork, whether it's the grille of a sports car, the slide of a handgun, or... well, I'll let your imagination take it from there.

Our heroines are Irene "Rally" Vincent and her partner Minnie May Hopkins. They're bounty hunters, gun shop owners, and experts at demolishing anything not nailed down. The story features high-speed car chases, intense gunfights, murder mysteries, explosions (May's specialty), and every type of criminal imaginable.

I can't recommend this one enough; it's a classic that many overlooked but still managed to get a sequel and a short OVA. Grab the omnibus edition and start reading—you won't regret it.

The Blues Brothers has a notable influence on Gunsmith Cats, as the author mentions in the preface to volume 1 published by Dark Horse. The creator is also a gun enthusiast, meticulously recreating in the manga the specifics of pistols, revolvers, shotguns, machine-guns, grenades, and any bullet-proof clothing imaginable.

Gunsmith Cats starts off with an abrupt gunfight. We see a cop getting shot, bodies rushing past, a gun-hand's point of view, shooters sliding across floors, windows shattering, and then it's over as quickly as it began. We get a close-up of the manga's first weapon, an S&W M-19, along with the specific ammo it uses — .38 +P Black Talons. Yes, you're about to receive a thorough education on firearms from a Japanese creator living in a country with minimal gun presence. This ensures that what we'll encounter in the manga is undoubtedly well-researched by a true aficionado.

Rally Vincent is stunning. With raven hair, dark skin, glasses, a passion for guns, and a 1967 Shelby Mustang Cobra GT500, her enthusiasm for all things metallic and phallic is infectious. Guns and cars excite her; her knowledge is nerdy, and her gun-hand is steady. She's a ditz, a whiz, a bounty-hunting gun-slinger one moment and a squabbling gun store clerk the next. She's cute and sexy, and her reckless spirit makes the manga ridiculously enjoyable to read. Watching her exchange quips, jokes, and punchlines with other characters is addictive. "Gun oil and gunpowder. My favorite fragrances," Rally says, encapsulating her essence.

Rally's car, the Cobra, is sleek like a bullet, equally effective, sexy, stylish, and gets trashed so frequently throughout the story that you can't help but cringe every time. There are numerous stylish '70s cars scattered throughout Gunsmith Cats: Beetles, Minis, Corvettes, Vipers, and more. The car chases are pure Hollywood, reminiscent of Bullitt and French Connection, providing thrills embellished with bullet casings and destruction of public property.

Rally's partner in crime-stopping is 18-year-old assistant and aspiring business-partner Minnie-May, the sex-slut firecracker. That's quite a description, just like her on an average day at a whorehouse. Not as likable as Rally, she's useful when out of ammo, but you wouldn't want to spend too much time with her for fear of catching a venereal disease.

The third member is Becky, bespectacled and money-hungry. You approach her for a tip on a case, though expect to have to persuade her for any assistance and ensure your wallet is secure. Like Minnie, she has a heart of gold and comes through in the end. (Seriously, keep your wallet safe.)

Then there's Bean Bandit. Jet black hair, strong chin, black jacket, Rambo bandana, popping up here and there as the anti-hero getaway driver who quite literally gets away with everything while maintaining a tantalizingly distant relationship with Rally. He walks the line between noble and criminal; a walking, talking mountain of manliness, instantly pleasing the crowd.

And there's friendly cop Roy, always around to lend a helping hand to our Gunsmith Cats. He's not just a useless expositional tool devoid of personality but another welcome addition to the cast of this movie that feels written by Elmore Leonard and directed by Steven Soderbergh, even though it doesn’t exist yet.

The art is a cute yet violent blend, with the western backdrop of Chicago grounding everything in the familiar for western readers. Not that manga set in Japan are incomprehensible, but a Chicago-set tale with an international cast will no doubt resonate more. Even the violence, as imaginative as it is with Rally's brilliant gun techniques to escape any sticky situation, adheres to the laws of physics. A random highlight is Rally at gunpoint, aiming her own gun in such a way as to blind her assailant with flying bullet casings expelled as she fires.

The Blues Brothers influences Gunsmith Cats. Not the latter half of the movie with the hilarious SWAT scenes and the car falling thousands of feet from the air, but the earlier parts with Carrie Fisher wielding a bazooka and causing sneaky destruction in Chicago.

If you're into that, you're into the Gunsmith Cats.

Amazing story like all her other books my favorite author well worth a read ...️...️...️

86 chapters 3-24-23

I read about 50 chapter and the MC is like a teenager that is always shocked at everything 😳 😐 and is so dense and *d**t unlike what you expect from a 1000 year old demon emperor.
He just talk in the middle of the fight and don't use the opportunity that is infront of him for some f*ck*ng plot reason so that he can't become strong and win by plot luck .
There were many good comments and reviews and it's good if you are reading your first light novel but not after reading the masterpiece like The Lord of Mysterious, Reverd Insanity , Shadow Slave and the like.
I really tried to read it but just couldn't, you can read the first 10 chapter and then thinking of continuing or stopping.
I hope you a good read and not a wast of time
Best of wishes fromYour unknown friend 🧡

Cuando saldra el siguiente capitulo ??

I've only just recently discovered novels such as this. Novels that gives off a manhua/webtoon vibe and most importanrly it's historical romance! It may not have the sort of air prominent published authors have but it tells you a great story about beauty and love. This novel has stolen my heart and my sleep.