Girls' Frontline is a 2022 sci-fi anime, produced by Warner Bros. Japan and animated by Asahi Production. It is based on the manga adaptation of the mobile game "Girls' Frontline", both being created by Chinese game studio MICA Team. Due to controversies between MICA Team and Yostar (the would-be publisher of the game), Girls' Frontline is known as "Dolls' Frontline" in Japan.
The story takes place in the 2060s, following a series of wars and ecological disasters that have left much of the world in shambles; with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and robotics technology (coupled with a noticeable lack of human manpower), humanoid androids called "Dolls" have been pressed into service in many areas of service, combat in particular - in this role, they are referred to as "Tactical Dolls", or "T-Dolls" for short. Taking place somewhere in eastern Europe, the plot centers around Griffin & Kryuger, a Doll-using PMC lead by human commanders tasked with combatting the forces of Sangvis Ferri, another PMC whose AI went rogue and massacred their human leaders and are now plotting to take over Eastern Europe.
Uniquely, each T-Doll in the game and anime uses, is named after, and to some extent personifies a particular real-world firearm; accordingly, the 4 main characters are members of the Anti-Rain AR Team (M4A1, ST AR-15, M4 SOPMOD II, and M16A1).
Unlike in the mobile game that has a lone human Commander of unknown name and gender commanding the Griffin & Kryuger Tactical Dolls, the manga and anime version has the female commander "Gentiane" serving as main human leader of the Griffin T-Dolls, alongside other commanders who also lead their own teams.
The following weapons were used in the anime series Girls' Frontline:
The senior member of the AR Team, M16, appears along with her Colt M16A1.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingColt M16A1 - 5.56x45mm NATOAn officially-released promo image of M16A1; here, her rifle appears to have been somewhat uncharacteristically fitted with a modern enlarged trigger guard.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAnother promo image, showing the whole AR Team together. This was released before the one above, and seems to represent a slightly earlier iteration of the show's planned art style; notable changes since this image was released include the characters all being scaled somewhat smaller relative to their respective rifles, as well as various minor costume changes - these designs appear to more closely follow the original game's, while the later images take some liberties.Error creating thumbnail: File missingM16 with her... M16A1 while talking to M4A1 in "THE SEED".Error creating thumbnail: File missingFiring the M16A1 at incoming Vespids.Error creating thumbnail: File missingM16 aims the iron sights at Agent during a shootout.Error creating thumbnail: File missingM16 with her assault rifle during a CQB training mission in "THE ECHO".Error creating thumbnail: File missingA shot of the M16A1 aimed at Destroyer near the end of "THE KINDLING02".
The Heckler & Koch HK416 is used by the T-Doll 416. M16 somehow has the same carbine in "THEMESSAGE01" in a continuity error.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingHeckler & Koch HK416 10.4-inch barrel - 5.56x45mm NATOError creating thumbnail: File missing416's HK416 in the stinger of "SILENCE02". Note the suppressor, foregrip, EOTech sight and AN/PEQ-5 laser sight attached.Error creating thumbnail: File missing416 opens fire on M16 in "THE MESSAGE01". As in the original game, HK416's HK416's EOTech sight is somewhat oddly placed on top of the handguard, rather than the receiver; precisely why she has the gun set up this way is never explained.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAsahi Productions strangely animated M16's M16A1 with 416's rifle.
The AR Team's designated wild card/loose cannon SOP II appears in the anime with her M4A1 SOPMOD Block II carbine.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingM4A1 SOPMOD Block II with Crane stock, aftermarket pistol grip, flip-up sights, EOTech holographic sight, Primary Arms vertical foregrip, PEQ laser sight, flashlight, and Magpul PMag - 5.56x45mm NATO.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSOP II with her carbine in the Carpathian Mountains in "THE SEED".Error creating thumbnail: File missingSOP II takes cover prior to shooting at the Vespids.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA POV shot of the carbine as she prepares to give Agent an unsolicited lobotomy. Several details are visible here, including her rifle's detailed-but-apparently-opaque EOTech sight, folded backup irons, and extended charging handle latch.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSOP II shoulders her carbine in "THE ECHO" during a CQB training mission.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe M4A1 SOPMOD fired at incoming Vespids in "SILENCE01".
Spike's Tactical 10th Anniversary AR-15
The final member of the AR Team, ST AR-15, is armed with her customized, auto-converted Spike's Tactical 10th Anniversary AR-15. She uses it with our with no suppressor, depending on the field conditions. Unlike the real version which is a civilian semi-automatic only rifle, ST AR-15's rifle is capable of both full-auto and semi-auto.
The T-Doll SR-3MP uses an SR-3MP Vikhr; notably, Girls' Frontline marks the first known media appearance of this particular variant.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingSR-3MP Vikhr with red-dot sight, suppressor, and upside-down stock - 9x39mmError creating thumbnail: File missingSR-3MP with her carbine as she moves with Kawasaki in "THEKINDLING01"; note the non-standard short suppressor with pink bands, and the upside-down stock. The latter is an optional way to mount a stock on the SR-3MP, though why she's using it this way is unclear; the main point of doing this is to keep the stock out of the way when using a bulky helmet, and SR-3MP doesn't ever wear one, so it's likely just set up this way because it looks interesting.
Fictional Gatling-style gun emplacements seemingly based on General Dynamics M197 Vulcans are seen in "THE MESSAGE02", when Intruder uses them in a trap.
AR-15 fires a SIG-Sauer P226R at the shooting range in "THE MESSAGE01". G&K commander Berezovich Kryuger hands Gentiane Camus a P226R in "THEKINDLING01". AR-15 is one of the few T-Dolls that are authorized to carry sidearms, as well as their main rifle (most T-Dolls carry only their namesake weapon, as well as something like a knife).
In certain operations, SOP II's M4A1 SOPMOD Block II is fitted with an M203A1 Grenade Launcher.
Knight's Armament M203A1 - 40x46mmAn officially-released promo image of M4 SOPMOD II with the M203 grenade launcher attached to her rifle. Note that in the mobile game, SOPMOD's official art and in-game chibi sprites never show her rifle with a M203 equipped, even though her main skill is firing a grenade launcher. Hence both the manga and anime correct this by giving SOPMOD a launcher whenever she launches grenades.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSOP II aims her carbine at the Agent T-Dolls near the end of "THE SEED" in a sneak attack.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA shot of SOP II aiming her carbine before firing the M203A1.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe M203A1 fired at armored intruders in "THE KINDLING03".Error creating thumbnail: File missingSOP II engages a bunch of Vespid T-Dolls by firing her UBGL in "COMET01".
Sangvis Ferri's forces use a variety of small arms; while all seemingly fictional (with the exception of Intruder's automated guns mentioned above), they are included here for the sake of completeness, and possible future identification.
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