Appleseed XIII is an direct-to-video anime "television" series based on the manga of the same name by Masamune Shirow (creator of Ghost in the Shell, New Dominion Tank Police, and Black Magic M-66). While Appleseed has previously been adapted as two CGI films in 2004 and 2008 as well as a 1988 OVA, XIII remains separate from either adaptation, featuring a new storyline using Shirow's characters, settings and themes. The series was released on June 6, 2011. All 13 episodes were compiled into two feature-length films. The first feature film titled Appleseed XIII: Tartaros was released on June 13, 2011. The second film, Appleseed XIII: Ouranos was released on October 24, 2011. An English version was released on DVD and BluRay in June of 2013.
The following firearms are used in the anime series Appleseed XIII:
Deunan Knute's sidearm of choice is a custom 1911 pistol she inherited from her father, Karl. This particular model resembles the Colt MK IV Series 70 (the variant she used in both the manga and the original OVA), but features a full length guide rod, a stainless magazine release, an extended length trigger, and has the notches for the slide lock on both the left and right side of the slide. The Ceryneia gunsmith Lark refers to it as a "custom government model" (likely referring to the Colt Government Model), and comments that only the slide and frame appear to be original, with everything else having been replaced or upgraded.
Numerous Beretta 92FS pistols show up throughout the series, occasionally with a two-tone finish. Another 92FS with a two-tone finish is seen in the hands of a Human Liberation Front terrorist in episode 2.
Lark Ceryne uses Smith & Wesson Model 15 revolver with rubber grips in episode 3. The weapon is oddly rendered, with the frame and triggerguard proportions being slightly off and an absent cylinder release.
The standard sidearm for all ES.W.A.T. officers is the fictional Seburo BoBsonS, a carryover from the orginial Appleseed manga. The BoBsonS is chamered for a special 6x25mm round and sports a 23 round magazine.
As with most renditions of Appleseed, Briareos takes advantage of his size and strength to use weapons designed for LandMates as if they were standard firearms. Briareos is frequently seen using a semi-automatic LandMate pistol as his primary weapon.
The Seburo J9, a fiction 9mm submachine gun that originally appeared in the original Appleseed manga as a mainstay of ES.W.A.T, is frequently seen in the hands of both ES.W.A.T. and regular police officers.
As with any Appleseed adaptation, one of the key armaments for ES.W.A.T. is the LandMate, a halfway point between a suit of powered armor and a small mecha. Each of these machines is equipped with a large caliber rifle (ranging from .50 BMG to a 20mm anti-cyborg round).
During a training exercise, Briareos is caught offguard by a LandMate armed with an M16A2. However, given both the size of the LandMate (approximately 10 feet in height for the GUGES-D) and the relative size of the M16, it's safe to say that this particular rifle is significantly larger than a standard M16 rifle.
A "Flying Pillbox" combat aircraft in episode 2 is armed with a single-barrel, large caliber machine gun reminiscent of the Browning M2 and Browning M3.
