History Main / GunsVsSwords

* ''Film/SevenSamurai'' pits seven samurai with swords (and a civilian militia with spears) against forty bandits. While the bandits are wiped out, four of the samurai die as well, most of them to the ''three'' bandits who had muskets. If the bandits had one or two more guns, the samurai might have lost.

* Similar to the above example, ''Manga/BlackCat'' has the protagonist using a gun while his archenemy uses a sword. They are pretty evenly matched regardless. Sephira, however, is actually the best swordsman in the series.

* In ''Anime/BakumatsuKikansetsuIrohanihoheto'', Akizuki Yojiro uses a katana, Getsuruito(Moon Tear Sword), while Kanna Sakyonosuke uses a dual pistols, Remington Model 1858.

* In ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur'', Mitsurugi's bio mentions that he lost a duel against a rifleman, and wants to find the Soul Edge because it's superior to any other weapon, including guns (he also spent a good part of his time devising techniques against firearms).
** Expanding on above example: Mitsurugi's ending in ''VideoGame/SoulBlade'' gives you a special, first-person-perspective fight against a soldier wielding an old, front-loaded rifle, dubbed 'Tanegashima' after the old Japanese word for firearms. If you don't do EXACTLY the right thing the moment the battle starts, you'll get shot, and get the 'bad ending' (which is also the canonical one, as stated above). However, if you step to the side the moment the battle starts, you can dodge the bullet, then quickly close the distance before the rifleman can reload, and cut him down - giving you a Good Ending where Mitsurugi declares that he has no need for the Soul Edge, since his own badass sword-skills are enough to take on even firearms.

* ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' has a surprisingly high amount of bladed weapons for a sci-fi game. Protoss Zealots for example can easily cut down most of the conventionally armed Terran Infantry, and the sequel even gives them a charge ability to quickly close the distance.

* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'': While Dante also uses a sword, he also uses his guns [[ICallItVera Ebony & Ivory]]. His EvilTwin Vergil sticks to his sword and only uses a gun in the final battle with Arkham.

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'': The protagonist Akira, who is a perpetual MultiRangedMaster and WalkingArmory, gets into arguments with the NinjaMaid duo Shiori and Kanae about which is better. For Akira, close combat is synonymous with injuries sustained while being moved like PeoplePuppets by his VirtualSidekick Alpha. However, Akira gradually takes a shine to swords, and eventually uses SwordAndGun when needed, while still picking on Kanae for using the PowerFist, which makes her complain about FriendshipFavoritism.
* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'' presents this quite literally in its third arc, where Kirito enters the world of Gun Gale Online. Despite having poor accuracy and fighting many opponents with guns, Kirito is able to defeat them all by equipping a photon sword and using his reflexes to deflect bullets, something no other user has ever even attempted.

* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' tends to lean both ways with this. Guns in the hands of mooks are typically pretty useless against the sword-swinging samurai, but any gun user with training and experience, like the Clench Family and The Scotsman, are able to use them with great effect. The Clenches actually were losing against Jack ''until'' they brandished their guns, which quickly turned the battle in their favor.

* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', Leon and Ada [[CutscenePowerToTheMax have a flashy knife-to-gun fight]]. In the end, Leon gets the upper hand, disarms Ada and holds his knife to her throat. [[WorthyOpponent He lets up,]] [[UnresolvedSexualTension though.]]

** Of course as with most history, nothing is cleanly cut so to speak. During the Warring States period, all sides made extensive use of firearms. Samurai and ronin, even legendary sword users like Miyamoto Musashi, might not have favored firearms but they made effort to show aversion to them and classified them as just as useful a weapon as more traditional weapons like swords, spears, and bows.

* ''TabletopGame/NewHorizon'' has rules for melee and ranged combat. Melee usually does more damage, but ranged weapons can be used from atop fortress walls. Also, the melee weapons are better able to price though though hides and armor, so they tend to be more useful to fight the local wildlife and heavy infantry. Guns are good for softening up targets from a distance and taking care of squishy unarmored humans. Otherwise, the advantage of Melee weapons is that they do more damage by increasing strength and close combat, where with ranged combat only the chance to hit is increased.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* An interesting version occurs in ''Anime/YuYuHakusho'', where the protagonist Yusuke's signature technique is the [[FingerGun Spirit]] [[EnergyBall Gun]], while his friend and rival Kuwabara has a [[LaserBlade Spirit Sword]].

* ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'': The AxCrazy orderly Cleaver holds the opinion that guns tend to make people sloppy and careless, making it that much easier for him to get up close and personal with his {{kni|feNut}}ves.

** Episode 12 had a scene where Revy and KnifeNut mercenary Shenhua argued about whether guns or knives were better, and then decided to demonstrate their points by slaughtering a small army pursuing them.

* The hero and villain of ''Series/TheFollowing'' exemplify this trope- gun toting FBI agent [[Creator/KevinBacon Ryan Hardy]] and KnifeNut SerialKiller Joe Carroll.

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' has [[PluckyComicRelief Jean-Pierre Polnareff]] (sword) and [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Hol Horse]] (gun) holding a silly, shonen-esque debate on whose weapon is better. [[spoiler: Judging from the final outcome, Polnareff wins. He successfully kills Hol Horse's accomplice, while Hol Horse not only runs away, but his apparent headshot on Avdol also [[WhatAnIdiot misses at the last second.]]]]

* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3'': While Dante also uses a sword he also uses his guns [[ICallItVera Ebony & Ivory]]. His EvilTwin Vergil sticks to his sword and only uses a gun in the final battle with Arkham.