Grenadier Review: A Cheerful Gunslinger Who Stores Bullets in Her Chest Travels Feudal Japan
by Souichi Ikeda
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Quick Take
- A feudal Japan action comedy where the shooting skill is real and the Enlightenment Strategy (embrace defeated enemies) is the series' consistent joke and genuine theme
- Rushuna's cheerful determination to bring peace through warmth rather than defeat is more charming than the fan service suggests
- 8 volumes complete; short complete action comedy with a distinctive protagonist
Who Is This Manga For?
- Readers who want action comedy with a genuinely positive protagonist in a gunfighting setting
- Anyone who finds the "extremely powerful person wins through warmth" character type appealing
- Fans of fantasy feudal Japan action with significant fan service
- Readers who accept M-rated content in action comedy
Content Warnings & Age Rating
Age Rating: M (Mature) Content Warnings: Heavy fan service — the bullet storage concept is the series' central visual joke; action violence; mature content throughout
M rating — fan service is significant and central to the series' comedy.
Yu's Rating
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story Depth | ★★★☆☆ |
| Art Style | ★★★☆☆ |
| Character Development | ★★★☆☆ |
| Accessibility for Non-Japanese Readers | ★★★★☆ |
| Reread Value | ★★★☆☆ |
Story Overview
Rushuna Tendo stores her bullets in her cleavage. This is the series' main visual joke. She is also an extraordinarily accurate shot who can take on multiple opponents and handle supernatural-level threats through her gunslinging skill.
Her goal is the Enlightenment Strategy — after defeating opponents, she embraces them with such warmth and sincerity that they have no wish to fight her again. It works. The series follows Rushuna and her companion Yajiro Kojima through feudal Japan, encountering various threats to peace and resolving them through some combination of shooting skill and sincere embracing.
The antagonists are often people who have given up on the possibility of genuine warmth — Rushuna's optimism is the series' actual argument.
Characters
Rushuna Tendo — A protagonist whose cheerfulness is genuine rather than naive — she knows the world is violent and chooses warmth anyway. The Enlightenment Strategy is what she actually believes in.
Yajiro Kojima — The companion whose more cautious pragmatism provides contrast to Rushuna's approach and grounds the comedy.
Art Style
Ikeda's art handles the action sequences with competent gunfight choreography and the fan service elements that are the series' most visible quality. The feudal Japan setting is rendered with the expected aesthetic without particular historical ambition.
Cultural Context
Grenadier ran in Monthly Comic Blade from 2002 to 2007. The guns-in-feudal-Japan anachronism is intentional — the series is a fantasy feudal Japan rather than a historical one, and the gunslinger-in-period-setting is a Western genre convention applied to a Japanese setting.
What I Love About It
Rushuna believes the Enlightenment Strategy actually works. The series plays this straight — she is correct that embracing defeated enemies with genuine warmth converts them, and the comedy comes from how consistently this works in a world that doesn't expect it to. Her optimism is not ironic.
What English-Speaking Fans Say
Western readers describe Grenadier as a niche but charming M-rated action comedy — specifically noted for Rushuna being more genuinely likable than the fan service premise suggests, for the Enlightenment Strategy being played with surprising sincerity, and for the action sequences having real energy. Recommended specifically for readers who want the M-rated action comedy niche.
Memorable Scene ⚠️ Spoiler Warning
Any instance where the Enlightenment Strategy works on an opponent who was certain it wouldn't — and the series shows why it did — is the series' most honest moment about what Rushuna is actually doing.
Similar Manga
- Trigun — Gunslinger with nonviolent philosophy in similar action comedy register
- Black Lagoon — Gunfighter action in less comedic register
- Tenjo Tenge — School territory action with similar M-rated content level
- Ikki Tousen — School martial arts with similar fan service volume
Reading Order / Where to Start
Volume 1 — Rushuna's introduction, her shooting ability, and the first Enlightenment Strategy application establish the premise.
Official English Translation Status
ADV Manga published the complete English series. All 8 volumes available (may require secondhand purchase as ADV Manga is defunct).
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Rushuna is a genuinely likable protagonist
- Enlightenment Strategy played with surprising sincerity
- Complete in 8 volumes
- Action sequences have real energy
Cons
- M-rated fan service is dominant
- ADV Manga volumes may require secondhand purchase
- Story depth limited by action comedy format
Format Comparison
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| Individual Volumes | ADV Manga; complete series (secondhand) |
| Digital | Limited availability |
Where to Buy
Get Grenadier Vol. 1 on Amazon →
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*Affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Written by
Yu
Manga Enthusiast from Japan
I grew up in Japan and manga literally saved me during a tough time in elementary school. My English isn't perfect, but my love for manga is real — and I want to share it with you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.