Note: Before we begin let us get the obvious out of the way. This is a grounded sports anime unlike Saki. Yes, rifle shooting is not an interesting sport to watch for non-competitors (The show mentions this early on and jokes about it) so do not bother repeatedly pointing it out as a flaw in the comments. “Don’t waste time” is all I am asking.
This show held a special place in my heart from start to finish so already I am giving away how I feel about it so all that is left is tell readers who I enjoyed it so much as we take a look at Rifle is Beautiful or Chidori RSC (Rifle Shooting Club).
Genres: Comedy, Sports, School, Tournament
Themes: Rifle Shooting, 10 Meter Air Rifle, Yuri
Number of Episodes: 12
G-Rating: 11/10
Plot Summary: Hikari is a big fan of the rifle shooting (10Â meter air rifle) sport and is eager to join the Chidori High School target shooting club. However, it was disbanded. She searches for three potential club members to compete in the National Tournament and one day the Olympics.
Left to right: Izumi and Hikari.
That club recruitment part of the episode was over with in the first half of the premiere, meaning RiB holds the anime world record (as far as I know) of “quickest club formation” in any Girls’ Club anime. This gave our heroines plenty of time to be cute, do cute things, develop their characters and of course train/compete. I mentioned Girls’ Club because although this is a sports anime, like Anima Yell! it is more about “cute girls doing cute things” with their main goal being sport related. Let us first go over the sport part of the show and then the rest.
The target shooting club training.
Like every sports anime (Japanese sports media in general) viewers are taught about the fundamentals of the sport, events and anything else related to it. 10 Meter Air rifle is a sport that requires balance, body strength (not just arms), concentration, good posture and precision. It is similar to golf in that regard. That main goal is to shoot the bullseye as precise as possible in the time given. These being air rifles viewers do not see any bullets, only the target flashing and points based on accuracy. As mentioned this is a sport usually more interesting to the competitors than spectators but that does not mean the show does not do its best to convey the passion the girls have to aim for the top.
I mentioned this before in another sports anime review but the overall enjoyment of them in my mind depends on two things:
- Investment in the sport.
- Investment in the competitors.
The most important of the two in my opinion is the second. More often than not whether the sport is fun to watch or not it is the likability of the competitors that determines how far the viewer is willing to go with it. To me the cast of Rifle is Beautiful are some of my all-time favorites. Yes. I loved seeing them being cute, funny and competitive that much.I was so invested in them I did not care about them being fictional characters. I adamantly cheered them on along with their rivals. My investment easily made up for the simplicity (Lackluster to many). Like most female centered sports anime the girls made it feel exciting to me.
When it comes to the humor jokes are usually retorts to other characters, some sass and based on their respective personalities. Similar to comedies like Asobi Asobase and Joshikousei no Mudazukai viewers will either feel the simple jokes or not.
The presentation is simple. The character designs are the best part of the animation while the rest is straightforward. This is not a flashy over the top sports anime. The soundtrack gets the job done with its charming tunes and tense enough tracks during rifle shooting. The OP and ED are cute and upbeat.
Main heroines. Erika, Izumi, Yukio and Hikari.
To give a better idea of the humor on the show let us go over the main four.
Hikari is the lead cutie and a super ultra mega fantastic precious cinnamon roll. She is a cheerful airhead with a squeaky-ish voice. She is very talented when motivated. The key is figuring out how to get her motivated, which is a big mystery. Lastly she is one of those “Don’t judge a book by its cover” girls as shown early on.
Izumi is the down to Earth member of the group and Hikari’s childhood friend/fiancee. She is intelligent but not the most skilled rifle shooter. Hikari is her everything.
Erika is the tsundere. She and the next member are the most proficient at the sport.
Yukio is arguably the best rifle shooter in the group. She is also the most quiet member with her poker face that rarely changes. She speaks little but says a lot, especially when thinking.
Oh and as our good friend Rory mentioned Erika and Yukio bearing a striking resemblance to Asuka Soryu and Rei Ayanami is surely not a coincidence.
The rest of the cast are all very likable with their own amusing traits though one character has a poor sense of humor. She is related to one of the protagonists.
Soulmates.
While most of the yuri comes from the fluffy wuffy main couple there are other ladies among the cast craving to touch the female body. Some ladies even more than others. Like most Girls’ Club series there is yuri to be had here and it is delightful.
Overall Rifle is Beautiful/Chidori RSC is a fun show with a cast of lovable puffballs who can go when it is time to fire and one of my favorite anime of 2019. It is one of the best examples of the athletes’ charms making the sport, simple or cool, worthwhile. Should the viewer be fine with the simplicity of the sport and enjoy watching the girls having fun or going for the gold then by all means give it a watch.
The Yuri Empire 
Another 2019 show I will miss a lot. It was cute and so funny. I had to pause several times just for laughing. The competition and learning about rifle shooting are great but the characters made me fall in love with this show. Hikari is just the cutest thing ever. Her funny faces and her voice when she’s doing whatever is she doing. And also that other thing. Two things actually. That remind me, I read “Don’t judge a boob by its cover” at first. Which is also true. The yuri part, Izumi and Hikari practically married. Or about to get married. I think Izumi’s role solely to support Hikari. I kinda hoping I’d see Erika and Yukio hooking up, they’ll be cute together. There’s a lot of interesting character outside the main 4. So, be sure to check them out. I mean they’re so good. I would love a second season or at least some OVAs. A beach episode for OVA would be wonderful.
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This show has blessed its loyal fans like us from beginning to end proving once and for all that shows by Studio 3Hz centered around a female cast usually deliver.
Hikari is an international treasure. Bless her so much! She and Izumi will live a happy future together I bet.
Erika and Yukio had many amusing moments.
I need more, especially a swimsuit episode.
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3 more seasons please, and 2 feature length movies (one of Hikari & Izumi’s wedding, while the other about the adventures of Kaijima Sayu (who finally gathers to courage to woo Erika)), and an ova dedicated to Kogomori Maho’s abs.
Regardless, I will miss this show. It was calming and pleasant to watch, even though I had serious doubts about it in the beginning, it quickly grew on me.
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This definitely needs to become a franchise.
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you can never go wrong with a “cheerful airhead with a squeaky-ish voice” in anime.
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That’s true most of the time.
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One of my favorite shows of the fall season for sure, Rifle Club was so cute and fun to watch, even if the actual sport itself wasn’t the most exciting thing in the world. As always though in a case like this, it’s the characters that carry the show and they really did. Each girl, hell every girl in the show, were super cute and lovable and made coming back to this show each Sunday an absolute treat. I don’t think I need to say, but Erika was my favorite.
I think the only things I didn’t like about the show was the lack of a swimsuit ep especially after all that teasing with Hikari and her guns, but they could easily fix that with an OVA or something that takes place a few weeks after the tournament or something. I mean it’s still summer time so why not go to the beach or pool or something.
My next issue was that the last ep crammed so much into 23 minutes that it felt rushed and like there was much more they wanted to explore but just didn’t have the time to. Still liked the ep, but personally I didn’t like it as a final ep. I’ve got this really weird thing when it comes to final eps and they can make or break it for me, this didn’t nail all the points I would’ve liked it to, but hey that’s just me and my very weird views of final eps.
All in all Rifle Club was an excellent show and one I’ll really miss. Loved the characters so much and I really want to see more of them in the future, especially a swimsuit ep. Please make this happen!
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Sad we didn’t get a swimsuit episode.
Not really. It would have been more of the same as the Group Tournament. We just got an abridged version with the end results. The important parts were the reactions after winning or losing.
In a perfect world this show would become a long running series.
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At first, I wasn’t feeling this show but that lasted until the third episode. By the end, I couldn’t get enough of these girls. In fact, I liked how this anime handled the characters, main and minor, with the minor ones got enough time in the sun for me to care about their stories. It also got me chuckling at virtually every joke (maybe I’m just easily amused). The OP was good and the ED was one of the best for the Fall for me.In short, you could say that simple is best.
Hikari really is a ray of sunshine. Seeing her blank expression always got a chuckle outta me. Of the Chidori girls, however, Izumi’s my #1. Her and Hikari are a good pair through and through.
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It means the show clicked with you. You have a similar my sense of humor as I do.
Good songs indeed.
Hikari’s existence means there is hope for the human race.
Izumi took notes from Miku Kohinata on how to be the ultimate lesbian waifu and they paid off.
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