<p>If one were to make a comparison between our weaponry and theirs, I think you may be misidentifying it as a ‘Heavy’ machine gun.  I don’t think it’s a Heavy MG but a Light MG, taking into consideration both weight and size. A quick flit through the Wiki for machine guns gives us some stats.</p>
<p>Yes, a 'Heavy' MG weighs in at the 80-pound mark...think <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning" rel="nofollow noreferrer">M2 Browning &quot;Ma Deuce&quot;</a> (US) and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DShK" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DShK &quot;Dushka&quot;</a> (RUS). But the ye olde <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_machine_gun" rel="nofollow noreferrer">WW1 Vickers</a> (UK) machine gun pips in at 30 pounds. The ubiquitous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun" rel="nofollow noreferrer">M1919 Browning</a> (US) weighs in at 31 pounds. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_11_light_machine_gun" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Type 11</a> (JPN) was only 22 pounds.</p>
<p>Light MG's are about 1m in length, a far better fit than a Heavy MG at 1.5m. That weapon is not as long as she is tall.
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/2fnSDzrM.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/2fnSDzrM.jpg" alt="Nausicaa" /></a></p>
<p>Since the weapon was mounted on that small Pejite 'aircraft', one can assume weight and length would be a constraint. A .30 Caliber LMG would be just as effective as a .50 Caliber HMG. Note both the Vickers and the M1919 were mounted on aircraft.</p>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62%C3%9751mm_NAT" rel="nofollow noreferrer">7.62×51mm NATO</a> Belt ammo; 1 Bullet is about 25g, 4g for the belt link. Making a 100-round belt about 7 pounds. And there looks to be a lot less as Nausicaa welds that weapon.</p>
<p>As to injuries, I see your 2 bullet grazes and raise you with Nausicaa’s Grit and Determination.</p>
<p>Knowing that a M1919 with half a belt would be about 34.5 pounds we can circle back to your question.</p>
<p><strong>If it were a LMG</strong>, would it be possible for Nausicaa (16 years) to pick up, hold, move and fire that weapon?
I'd give it to her.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-22T07:35:08.070Z
2024-07-22T07:35:08.070Z
Patrick Hasses
<p>I watched <em>Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind</em> (produced by Studio Ghibli, directed by Hayao Miyazaki) a few days ago. I love every aspect of the film, but I have a question about one scene. After Nausicaa tries to intervene in the Pejite attempt to use a baby Ohm as bait for a massive Ohm attack on the Tolmekian Army, she was hit by machine gun bullets, and the Pejite basket-like aircraft crash landed.</p>
<p>Other scenes aside, I'm curious about the scene where Nausicaa, with bullet wounds on her left shoulder and right foot and bleeding, actually lifted the heavy machine gun full of ammunition, and fires a few rounds at the two Pejite soldiers. Even any uninjured, muscular and strong military member can't do that, because heavy machine guns alone weigh about ~80 pounds, and fully loaded ones might as well weigh well over 100 pounds.</p>
<p>Coupled with the fact that Nausicaa isn't a military member, is severely injured, and quite slim and not muscular, how in the world could she do that? So, does she have super-human strength and abilities? Or, was it just a mistake by the staff? Can anyone provide some insights on how is this possible? Would be glad if anyone share some of their thoughts on this. Thanks in advance!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-18T09:36:54.223Z
I've never really thought about it because anime is mostly fantasy. It might be similar to how in the real world some mothers are able to lift a truck to save their babies, and in this case, Nausicaa saving her country.
Gao
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-19T07:26:42.990Z
I don't know, but if their weight is around 100 pounds, it should not be that unrealistic for Nausicaa to be able to lift it up (IIRC, she didn't lift it up completely). Also, there are fictional elements on the material used, so they may weigh less.
sundowner
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-19T07:35:45.670Z
@sundowner I think she *did* lift it up completely, and even fired it. Also, I don't think a person of her size would be able to lift 100 pounds. She looks like she just weighs 100 pounds herself, so she wouldn't be able to lift up her own weight.
Ghibli Fan 007
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-19T07:49:55.357Z
I mean, it's not **that unrealistic**, maybe you are right that it is unlikely a real girl physically similar to Nausicaa can't do it. According to [here](https://j-w-a.or.jp/ranking-category/ranking04/), Japanese record is that a high school girl of 46kg class (=100 pounds) lifted (snatched?) around 130 pounds. Realistically unlikely, yes, but it is not far fetched imo.
sundowner
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-19T07:58:09.753Z
Also there's a Japanese common belief that one can exercise unusually strong power in case of emergency (referred to by [this expression](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E7%81%AB%E4%BA%8B%E5%A0%B4%E3%81%AE%E9%A6%AC%E9%B9%BF%E5%8A%9B/)). I'm not sure, but google suggests it is equivalent of so-called fight-or-flight response.
sundowner
<nausicaa-of-the-valley-of-the-wind>
Why could an injured Nausicaa lift a heavy machine gun and fire it? Does she have super-human abilities?
# Why could an injured Nausicaa lift a heavy machine gun and fire it? Does she have super-human abilities?
Posted by: username_0 on 2024-07-18
I watched *Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind* (produced by Studio Ghibli, directed by Hayao Miyazaki) a few days ago. I love every aspect of the film, but I have a question about one scene. After Nausicaa tries to intervene in the Pejite attempt to use a baby Ohm as bait for a massive Ohm attack on the Tolmekian Army, she was hit by machine gun bullets, and the Pejite basket-like aircraft crash landed.

Other scenes aside, I'm curious about the scene where Nausicaa, with bullet wounds on her left shoulder and right foot and bleeding, actually lifted the heavy machine gun full of ammunition, and fires a few rounds at the two Pejite soldiers. Even any uninjured, muscular and strong military member can't do that, because heavy machine guns alone weigh about ~80 pounds, and fully loaded ones might as well weigh well over 100 pounds.

Coupled with the fact that Nausicaa isn't a military member, is severely injured, and quite slim and not muscular, how in the world could she do that? So, does she have super-human strength and abilities? Or, was it just a mistake by the staff? Can anyone provide some insights on how is this possible? Would be glad if anyone share some of their thoughts on this. Thanks in advance!
**Tags:** nausicaa-of-the-valley-of-the-wind
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I've never really thought about it because anime is mostly fantasy. It might be similar to how in the real world some mothers are able to lift a truck to save their babies, and in this case, Nausicaa saving her country.  
> **username_2**: I don't know, but if their weight is around 100 pounds, it should not be that unrealistic for Nausicaa to be able to lift it up (IIRC, she didn't lift it up completely). Also, there are fictional elements on the material used, so they may weigh less.  
> **username_0**: @sundowner I think she *did* lift it up completely, and even fired it. Also, I don't think a person of her size would be able to lift 100 pounds. She looks like she just weighs 100 pounds herself, so she wouldn't be able to lift up her own weight.  
> **username_2**: I mean, it's not **that unrealistic**, maybe you are right that it is unlikely a real girl physically similar to Nausicaa can't do it. According to [here](https://j-w-a.or.jp/ranking-category/ranking04/), Japanese record is that a high school girl of 46kg class (=100 pounds) lifted (snatched?) around 130 pounds. Realistically unlikely, yes, but it is not far fetched imo.  
> **username_2**: Also there's a Japanese common belief that one can exercise unusually strong power in case of emergency (referred to by [this expression](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E7%81%AB%E4%BA%8B%E5%A0%B4%E3%81%AE%E9%A6%AC%E9%B9%BF%E5%8A%9B/)). I'm not sure, but google suggests it is equivalent of so-called fight-or-flight response.  
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_3 on 2024-07-22. Score: 3 | Accepted answer
If one were to make a comparison between our weaponry and theirs, I think you may be misidentifying it as a ‘Heavy’ machine gun.  I don’t think it’s a Heavy MG but a Light MG, taking into consideration both weight and size. A quick flit through the Wiki for machine guns gives us some stats.

Yes, a 'Heavy' MG weighs in at the 80-pound mark...think [M2 Browning "Ma Deuce"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning) (US) and the [DShK "Dushka"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DShK) (RUS). But the ye olde [WW1 Vickers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_machine_gun) (UK) machine gun pips in at 30 pounds. The ubiquitous [M1919 Browning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun) (US) weighs in at 31 pounds. [Type 11](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_11_light_machine_gun) (JPN) was only 22 pounds.

Light MG's are about 1m in length, a far better fit than a Heavy MG at 1.5m. That weapon is not as long as she is tall.
[![Nausicaa](https://i.sstatic.net/2fnSDzrM.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/2fnSDzrM.jpg)

Since the weapon was mounted on that small Pejite 'aircraft', one can assume weight and length would be a constraint. A .30 Caliber LMG would be just as effective as a .50 Caliber HMG. Note both the Vickers and the M1919 were mounted on aircraft.

[7.62×51mm NATO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62%C3%9751mm_NAT) Belt ammo; 1 Bullet is about 25g, 4g for the belt link. Making a 100-round belt about 7 pounds. And there looks to be a lot less as Nausicaa welds that weapon.

As to injuries, I see your 2 bullet grazes and raise you with Nausicaa’s Grit and Determination.

Knowing that a M1919 with half a belt would be about 34.5 pounds we can circle back to your question.

**If it were a LMG**, would it be possible for Nausicaa (16 years) to pick up, hold, move and fire that weapon?
I'd give it to her.
---
