Fuhgeddaboutit, Mario
Well, since I'm mostly done with my comics (putting off the second half of Akai Hitsuji no Kokuin because it's really heavy stuff), I've looked to other ways to spend my time once Mother kicks me off her computer. Consequently, I've gone back to flipping through my gun books (1 2). This, mostly, brought me back to Project AnthraXX, the only one I have that uses them extensively.
As you may have noticed, I decided long ago to use Italian weapons for the Canina Family and friends, and American weapons for Wright and his cronies. This is based on the fact that the families have holdings in manufacturers in their respective motherlands, and it also narrows down the range of choices for each side's armaments. Based on this, I was able to find a distinctive-looking handgun for Ms. Canina.
Unfortunately, I later decided that I wanted all of the weapons used to be distinctive-looking, rather than just using generic ones like the Beretta 92. This is all well and good for the Yankees, but the fact is, I haven't been able to find any Italian combat-ready pistols that look unusual. It would be rather odd if the Family and its allies all used Model 93Rs, and that would undermine Ms. Canina's individuality.
So, I see that I have two options. The first is, of course, to just bite the bullet and give them generic-looking autoloaders. The other is to throw out the "nationalist" themes and just give them whatever weapons I want. The upside is that I get to use random-nationality weapons like my beloved Mini-SAF and MP5K. The cost is my vision of structural aesthetics.
Of course, none of this matters, because, as I've noted before, I'll never actually get to write Project AnthraXX.
For some reason, I also thought up a few more extras. Perhaps you'll see someone you recognize.
Joandra "Joey" Azzurri (68")
Ellen "Ellie" Azzurri (73")
Mario Fratelli (66")
Luigi Fratelli (68")
P.S. I did manage to find a sidearm chambered in .50 BFG BMG for Wright, and it is American-made. It's not a practical weapon, but that wouldn't stop him!