Gachiakuta
| Gachiakuta | |
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Rudo Surebrec | |
| ガチアクタ | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Kei Urana |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher | |
| Imprint | Shōnen Magazine Comics |
| Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Magazine |
| Original run | February 16, 2022 – present |
| Volumes | 18 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Fumihiko Suganuma |
| Produced by |
|
| Written by | Hiroshi Seko |
| Music by | Taku Iwasaki |
| Studio | Bones Film |
| Licensed by | |
| Original network | JNN (CBC, TBS) AT-X, BS NTV |
| Original run | July 6, 2025 – present |
| Episodes | 24 |
Gachiakuta (ガチアクタ; rgh. 'Legit Trash'[3]) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kei Urana. It began serialization in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine in February 2022. As of February 2026, the series' individual chapters have been collected in 18 tankōbon volumes.
An anime television series adaptation produced by Bones Film aired from July to December 2025. A second season has been announced.
Synopsis
Setting
Gachiakuta takes place in a dystopian world where there exists a floating country-sized structure known as the Sphere (天界, Tenkai), which runs on a social caste system that divides the rich and wealthy society from the poor "tribesfolk" living around the outer perimeter—descended from notorious criminals and exiled by the upper-class—by way of a heavily guarded wall. Both sides of the caste dump their trash and unwanted waste, as well as people convicted of any crime, down the "Pit", a never-ending expanses below the Sphere in which the Spherites (天界人, Tenkai Jin)—the inhabitants of the Sphere—deemed inhospitable to all forms of life.
Unbeknown to the Spherites, beyond the Pit and the "Border" (ボーダー, Bōdā) separating it from the Sphere lies the "Ground" (下界, Gekai), a lawless wasteland with a mostly toxic environment infested with the Spherites' waste due to the constant downpour of trash from the Sphere, its heavily polluted areas are often roamed about by Trash Beasts (斑獣, Han-jū), living creatures literally made of trash. Amongst its various inhabitants and wandering troublemakers—mostly survived being thrown down the Pit by the Spherites and has since made a thriving civilized network of towns—there exists the Cleaners (掃除屋, Sōjiya), a group of super-powered individuals known as "Givers" (人通者, Gibā) specialized with handling odd-jobs and exterminating Trash Beasts as conventional weaponry does not work on them due to their regenerative properties.
Each Giver has access to their respective Vital Instrument (人器, Jinki), powerful weapons converted from everyday objects by infusing them with the Giver's own capacity to generate Anima (思念, Shinen) from their body. Often the only thing capable of taking down Trash Beasts, Vital Instruments are usually the manifestation of a Giver's love and care for these treasured objects, allowing their Anima to awakened and make these worthless items valuable in combat. Additionally, the longer a Giver tends to their valued object with love and care, the more seasoned and better it becomes as a Vital Instrument, thus “improving its quality” and making it more powerful, as it also serves as a conduit for a Giver's own experience and ideology as a person. Amongst the many Vital Instruments used by the various Givers of the Ground, there also exist the Watchman Series (番人シリーズ, Bannin Shirīzu), a set of five unfathomably powerful Vital Instruments said to be connected to the Watchman (番人, Bannin)—a gigantic, incomprehensible being guarding the border between the Sphere and the Ground—and that usually require the wielder to have lost something in their life to use them without going insane from their power.
Plot
A young teenage boy named Rudo lives in the slums of a wealthy society among the "tribesfolk", a population descended from criminals and exiled by society. Rudo detests the upper class's wastefulness, as they often dump anything deemed trash, including criminals, into a massive dump site below the town known as "The Pit". Rudo was told by his foster father Regto that his biological father was dumped into the Pit for a crime before Rudo was born. One day, after rummaging through a dump site, Rudo returns home to find Regto murdered. Apprehended at the scene, Rudo is immediately charged with murder despite being innocent, due to his status as a tribesman. Unable to escape his fate, Rudo swears revenge upon the people and is dumped into the Pit.
After being dumped into the Pit, Rudo awakens to find himself disoriented in a foul-smelling, endless landscape of trash. Rudo is then attacked by large beasts made of trash and fends them off until he is rescued by a man named Enjin. The man explains that he is not underground but has fallen to the surface from "The Sphere". After testing him and awakening his power as a "Giver", Enjin invites Rudo to join him as a "Cleaner". Enjin explains that the Cleaners are an organization of Givers who use the power of unique weapons known as "vital instruments" (人器, jinki) to hunt the trash beasts that attacked him. Rudo reluctantly accepts Enjin's offer to join the Cleaners, so long as it helps accomplish his goal of returning to the Sphere and enacting revenge on those who dumped him into the Pit.
Characters
Cleaners
Team Akuta
- Rudo Surebrec (ルド・スレブレック, Rudo Sureburekku)
- Voiced by: Aoi Ichikawa,[4] Yō Taichi (young)[5] (Japanese); Bryson Baugus,[6] Dee Meo (young)[7] (English)
- A former Sphereite, as well as Regto's adopted son, whose false convictions led to his sentencing to The Pit. After being saved from a group of trash beasts, he joins the Cleaners as part of his plan to enact murderous vengeance on his accusers and the true culprit. His vital instrument consists of 3R, a pair of gloves from the Watchman series, which were given to him by Regto before his death. Rudo's gloves allow him to give life to any three objects he wields, which are mainly trash since items that are still in good condition are harder for him to use. He would turn them into weapons or tools, though they would crumble after they had served their purpose. Rudo can focus the anima energy from three separate items into one item, boosting that specific item's power and even changing its form.
- Enjin (エンジン)
- Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi[4] (Japanese); Christopher Wehkamp[6] (English)
- A fellow member of the Cleaners who saves Rudo from a horde of trash beasts. He carries a vital instrument called Umbreaker, which takes the form of an umbrella. He is also the leader of Team Akuta, one of the teams that compose the Cleaners.
- Zanka Nijiku (ザンカ・ニジク)
- Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka[4] (Japanese); Corey Wilder[6] (English)
- A hard working Cleaner and master combatant, who was recruited by Enjin and part of Team Akuta. His vital instrument is a staff-like weapon called Lovely Assistaff, that when activated becomes sharp and metal. He is from a noble family in the Kamuitari District, who has a long-standing connection to the Hell Guards, a group of people who fight criminal Givers, and was initially trained to be a Hell Guard like his older siblings. However, after being beaten by another trainee named Hyo, he sat inside a well hoping to die before being found by Enjin and Riyo and later joined the Cleaners with them.
- Riyo Reaper (リヨウ・リーパー, Riyō Rīpā)
- Voiced by: Yumiri Hanamori[4] (Japanese); Katie Caruso[6] (English)
- A carefree, energetic, and outgoing member of the Cleaners whose vital instrument comes in the form of a pair of scissors called The Ripper. She is also a former hitman.
- Eishia Stilza (エイシア・スティルザ, Eishia Sutiruza)
- Voiced by: Manaka Iwami[8] (Japanese); Julie Shields[7] (English)
- Eishia is August's shy younger sister and a member of the Akuta Cleaner team. She can heal people with her vital instrument Type:Heal, which has the appearance of a black power cord.
- Shikage (シカゲ)
- Voiced by: Nobuhiko Okamoto[5] (Japanese); Ethan Condon[7] (English)
- An extremely reclusive and elusive Cleaner and member of Team Akuta. His unknown vital instrument acts as a barrier that protects their headquarters.
Team Eager
- Tamsy Caines (タムジー・ケインズ, Tamujī Keinzu)
- Voiced by: Mitsuki Saiga[9] (Japanese); Adam Gibbs[7] (English)
- Tamsy is a seemingly kind senior member of the Cleaner team Eager. Using his vital instrument, Tokushin, a Distaff, he can create a "Net" of threads to trap a large number of people, the more the opponent's struggle the more tangled the thread gets making it extremely difficult to escape.
- Delmon Gates (デルモン・ゲイツ, Derumon Geitsu)
- Voiced by: Masami Iwasaki[9] (Japanese); Brent Mukai[7] (English)
- Delmon is a loud and passionate member of the Cleaner team Eager. Using his vital instrument, Thirst Quencher, he can control the water contents to attack the opponents that absorb water, the larger it absorbs makes it pop like a balloon which killed them. He was initially working as a farmer whom his wife was dreaming to plant a flower, as well as to fill the house with flowers.
Team Child
- Bro Santa (ブロ・サンタ, Buro Santa)
- Voiced by: Wataru Takagi[8] (Japanese); Gerardo Davila[7] (English)
- Bro is the apologetic and amicable supervisor of Team Child whose vital instrument, Cloth, is a bandana that converts into a whip.
- Dear Santa (ディア・サンタ, Dia Santa)
- Voiced by: Hana Satō[8] (Japanese); Naya Moreno[7] (English)
- Dear is a non-verbal and irritable ten-year-old Giver whose vital instrument, Centralian, is a pacifier that increases his strength with every hit.
- Guita Hebby Fantasia (ギータ・ヘビィ・ファンタジア, Gīta Hebī Fantajia)
- Voiced by: Maria Naganawa[10] (Japanese); Lara Woodhull[7] (English)
- Guita is a loud, touchy, and childish teenager, who does not understand normal social cues and a member of Team Child. Her vital instrument is a kaiju onesie called Guita, allows her to transform into a giant kaiju monster.
Team Front
- Arkha Corvus (アルハ・コルバス, Aruha Korubasu)
- Voiced by: Rikiya Koyama[8] (Japanese); Gabe Kunda[7] (English)
- Arkha is the strong and charismatic boss of the Cleaners, whose vital instrument seemingly gives him foresight.
- Semiu Grier (セミュ・グライア, Semyu Guraia)
- Voiced by: Mie Sonozaki[11] (Japanese); Kenneisha Thompson[7] (English)
- The receptionist at the Cleaners' headquarters. Using her vital instrument, Eyes, which takes the form of a pair of glasses, she can examine the overall capacities of a giver, which gives them the efficiency needed to join the organization. This ability can also be used in combat to detect incoming attacks and slow down time.
- Amo Empool (アモ・エンプール, Amo Enpūru)
- Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa[12] (Japanese); Celeste Perez[7] (English)
- A traumatized and abused young girl and the Lady of Penta, an individual who claims to have witnessed people cross the border. She is later kidnapped and locked in a dungeon. She is later rescued by Rudo and the Cleaners, after which she becomes a member of their group. Her vital instrument is the Watchman Boots, which release a scent that can make others see things and move to her will.
Team Danger
- Adderoy Twins (アダーロイ兄弟, Adāroi Kyōdai)
- Otto (オットー, Ottō) and Epalte (エパルテ, Eparute) are a pair of highly energetic twins, who are members of Team Danger at the South branch of the Cleaners. Their vital instrument is Twin Dolls, small handheld toys that grow to become giants that follow the movements of the twins and can carry out mass destruction.
Supporters
- Gris Rubion (グリス・ルビオン, Gurisu Rubion)
- Voiced by: Satoshi Hino[11] (Japanese); Christopher Guerrero[7] (English)
- Gris is an honourable and kind member of the Cleaner team Supporter whom despite lacking his vital instrument, he has an incredible physical strength and can rely on other skills.
- Follo Tunito (フォロ・ツニート, Foro Tsunīto)
- Voiced by: Kazuki Ura[11] (Japanese); Aiden Call[7] (English)
- Follo is a polite and friendly member of the Cleaner team Supporter. He became a Giver after receiving his own vital instrument, Alan, which is a small hammer that converts into a giant sledgehammer from built up stress into a powerful attack.
- Tomme Mima (トウム・ミマ, Tōmu Mima)
- Voiced by: Hisako Tōjō[11] (Japanese); Ezra Vervin[7] (English)
- Tomme is a compassionate member of the Cleaner team Supporter. She is responsible for taking notes and recording information about the Trash Beasts.
- Meriege (メリージ, Merīju)
- Meriege appears to be a calm, friendly, and mild-mannered person Supporter in the South Branch of the Cleaners alongside Mildretta.
- Mildretta (ミルドレッタ, Mirudoretta)
- Mildretta is a tall, muscular and curt Supporter, who comes from the warrior tribe Sileia. She is the complete opposite of her partner Meriege.
Other Cleaners
- August Stilza (オーガスト・スティルザ, Ōgasuto Sutiruza)
- Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano[13] (Japanese); Branden Loera[7] (English)
- August is an eccentric artisan who designs the Cleaners' masks and clothing.
- Fu Orostor (フウ・オロストル, Fū Orosutoru)
- Voiced by: Hiro Shimono[10] (Japanese); Austin Tindle[7] (English)
- A former rookie member of the Raiders, he was once a coward who hid behind orders to evade responsibility. His vital instrument is Hii, a cursed doll that, when activated, assumes control of his body. This possession grants him immense physical strength and imposes a far more violent and aggressive personality.
Raiders
- Zodyl Typhon (ゾディル・テュフォン, Zodiru Tyufon)
- Voiced by: Shunsuke Takeuchi[8] (Japanese); Ian Sinclair[7] (English)
- Zodyl is the boss of the Raiders. He is a cold, cunning and calculating man, rarely expressing any emotion. His vital instrument is Mishra, a coat of the Watchmen Series, which allows him to mutate his body to resemble the shape and traits of anything he eats.
- Jabber Wonger (ジャバー・ウォンガー, Jabā Wongā)
- Voiced by: Yuuki Shin[14] (Japanese); Zeno Robinson[6] (English)
- Jabber is a masochistic member of the Raiders who is obsessed with fighting people stronger than him. His vital instrument is Mankira, ten rings he wears on his hands, that can turn into claws, which contain various neurotoxins and poison.
- Cthoni Andor (クトーニ・アンドール, Kutōni Andōru)
- Voiced by: Ayahi Takagaki[9] (Japanese); Tia Ballard[7] (English)
- Cthoni is a reserved and quiet member of the Raiders whose vital instrument, Manhole, allows her to teleport anywhere but in bright places.
- Noerde Hew Amozo (ネルデ・ヒュウ・アモゾ, Nerude Hyū Amozo)
- Voiced by: Mutsumi Tamura[10] (Japanese); Corey Pettit[7] (English)
- Noerde hails from the warrior tribe called Sileia and is a prideful rookie of the Raiders. Her vital instrument is Mirei, an ornate comb that allows Noerde's hair to get charged with static electricity when she straightens her hair using it, electrocuting anyone and anything that makes contact with her hair.
- Bundus Begalkeit (ブンドゥス・ベガルケイト, Bundusu Begarukeito)
- Voiced by: Akio Otsuka[10] (Japanese); Brian Mathis[7] (English)
- Bundus is an older, extremely tall and muscular Raider. His vital instrument is Hands; a group of 6 mechanical arms that pops out of the pipes he carries on his back. He acquired a hand at each year of his life, all with different abilities.
- Momoa Rukel (モモア・リュケル, Momoa Ryukeru)
- Momoa is a careless teenage Raider, who likes to be immersed in music. Her vital instrument is Asyl, a pair of headphones, with which she can hear all the memories of anyone she touches while it is active.
- Konza (コンザ)
- Voiced by: Yoshihito Sasaki[5] (Japanese); Nasim Benelkour[7] (English)
- Konza, also known as the Snowshoe Master, is a low-level Raider. His vital instrument is Snowshoes, a pair of snowshoes which allows for mobility in all sorts of terrain whether it be clay or mud with ease.
Hell Guard
- Hyo (ヒョウ, Hyō)
- Voiced by: Kaori Nazuka[5] (Japanese); Monica Flatley[7] (English)
- Hyo is a practical, apathetic Hell Guard trainee, who trained together with Zanka. She is a highly-skilled hand-to-hand combatant, who learned an unorthodox and unpredictable fighting style while growing up on the streets.
- Kyouka Nijiku (キョウカ・ニジク, Kyōka Nijiku)
- Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro[5] (Japanese); Dani Chambers[7] (English)
- Kyouka is a very fierce, tough, and intimidating Hell Guard, commander of Red Horns Squad one. Wielding guns, she is very proficient in battling Givers. She is Zanka's elder sister and the eldest daughter in the Nijuku family.
- Goka Nijiku (ゴウカ・ニジク, Gōka Nijiku)
- Goka is a serious and blunt Hell Guard, and second-in-command of the Red Horns Squad under his older sister Kyouka. He is also Zanka's older brother and the middle child in the Nijuku family.
Sphereites
- Regto (レグト, Reguto)
- Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa[14] (Japanese); John Burgmeier[6] (English)
- Regto is a carefree Sphereite and Rudo's adoptive father.
- Chiwa (チワ)
- Voiced by: Miku Itō[15] (Japanese); Reshel Mae[7] (English)
- Chiwa is a Sphereite and the girl Rudo has a crush on before he is thrown into the Pit.
Others
- Alice Stilza (アリス・スティルザ, Arisu Sutiruza)
- Voiced by: Ryūsei Nakao[16] (Japanese); Laurie Steele[7] (English)
- Alice is August and Eishia's grandmother, and a doctor who treats Rudo after he falls into the Pit. She is mistaken for an old man due to her appearance.
- Remlin Tysark (レムリン・ティサーク, Remurin Tisāku)
- Voiced by: Yūko Sanpei[13] (Japanese); Trina Nishimura[7] (English)
- Remlin is a young, mischievous spellcaster who lives in Canvas Town, using the vital instrument Pen to draw various spells that can apply different effects to its targets.
- Gnomulas Ridd (グノムラース・リド, Gnomuraasu Rido)
- Voiced by: Yōji Ueda[5] (Japanese); David Wilson-Brown[7] (English)
- Gnomulas is the stern and disciplined mayor of Canvas Town.
- Mymo (マイモー, Maimo)
- Voiced by: Nobuyuki Hiyama[5] (Japanese); Mark Allen Jr.[7] (English)
- Mymo is a hyperactive and eccentric News Reporter on the Ground who has grandiose plans for the future. His vital instrument is Elenhos, a microphone with which he can manipulate people's minds and the essence of their soul.
- Gil (ギル, Giru)
- Gil is a short and easy-going mercenary hired by Mymo to help him in his plan. Her vital instrument is Gilmero, a baseball bat that can create a "breaking ball" out of any spherical object hit by it, which has enough force to break arms, and can track targets.
- Felix (フェリックス, Ferikkusu)
- Felix is a straight-laced and loyal follower of Mymo. His vital instrument is Carta, a letter holder containing written letters, which can form an unbreakable force field.
- Kuro (クロ)
- Kuro is a very long-lived and heavy-set and formal information broker who is said to have accumulated the greatest wealth of information. He also has an unspecified ability to completely change his form from human to crow.
- Too Lily (トゥー・リリー, Tū Ririi)
- Too Lily is a very famous and extravagant singer on the Ground. Her vital instrument is Lunavis, a staff with the appearance of a magic wand, which allows her to do things described as "Magic", such as spontaneously changing outfits, teleport people and objects or making inanimate objects move while the wand is active.
- Wing (ウィング, Wingu)
- Wing is a highly energetic member of the Doll Festival staff.
- Gountess Knock (ガウンテス・ノック, Gauntesu Nokku)
- Gountess is a frail-looking young man that became extremely skinny as a result of the treatment he received from Mymo. His vital instrument is Connect, the necklace from the Watchman Series, with which he can imbue a random cord with his blood, create a choker, the main form of long-distance communication on the Ground.
- Alan (アラン, Aran)
- Alan is an ambitious and curious child who lives in the North Ward, the area of the Ground closest to the Sphere and subject to toxic winters. After wandering into a polluted area and being rescued by the Cleaners, Alan was encouraged to become a Giver. However, he gave up on his dream years later, allowing Follo to take his vital instrument.
Production
Urana credits experiences in her childhood as the main inspiration for Gachiakuta. The story's premise, where actions and feelings are imbued into personal belongings as "Anima", developed after Urana broke a belonging of her own as a child: "I had a pen that I really loved, and I broke it in two. Along with the sense of loss, I had a feeling like the pen was pleading with me".[17] Urana's experience is reflected in Gachiakuta as the story focuses on many characters who explore strong, personal connections to Anima-imbued objects called "Vital Instruments", and in Rudo's case, even trash thrown away by others. The idea for these Vital Instruments also originated in Urana's youth from observing the hangers that came with her grandmother's dry cleaning, a testament to Gachiakuta's themes about seeing value and potential in seemingly mundane and discarded things.[17]
Gachiakuta's art style is due to illustrations by Urana, complemented by graffiti designs from Ando Hideyoshi. Graffiti and street art provide not only avenues for expression, distinction, and safety for the story's characters, but also narrative significance for readers due to its use in storytelling. As for character design, Urana states that her process involved unexpected changes for Gachiakuta's characters: "I create them to be decent people, but then I actually draw them and for some reason, they turn out to be freaky weirdos. I've given up, realizing that this is who they truly are".[17]
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Kei Urana with graffiti designs by Ando Hideyoshi, the series began serialization in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine on February 16, 2022.[18][19] As of February 2026, the series' individual chapters have been collected in 18 tankōbon volumes.[20]
In August 2022, Urana stated an "overseas version" was in production.[21] In March 2023, Kodansha USA announced that they licensed the series for English publication.[22]
Volumes
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 17, 2022[23] | 978-4-06-527922-9 | January 16, 2024[24] | 979-8-88877-020-7 | ||
| ||||||
| Young scavenger Rudo Surebec struggles to survive in the slums where the elite Spherites dispose of their waste. He is mocked for his tribal origin, as his father was a serial killer executed the Pit. One day, Rudo witnesses the murder of his adoptive father Regto, and is falsely accused of said crime, leading him to be sentenced to the Pit, a vast garbage wasteland. Swearing vengeance against the Spherites, Rudo is rescued from Trash Beasts by a mysterious Cleaner named Enjin. He takes Rudo to a truck stop where he confronts traffickers as a test to awaken his latent powers. Finding he is a Giver, a person that can grant objects life as Vital Instruments like him, Enjin recruits him into the Cleaners, an organization that takes on the Trash Beasts. Remembering that said objects once had souls, Rudo wonders about returning to the Sphere with them. As a cat steals Rudo's moneybag, he catches it with a staff belonging to another Cleaner. | ||||||
| 2 | July 15, 2022[25] | 978-4-06-528430-8 | April 30, 2024[26] | 979-8-88877-094-8 | ||
| ||||||
| 3 | September 16, 2022[27] | 978-4-06-529138-2 | July 23, 2024[28] | 979-8-88877-095-5 | ||
| ||||||
| 4 | November 17, 2022[29] | 978-4-06-529777-3 | October 29, 2024[30] | 979-8-88877-096-2 | ||
| ||||||
| 5 | February 17, 2023[31] | 978-4-06-530527-0 | January 21, 2025[32] | 979-8-88877-097-9 | ||
| ||||||
| 6 | April 17, 2023[33] | 978-4-06-531344-2 | April 22, 2025[34] | 979-8-88877-152-5 | ||
| ||||||
| 7 | July 14, 2023[35] | 978-4-06-532179-9 | July 22, 2025[36] | 979-8-88877-157-0 | ||
| ||||||
| 8 | October 17, 2023[37] | 978-4-06-532888-0 | October 21, 2025[38] | 979-8-88877-283-6 | ||
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| 9 | December 15, 2023[39] | 978-4-06-533899-5 | January 20, 2026[40] | 979-8-88877-284-3 | ||
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| 10 | March 15, 2024[41] | 978-4-06-534863-5 | April 21, 2026[42] | 979-8-88877-447-2 | ||
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| 11 | June 17, 2024[43] | 978-4-06-535779-8 | July 21, 2026[44] | 979-8-88877-448-9 | ||
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| 12 | September 17, 2024[45] | 978-4-06-536774-2 | September 22, 2026[46] | 979-8-88877-536-3 | ||
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| 13 | December 17, 2024[47] | 978-4-06-537775-8 | — | — | ||
| ||||||
| 14 | March 17, 2025[48] | 978-4-06-538707-8 | — | — | ||
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| 15 | June 17, 2025[49] | 978-4-06-539758-9 | — | — | ||
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| 16 | September 17, 2025[50] | 978-4-06-540378-5 | — | — | ||
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| 17 | November 17, 2025[51] | 978-4-06-541550-4 | — | — | ||
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| 18 | February 17, 2026[20] | 978-4-06-542626-5 | — | — | ||
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Chapters not yet in tankōbon format
- 161. "Opening" (隙, Suki)
- 162. "Grandpa!!" (じいちゃーん!!, Jīchan!!)
- 162.2. "Payback" (報い, Mukui)
Anime
The anime television series is produced by Bones Film and directed by Fumihiko Suganuma, with Hiroshi Seko handling series composition and episode screenplays, Satoshi Ishino as chief animation director and character designer, and Taku Iwasaki as music composer. The series aired from July 6 to December 22, 2025, on the Agaru Anime programming block on all JNN affiliates, including CBC and TBS, and ran for two consecutive cours.[52][53][4][54][55] Prior to the television airing, the series received advanced screenings in more than 15 countries worldwide under the title Gachiakuta: World Takeover, starting with the world premiere event at the Shinjuku Piccadilly in Shinjuku on July 4 of the same year.[14] For the first cours, the opening theme song is "Hugs", performed by Paledusk, while the ending theme song is "Tomoshibi" (灯火), performed by Dustcell.[14] For the second cours, the opening theme song is "Let's Just Crash", performed by Mori Calliope, while the ending theme song is "Ban" (番), performed by Karanoah.[10]
After the airing of the first-season finale, a second season was announced.[56]
Crunchyroll is streaming the series.[4] Medialink licensed the series in Southeast Asia for streaming on Ani-One Asia YouTube channel.[57]
Episodes
| No. | Title [58][59] | Directed by [58] | Storyboarded by [58] | Original release date [60] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Sphere" Transliteration: "Tenkai" (Japanese: 天界) | Ikurō Satō | Fumihiko Suganuma | July 6, 2025 | |
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In a class-divided world, the elite Sphereites dispose of their waste into the slums below, where the young scavenger Rudo struggles to survive. As a tribesfolk, descended from criminals, he endures mockery for his father's violent past, a serial killer executed in the Pit. Rudo conceals a painful affliction in his hands, alleviated only by gloves from his adoptive father, Regto. After gifting his crush Chiwa a stuffed toy, he returns home to find a masked intruder stabbing Regto and stealing a book. With his dying breath, Regto urges Rudo to change the unjust world. Falsely accused of the murder, Rudo is sentenced to the Pit while the tribesfolk taunt him as trash. Even Chiwa betrays him, coldly declaring him the son of a murderer before discarding his gift. Devastated, Rudo condemns both the tribesfolk and Sphereites as equally corrupt, swearing vengeance against the killer, the elite, and the slum-dwellers. Cast into the Pit, he awakens in a wasteland of garbage, only to face immediate attack by a monstrous Trash Beast. | |||||
| 2 | "The Inhabited" Transliteration: "Yadori-mono" (Japanese: 宿り物) | Satoshi Nakagawa | Fumihiko Suganuma | July 13, 2025 | |
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After witnessing a criminal's execution in the Ground and hearing slurs against the impure tribes, Rudo flees from Trash Beasts, questioning their origin. Discovering a buried skull, he curses the Sphereites for exiling him, then sees a vision of Regto, hardening his resolve. A Mysterious Man watches as Rudo attacks but collapses from the toxic air. The stranger saves him, destroying the beasts with an umbrella. Awakening, Rudo is given a mask by the man, who reveals himself as Enjin, a Cleaner. After restraining Rudo, Enjin dismisses his pleas to return to the Sphere, instead taking him to a truck stop. Locals, recognizing Rudo as a Sphereite, feign friendliness before capturing him for trafficking. Forced to eat trash, Rudo bites off two of the captor's fingers and fights back until Enjin stops him. Enjin reveals the ordeal was a test for latent power, offering knowledge of the Ground in exchange for joining the Cleaners: Rudo refuses. | |||||
| 3 | "The Ground" Transliteration: "Gekai" (Japanese: 下界) | Nao Miyoshi | Jong Heo | July 27, 2025 | |
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After bringing Rudo to a doctor in the Ground, Enjin reveals the boy is a Giver: someone who can breathe life into objects. He scouts Rudo for the Cleaners, an organization that defeats creatures born from garbage. Rudo recalls his father Regto once said objects have souls and wonders if joining could help him return to the Sphere. Enjin admits he does not know the way back but suggests the Cleaners' boss might. When Enjin departs, a cat steals Rudo's money pouch. Chasing it, Rudo seizes a stick to pin it down, but the weapon belongs to fellow Cleaner and Giver Zanka Nijiku. Rudo apologizes, remembering his father's advice to respect others' feelings. Zanka surprisingly responds with an apology and a smile, until he realizes Rudo's "weapon" is a filthy toilet plunger. Horrified, Zanka tries to flee, but a confused Rudo unleashes a humiliating barrage. Enjin later collects the two battered boys. In his car, a lively girl named Riyo appears, teasing Rudo about his unusual hair and flustering him completely. | |||||
| 4 | "Cleaner HQ" Transliteration: "Sōjiya Honbu" (Japanese: 掃除屋本部) | Masayuki Otsuki | Atsushi Takahashi | August 3, 2025 | |
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Enjin drives Rudo to the Cleaners' headquarters, a towering building marked by twisted street lamps. Inside, Rudo meets Semiu, the receptionist whose glasses reveal a person's true nature. Shocked by what she sees, she insists he still needs training. Since the boss is away, Riyo suggests Rudo observe her on a mission. Semiu briefs them: a nearby town near a polluted zone has requested aid against emerging trash beasts. She explains the Ground consists of safe zones and polluted zones, the latter crawling with trash beasts. Accompanied by Supporters Gris, Follo, and Tomme, Rudo and Riyo head to the site. A herd of trash beasts attacks, and Riyo calmly activates her scissors, the Ripper. When Follo is targeted, Rudo instinctively awakens a metal pipe as a vital instrument, saving him. A massive beast appears, strangely resilient until Riyo pierces its glowing weak point, revealing a vital instrument inside the creature. Elsewhere, Rudo's old kidnapper awakens, questioned coldly about the missing Sphereite. | |||||
| 5 | "Raiders" Transliteration: "Arashi-ya" (Japanese: 荒らし屋) | Yukihiko Asaki | Jong Heo | August 10, 2025 | |
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A lively welcome party is held for Rudo at Cleaners headquarters. Still shaken from the previous day's raid, he sits apart until Gris thanks him for saving Follo, moving Rudo to tears with his gratitude and advice. Enjin, Riyo, and Zanka then invite him to join the celebration, and Rudo feels comforted by his growing circle of friends. Elsewhere, one of Rudo's kidnappers is slain by a cold, purple-eyed man. Back at HQ, Semiu answers a merchant's request for help recovering cargo stolen by a trash beast: a Sphereite. Zanka leads the team, with Rudo insisting on joining. The merchant offers to guide them, but Zanka remains suspicious. Inside the beast's lair, the floor collapses, separating the Cleaners. Two Raiders confront them, specifically targeting Rudo. Gris and Follo get him to safety while Zanka battles the ambushers, defeating them with his staff. However, the purple-eyed Raider closes in, intent on claiming Rudo. | |||||
| 6 | "One Good Strike!!" Transliteration: "Chanto Shita Ichigekii!!" (Japanese: ちゃんとした一撃ィ!!) | Ikurō Satō | Jong Heo | August 17, 2025 | |
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Gris, Follo, Rudo, and the support staff reach the exit, but the deranged Raider pursuing them blocks their escape, demolishing the doorway. He casually states someone wants to meet Rudo and, when asked, assures them Zanka is alive, though just barely. Summoning his clawed vital instrument, he demands Rudo surrender. Gris shields the boy, but the Raider pierces his side, declaring him already dead as Gris's cherished talisman falls free. Shock grips Rudo, and the world turns monochrome. A memory surfaces of his adoptive father Regto encouraging him to find joy, which he discovered in salvaging discarded items and recognizing their hidden value. Returning to the present, Gris's talisman triggers Rudo's Anima. He manifests a massive floating totem embodying Gris's prayers, which grants him an impenetrable defense. The Raider introduces himself as Jabber and lunges, but his strikes fail against the barrier while Rudo counterattacks with relentless punches. Jabber collapses, yet using the neurotoxin in his claws, Mankira, he severs his own conscious thought. Though unconscious, his body rises again, moving on pure instinct. | |||||
| 7 | "A Score to Settle" Transliteration: "Ketchaku" (Japanese: 決着) | Koji Nagatomi | Atsushi Takahashi | August 24, 2025 | |
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Jabber's unconscious body moves autonomously. To protect the injured Gris and Follo, Rudo lures him away but is caught by his blades. A poisoned Zanka intervenes, feigning an attack on Rudo to use the talisman's repelling force against Jabber, jolting him awake. As Zanka collapses and Rudo's vital instrument shatters, Rudo also succumbs to poison. Jabber impales himself, hoists Rudo over his shoulder, and escapes through the ceiling. Riyo and other Cleaners arrive, and Enjin frees Rudo by slamming Jabber into a wall. Jabber refuses to retreat until fellow raider Cthoni informs him their boss was pleased. A poisoned Rudo vows to continue their fight, and Jabber reveals their leader possesses a symbol from the same "series" as Rudo's gloves before escaping through a portal. The Support staff stabilizes Gris, and Rudo apologizes for breaking the talisman, receiving Gris's assurance that he is glad it was of use. | |||||
| 8 | "Moving Forward" Transliteration: "Zenshin" (Japanese: 前進) | Himari Tamagawa & Kenji Mizuhata | Takuya Igarashi | August 31, 2025 | |
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A despondent Rudo is consoled by Enjin after failing to save Gris, only to discover the injured man was healed by Giver Eishia Stilza's rare vital instrument. Leader Arkha Corvus officially welcomes Rudo, then questions how he alone survived crossing the lethal border to the Sphere, mentioning rumors of other survivors. Rudo resolves to find them, but Enjin insists he first train for the dangers of No Man's Land. After a confrontation with the aggressive Cleaner Dear, Zanka helps Rudo discover his unique ability to activate multiple broken objects with his gloves without destroying them. Elsewhere, Raiders Jabber and Cthoni report to their leader, who identifies the symbol on Rudo's gloves as belonging to the "Watchman series", which also appears on his own armor. | |||||
| 9 | "The City of Graffiti" Transliteration: "Rakugaki no Machi" (Japanese: ラクガキの町) | Hyūga Yamamura | Jong Heo | September 7, 2025 | |
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After washing his treasured gloves, Rudo finds Riyo lying on his bed, as she entered through his window after hearing him in pain from her room above; the next day, Enjin and Gris observe the Cleaners' resident artist crafting Rudo's full face mask, which Corvus explains is essential for venturing into No Man's Land, necessitating further preparations including a visit to a Giver in Canvas Town for a protective spell. The full team of Givers—Riyo, Zanka, Delmon, Tamsy, and Enjin—and Supporters—Follo, Gris, and Tomme—gather for the journey, and upon arriving in Canvas Town, a literal canvas for its residents' creativity, they learn from the mayor that the Giver Gob has died from body pollution but chose a successor, a young non-binary individual named Remlin Tysark; overcoming their grief, Remlin seizes Gob's pen, runs to the roof, and joyfully casts their first spell, transforming spray cans into endless fireworks that light up the city, prompting the mayor to apologize for the subsequent delay in obtaining the protective spell, which Enjin accepts without complaint. | |||||
| 10 | "Penta: The Desert No Man's Land" Transliteration: "Sabaku no Kin'iki "Penta"" (Japanese: 砂漠の禁域『ペンタ』) | Shotaro Kamiyama | Atsushi Takahashi | September 14, 2025 | |
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Remlin, the new spellcaster of Canvas Town, finally has a moment to draw a spell on Rudo and the other Cleaners, after that, Back at headquarters, the overexcited artist August shouts with joy that Rudo's full-face mask is done. As the Cleaners team gets ready to head out on their mission, Enjin tells Rudo to hold out his new choker. Each Cleaner draws blood from their own thumb and places a drop on the choker, to Rudo's shock. It's what allows them to communicate through the device. Finally, the team is ready to venture into the No Man's Land (known as Penta) where the red dunes of the Penta desert are not made of sand, but of garbage that's worn down into dust, to find the woman who has witnessed travelers moving between the Ground and the Sphere, after fighting the scorpion-like trash beasts, a young girl wearing oversized boots—and no mask—approaches the Cleaners. Soft-spoken, she asks the group if they have come to visit Amo. Zanka thinks it's too easy if they found who they were looking for so quickly. Riyo asks her bluntly if she is the one who has seen travelers come and go, and the girl says she is. She invites them inside to talk away from the polluted air. Enjin says confidently that they will all go, and he will be the one to take her on if it turns into a fight, however, Enjin collapsing on the floor with drool pouring from his mouth. The girl watches with a sly smile with Rudo in shock. | |||||
| 11 | "Amo's Hospitality" Transliteration: "Amo no Motenashi" (Japanese: アモのもてなし) | Yukihiko Asaki | Jong Heo | September 21, 2025 | |
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Following Amo's directive, the Cleaners accompany her to her residence in No Man's Land, a remarkably preserved tower that pierces the sky. At the peak, Rudo asks about travel between the Ground and the Sphere, but Amo deflects with a question about his preferences in women. Enjin interrupts, accusing her of using flirtation as a bargaining tool, which agitates Amo. She activates her boots, and Enjin is ambushed from behind by Delmon. Amo taunts the group and, displeased by their silence, berates them. While Zanka tends to Enjin, Delmon threatens his teammates to protect Amo. Rudo then experiences a hallucination, seeing Amo as Chiwa, the girl who betrayed him. Amo explains she is using a scent that causes individuals to perceive her as someone they love. As Zanka and Tamsy don gas masks, a conflicted Rudo instinctively moves to protect the hallucinatory image of Chiwa-Amo. With other teammates joining the fight to defend her, Tamsy reluctantly prepares to use his vital instrument against his friends. | |||||
| 12 | "Something Like a Curse" Transliteration: "Noroi no Yō na Mono Kashira" (Japanese: 呪いのようなものかしら) | Takanori Yano | Takuya Igarashi | September 28, 2025 | |
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While Delmon is lost in a memory of his wife and a flower-covered home, Zanka and Tamsy face teammates who perceive Amo as a loved one. Tamsy summons his vital instrument, the Tokushin, a distaff, and as the Giver, uses it to bind everyone in tight coils. He then spins the mass, crashing it through the floors. The trapped Cleaners land violently below, with Rudo impaled and Delmon unconscious, but Remlin's protective spell heals their nearly fatal wounds. At headquarters, Semiu tells Corvus that Rudo has a Curse inside him. After recovering their masks, a enraged Rudo brutally beats Amo, forgetting their mission until Enjin intervenes. As Tomme treats Amo's injuries, Amo reveals she saw the angel that travels between the Sphere and the Ground. | |||||
| 13 | "An Empty Gaze" Transliteration: "Kara no Hitomi" (Japanese: 虚の瞳) | Ikurō Satō | Atsushi Takahashi | October 5, 2025 | |
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In her recounting to the Cleaners, Amo becomes lost in memories of her past. She recalls her mother selling her to a paranoid trafficker known as Mister, who imprisons her in the Tower. There, he subjects her to extreme abuse while also providing books, food, and dresses. One day, after a "ritual", two masked figures emerge, strike Mister, and remove his boots. The taller figure offers them to Amo. The figures then approach a large hole in the wall, reveal glowing wings, and fly away. When a recovering Mister demands the boots back, Amo resists. The boots activate during their struggle, and she pushes him through the hole to his death. Months pass, and in the present, Amo draws the angel on the floor. Rudo recognizes the mask as belonging to Regto's killer. Amo interrupts his rage, asking if his gloves also filled a void, stating no apology is needed in a world where hands are used only for violence. A calm Rudo suggests they could instead use their hands for connection. After Amo returns to her tower, a shadow falls upon her; Jabber soon exits, his mission accomplished. | |||||
| 14 | "The Storm Before the Storm" Transliteration: "Arashi no Mae no Arashi" (Japanese: 嵐の前の嵐) | Hitoyuki Matsui | Shinji Ishihira | October 12, 2025 | |
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Returning to headquarters, the Cleaners visit Dr. Alice Stilza, a former body pollution researcher, where Rudo encounters her grandchildren, the mask maker August and healer Eishia. After August warns of an approaching Cloud, the team shelters from a trash storm. They are contacted by Semiu, who reports an infestation at HQ and advises a rear entrance. There, Semiu and an invincible shut-in repel Marauders demanding Rudo. The team later celebrates at the Dan Dulse bar, where they meet the Givers of Team Child: Dear Santa, Guita Hebby Fantasia, and Bro Santa. When Guita questions Rudo about the Sphere, he moves away and is confronted by a hooded man. The man reveals Amo's boots, grabs Rudo, and declares himself the Raiders' leader. As the Givers attack, Chtoni opens a portal, transporting the Cleaners and Raiders to a dark chamber where their adversaries emerge from the shadows. | |||||
| 15 | "Clash!" Transliteration: "Naa Maji" (Japanese: なぁマジ) | Satoshi Toba | Jong Heo | October 19, 2025 | |
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In a dark chamber, the Cleaners confront the Raiders, with Rudo demanding to know Amo's location. Receiving no answer, a trashslide erupts from a tunnel, sweeping away all the Cleaners except Rudo. The other Raiders pursue the scattered Cleaners through portals, isolating Rudo with their leader, Zodyl Typhon. He approaches, stating he shares Rudo's rage and proposes they destroy the Sphere together; they experience a shared vision of its fiery descent to the Ground. When Rudo reiterates his question about Amo, Zodyl admonishes him for wasting time. Concurrently, the other Cleaners engage their Raider opponents: Jabber and Zanka resume their previous conflict, with Jabber's claws revealing their true, enlarged form as he commits fully to the fight. Riyo faces Noerde Hew Amozo, whose comb, a vital instrument, transforms her hair into sharp, electrically-charged angles that shock Riyo and leave her prone. Enjin attempts conversation with his young opponent while leaning on his umbrella, and Bro Santa and Dear Santa assess their underground surroundings as their Raider opponent confirms their subterranean location. Separately, Guita Hebby Fantasia emerges into another chamber, bouncing energetically. | |||||
| 16 | "Gifted and Not" Transliteration: "Ten to Bon" (Japanese: 天と凡) | Daisuke Tsukushi | Kenta Yokoya | October 26, 2025 | |
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Observing through her portals, Cthoni records the conflict between the Raiders and Cleaners. Bro Santa and Dear Santa confront a man named Bundus, demanding information on their leader, Arkha Corvus. Simultaneously, Jabber and Zanka continue their duel. Nearby, Zodyl questions why Rudo, from the Sphere, shares the same determined look as those from the Ground. Jabber claims they even smell the same, explaining his fascination, though Rudo remains hostile. Zodyl elaborates on groundlings who worship falling trash as a divine blessing, arguing that such ingrained illusions sometimes require a violent shock to break, a point he illustrates by eating a cockroach. In the fight, Jabber attacks Zanka, who insists he has been fighting seriously all along and is no natural talent. Jabber then slices Zanka's leg with a poisoned claw. As Zanka writhes on the ground, Jabber reveals the claws carried three separate toxins before stabbing him again, extinguishing the light in Zanka's eyes. | |||||
| 17 | "Memories of a Mediocrity" Transliteration: "Bon no Kioku" (Japanese: 凡の記憶) | Hyūga Yamamura | Atsushi Takahashi | November 2, 2025 | |
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After being defeated by Jabber, Zanka experiences a hallucination of his past. He recalls his life within the virtuous Nijiku Clan on the Ground and his enrollment at the Central Hell Guard Academy, where he strives to earn the Golden Throne through diligent effort. His standing is challenged by the arrival of Hyo, a naturally gifted trainee from the slums who bests him in combat. Hyo questions his ambition, asking what value the throne holds if it is based only on others' perception. Later, during a weapon selection, Zanka chooses a plain staff in a misguided attempt to stand out, while Hyo selects a katana. Humiliated, he hides for three days, where Enjin and Riyo express their hope that the average will eclipse the gifted. In the present, Zanka hallucinates rising to his feet, though Jabber notes this is an effect of the paralytic poisons coursing through him. As Jabber prepares to offer him to a trash beast, Guita Hebby Fantasia in another chamber discovers a strange, giant red object studded with weapons held by dismembered, nailed hands. | |||||
| 18 | "Oh Zap, Totes Legit" Transliteration: "Yababiri Barigachi" (Japanese: ヤバビリバリガチ) | Yukihiko Asaki | Takuya Igarashi | November 9, 2025 | |
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During Jabber's celebration, a gunshot wounds the Raider. In a prior confrontation, Riyo and Noerde battle fiercely. Noerde's hair becomes electrified, and though the Raider intervenes, Riyo dodges and uses wind to disorient her, neutralizing the temporary effect. Riyo attempts to attack the hair with her scissors, but the Raider demonstrates control over it. Acknowledging Noerde's strength, Riyo endures her relentless assault and learns she is from the all-women village of Sileia. Riyo then engages the Raider in a destructive hand-to-hand exchange until, pausing for breath, she coughs blood. Riyo asks if anyone heard their calls for help; when Noerde confidently says no, Riyo ends the fight by drawing a handgun and firing twice, wounding the Raider. She reveals Enjin forbade killing, forcing her to use non-lethal means to protect her teammates. The gun is a parting gift, not her primary tool. Noerde suspects Riyo's past as a hitman and is asked for confidentiality. After gathering information, Riyo departs to assist others. In the present, Jabber scolds Riyo, prompting another warning shot. She then checks on a delirious Zanka. Meanwhile, Cthoni teleports to Zodyl, updating him on the other Cleaners before they arrive at a chamber. Rudo demands their intentions, but Zodyl encourages considering his offer, which Rudo disdainfully rejects. Zodyl approaches a luminous object, placing Amo's boots against it; tendrils secure them and they begin to glow. Zodyl identifies them as part of the Watchman series and states his intent to create more. | |||||
| 19 | "Watchmen Series" Transliteration: "Bannin Shirīzu" (Japanese: 番人シリーズ) | Ikurō Satō | Jong Heo | November 16, 2025 | |
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Zodyl, leader of the Raiders, reveals his failed attempt to create a new vital instrument for the Watchman series, identifying Amo's boots, Rudo's gloves, and his own coat as the three known pieces. His experiment instead yielded an artificial trash beast, using the activated object as its core. This triggers Rudo's memory of his adoptive father, Regto, who gave him the gloves and possessed a book with the Watchman symbol, raising the question of how Regto obtained such a unique artifact. Zodyl observes that Rudo has maintained his sanity unlike previous owners, theorizing a shared lack of humanity may be the cause. He has since enhanced the artificial beast by incorporating Amo's boots, and Rudo realizes they are inside it as it prepares to fly toward the Sphere. Concurrently, Bundus informs Dear and Bro of their situation. In response, Bro uses his vital instrument, Cloth, to launch Dear at the chamber wall. Dear's vital instrument, Centralian, activates, and his punches—which grow stronger with each impact—escalate from gentle pats to a devastating blow that shatters the rock. | |||||
| 20 | "Ensign" Transliteration: "Shirushi" (Japanese: 印) | Hiromichi Matano | Shinji Ishihira | November 23, 2025 | |
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As massive cyclone surges rage outside, the artificial trash beast prepares to ascend toward the Sphere. Inside, the amiable Raider Bundus confronts Bro and Dear when the shifting ground gives way, sending the trio plummeting into the beast's interior. They land inside a falling car and escape into a nearby pipe using Bro's Cloth, where they reunite with Enjin and Fu. Bro insists they must escape the construct before it crosses into the Sphere or they will perish. Meanwhile, Dear contacts Semiu at Cleaners HQ via his choker and resolves to act as a beacon to guide their rescue. In another section, the chamber containing Rudo and Zodyl has rotated, leaving Rudo dangling from a stalagmite. Zodyl attempts to recruit him, emphasizing revenge, but Rudo refuses. He states he does not wish to waste anything, including their meeting, which helped him realize he possesses a team that provides him with a home. While he retains his anger, he now has more to live for and releases his grip, falling into the darkness. An enraged Zodyl pursues him, demanding to know where his team is, just as Enjin bursts through the ground. Separately, Cthoni locates the grievously wounded and delirious Jabber. | |||||
| 21 | "Time Attack"[a] | Jun Fujiwara | Jun Fujiwara & Yutaka Nakamura | November 30, 2025 | |
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Upon exiting the vehicle, Bundus prepares his vital instrument and expresses doubt in Enjin. Enjin uses Umbreaker to create a passage to Rudo. Bundus correctly assumes Enjin knows their teammates' positions. Dear, Bro, and Riyo arrive, carrying the unconscious Zanka, while Guita is incapacitated. With Rudo frustrated with Zodyl, Enjin observes Riyo's gun and inquires about a prior incident, causing Riyo to drop Zanka. The trash beast takes flight, altering the chamber. Rudo transforms a nail gun into a vital instrument and fires, but Bundus intervenes with his mechanical arms. Enjin, Riyo, Dear, and Bro attempt to attack, but Bundus repels them, revealing his Hands have been augmented to six arms. Rudo recognizes the potential to channel his power through 3R, concentrating his energy to transform the nail gun. He fires a large nail at Bundus, which is intercepted by the mechanical hands. A second nail impacts the first, shattering Bundus' hands. The shot misses the beast's core, and the nail gun disintegrates as Zodyl prepares to depart. Noerde appears, growling Riyo's name. | |||||
| 22 | "The Power of Protection" Transliteration: "Shugo no Chikara" (Japanese: 守護の力) | Daisuke Tsukushi | Jong Heo & Takuya Igarashi | December 7, 2025 | |
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A major trashstorm intensifies, alarming local residents with its wind-blown debris. Within the conglomerate trash beast, the Cleaners witness Noerde, her body crackling with electrical energy. Zodyl departs with Bundus and Cthoni, while Fu laments the Raiders' abandonment until a commanding voice interrupts, stating it is his turn to decide. The beast hovers near the Ground/Sphere border. Rudo damages the ceiling to blast in air, extinguishing Noerde's flames. Tossed upward, Noerde chooses to fall, remembers Zodyl and her comb, admires the border, and is killed by The Watchman. Inside, the Cleaners struggle as Rudo sees Noerde float past in the darkness. Enjin and Bro observe Guita dragging Zanka. Guita apologizes for her nap, transforms into a kaiju, and seals the breach with her own body. Enjin, Riyo, and Rudo strike the beast's core; Rudo seizes the pendant, causing the structure to crumble. Guita instructs everyone to hold on. Rudo retrieves Amo's boots, and Enjin pulls him onto Guita as they speed toward the Ground. They survive the crash landing. Backup teams locate them, with Delmon expressing worry and Zanka receiving medical treatment. Gris tells Rudo he is relieved, prompting Rudo to call him "big brother" before losing consciousness. | |||||
| 23 | "The Man Who Will Be Stronger" Transliteration: "Tsuyoku Naru Otoko" (Japanese: 強くなる男) | Kōkun | Takuya Igarashi & Fumihiko Suganuma | December 14, 2025 | |
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The Cleaners' backup team surveys the imitation trash beast site as Guita explains Zodyl's plan. Following their return home, Rudo, with Delmon's help, obtains artificial flowers for Zanka but hesitates at the infirmary. Inside, Zanka meditates; Eishia could not fully counteract his poison. Enjin states Zanka will grow stronger from this adversity. Semiu then contacts Enjin, announcing visitors: Remlin and the Canvas Town mayor. They confess a wrongly drawn spell—a prank by Remlin—caused Zanka's condition. Zanka flexes, transforming his arm briefly. Remlin apologizes, but Zanka laughs, blaming no one and asserting a warrior's responsibility to improve. After Rudo stays, Zanka rejects pity, valuing strength over injuries. Later, Enjin and Zanka discuss the Raiders, whose primary goal is not killing Cleaners, but whose trash beast creation forces conflict. Meanwhile, Zodyl informs Bundus their experiment succeeded: they observed the Cleaners surviving a border crossing and now know their location despite their Watchman Series boots. Zodyl presents a reward: a totem carved with "Canis Surebrec", formally inducting Bundus into the Raiders. Zodyl then plans their next actions: Bundus will find the Giver who crafts the communication chokers, while others search for more Watchman Series items before advancing to the Sphere. | |||||
| 24 | "Field Trip" Transliteration: "Ensoku" (Japanese: 遠足) | Hyūga Yamamura & Fumihiko Suganuma | Fumihiko Suganuma | December 22, 2025[b] | |
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Rudo observes Remlin conflicted. Encouraged by Zanka, Rudo offers indirect support by stating he is terrible at drawing before asking for tips, which moves Remlin to tears and laughter. Later, as their guardians play cards, the children draw together. Semiu and Corvus enter; after seeing Rudo's drawing, Corvus gives a polite compliment while Semiu states Rudo cannot draw. Corvus assigns a field trip to Canvas Town for mural research, designating Rudo as the group's guide. In Hole Town to buy ink, Rudo warns the town of their presence. Enjin and Bro observe them, with Enjin recognizing the former Raider Fu. Meanwhile, the Hell Guard arrives at headquarters. Their commander, Kyouka Nijiku, demands Rudo for study, but Corvus refuses. In Hole Town, a kidnapper's attempt fails when Rudo kicks him. The group proceeds to Canvas Town. In a tunnel, Remlin shows them the spellcasters' mural on the ceiling, which includes a drawing by Macaca Icol. Enjin and Bro observe. They note the Watchman Series mark beside Icol's drawing, which Remlin identifies as the symbol of Icol's friend, Canis Surebrec—a name Rudo reveals as his own surname. Elsewhere, Amo is chained in a dark cell when she sees a figure at the door. | |||||
Video game
In December 2025, it was announced that a RPG video game by Com2uS Group, with the working title Gachiakuta: The Game, is set to be released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Windows (via Steam).[62]
Stage play
A stage play adaptation of the manga was announced in December 2025. It is set to be held at the Stellar Ball in Tokyo from May 22–31, 2026, and at the Rohm Theater in Kyoto from June 5–7. Go Ueki will direct the show, and Watashiomu will write the script. The music will be directed by Ken the 390 and written by Yoshizumi and Mush Tanaka will write the music.[63]
Reception
The columnist for Real Sound liked the world building, action, and dark fantasy elements of the story, as well as the main protagonist.[1] Masaki Endo from Tsutaya News liked the artwork and the main protagonist of the series.[64] Atsushi Ohkubo recommended the series.[65]
In North America, the volumes of Gachiakuta were ranked on Circana (formerly NPD) BookScan's monthly top 20 adult graphic novels list since July 2025.[66] The first volume also ranked on The New York Times' Graphic Books and Manga bestseller monthly list for February and March 2026.[67]
In the 2022 Next Manga Award, the series ranked 13th in the print manga category. It was also the most popular choice among English voters, even though the series had not been released in English at the time.[68] The series ranked 14th in the Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2023.[69] It was nominated for the 47th Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category in 2023;[70] it was also nominated for the 48th edition in the same category in 2024.[71]
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d 漫画×グラフィティの鮮烈な作風で話題！『ガチアクタ』が切り拓く、新たな表現と戦い方. Real Sound (in Japanese). March 16, 2022. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
- ^ Tantimedh, Adi (March 14, 2025). "Gachiakuta Set to Premiere in July on Crunchyroll, New Trailer Debuts". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on February 20, 2025. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
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External links
- Official manga website (in Japanese)
- Official anime website (in Japanese)
- Gachiakuta at Kodansha Comics
- Gachiakuta (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia