# Gachiakuta

Gachiakuta (ガチアクタ) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kei Urana. It began serialization in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine in February 2022. As of March 2025, the series' individual chapters have been collected in 14 tankōbon volumes. An anime television series adaptation produced by Bones Film is set to premiere in July 2025.

## Plot

A young boy named Rudo lives in the slums of a wealthy society among the "tribesfolk" population who descended from criminals exiled by society. Rudo detests the upper class' 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 he was born. One day, after rummaging through a dump site, Rudo returns home to find Regto dead. Apprehended at the scene, Rudo is immediately charged with murder despite his innocence, 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 to Rudo that he is in fact 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" to hunt the trash beasts which 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
### Rudo Surebrec (ルド スレブレック, Rudo Sureburekku)

    Voiced by: Aoi Ichikawa
    A former Sphereite as well as Regto's adopted son whose false convictions led to him being sentenced to The Pit. After being saved from a group of trash beasts, he joins the Cleaners as part of a 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.

### Enjin (エンジン)

    Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi
    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
    A warrior Cleaner and master combatant, who was recruited by Enjin and part of Team Akuta. His vital instrument is a staff-like weapon named the Lovely Assistaff. He's from a noble family, who has a long-standing connection to the Hell Guards, a group of people who fight criminal Givers, and was initially trained to a Hell Guard like his older siblings.

### Riyo Reaper (リヨ・リーパー, Riyo Rīpā)

    Voiced by: Yumiri Hanamori
    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.

### Semiu (セミュ, Semyu)

    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.

## 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". 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.
Gachiakuta's art style is due to illustrations by Urana, complimented 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".

## Media
### Manga

Written and illustrated by Kei Urana with graffiti designs by Ando Hideyoshi, the series began serialization in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine on February 16, 2022. As of March 2025, the series' individual chapters have been collected in 14 tankōbon volumes.
In August 2022, Urana stated an "overseas version" was in production. In March 2023, Kodansha USA announced that they licensed the series for English publication.

#### Volumes

| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
| 1 | May 17, 2022 | 978-4-06-527922-9 | January 16, 2024 | 979-8-88-877020-7 |
| 1. "The Sphere" (天界, Tenkai) 2. "Quasi Living Things" (生物もどき, Seibutsu Modoki) 3. "Imbued" (宿り物, Yadori-mono) 4. "The Ground" (下界, Gekai) |||||
| 2 | July 15, 2022 | 978-4-06-528430-8 | April 30, 2024 | 979-8-88-877094-8 |
| 5. "Interpersonal Relations" (対人, Taijin) 6. "Dookie-ing It Out" (“大”勝負, "Dai" Shōbu) 7. "Cleaner HQ" (掃除屋本部, Sōjiya Honbu) 8. "Observation Field Trip" (お仕事見学, Oshigoto Kengaku) 9. "Not at Home" (アウェイ, Awei) 10. "Drawing Near" (迫り来る, Semari Kuru) 11. "Getting Closer" (接近, Sekkin) 12. "Shadows on the Ground" (下界の影, Gekai no Kage) 13. "Raiders" (荒らし屋, Arashi-ya) |||||
| 3 | September 16, 2022 | 978-4-06-529138-2 | July 23, 2024 | 979-8-88-877095-5 |
| 14. "Arrival" (到達, Tōtatsu) 15. "Deep Down" (根本, Konpon) 16. "It's a Hit!!" (ちゃんとした一撃ィ!!, Chanto Shita Ichigekii!!) 17. "Stabby Stabby Claws" (攻め攻め爪, Seme Seme Tsume) 18. "Hysterical" (わや, Waya) 19. "An Uncommon Front" (歪共闘, Ibitsu Kyōtō) 20. "Ended" (決着, Ketchaku) 21. "Resentment and Appreciation" (遺恨とねぎらい, Ikon to Negirai) 22. "Moving Forward" (前進, Zenshin) |||||
| 4 | November 17, 2022 | 978-4-06-529777-3 | October 29, 2024 | 979-8-88-877096-2 |
| 23. "Favorite Treat" (好物, Kōbutsu) 24. "Rudo's Vital Instrument: P.S. He Went on a Diet" (ルド人器 P.S.ダイエットしました, Rudo Jinki: P.S. Daietto Shimashita) 25. "Before We Go" (行く前, Iku Mae) 26. "The City of Graffiti" (ラクガキの町, Rakugaki no Machi) 27. "Worthy Successor" (引き継ぐに値するモノ, Hikitsugu ni Ataisuru Mono) 28. "Picture-Drawing and Trash-Picking" (描きと拾い, Egaki to Hiroi) 29. "Penta: The Desert No Man's Land" (砂漠の禁域『ペンタ』, Sabaku no Kin'iki "Penta") 30. "Penta: VWHRRR KA-SNIFF" (ドルルガスン, Doruru Gasun) 31. "Visitors" (来客, Raikyaku) |||||
| 5 | February 17, 2023 | 978-4-06-530527-0 | January 21, 2025 | 979-8-88-877097-9 |
| 32. "Amo's Hospitality" (アモのもてなし, Amo no Motenashi) 33. "Illusion" (幻影, Gen'ei) 34. "A Familiar Fragrance" (なつかしい かほり, Natsukashii Kahori) 35. "Happy Times" (幸せ時間, Shiawase Jikan) 36. "Tamsy Winds Up" (タムジー巻き, Tamujī Maki) 37. "Forgot" (ワスレテタ。, Wasureteta.) 38. "Something Like a Curse." (呪いのようなものかしら, Noroi no Yō na Mono Kashira) 39. "What Is Right?" (正しさとは, Tadashi Sato wa) 40. "Rising Abyss" (昇る深淵, Noboru Shin'en) |||||
| 6 | April 17, 2023 | 978-4-06-531344-2 | April 22, 2025 | 979-8-88-877152-5 |
| 41. "Alighting Fragments" (虚の瞳, Kara no Hitomi) 42. "Alighting Fragments 2" (降り立つ断片, Oritatsu Danpen) 43. "Gains" (収穫, Shūkaku) 44. "Be Extra Wary on the Journey Home" (帰路こそ気を抜くなし, Kiro koso Ki o Nuku Nashi) 45. "Pest Control" (害虫駆除, Gaichū Kujo) 46. "The Storm Before the Storm" (嵐の前の嵐, Arashi no Mae no Arashi) 47. "Boss" (ドン, Don) 48. "Clash!" (ぶつかれ, Butsukare) 49. "Ready, Set..." (いざ, Iza) |||||
| 7 | July 14, 2023 | 978-4-06-532179-9 | July 22, 2025 | 979-8-88-877157-0 |
| 50. "Glubroachie" (ゴボゴッキー, Gobogokkī) 51. "Hey, For Real." (なぁマジ, Naa Maji) 52. "Exchange" (交換, Gōkan) 53. "Do You Even Have Eyes?" (見る目あんのか, Mirume An no Ka) 54. "Gifted and Not" (天の凡, Ten no Bon) 55. "The Difference" (差, Sa) 56. "The Reason I Fight" (戦う理由, Tatakau no Riyū) 57. "Memories of an Average Joe" (凡の記憶, Bon no Kioku) 58. "Inferiority of an Average Joe" (凡の劣等, Bon no Rettō) |||||
| 8 | October 17, 2023 | 978-4-06-532888-0 | October 21, 2025 | 979-8-88-877283-6 |
| 59. "Determination of an Average Joe" (凡の決意, Bon no Ketsui) 60. "Reality" (現実, Genjitsu) 61. "Oh ZAP" (ヤバビリ, Yababiri) 62. "Totes Legit" (バリガチ, Barigachi) 63. "Hidden" (裏, Ura) 64. "Past" (前職, Zenshoku) 65. "As a Byproduct" (副産物の中, Fukusanbutsu no Naka) 66. "The Watchman Series" (番人シリーズ, Bannin Shirīzu) 67. "Are You Kidding Me?" (まぁぁぁあじ, Maaaaaji) |||||
| 9 | December 15, 2023 | 978-4-06-533899-5 | — | — |
| 68. "Kids Are Tougher Than You Think!" (子供なめんじゃねぇ, Kodomo Namen ja nee) 69. "Midair Road Trip" (空中ドライビン, Kūchū Doraibin) 70. "Ensign" (印, Shirushi) 71. "Evolution" (進化, Shinka) 72. "And Bullseye" (ドンピシャリ, Donpishari) 73. "Race Against Time" (TIME ATTACK) 74. "Power Up" (強化, Kyōka) 75. "Loose Cannon" (無鉄砲, Muteppō) 76. "Beast, Break Through" (突破して獣, Toppa Shite Kemono) |||||
| 10 | March 15, 2024 | 978-4-06-534863-5 | — | — |
| 77. "Accumulation of Feelings" (思いの蓄積, Omoi no Chikuseki) 78. "The Woman Left Behind" (留めた女, Todometa Onna) 79. "Loss and Big Entrance" (喪失と出番, Sōshitsu to Deban) 80. "The Power of Protection" (守護の力, Shugo no Chikara) 81. "No Time For Rest" (矢継ぎ, Yatsugi) 82. "Rest" (休, Kyū) 83. "The Man Who Will Be Stronger" (強くなる男, Tsuyoku Naru Otoko) 84. "A Man Who Knows" (知る男, Shiru Otoko) 85. "Field Trip" (遠足, Ensoku) |||||
| 11 | June 17, 2024 | 978-4-06-535779-8 | — | — |
| 86. "Contact" (接触, Sesshoku) 87. "Ancestry" (先祖, Senzo) 88. "I Want to Eat Cake" (ケーキを食べたいの, Kēki o Tabetai no) 89. "Finding Information" (情報探し, Jōhō Sagashi) 90. "Completion and Arms" (完成と標的, Kansei to Hyōteki) 91. "Multiple Purchases" (重なる品物, Kasanaru Shinamono) 92. "Tamsy's Day Off" (タム休, Tamu Kyū) 93. "Kuro the Information Broker" (情報屋“クロ”, Jōhō-ya "Kuro") 94. "On Your Mark" |||||
| 12 | September 17, 2024 | 978-4-06-536774-2 | — | — |
| 95. "Hi There!" (こんにちは～, Konnichiwā) 96. "Three-Way Battle, Give or Take" (三つ巴+α, Mitsudomoe Purasu Arufa) 97. "Two Hands" (2つの手, Futatsu no Te) 98. "Scum's Struggle" (カスの足掻き, Kasu no Agaki) 99. "That's How You're Gonna Play It?" (そう来たか, Sō Kita ka) 100. "Tori: The Forest No Man's Land" (ジャングルの禁域『トリ』, Janguru no Kin'iki "Tori") 101. "King" (主, Omo) 102. "I'm A Cleaner, Too" (オレだって, Oredatte) 103. "The Box" (箱, Hako) |||||
| 13 | December 17, 2024 | 978-4-06-537775-8 | — | — |
| 104. "The Box" (箱, Hako) 105. "Behold What It Holds" (中身初見, Nakami Hatsumi) 106. "Lurkers" (潜む者, Hisomu Mono) 107. "Elder" (長老, Chōrō) 108. "Stay Out of Our Way, Seriously" (邪魔すんなまじで, Jama Sun na Majide) 109. "Amo's Whereabouts. And..." (アモの所在。そしてーー, Amo no Shozai. Soshite...) 110. "An Act of ****" (〇〇の所業, Rei Rei no Tokoro-gyō) 111. "False Face" (嘘の顔, Uso no Kao) 112. "Unboxing" (開封, Kaifū) |||||
| 14 | March 17, 2025 | 978-4-06-538707-8 | — | — |
| 113. "A Vague Identity" (曖昧な正体, Aimaina Shōtai) 114. "Flailin'" (わちゃわちゃ, Wacha Wacha) 115. "The Cleaners" (掃除屋, Sōjiya) 116. "Rudo Surebrec the Cleaner" (掃除屋ルド・シュアブレック, Sōjiya Rudo Shuaburekku) 117. "The Hero of the Story" (主人公, Shujinkō) 118. "Oozing" (滲み, Nijimi) 119. "First Job!" (初依頼！, Hatsu Irai!) 120. "The Sun Sets" (日が沈む, Hi ga Shizumu) 121. "Darkness Falls" (暗転, Anten) |||||

#### Chapters not yet in tankōbon format

* 122. "Explosion" (爆発, Bakuhatsu)
* 123. "True Colors" (本性, Honshō)
* 124. "Me Too" (オレも, Ore mo)
* 125. "The Fate of the Faceless Mob" (モブの運命, Mobu no Unmei)
* 126. "Ask your Soul" (魂に問う, Tamashī ni Tou)
* 127. "Explosion Reprise" (爆発・改, Bakuhatsu Kai)
* 128. "Follo Reprise" (フォロ・改, Furo Kai)
* 129. "Joining the Team" (加入, Kanyū)
* 130. "Preparation" (支度, Shitaku)

### Anime

An anime television series produced by Bones Film and directed by Fumihiko Suganuma is set to premiere in July 2025 on CBC Television, TBS and their affiliates. The series will also feature scripts and writing by Hiroshi Seko, Satoshi Ishino as chief animator and head of character design, and Taku Iwasaki as music composer. Crunchyroll will stream the series. Medialink licensed the series in Southeast Asia.

## Reception

The columnist for Real Sound [ja] liked the world building, action, and dark fantasy elements of the story, as well as the main protagonist. Masaki Endo from Tsutaya News liked the artwork and the main protagonist of the series. Atsushi Ohkubo recommended the series.
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. The series ranked 14th in the Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2023. It was nominated for the 47th Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category in 2023; it was also nominated for the 48th edition in the same category in 2024.