Gachiakuta Episodes 1-2 Review: ‘Trash-Filled’ in the best way!
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Ah! Glad I waited to watch at least 2 episodes of ‘Gachiakuta’ before writing a review, because all the real action and spice is in the second chapter, even though the pilot gives the anime a solidly entertaining start for a dystopian-action series.
Based on the manga series written and illustrated by Kei Urana, ‘Gachiakuta’ (ガチアクタ) follows young protagonist Rudo (voiced by Aoi Ichikawa) quest for revenge, after he is falsely implicated for the murder of his beloved adoptive father Regto, and thrown to his death in ‘the pit’, a massive dumpsite below the city. However, Rudo survives the fall, finding himself in a ghastly world laden with trash heaps, monsters, and strange groups of people.
Directed by Fumihiko Suganuma, with animation by Bones Studio (My Hero Academia, Fullmetal Alchemist, Bungo Stray Dogs, etc.), Episode One of ‘Gachiakuta‘ grittily explains the divisive world Rudo lives in, with the city clearly split between the elite class and the slums inhabited by the less privileged, known as the “tribesfolk.” An orphan, Rudo is raised by Regto in the slums and taught to believe that if you take care of objects, they develop souls. Rudo, therefore, despises how easily the rich discard things without a second thought and often sneaks into the city to salvage useful ‘trash’. This becomes a key theme in this anime, and if you haven’t read the manga or seen the show yet, I’ll not reveal more!
The world of ‘Gachiakuta’ starkly highlights the divide between rich and poor, with the elite classes ironically dressed in sterile, uniform-like white outfits, a clever visual cue that reflects their lack of creativity and soul. And those living in the slums too wear off-white uniforms. I loved the animation for this series, the colors are slightly dull, a deliberate artistic choice to match the grim tone of the tale and the injustice Rudo faces. Rudo’s character design, with crazy big red eyes, is the best in the series so far.
While Episode 1 ends with Rudo being thrown into the pit, Episode 2 of ‘Gachiakuta’, titled ‘The Inhabited‘, is wildly entertaining, showing the aftermath of what unfolds as Rudo enters the realm of trash. There he sees the weirdest things, and meets the intriguing new character Enjin (Katsuyuki Konishi), who is clearly going to serve as Rudo’s mentor in the new place and maybe even help him extract his revenge against those who killed Regto.
The circumstances under which Rudo and Enjin meet are both alarmingly dangerous and mildly hilarious. Episode 2 is action-packed and exciting, and that’s where ‘Gachiakuta‘ really comes to life. If you’re a fan of dystopian action stories led by the ‘angry young man’ archetype, this is definitely a promising anime to check out.
Watch Gachiakuta on Crunchyroll.
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