Comics Beat attended the Gachiakuta panel at Anime Expo 2025, which kicked off with an audience interview by the Crunchyroll team—easily one of the most entertaining openers from any Crunchyroll panel we’ve seen. In a lighthearted moment, the host caught a cosplayer in front taking a sneak selfie and turned the tables by interviewing her instead. Both handled the moment gracefully, keeping the energy fun and high.
PC: Ollie Kaplan, via Comics Beat’s BlueskyOnce the main presentation began, photography was prohibited, so no photos were taken beyond that point.
Tim Lyu, Crunchyroll’s Video Producer, On-Screen Talent, and Copywriter, hosted the panel. He began by introducing the main cast of characters:
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Rudo Surebrec: A former Shereite and adopted son of Regto, Rudo finds himself falsely convicted and sentenced to The Pit. He survives a trash beast attack thanks to the Cleaners.
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Enjin: The leader of Team Akuta and a Cleaner who saves Rudo.
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Zanka Nijiku: A warrior Cleaner and master combatant recruited by Enjin.
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Riyo Reaper: An energetic Cleaner who fights with the Ripper, a giant pair of scissors.
After this overview, the panel welcomed guests Kei Urana (Gachiakuta creator), Hideyoshi Andou (graffiti designer), and Naoki Amano (producer at BONES), with interpretation by Masaki from Kodansha.
Urana shared plans to return to LA, while Andou said the AX atmosphere reminded them of Japanese festivals. Amano expressed amazement at the morning crowd. Urana and Andou joked about wanting to go graffiti spotting, while Amano just hoped to enjoy a good beer in the sunshine.
When asked about the origins of this one-of-a-kind collaboration, Urana explained that they began the manga solo but started chatting with Andou about his art, and it organically became a team project. Andou added, “It was all vibes. I went with the vibes.”
Amano said that they had their eye on Gachiakuta since 2022. Of all the manga projects under consideration, Gachiakuta stood out the most, and he couldn’t resist its heart and story.
In terms of adaptation, Amano emphasized preserving the original manga’s unique charms—especially the graffiti designs—while translating them to animation.
Asked about memorable production moments, Urana mentioned the very first meeting with the anime staff, noting the director already had a clear vision for specific scenes. Andou said the process felt like a “long rally” and thanked the production team. Amano praised the collaborative effort, noting that everyone double-checked details from storyboards to designs.
The first two episodes of Gachiakuta will premiere simultaneously in multiple countries. Global graffiti murals featuring the phrase “WATCH OUT, WORLD!” are building buzz for the launch.
As for their favorite moments from the premiere episodes, Urana highlighted the scenes where Rudo unleashes his anger. Andou told fans to pay attention to the movement. Amano teased that there are scenes created specifically for the anime version—so keep an eye out.
When asked what “vital instrument” (weapon) they would choose if they lived in the Gachiakuta world:
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Urana picked a towel they could use to whip people.
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Andou said he’d decide after watching the anime.
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Amano chose a magical glass that turns anything into alcohol.
In their closing remarks, Urana told fans, “Everyone, please look forward to watching this super hot anime.” Andou added, “I feel like I received a lot of joy and love from all of you, and I want to send that back.”
Gachiakuta premieres on Crunchyroll on July 6, 2025, with both the original Japanese version and English dub available at launch.
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Source: Bluesky
English (US) · 