In less than an instant, Bones Film’s adaptation of Kei Urana’s Kodansha manga, gachiakutarose through the ranks as a promising anime, with all fans eager to see how its second season will further cement its legacy as the next big thing. While we still have to wait a bit before seeing how Love and crew will further exceed expectations as the stylish new battle anime on the block, we have the inside scoop with the Japanese creatives who were vital in making its first season a huge success. And we also give you (get it?) a glimpse of how the peak was achieved.
At Anime Expo, io9 spoke with gachiakuta director Fumihiko Suganuma and Rudo voice actor Aoi Ichikawa on what sparked their interest in bringing the series to life as an anime, their creative approach to handling sensitive and sensitive scenes, and their thoughts on their growing fandom.
Isaiah Colbert, io9: What initially resonated with both of us about the world and the themes of gachiakuta Did that make you want to be a part of anime?
Aoi Ichikawa: I would have to say a little bit of resonance with Rudo’s character because he is just the embodiment of anger. It’s what makes him him. All that emotional explosiveness is fueling his life and I feel like I resonate with those heated emotions.
Fumihiko Suganuma: The power of the original manga art is probably what attracted me to it because it is slightly different from the art styles popular in Japan. It’s very original and doesn’t really fit the current trend of manga art. I really feel that art has so much power that I was drawn to it.
io9: During production, was there a particular scene or moment that was especially challenging and made it even sweeter to see it finally come to life?
Ichikawa: The first episode was really challenging because of how (Rudo) falls from grace… without that, you can’t really show his anger and the motivation behind Rudo’s character. Therefore, that was the peak of his anger. And being able to express that was really, really difficult. But without being able to express that fall scene, Rudo can’t exist for the rest of the series, because that was his point of origin.
When I sat down and watched the entire footage during the broadcast. From episode one, I really felt like this was where Gachiakuta wayes finally starting. And I really felt fulfilled watching it because it really moved me. It was a very touching moment, like, “This is where it all begins.”
Suganuma: The second half of anime fixes is always a battle against time. I felt a little hesitant, but I made a lot of very difficult requests of my staff, including a lot of corrections, and the staff really worked hard and helped me a lot on that front. So the fact that every episode aired on time was very gratifying. And I’m really grateful to all my staff for making it happen.
io9: One moment that resonated strongly with viewers was Amo’s story, especially the way the anime depicts his suffering and his heart-to-heart conversation with Rudo about their conflicting ideals. From your perspective, what did it mean to approach that scene with the sensitivity it required, and how did each of you ensure it was handled with the care it deserved?
Ichikawa: I noticed the emotional flow when reading the script and reading the manga. But I feel like Rudo and Amo’s hearts are not completely connected. They have one-sided emotions towards each other and it is not a proper dialogue. So I really felt like I shouldn’t resonate with this situation because I feel like I needed to cut off my emotions and resonance towards the scene as me, the person, the actor, because Rudo is not going to go through that.
Suganuma: Amo’s entire arc was pretty sensitive material. It’s my style, my policy, to do it a little bit naturally and not make it too sensational because the dialogue in those scenes really needs to be heard by the audience. Because what they say is very important. I didn’t want the images to obstruct what they were saying, so I made sure to do the stage production so that the dialogue stood out first.
io9: gachiakuta has a very specific tone and energy within the shonen space, thanks in large part to the series’ mix of graffiti and a hip-hop-influenced soundtrack, which has led to the show being celebrated online as a cultural exchange between Japan and Black culture in the United States through memes, fan art and cosplay. What does that mean to you as artists who helped bring this adaptation to life?
Ichikawa: I am very happy about this because we are enjoying the series together. And it is within the love for gachiakuta-whether it’s cosplay or fanart, whatever – everyone expresses their love and tries to build the community as a whole. So I’m actually very happy about that.
Suganuma: First of all, the same. I am very happy to see the reception. I wasn’t well versed in the area of graffiti and hip-hop. The fact that it was so widely accepted made me feel like I really needed to learn more about these cultures to be able to do even better.
io9: since gachiakutaThe magic system explores the emotional weight that objects can carry, which everyday item from your own life would be the most suitable “donor” object for you within the world of the anime?
Ichikawa: My gachiakuta The object would be my script. Because without him I wouldn’t be Rudo. That’s my world, so that has to be my object.
Suganuma: I would have to say manga because I really love reading manga. It even makes me think, “Imagine if I became a manga artist.” It’s probably because I love manga so much that I wanted to be able to step back and have a job that had something to do with it, but I can still enjoy it as a reader.
gachiakuta Season 2 is in production.
io9 is present at Anime Expo 2026. We’ll be bringing you updates on the biggest panels, screenings, and announcements, plus exclusive one-on-one interviews with the people behind some of the best and most popular anime out there. You can check out all of io9’s Anime Expo coverage here.
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