The anime industry is filled with diverse series, offering an array of fantastical settings that everyone can enjoy. While there is plenty to choose from, there’s no denying that one genre stands out the most: the shonen genre. The Japanese word means “young boy,” and as the name suggests, it is directed toward young audiences but not limited to, with male protagonists who often have grand ambitions. The morals of shonen series may vary, but their central theme can arguably be pinned to following one’s dreams. With such tropes, hundreds of shonen anime and manga follow this formula, presenting inspiring narratives. However, due to their abundance, it often feels like every shonen anime is doing the same thing.
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Even Demon Slayer, considered a new-generation shonen for breaking records, follows a familiar formula, despite its slightly different protagonist. This is perhaps why Crunchyroll’s new dark shonen anime, Gachiakuta, stands out from the rest. Although it belongs to the shonen genre, it feels completely different from the start. Kei Urana’s Gachiakuta, adapted into an anime by Bones and released this summer on Crunchyroll, has distinguished itself from its inception through a darker, more realistic approach that elevates it as a true new-gen shonen anime.
Crunchyroll’s Gachiakuta Breaks the Mold of Shonen Series
Gachiakuta begins by showcasing a sharp divide in society: the rich live on the shining surface while the poor struggle in the slum regions. The upper class also enforces justice, with the most severe punishment being casting the accused into the depths of the earth by pushing them off the edge of the world. The series introduces Rudo, a young boy falsely accused of killing his father, who suffers this fate. However, instead of dying, he discovers that another society exists beneath the surface. After witnessing how the people below live, Rudo adapts to their harsh reality and sets his ambition: to take revenge on those who falsely accused him and destroy the so-called elites of the upper world.
While most shonen protagonists have grand ambitions tied to saving the world or helping others, Rudo’s drive for revenge makes him stand out immediately. As the series progresses, more elements are introduced that further distinguish Gachiakuta and its protagonist, especially his unique powers. The supernatural element in Gachiakuta allows individuals to use objects closest to them. Items that others might consider trash.
Since Rudo believes every discarded object has value, he develops the ability to use various items in combat. This makes each of his battles feel fresh, as he can tap into new abilities and transformations with different objects. While these powers are impressive, what truly sets Rudo apart is his unwavering sense of justice and his willingness to go to any length for it, which is powerfully depicted in episode 12.
Titled “Something Like a Curse,” the episode shows Rudo, after breaking free from Amo’s binding spell, brutally beating her, despite her being a girl and unarmed, believing it to be the right form of justice. This may be the first shonen anime to feature a protagonist who mercilessly attacks a female opponent for her crimes after she has been captured. The episode reveals that Rudo has “something like a curse” within him that drives him to fight for what he believes is right without hesitation. While many traits make Rudo a unique protagonist, Gachiakuta’s other narrative elements further establish it as a truly distinct shonen series.
Gachiakuta Has Several Defining Elements of a New-Gen Shonen
Gachiakuta’s depiction of a society ruled by the rich mirrors our real world, and while many shonen anime have explored similar ideas, this series stands out by placing that theme in the foreground rather than the background. This makes Gachiakuta’s narrative feel surprisingly realistic, even within its fantastical setting. Following Rudo’s brutal beating of the unarmed Amo, Episode 14 delves into her past, revealing something terrifyingly real. The episode shows that Amo was a victim from childhood, sold by her mother to a man who, as she grew up, abused her both physically and sexually.
The fact that Gachiakuta doesn’t shy away from portraying such heavy and tragically real issues highlights the series’ remarkable depth. Amo’s realization of the abuse she endured is profoundly unsettling, reflecting how children, unaware of right and wrong, can be exploited by the monsters hiding behind human faces. No other shonen series has explored such intense and realistic themes at this level. For this reason alone, Gachiakuta stands out as a true new-gen shonen anime, proving that being “new” doesn’t mean avoiding dark or uncomfortable truths. With its second cour starting this fall, Crunchyroll’s Gachiakuta is set to grow even darker, and shonen fans should not miss it.
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Image courtesy of Lucasfilm.
