If Gachiakuta Becomes the Next Shonen Hit, We Won’t Complain

Shonen is one of the most popular kinds of manga out there, and of course, the fandom is always looking for the next big hit. For years now, the scene has been dominated by giants like My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen, but those series are wrapping at last. With titles like Mission: Yoazakura Family in their final stretch, the hunt for the next shonen hit is on, and we wouldn’t complain one bit if Gachiakuta manages to take a top spot.

For those unfamiliar with the series, let’s break it down for you. The manga is published by Kodansha which readers know from Attack on Titan, Blue Lock, and also Fire Force. Back in February 2022, Gachiakuta came to life under creator Kei Urana, and it has been building a faithful fandom ever since. The dark fantasy has the art and action to back to appease any shonen fan, and soon, all eyes will be on Gachiakuta thanks to Studio Bones.

After all, the studio has already announced its plans to adapt Gachiakuta into an anime. Bones, which oversees series like My Hero Academia, is no stranger to success. With hits like Bungo Stray Dogs under thumb, Studio Bones has been in charge of several anime mega-hits, and Gachiakuta will soon join those ranks. The anime is slated to drop in 2025, and this release date puts Gachiakuta in the perfect spot for fans.

With so many shonen stapes ending, the industry’s noise level is lessening, and the hunt for a new hit is pushing fans in all sorts of directions. So far, a number of those fans have found themselves as Gachiakuta‘s feet. From Amazon to My Anime List, the reviews for Gachiakuta are nothing less than impressive, and this success all pre-dates its anime premiere.

“Weekly Shonen Magazine has a heater on its hands, really, this manga is absolute gas,” Spoopy_Tutu, a fan on MAL shared in their review of Gachiakuta. “Coming from the successor to genius mangaka Atsushi Ohkubo, Gachi Akuta bashes its way into Weekly Shonen Magazine‘s pages, with its incredible world building, loveable characters, and insane potential.”

Filled with homages to shonen’s best fantasy titles, Gachiakuta is a dark daydream that will have fans begging for more. If you want to check out the manga ahead of its anime launch, Kodansha has the series available in print and on its K Manga app. So for more info on Urana’s series, you can read the official synopsis for Gachiakuta below:

“Rudo lives in the slums of a floating town, where the poor scrape by under the shadow of the rich who live a sumptuous life, simply casting their garbage off the side, into the abyss. Then one day, he’s falsely accused of murder, and his wrongful conviction leads to an unimaginable punishment–exile off the edge, with the rest of the trash. Down on the surface, the cast-off waste of humanity has bred vicious monsters, and if Rudo wants to have any hope of discovering the truth and seeking vengeance, he will have to master a new power and join a group known as “The Cleaners” who battle the hulking trash beasts of the Pit!”

What do you make of Gachiakuta? Do you feel the manga has what it takes to the lead the next era of shonen? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!