The hottest shonen anime airing on Crunchyroll this year, since the summer, has unfortunately been altered with censorship, which is toning down the series’ dark tone and underselling its impact. Censorship is an element that is inevitable for some anime, especially shonen titles directed toward younger audiences. While there is nothing wrong with adding some censorship, it makes little sense for an outstanding anime like Gachiakuta, a series that has been breaking genre tropes since it began, to be aligned with such restrictions. Gachiakuta Episode 20, titled “Ensign,” unfortunately features censorship that undersells an iconic moment from the manga.
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In the manga, when Rudo realises that he prioritises his friends over his main goal and refuses to go with the villains, he shows his middle finger as a gesture of rejection. However, in the anime, this is replaced with Rudo giving a thumbs down to the Raiders as he declines their offer. Fans of the manga who have followed Rudo’s journey were excited to see this moment, as it is significant for the main character. While it is understandable that the studio had to censor the gesture, it ultimately ruins the moment and undermines his character.
Crunchyroll’s Gachiakuta Censorship Ruins a Crucial Moment
Fans on the internet are furious about the change; however, they also acknowledge why it was inevitable. Given that Gachiakuta is a shonen series, it is directed toward a younger audience, and more importantly, its broadcast time is 8 p.m. on Sundays, a slot when children are likely watching TV with their families. Thus, censorship was unavoidable, as the source material contains several such elements. Still, fans’ frustration is understandable. Part of what makes Gachiakuta stand out as a shonen anime is its ability to capture the raw and brutal aspects of its world.
Rudo, the series’ main character, embodies these darker elements, as he consistently defies conventional shonen tropes and emerges as a unique figure within the genre. The moment when Rudo flips the bird, as depicted in the manga, carries raw, rebellious emotion that simply cannot be matched by a thumbs-down gesture.
Even so, fans are understanding of why the studio had to make this change, and they are accepting the censorship because the anime has been beautifully animated and has become one of Crunchyroll’s best series this year, even ranking as the platform’s top anime of Summer 2025. For anime like Gachiakuta to remain uncensored without losing authenticity, they would need appropriate age ratings and broadcast slots. Realistically, however, this is unlikely, as anime have been censored for decades due to TV regulations, and the only way around it is for a series to be adult-rated and aired outside traditional TV.
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