Gachiakuta, vol. 1 | Review

Gachiakuta, vol. 1
Story by Kei Urana, graffiti design by Hideyoshi Andou
Kodansha, published 1/16/24
Rating: Older Teen 16+

In a floating city, the elite live a glamorous life while the poor, or tribesmen as they are called, live off of their trash which has been cast off into the abyss. Rudo, a young boy, gathers the trash for cash, even turning some of it into treasure for those who would appreciate it the most. Rudo wants to be looked at as a person, not like vermin as the rich treat him. When he is framed for the murder of his foster father Regto, Rudo is exiled from the city, just like the trash he collects. Now filled with the desire to avenge this wrong and clear his name, Rudo finds himself having to fight monsters created from the trash the rich had discarded. Developing a new power, he joins a group called The Cleaners to fight these monsters and seek justice.

From start to finish, Gachiakuta (which literally means “serious trash/garbage” in Japanese) is a gritty, non-stop page turner with intrigue, violence, and realism. The classism shown within the story was on point, especially with regard to Rudo’s plight. All he wanted was to be cared for and treated like an equal. Rudo goes as far as to create a present for a girl he likes from the trash he had collected, knowing that she is of the elite and out of his league as society reminds him. When the one person he cares for is taken away and he’s blamed for it, the reader can feel the rage and disappointment Rudo feels. And when the girl he likes refuses to believe in his innocence, this proves to be the last straw for Rudo. The artwork was dark, sharp, and edgy which definitely reflects street art. Gachiakuta feels like a tame version of Dorohedoro, with an underground setting, yet exhibiting action that is a bit more toned down compared to the latter. The language within Gachiakuta might be much for younger readers, but it is not a severe issue that will diminish the reader’s experience. 

While the revenge story is not original, Gachiakuta can definitely hypnotize its readers with the tropes of classism and prejudice it explores. Rudo is a sympathetic character who is looked down upon and easily thrown away without care by the ruling elite. With volume one ending with a cliffhanger that kept me on edge, I look forward to seeing how Rudo achieves justice for himself while the odds are (at times, literally) stacked against him.

Filed under: Graphic Novels, Manga, Reviews, Young Adult