The Creators of Gachiakuta on a European Tour: Exclusive Statements from Kei Urana and Hideyoshi Andou
Kei Urana, the creator of Gachiakuta, one of the most unique works in the manga world in recent years, and graffiti artist Hideyoshi Andou, who plays a major role in the series' visual identity, met with fans at Lucca Comics & Games 2025, one of Europe's largest pop culture festivals. At the press conference held during the event in the historic Italian city of Lucca, the duo explained how they constructed the series' dark fantasy world and the behind-the-scenes story of the rare graffiti collaboration in manga. The festival, held from October 29 to November 2, once again proved the series' international rise.
Kei Urana revealed at the press conference that the core idea of Gachiakuta was based on an emotional moment from her childhood. Stating that the deep sadness she felt when her favorite pen broke in elementary school gave birth to the concept of Anima—the idea of imbuing objects with emotion and soul—Urana said, "I realized at that moment that the protagonist of my story had to be someone who values objects." Having worked as an assistant to Atsushi Ohkubo, the creator of legendary series like Soul Eater and Fire Force, Urana began her own journey in Weekly Shonen Magazine in 2022 after her mentor described her as "my successor who has already surpassed me."
One of the biggest features that distinguishes the series from other shonen manga, the graffiti designs, come to life with Hideyoshi Andou's touch. Regarding the integration of street art into manga, Andou stated, "In Japan, graffiti is usually seen as an act on the street, but when we turn it into an art form on paper, people's perspectives change." The duo mentioned that they choose the weapon first and then design the character suitable for that weapon, discussing their meticulous work in the creation process of favorite characters like Enjin and Zanka.
The success of Gachiakuta was not limited to manga pages; the anime adaptation produced by Studio Bones became a major hit after meeting audiences in July 2025. Directed by Fumihiko Suganuma with a screenplay by Hiroshi Seko, the anime successfully brought Urana's stylized drawings and Andou's dynamic graffiti designs to the screen. The fact that a second season has already been confirmed following the intense interest after the first season shows that the series will remain at the top of the anime world in the coming years. Fans are now eagerly awaiting the next stage of Rudo's quest for justice in the depths of the abyss.
