What would you do if you lived in a landfill or a world made entirely of trash? This setting is just one of the unique elements of Gachiakuta. The story follows Rudo, a young boy who is falsely accused of killing his adoptive father and is sent to an area filled with nothing but trash. There, he awakens his power, called a Vital Instrument, and meets inhabitants who call themselves Cleaners. Rudo joins the Cleaners, hoping to find a way to avenge his father. Based on Kei Urana’s original manga series, Gachiakuta introduces a whole new world with an engaging plot and lovable characters. With Season 2 on the horizon, fans are even more excited to see what’s in store for Gachiakuta.
At Anime Expo 2026, Anime Trending got the opportunity to speak with director Fumihiko Suganuma and Aoi Ichikawa, the voice of Rudo, before the Gachiakuta panel to talk about their experience in bringing Rudo and the world of Gachiakuta to life in Season 1.
This interview was conducted via an interpreter and has been edited for clarity.
When we first meet Rudo, he is deeply closed off and introverted because of how badly he was treated, but there are times when he expresses his intense emotions. As the season progresses, he gradually opens up to the Cleaners, and we see more of that intensity. How did you change your approach to voicing Rudo as he underwent this change?
Aoi Ichikawa: While I was acting as Rudo, I think that the change was not really self-control but interactions with the other Cleaners like Enjin, Zanka, and Riyo. It’s the interactions that draw the more intense emotions out of him. After all, it’s the conversations that change people. I believe that as the episodes progressed, Rudo grew through communication. It was not so much part of my acting plan that I thought out, but more of the dialogue and interactions I had during the recording sessions with fellow voice actors that actually drew out his emotions.
Gachiakuta features a unique setting and look. What was the process of visualizing and finalizing its world of trash like?
Fumihiko Suganuma: I would say I reference real life as part of getting a worldview through actual trash piles and landfills, such as the Dream Island in Japan, which is an actual landfill. We really wanted to assemble reality in this fictional world. We also wanted the trash that was thrown away to be somewhat current so that it has a real-life feel, and to make it from various nations and not just one country to create a multinational worldview. There’s also another idea behind the trash, but it’s a heavy spoiler, so I can’t really say it right now. I’ll just leave it at that.
Are there any scenes from Season 1 or performance moments that you are most proud of right now?
Aoi Ichikawa: That’s a really hard question, but in terms of how much effort I put in, I would have to say the scene where Rudo is falling down in Episode 1 because that’s where the story begins, and it’s the peak of Rudo’s anger. If I couldn’t make the acting work in that one scene, I sure as hell wouldn’t have been able to keep the motivation for Rudo throughout the series. I really put a lot of effort into it, and I’m really proud of my performance in that scene.
Now that the second season has been announced and is in production, what lessons/experiences are you keeping in mind from Season 1 as you work on Season 2?
Fumihiko Suganuma: Season 1 was my directorial debut, and I’m not good with words to begin with, so I was terrible at explaining things. I believe the biggest takeaway from Season 1 was to put things into words and explain them. During my career as an animator, I could draw things to explain, but as a director, now I need to use words and not pictures to explain things. That was the biggest learning curve for me.
I also realized I really need to compliment my staff and say, “You guys did a good job!” when they do a good job. Because when I get footage back from my animators, and it’s really good, I just watch it and think, “Wow.” So I really need to work on telling them and complimenting them that they’re doing a good job.
How does it feel to see Gachiakuta fans overseas supporting the series?
Aoi Ichikawa: I was really happy. Director?
Fumihiko Suganuma: I still haven’t seen them yet.
Aoi Ichikawa: That’s right, you haven’t seen them yet. For me, last year I got to go to Germany and Malaysia as part of events like Anime Expo. I got to see fans firsthand, and I felt that the love for Gachiakuta is global and not just in Japan. Feeling the fans’ passion firsthand was really a good thing. They all have their favorite characters, they all love the series, and they’re willing to raise their voices, smile, and come meet us at panels and various other sessions. The love for the series isn’t just in Japan. I could really feel that love, and it was great.
What are you most excited for the viewers to see when they watch the next season?
Fumihiko Suganuma: I am sure that the big, flashy battle scenes will catch everyone’s eye, but we’re really putting effort into character depiction and adding a lot of detail to the character enrichment. As you watch along, there are a lot of moments of revelation where the viewer might go, “Oh, so that’s what that was about.” I feel like nothing is super clear-cut about the series, so I hope you guys look for the details and enjoy all the small things that were put into it.
Aoi Ichikawa: I want to deliver Gachiakuta to the fans who love it, and I want everyone to watch it with even more passion than they brought to the first season. I can say this about all of Season 1 — the music, the visuals, the graffiti, everything about this series is done with real care, and every single staff member and cast member absolutely loves it and is passionate about delivering it to the fans who love it too. We want to make Season 2 with passion that goes beyond the first episode and to support each other at an even higher level. I really want the fans to be even more passionate for Season 2 than they were for Season 1. The staff and cast are definitely more passionate about Season 2, and we want to deliver that passion to everyone. I hope you all enjoy it.
Questions submitted by Gerrymelyn Casupang, James Mizutani, and Melvyn Tan. Interview conducted by Gerrymelyn Casupang.
Gachiakuta Season 1 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
