Studio BONES held a panel on July 4th, 2024 at Anime Expo. Hosted by Joey Bizinger (aka The Anime Man), fans got to hear about the upcoming anime adaptation of Gachiakuta. The panel featured Naoki Amano (Producer from BONES), Megumu Tsuchiya (Editor from Kodansha), and Hirotsugu Ogo (Producer from Avex). The collaboration between Kodansha, BONES, and Avex has brought the unique and captivating world of Gachiakuta to life, promising fans an extraordinary experience.

The panelists began by reflecting on their previous collaboration on Noragami and shared their enthusiasm for reuniting after a decade. Producer Hirotsugu Ogo recounted that the meticulous effort and time invested in Noragami was worth it in the end. The smooth production process and the joy of working together again set a positive tone for Gachiakuta.

Editor Megumu Tsuchiya highlighted the distinctive graffiti art style of Gachiakuta, praising the manga’s exceptional art designs and graffiti. He also noted that the powerful dialogue complements the striking visuals, creating a compelling narrative.

Producer Naoki Amano elaborated on the origins of the blend of graffiti and art, noting that the creator of Gachiakuta, Kei Urana first debuted in 2018 by winning an award. Her sense of design and artwork outshined the competition. When she was offered a serialization of her own, she asked her friend, graffiti artist Hideyoshi Andou, to collaborate. The duo resonated on many levels leading to a shared desire to create something new. 

Unfortunately due to their busy schedule, Kei Urana and Hideyoshi Andou could not make it to Anime Expo; however, they did make a special video for the panel. In the video, Urana noted she took good care of her personal belongings and had never seen a series about trash and decided to incorporate them as a theme in the story. Urana also projected her personal experiences onto the main character, Rudo. Urana noted she listened to intense music while drawing. Andou interjected that she would frequently stand up and start dancing while drawing. They expressed the pressure and excitement of working with BONES, which is Urana’s favorite studio. Both artists closely oversee the anime designs and storyboards and often include details that may not have appeared in the manga.

Ogo noted he was impressed by Urana's art style and was eager to see it animated even before the first volume was released. Amano shared that when the same team that worked on Noragami assembled, they knew Gachiakuta was a series where BONES could truly showcase their skills. The detailed visuals such as rough facial expressions and action-packed sequences would present a challenge to animate, but also an opportunity to create something spectacular. He also added he knew a female co-worker who became a fan of the series which led him to conclude that this would appeal to a wide audience.

To manage the complexity of animating the unique art style, the team decided to use 3D backgrounds, allowing animators to focus on character movements. Amano also mentioned they were a little worried about the director, Fumihiko Suganuma, due to the genre of series he’s worked on in the past, such as The First Slam Dunk movie; however, their concerns were alleviated after he saw the outstanding storyboards. Regarding the character designs, they are confident in the character designer Satoshi Ishin’s abilities to stay faithful to the series due to his past experiences designing characters in a vast range of styles.

The panelists are optimistic about the series' potential impact worldwide. They thought that action was a requirement for a series to succeed overseas, something that BONES excels at. Despite being in the early stages of trial and error, they are committed to creating something fans will love. An overseas promotion team was created to ensure the series leaves an impact globally.

Gachiakuta is shaping up to be an interesting series with its unique art style, compelling story, and the collaborative efforts of a passionate team. Fans can look forward to an anime that not only captures the essence of the original manga, but also transforms it into a fantastic visual experience.

Fans can look forward to seeing the series in 2025.

Here is a short message after the panel from Producer Naoki Amano and Editor Megumu Tsuchiya.