New Crunchyroll Shonen Anime Just Lost Its Huge Potential to Stand Out

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The new anime series, Gachiakuta, which is currently streaming on Crunchyroll, has quickly become a fan favorite. However, a recent storyline could have really made it special, but instead, it fell back on a common anime cliché. Gachiakuta has been surprisingly dark for a shonen series, which initially felt refreshing. What really sets it apart, though, is the main character, Rudo. Unlike most anime heroes with big dreams, Rudo is driven by a very personal quest: to get revenge on those who have hurt him.

Rudo stood out because of certain qualities, particularly his willingness to violently attack an unarmed girl – a move that established him as a character motivated by revenge, which was a fresh take for the shonen genre. This hinted that the story, Gachiakuta, might avoid a common shonen trope: the hero putting their friends’ needs before their own ambitions. Unfortunately, the story eventually fell into that same pattern, ultimately making Rudo conform to the expected archetype.

Newest Shonen Series on Crunchyroll Succumbs to a Classic Shonen Trope After Coming So Far

I’m a huge fan of shonen series, and one thing you always see is a hero with incredible determination – they’ll do anything to achieve their dreams, and they’re always fiercely loyal. It’s a formula that usually works really well! But what I found so interesting about Gachiakuta is that it flipped that trope on its head a little. The main character, Rudo, is driven by revenge, and he’s already shown he’s willing to go to some pretty dark places to get it. So, when the villains, these guys called the Raiders, offered him a direct path to his revenge – a place called the Sphere – it actually made sense that he’d seriously consider joining them, even if it meant turning his back on his friends. It felt like a really bold move for the story!

Taking this path would have made Rudo stand out from typical shonen heroes. But instead of joining the villains – even though it could have helped him get revenge – Rudo chooses to stay with his friends, who he now considers family. While there’s nothing wrong with Rudo becoming a classic inspiring hero, it goes against everything the story had established about his character.

Rudo’s story centers around revenge, a common theme where characters often go to great lengths – like Ellie in The Last of Us Part II. These stories usually show how revenge is harmful, especially to those the protagonist cares about. However, Gachiakuta doesn’t fully explore this idea because Rudo hasn’t experienced a major personal loss that fuels his quest. Even more importantly, the series doesn’t delve deeply enough into Rudo’s inner darkness, missing an opportunity to create a truly unique shonen story with a revenge-driven character who challenges typical genre conventions.

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2025-11-25 04:40