Gachiakuta Episode 16 Is Pure Shonen Fun

Not every anime episode needs to land a huge plot twist or a deep thematic meditation. Sometimes a show can just spend twenty minutes being a blast, and that is exactly what Gachiakuta Episode 16 does.

As the Cleaners and the Raiders keep up their underground brawl, Studio Bones gets to flex its talent for big, visually rich spectacle. Before we get there, the episode does the usual shonen action shuffle of checking back in on fights that have only just started. This week we meet Bro and Dear, the latter being a ten year old with a pacifier, as they square up.

The standout, though, is the clash that follows. There is a lovely late title card drop right after Zanka’s charming little monologue about how exhausting it is to deal with naturally gifted people who know exactly how gifted they are. Bones is clearly enjoying animating Jabber and his absurdly oversized claws.

What makes the fight sing is how the animation serves the characters as much as the choreography, and the choreography is excellent on its own. A fairly plain setting is turned into an asset, with Zanka vaulting and spinning around with his trusty Big Stick while Jabber’s menace gets dialed up by some fantastic storyboarding.

By the time the credits rolled, I was genuinely on the edge of my seat, which is rare for me with individual battles involving supporting characters. Even though I am fairly sure Zanka is not actually done for, the suspense still landed. I just want him back on his feet to wipe the grin off Jabber’s face. Gachiakuta is streaming on Crunchyroll.

My take: Gachiakuta keeps proving that a confident, well animated fight can be just as satisfying as any big story beat. This was a joy to watch, and I cannot wait for the next round.