I heard about Gachiakuta because apparently Urana Kei was an assistant on Fire Force. This leaves Gachiakuta with big devils footprints to fill. Thankfully it lives up to the standard of Ookubos works.

The first 3 chapters are the strongest point of the manga. Right after Rudo is dropped into the abyss countless questions will rush through your head. Questions that will not be answered immediately, rather rudo first has to join a group and learn the combat system in and out. Obviously. Here the artwork of the manga really shines. Overtly stylized character designs rendered to be as ugly and unrecognizable as humanly possible. Despite a lack of backgrounds in most panels, there's too much visual noise on screen. Which brings up the next issue. Characters often speak as if to only explain the world to us, this shows especially with the first antagonists. The same antagonists then also do the MHA thing of running away through a handy portal, leaving you in anguish as you wait for them to show back up and still be as boring as this time.

Despite what I just said, worldbuilding and power wise Urana Kei had a great idea and I'm hoping to see this series improve. Just as it stands right now, I cannot in good faith recommend anyone read this story.

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EDIT: I have not changed my first impressions of this Manga whatsoever

I agree to all the below based on the original context and available means of properly digesting character depth and chemistry

I have very much enjoyed the anime, I'd put it around 7.8-8.2 currently ranging from its best and worst or simply a strong 8 trending positive

The anime, more specifically the directors and voices actors have addressed my major issues

Characters that seemed one faced stereotypes of the general 'edgy lunatic' without multi faceted reasons for existing. Now have had the time to breathe and allow their portrayals to provide more accessible range as a viewer

The pacing and spacing as well as the more cinematic focuses allow the world to now show you first and let it's interpretations. I feel like I'm now a fly on the wall to this world rather than being forcefully guided around without the time to form my own distinctions

For my experience of Gachiakuta to change this drastically really examplifies the amount of care and talent that has been brought to this adaptation. It's a privileged artistic journey and one of the reasons why I love these mediums so much. The vulnerability it takes to allow yourself to be the pedestal or magnifier of another's artistic vision is absolutely undervalued. Mixed unfiltered egos, executive or not, is often what ruins creative works in this industry. Not even budget constraints can truly dampen the potential of creation in this modern world. We have countless examples of small passionate teams excelling over large veteran entities.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I'm going to tell you not show you the Manga, almost impossible to feel immersion in a story that has no subtlety or nuance. You will feel like the characters are talking outside the 4th wall to you, not to their respective cast

100+ chapters and I feel no closer to the world or characters

Some of the art can be really cool but most of the time it's wayyy too visually noisy to read specific scenes or movements properly

And the characters are overtly wacky with caricatured emotions over and over, how many times do we have to see a manic 'This character is not mentally well and I only have one way to show it' smile

Hopefully the anime can clean up a lot of the issues in translation but I do think the premise has a lot of promise and the powersystem is certainly unique

Imbuing soul into items and giving a world around you meaning and life has a lot of room to create depth in form of symbolization, unfortunately nothing is ever really portrayed in that manner. Everything is at surface value

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