Definitely not a guy you want to face in hand-to-hand combat.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Gachiakuta<\/em> is a funny one. By most measures it\u2019s a hit. And the anime is doing very well \u2013 hopefully well enough for more seasons. Volume sales have basically doubled off pre-anime numbers (though those were down substantially from their peak). And for the first time last week the series cracked the Oricon top 10 in total volumes sold. Even the TV ratings are good. But it\u2019s not a kaijuu \u2013 something I always felt it had the potential to be, even as a manga. It\u2019s not obvious to me what the manga lacks \u2013 apart from not being in Jump<\/em> \u2013 that it needs to be a titan. And the anime adaptation has been outstanding on every level.<\/p>\n<\/a>It\u2019s a funny business, this whole kaijuu thing. One can claim to understand why one series makes it and anther doesn\u2019t, or why something like Kimetsu<\/em> or JJK<\/em> transcend mere kaijuu and become historical commercial phenomenons. If you ask me, Gachiakuta<\/em> ticks every box. It\u2019s very good for starters (not\u00a0 a requirement, but it helps). It has a definite cool factor. It\u2019s full of epic moments and iconic imagery, with a cast full of memorable oddballs and a cool power system. But it\u2019s not a monster \u2013 just a very popular series with a cadre of loyal fans. It\u2019s one of those things you just have to accept that you\u2019ll never really know.<\/p>\n<\/a>What I do know is this \u2013 Bundus is an extremely cool dude and a bro. I like the Raiders as antagonists generally, because they\u2019re not moustache-twirling villains but interesting individuals with their own quirks (no, not those). But Bundus is my favorite, because he has such a fascinating conversational bent. He\u2019s a watcher, a thinker, a measured and patient man. But he\u2019s also a badass, and his restrained approach to the Santa squad has meant he hasn\u2019t had much of a chance to show that yet. But it changes now, with events coming to a head and the mega-trash beast coming to the border.<\/p>\n<\/a>Enjin is also very much a bro. And his remarkable ability as a \u201cglue guy\u201d is on display here, as he breaks on through to the other side and manages to bring the Cleaners together at the core of the beast. That he located it on a \u201chunch\u201d comes as rather a shock to Bundus \u2013 hunches are not his style. But irrespective, he\u2019s shown the way and soon the Santas and Riyo (dragging Zanka with her) join the party. This is where the rubber meets the road \u2013 the beast is closing in, the core is so close Rudo can see it<\/a>, and most of the major players have gathered.<\/p>\n<\/a>That Bundus \u2013 the oldest guy in the room \u2013 is a self-described \u201cnewbie\u201d Raider comes as quite a surprise to Enjin. But it\u2019s very obvious that he \u2013 probably for survival reasons \u2013 needs to make an impression on the boss. And this is his moment. Bundus\u2019 jinki is \u201cHands\u201d, as we know. But his talent is his brain. He\u2019s sussed out at a glance more or less what each of the still-standing Cleaners\u2019 capabilities are. And he tailors his hands to purpose \u2013 the right tool for every job. His hands have been increasing as he\u2019s gotten older, each one reflecting a different mindset and a different phase of life. And despite the array of powerful foes facing him, Bundus stymies attempts to reach and destroy the core.<\/p>\n<\/a>It\u2019s Rudo who will prove the biggest threat. And Bundus quickly realizes this \u2013 the boy is reckless and impulsive. And \u201cit\u2019s hard to stop an idiot from doing what they want\u201d. Rudo does something instinctively he\u2019s never done before. He applies his power, usually split over three items, to a single one (a nail gun). He pours everything into it, and Enjin realizes that it will leave him down for the count no matter the result.\u00a0 And his massive outpouring of power is enough to finally overwhelm Bundus, though he misses the target in the end.<\/p>\n<\/a>Rudo, sentimentalist that he is, is moved by Bundus\u2019 loss of his precious hands<\/a>. But he needn\u2019t have worried \u2013 Bundus can rebuild them (and will). And he made the impression on Zodyl that he needed to make. In fact Zodyl has a surprise in store \u2013 he never intended to cross over the border himself. This was all about using the Cleaners as test subjects to see if it could be done without dying, as the legends say will happen. So he and his team will use Cthoni\u2019s portals to bug out for the dugout and see what happens to their guests. But for good measure there\u2019s one more newbie on the scene \u2013 Noerde \u2013 to make their life difficult. And if she\u2019s seriously pissed at Riyo<\/a>, well \u2013 can you blame her?<\/p>\n