Gachiakuta Episode 10 Recap, “Penta: The Desert No Man's Land”

Based on the manga by Kei Urana and graffiti artist Hideyoshi Andou, Gachiakuta is the story of Rudo, a boy from the slums of an idyllic floating city known as the Sphere. Framed for a crime he didn’t commit and tossed into the rancid garbage pit far below the Sphere, Rudo will do whatever it takes to survive in the hellish depths so he can take revenge on the people who sent him there.

Let’s talk about everything that happened in the fourth episode of Gachiakuta! Afterward, be sure to check out The Anime Effect for the Gachiakuta After Show Podcast!

Warning: Full details for Gachiakuta below. Seriously, spoilers ahead!

Remlin, the new spellcaster of Canvas Town, finally has a moment to draw a spell on Rudo and the other Cleaners. The person he’s casting on must give their consent, Remlin tells Rudo. Spellcasters sneak in meaning by adding playful elements and whimsy to their art, he continues. When Remlin summons his vital instrument, it’s now in the form of a tattoo machine, to Enjin’s surprise. But they don’t need tattoos, just painted lines. Remlin draws a temporary protection against one major hit on Rudo’s back.

Remlin finishes the spell on all nine Cleaners. As the mayor and the exhausted spellcaster walk the team back to the entrance, the shady men blocked from entering Canvas Town begin shouting. They deserve the pen more than a boy does, they insist. The Mayor yells right back and the men scurry away. The Cleaners wish the two well and depart for their headquarters.

Before they make it to Cleaner HQ, Enjin tells Rudo that they have a treat in store for him. Enjin takes him to a cache of trashed small appliances, which feels like a mountain of treasure to the young Cleaner. Rudo’s allowed to take a few items with him to use with his vital instrument. He can barely hold back his excitement as he sifts through the pile of well-used objects. A television at the top of the pile flickers to life and shows an image of a man wearing the same gloves as Rudo. The Cleaners don’t notice.

Back at headquarters, the overexcited artist August shouts with joy that Rudo’s full-face mask is done. He tells Rudo that he got his exact measurements by sneaking into his room while he was sleeping. Rudo is freaked out, but Riyo’s impressed. Eisha, the shy healer, runs up to August and tells him quietly that he’s causing trouble. She’s his little sister!

As the Cleaners team gets ready to head out on their mission, Enjin tells Rudo to hold out his new choker. Each Cleaner draws blood from their own thumb and places a drop on the choker, to Rudo’s shock. It’s what allows them to communicate through the device. Finally, the team is ready to venture into the No Man’s Land (known as Penta) to find the woman who’s witnessed travelers moving between the Ground and the Sphere. The junk treasures Rudo picked out clank in the back of the truck as it speeds toward their destination.

The red dunes of the Penta desert aren’t made of sand, but of garbage that’s worn down into dust. The trash beasts arrive practically the same moment as the Cleaners step out of the truck. Rudo, wearing his new face mask and oxygen mask, rushes out to meet them.

Elsewhere, the Raiders boss tells Jabber and CthoniOpens in a new tab that the other user of the Watchman-series vital instrument is in Penta. They’ll see him when they get there, he says.

Supporter Tomme takes notes documenting the trash beasts while the battle rages around her. There are quite a few of the scorpion-like monsters, but it’s nothing the Givers can’t handle. Rudo activates the Anima in an old computer keyboard and uses it to take one out himself. Delmon loudly congratulates Rudo on a job well done. He suddenly stops talking as he sees a figure approaching through the desert duststorm.

A young girl wearing oversized boots – and no mask – approaches the Cleaners. Soft-spoken, she asks the group if they’ve come to visit Amo. Zanka thinks it’s too easy if they found who they were looking for so quickly. Riyo asks her bluntly if she’s the one who’s seen travelers come and go, and the girl says she is. She invites them inside to talk away from the polluted air. Enjin says confidently that they’ll all go, and he’ll be the one to take her on if it turns into a fight.

A glimpse into the future reveals Enjin collapsing on the floor, drool pouring from his mouth. The girl watches with a sly smile…

Who is Amo? And what just happened to Enjin?! Find out by watching Gachiakuta right here on Crunchyroll!