Kei Urana and Hideyoshi Andou caused a furor among Gachiakuta fans at the Italian convention Lucca Comics & Games last year. The combination of Urana-san’s illustrations and Andou-san’s graffiti designs is a novelty in the manga industry that keeps catching the eye of new readers every month.
After our preview interview with both creators at Anime Expo 2025, we were part of their first press conference in Europe. They shared their inspirations and thoughts about Gachiakuta, and how their collaboration came to be.
Portions of this interview have been lightly edited for clarity. This interview was conducted with the assistance of an interpreter.
Q: In a recent interview, Urana-san revealed that the story for Gachiakuta came to her after her favorite pen broke. Is that true?
Urana-san: Yes, it’s true. When I was very young, in elementary school, my pen broke, and I felt it “intrinsically.” I was very sad. I thought the protagonist of my story should be someone who gives importance to things.
Q: Urana-san, what inspired your unique character design? For Andou-san, what did you think when you first saw them?
Urana-san: I start with the character’s silhouette. I have many thoughts on clothing and styles that can be utilized. It’s hard to explain, but I love designing their outfits.
Andou-san: I’ve always loved her style. I respect it immensely. She is the type of artist who studies culture and characters deeply, whereas I am more spontaneous—I just let things explode. We have a lot of mutual respect.
Q: Do you start creating the character and then choose the object, or vice versa?
Urana-san: Usually, I choose the weapon first and then think about what kind of character would be suitable for that specific weapon.
Q: Rudo is not a classic hero. He’s impulsive, yet deeply human, with many weaknesses. In what way do you think Rudo represents the evolution of the contemporary hero?
Urana-san: My idea is that he isn’t that different from the heroes of the past. If a character gets angry or is imperfect, it is vital to show their growth. Starting from that, anger and imperfection allow the reader to see how he learns and matures as the story progresses.
Q: Rudo is also attached to objects, even though the work is very punk. Are you particularly attached to a specific object?
Urana-san: I place great importance on things; I don’t usually throw them away. When I was a girl, an acquaintance gave me a keychain. I was particularly attached to it and always kept it with me. That object reminded me of that person’s reaction and the situation in which it was given to me. The object represented not just its own value, but the occasion and the person it came from.
Andou-san: I’ve had many meaningful encounters through objects as well. When there is something I desire to obtain, I take care of it for a very long time.
Q: I wanted to ask about the inspiration for the name “Rudo.” In some Italian dialects, the term “Rudo” means “trash/rubbish.”
Urana-san: That is a very interesting fact! I didn’t know that.
Q: What strikes me about Gachiakuta is the union between Urana-san’s drawings and Andou-san’s graffiti. How did this collaboration start, and how did you decide to intersect the drawings with graffiti?
Urana-san: We come from two different worlds. Normally, we wouldn’t work together—I am a manga artist, and he is a graffiti artist. We decided to collaborate because of these different sectors. After meeting several times and talking, I realized graffiti would be a perfect fit because it was something new; nothing like this had been done before. It took some time and several meetings to make it happen.
Q: Graffiti is often studied as “temporary architecture” because it is outdoors and subject to the elements or demolition. How does it feel to know your graffiti is now on a medium like manga, which is virtually eternal and reproducible?
Andou-san: I didn’t necessarily set out with the goal of creating something “immersive” in that specific way. I just draw what I like. I don’t really have specific advice for new artists other than to follow your imagination.
Q: How is graffiti culture viewed in Japan? In Italy, it isn’t always seen in a positive light by the general population.
Andou-san: It’s a bit sad, but in Japan, there’s a distinction made between those who want to promote this as art and those who just do it on the streets. People’s views change when you put it on paper as a drawing.
Q: Who are your favorite characters?
Urana-san: The ones I like most are Enjin and Zanka.
Andou-san: For me, it’s Semiu and Enjin.
We want to extend our thanks to Lucca Comics & Games staff and both authors for their participation in the convention. We hope to see them again in Europe to talk about Gachiakuta.
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