Episode 3: Joining the Cleaners
Air Date: July 20, 2025
Episode Summary
The rusted gates creak open, and Rudo takes his first steps into a world he never knew existed within The Pit. Hidden away in the garbage mountains lies the Cleaners' base—a fortress of salvaged steel and flickering lights, where warriors forge weapons from waste and battle monsters with nothing but their will and their Vital Instruments.
Gachiakuta Anime Episode 3 marks Rudo's official entry into this hidden society. Here, he'll meet the teammates who will fight beside him, challenge him, and eventually become his new family. But first, he must prove he deserves to stand among them.
Detailed Plot Analysis
A Hidden World
Enjin leads Rudo through a maze of garbage tunnels until they emerge into an enormous underground chamber. The Cleaners' base is a marvel of improvised engineering—shipping containers stacked into dormitories, a forge where craftsmen repair and maintain Vital Instruments, a command center with maps marking Trash Beast territories. "Welcome home," Enjin says simply.
Rudo stands frozen, overwhelmed. He'd imagined surviving in The Pit as a lonely, desperate struggle. But here's an entire community—dozens of people living, working, and fighting together. "How..." he starts, but the words die in his throat. "The Sphere threw us away," Enjin answers the unasked question. "But we built something for ourselves. Something they can never take."
Meeting the Team
"So this is the rookie?" The voice cuts through the air like a blade. Zanka Nijiku steps forward, her silver hair catching the light as she looks Rudo up and down with obvious skepticism. Her posture is perfect, her gaze calculating—everything about her screams military precision. "He barely survived one Trash Beast. You think he can handle what we face?"
Before Enjin can respond, another figure appears—a young woman with a warm smile that seems impossibly out of place in this grimy underworld. "Don't mind Zanka, she's just grumpy because Enjin didn't ask her opinion first." Riyo Reaper grabs Rudo's hand and shakes it enthusiastically. "I'm Riyo! Welcome to Team Akuta! I'll show you around—we've got spare blankets, and the food isn't as bad as it looks, I promise!" Her cheerfulness is infectious, though Rudo notices something in her eyes—a sharpness that suggests her bubbly exterior might not be the whole story.
The Cleaners' Purpose
That evening, Enjin gathers the team to formally explain their mission. "The Pit isn't just a garbage dump. It's an ecosystem—a hostile one. Trash Beasts breed in the waste, growing larger and more dangerous. If left unchecked, they'd overrun every settlement down here." He spreads a worn map on the table, marked with territories and danger zones. "We're the first line of defense. We clear the major routes, protect the communities, and investigate anything unusual."
"And the death rate?" Rudo asks quietly. Zanka answers without looking at him: "High enough that we're always recruiting." The silence that follows is heavy. Then Riyo breaks it with a gentle smile: "But that's also why we fight. Everyone down here was thrown away by The Sphere. We fight so they can have a chance to live—to prove they still have value." Regto's words echo in Rudo's mind, and he feels something shift inside him.
The Initiation Test
"You don't get to wear our insignia without proving yourself." Zanka leads Rudo to a training arena carved from compacted garbage. "Create a stable Vital Instrument. Hold it for sixty seconds. That's the minimum requirement for any Cleaner." She crosses her arms, skepticism written across her face. "Given your performance record, I don't expect you to pass."
Rudo grips a piece of scrap metal, focusing all his concentration. His 3R gloves flicker... and the metal shatters in his hands after barely five seconds. Again. Seven seconds. Again. Twelve seconds, then disintegration. Sweat pours down his face as failure after failure mounts. Zanka watches impassively. "As I expected. Raw power without control is—"
She moves faster than Rudo can track, her Lovely Assistaff materializing in her hands as she sweeps toward his head. Pure instinct takes over. In a heartbeat, Rudo creates a crude sword and blocks her strike—the weapons clash with a shower of sparks. They stand frozen for one second. Five seconds. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. Zanka slowly lowers her staff, and Rudo realizes his Vital Instrument is still holding. "Sixty-three seconds," she says flatly. Enjin claps from the sidelines: "I told you, Zanka. He fights best when it's real." Zanka's expression doesn't change, but she offers the smallest of nods. "Welcome to Team Akuta, rookie. Try not to die."
New Characters
Zanka Nijiku - The Perfectionist
Zanka emerges as Team Akuta's tactical genius and harshest critic. Her noble background and Hell Guard training have made her expect nothing less than perfection—from herself and everyone around her. Her Vital Instrument, the Lovely Assistaff, reflects her elegant yet deadly combat style. While she seems cold toward Rudo, her willingness to test him personally hints that she might see potential worth developing.
Riyo Reaper - The Heart
Riyo brings warmth and light to the grim world of The Pit. Her cheerful personality makes her the emotional center of Team Akuta, always ready with a kind word or an infectious laugh. But glimpses of her fighting with The Ripper—a pair of massive scissors—reveal the deadly assassin hiding beneath her sunny exterior. What tragedy forged this contradiction?
Key Moments
🏠 Welcome to the Fortress
The Cleaners' incredible hidden base reveals that The Pit has its own thriving society
👥 Cold Welcome, Warm Heart
Zanka's skepticism and Riyo's warmth create contrasting first impressions
⚔️ Trial by Combat
Zanka's surprise attack proves Rudo's potential—he can only create stable Vital Instruments under real pressure
Episode Themes
Finding Family
With Regto gone, Rudo is utterly alone. But Team Akuta offers something he desperately needs—belonging. The Cleaners aren't just colleagues; they're a family of outcasts, each carrying their own wounds from The Sphere's cruelty. In future episodes, these bonds will be tested and strengthened.
Earning Your Place
In The Pit, nothing is given—everything is earned. Zanka's harsh evaluation isn't cruelty; it's the hard truth of survival. Rudo learns that joining Team Akuta means more than just showing up. He must prove his worth through action, not words. This lesson will define his growth throughout the series.