Crunchyroll Anime Gachiakuta Wins Most Toxic Fandom of 2026

by

While fandoms can be incredibly supportive and positive, they sometimes become breeding grounds for negativity. This is particularly true for very popular franchises. For example, the creator of Attack on Titan, Hajime Isayama, received intense criticism after the series ended in 2021, and many other fans faced harassment – even death threats – due to the unhappy endings of beloved characters.

Kei Urana, the artist behind Crunchyroll’s popular series, Gachiakuta, is facing significant criticism and pressure from fans. This began after some controversies arose following the conclusion of the anime’s first season in December 2025.

The controversy started with accusations of racism related to the actors chosen for the stage play version of Gachiakuta. It has since expanded to debates about how LGBTQ+ characters and identities – including that of the creator, Urana – are portrayed. Sadly, Urana’s efforts to address these issues online have only fueled more negative discussions within the fanbase.

Kei Urana Faced Major Criticism Over Gachiakuta Live-Action Casting

I noticed that right when the first season of Gachiakuta finished on Crunchyroll, they announced a second season and a stage play. I then saw the promotional poster for the play, and it immediately struck me as problematic. Two characters, Corvus and Semiu, who are generally understood to be Black – even the creator, Urana, has implied this – were being played by actors who had darkened their skin with makeup. It quickly became clear that this was being seen as blackface, and it caused a lot of anger and upset within the Gachiakuta fanbase.

Kei Urana shared her experience with the casting of a recent project on Instagram. She explained that she specifically requested the producers to cast actors of African descent for roles requiring darker skin tones. Producers responded that finding such actors who also spoke Japanese fluently was proving difficult. Urana then asked them to avoid using blackface if they couldn’t find suitable actors.

Even though Urana has stated otherwise, viewers of the anime are still accusing them of racism. The issues surrounding the stage play have also led to a lot of discussion within the anime community about whether the characters Corvus and Semiu are people of color. Urana hasn’t officially confirmed the race or ethnicity of any character except for Zanka Nijiku and his family, which has fueled this debate.

The Gachiakuta Fandom Splits After Urana Confirms Tamsy’s Gender

Kei Urana faced further criticism regarding a fan theory about one of her characters, Tamsy. The theory suggests Tamsy is a transgender man, fueled by panels in the manga where Tamsy appears androgynous or traditionally feminine. Additionally, the fact that Tamsy’s Japanese voice actor, Mitsuki Saiga, is female contributed to this speculation.

The idea gained a lot of traction among fans, to the point where many started believing it was officially part of the story. However, the creator, Urana, has since confirmed that the theory is incorrect. Specifically addressing claims about a character named Tamsy, Urana stated, “I don’t think Tamsy is transgender,” dismissing the speculation.

When the news was confirmed, many fans were disappointed and a heated debate erupted within the fandom. LGBTQ+ fans who had hoped the character Tamsy was transgender felt their feelings weren’t valued and were then accused of demanding more queer characters from the creator, Urana. Meanwhile, those who simply wanted to support Urana’s artistic choices were unfairly labeled as transphobic.

Kei Urana Becomes a Victim of the Gachiakuta Fandom a Third Time

A discussion about Kei Urana’s confirmation of Tamsy’s gender identity sparked a new rumor within the Gachiakuta fandom. Some users on X (formerly Twitter) began sharing a post about the Anime TV series, claiming that Urana identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. This claim arose in response to negative attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community within the fandom, but until recently, there was no official confirmation from Urana regarding their gender identity.

I was shocked to see Urana had to address those rumors about her gender again on Instagram just yesterday! It’s so frustrating that she even has to clarify things. Luckily, Chibi Reviews, who’s been a huge voice in the anime community for years, shared screenshots of Urana’s post on X and called out all the unnecessary hate she’s been getting. It’s good to see someone speaking up against that kind of negativity.

The confusion arose because Urana originally published work under a pseudonym, something many Japanese creators do. When the manga Gachiakuta started being translated into other languages in 2023, Urana asked to be addressed using they/them pronouns to preserve this anonymity.

The initial request became misinterpreted as a statement of personal identity, sparking rumors that Urana identified as non-binary. This confusion was worsened by the fact that some languages, like French, lack gender-neutral pronouns, leading Western fans to question Urana’s gender.

Read More

2026-01-25 03:39