Gachiakuta Episode 18 is set to go live following the series' recent brutal twist, one of the cruelest in memory in recent anime. Zanka got a full backstory, a motivational flashback, and what seemed to be his heroic moment, just for the show to tell us the entire time he was tripping on drugs while Jabber was dancing on his unconscious body.Gachiakuta Episode 18 will be released on Sunday, November 10, 2025, at 8:00 AM PT (11:00 AM ET). The next episode will pick up with Zanka being dragged to an ill-fated while Guita stumbles on a glowing entity that may be the Raiders' twisted endgame.Zanka gets defeated by Hyo (Image Source: Studio Bones)Crunchyroll is the main streaming platform of Gachiakuta Episode 18 internationally, with subtitled and dubbed versions available and released two weeks after the original Japanese episodes' release.Time ZoneDateTimeCentral TimeNovember 10, 2025, Sunday10:00 AMGreenwich Mean TimeNovember 10, 2025, Sunday 3:00 PMIndian Standard TimeNovember 10, 2025, Sunday 8:30 PMWhat Can You Expect From Gachiakuta Episode 18?Jabber dragging Zanka's body (Image Source: Studio Bones)The previous episode left us with a bunch of cliffhangers that we still must address in Gachiakuta Episode 18. Zanka is still stuck in hallucination land by drugs, while Jabber takes him toward an unknown destination. Jabber literally danced on top of Zanka's unconscious body while simultaneously laughing with him in a borderline unsettling comedic moment.We saw Guita discover an unknown glowing orb with what looked to be mannequin hands holding it. It seems like the Raiders are growing something, and it likely relates to the trash beast egg constantly mentioned in the arc. Perhaps the Raiders are feeding captured Cleaners to the creature to grow it as a weapon against the Cleaners.Riyo is still fighting her Raider foe, and her fate remains unknown. The Gachiakuta Episode 18 may transition away from Zanka or Riyo to other Cleaner team members who have not engaged in a fight yet. They could also explore the mysterious tie between Rudo's cursed piece of equipment and that glowing entity, too.What Happened in Gachiakuta Episode 17?Zanka chose a random stick during training (Image Source: Studio Bones)Episode 17 emphatically subverted shonen anime expectations by providing Zanka with his full backstory, only for it to reveal that his comeback was entirely fictitious. The episode opened with flashbacks to Zanka's past at the Hell Guard Academy, where he trained among the nobility to join the learner elite, the force that governs the Ground.Zanka was a superstar in his class until Hyo transferred in from the slums. Her exceptional natural talent was so great that it overshadowed everyone in their cohort, even Zanka, all of whom were trying to take back their spot at the top. During training, when it was time to pick weapons, Zanka chose what he thought was a uniquely unconventional weapon, his Lovely Assistaff, but it turned out to be some random stick that was left on the table. Zanka was so embarrassed by this rejection, he literally hid in a well for three days.Enjin saved Zanka from his low place, advising Zanka that boring talents could overcome a naturally gifted talent through work. This changed Zanka's feelings towards Enjin and inspired Zanka to join the Cleaners. We believed that the flashback meant Zanka would call forth a new power within him to eliminate Jabber.Instead, the episode unveils that Zanka was hallucinating the entire duration of the episode due to Jabber's "feel good drug" toxin. While Zanka dreamed of his triumphant return, Jabber was dancing in victory and later lay next to Zanka, laughing at his hallucination. The Raider began dragging Zanka's body toward the unknown entity that Guita encountered.Gachiakuta Episode 18 must answer whether Zanka escapes this encounter or is the first true Cleaner corpse. Guita's presence nearby suggests she will intervene before Jabber can sacrifice Zanka. Then again, this anime has no issue with defying expectations, so anything can happen.