Summary
- Kagurabachi manga by Takeru Hokazono gained major popularity and will exceed 2.2 million copies in May.
- The series features Chihiro seeking revenge with the Enten Blade after his father is killed by criminal sorcerers.
- Despite no anime announcement, Kagurabachi's success hints at the potential for an animated adaptation.
Takeru Hokazono's hit manga, Kagurabachi, proves why it should be high up on the priority list regarding shōnen manga titles that need an anime adaptation, as its upcoming seventh volume, set to be released on May 2, will push the series to beyond 2.2 million copies in circulation. The news was revealed on the series' official X account on Monday. The English release of the series is licensed by VIZ Media, with the third volume set to be released on May 6.
Kagurabachi has captured the attention of the anime community after an immensely strong start when it was first released in September 2023, and such successes only bring the title closer to the same animated glory as many of its predecessors.
Kagurabachi: A Manga Propelled Through Sheer Force of Memes
If you've seen the memes, you might wonder how you never heard of Kagurabachi, and once you have, it's hard to stop thinking about it.
About the Kagurabachi Manga
A Contemporary Tour-De-Force
Kagurabachi, created by Takeru Hokazono, is a shōnen manga that has been published in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since September 2023. The story follows a young man named Chihiro Rokuhira, who works as an apprentice to his father, Kunishige Rokuhira, a famous swordsmith known to have singlehandedly ended the Seitei War due to his ability to imbue the swords he creates with special abilities. Six of these "Enchanted Blades" were housed in Chihiro's home, which was a place of safety and contentment until, one day, a gang of criminal sorcerers known as the Hishaku appeared and murdered Chihiro's father in cold blood. They then stole the Enchanted Blades, sending Chihiro on a quest for revenge, armed with Enten, a hidden seventh blade. Kagurabachi had a unique start to its existence as memes began to fly after a user on X jokingly posted "Enough time has passed", placing an image of Kagurabachi followed by Boruto, with a Greater Than sign in between, to indicate that the then brand-new title had already surpassed the infamous continuation to Masashi Kishimoto's magnum opus, Naruto.
Soon after, people began to share similar memes, ironically comparing Kagurabachi to legendary anime and manga titles, claiming that it had surpassed all of these titles within its very first week of existence. While the memes were funny and jokes were made, the series soon saw a feverish and enthusiastic reception from new readers who couldn't escape the title at some point early on in its run. With the seventh volume coming on May 2, Kagurabachi will surpass 2.2 million copies in circulation. To put this into context, the manga hit the 350 000 mark in July 2024, which included digital copies, meaning that it more than tripled that figure in less than 12 months. Kagurabachi won the 10th Next Manga Award in the print category in 2024. So far, no anime has been announced, but the rumours have been raging.
Kagurabachi is available to read on VIZ Media's website.
Source: ANN