Kagurabachi (Japanese: カグラバチ, Kanji reading 神楽鉢), is a Japanese manga series created by Takeru Hokazono. It started serialization on September 19, 2023, as part of the second batch of releases in Weekly Shonen Jump's 2023 Issue #42.
Premise[]
Kagurabachi is a sword-fighting battle series within the shonen genre, characterized by its overarching revenge storyline. In the initial stages of the plot, a proclivity towards violence is evident, and this thematic trajectory persists in upcoming chapters, though it is intertwined with elements of self-worth, empathy and family.
Compared to typical shonen manga, Kagurabachi exhibits a higher degree of violence; while the narrative doesn't prominently feature explicit gore, the presence of blood is a constant motif throughout. The series' battles are consistently notable for their aggressive and unflinchingly brutal design. This meticulous portrayal of graphic elements underscores the manga's commitment to a detailed and intense narrative presentation.
History[]
Prior to its release, it was officially confirmed that Hokazono Takeru's manga, Kagurabachi, would be included in Shonen Jump's NETXWAVE initiative. The project aimed to support emerging talent within the manga industry. The decision to launch this initiative was influenced by several factors, including the imminent conclusion of established authors' series, a shortage of promising new talent in recent years, and a strategic effort to revitalize their manga lineup.
In this context, Takeru stands out as a relatively new entrant in the industry, with only a few prior works to his name including Chain in 2021 and Roku no Meiyaku in 2022, both of which were one-shot publications.
Reception[]
"Kagurabachi" quickly gained popularity in Europe and America shortly after its release. The first chapter accumulated 250,000 views on MANGA Plus within three days of publication, surpassing "SPY × FAMILY," "Dragon Ball Super," and "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations." By the end of the first week, it had surpassed 500,000 views, overtaking "My Hero Academia" and "The Promised Neverland" to become one of the top five most popular works on MANGA Plus. The series' popularity in Europe and America is mainly attributed to the creation of parody memes by foreign internet users and the well-received storyline, which is considered a potential successor to the "Big Three" of Shonen Jump ("One Piece," "Naruto," and "BLEACH").[1]
Furthermore, manga author Kōhei Horikoshi, the author of the My Hero Academia, recommended the series, providing a comment that appears on the obi of the first volume.[2]
Recently, Japanese fans came across an announcement about the reprint of Kagurabachi shortly after the release of its first volume, as stores had begun selling out of copies of Volume 1 in under a week.
At its highest point, Kagurabachi ranked as the fourth best-selling book on Shoseki Japan, a website that monitors bookstore sales nationwide. It's clear that the series is performing well, especially with such strong support for its first volume. It received a glowing endorsement from Kohei Horikoshi, the creator of My Hero Academia, who described Kagurabachi as one of Shueisha's most remarkable releases.
External Links[]
- Official Website (in Japanese)
- VIZ Media Official Website (English)
- MANGAPlus Official Website (English)