adminKagurabachi became a sensation even before it started publishing. Soon after the first few chapters dropped on the MangaPlus app, the manga surpassed Jujutsu Kaisen to reach the second spot. Initially popular for being the treasury of memes, Kagurabachi has come a long way with a dedicated fanbase. Fans appreciate the way Takeru Hokazono is weaving the story, making every panel worthwhile.
Chihiro, the protagonist | Credits: Viz Media
Looking at the roster of titles that publish in the wWeekly Shonen Jump, Kagurabachi sets itself apart with its stunning art. There’s more to the visual aspects of the manga than meets the eye. But that’s not all, it seems like the author already had an idea of where he wanted to take his creation. In an interview, Hokazono delved into what inspired him to create Kagurabachi.
The Inspiration and Ideation behind Kagurabachi
One of the chapters with the best visuals (Chapter 29) | Credits: Viz Media
Beyond the quick rise to popularity and the edginess, Kagurabachi has a lot to offer. Hearing the author speak about his creation explains how he was quite observant while ideating. Hokazono shared (via translation on X) how even though he wanted to make a revenge-manga, he didn’t want it to be simply that.
But I don’t want to make a simple story that sells the pleasure of revenge. I was influenced by Tarantino and David Fincher.
He noticed that Shonen Jump didn’t have many revenge manga, so he set his mind to creating one. While the concept shaped up after much analysis of what was going around in the shonen sphere, he already had an idea of what he wanted his protagonist to be like.
I wanted to offer a new manga with my quiet, low-key, dark protagonist, and since JUMP doesn’t have many revenge-themed manga, I created Kagurabachi.
The cinematic approach that Hokazono follows during fighting scenes is reminiscent of Tarantino’s love for cinema. On the other hand, the way he speaks about exploring the internal conflicts within Chihiro, reminds us of the psychological complexities omnipresent in Fincher’s works. Both the directors are renowned for their auteuristic approach towards filmmaking.
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The way Hokazono illustrates the fighting scenes, fans have often said that they can visualize the fights. While drawing the battle scenes, he plays around with different angles and uses different elements to give depth to the objects present on screen. By targeting the void that existed, Kagurabachi surpassed Jujutsu Kaisen and even My Hero Academia, at a stage when the stakes in both the manga were at an all time high as they were nearing the end.
Praise All Around for Hokazono’s Genius
A panel from the manga | Credits: Viz Media
Besides the inspirations from Hollywood, Naruto was another manga that influenced him growing up. One can only imagine the joy Hokazono must’ve felt when Masashi Kishimoto praised his work. Even Kohei Horikoshi recommended Kagurabachi to his fans.
コミックス1巻いよいよ明日発売！編集部には見本が到着しております！帯にはなんと…#僕のヒーローアカデミア の堀越耕平先生からの推薦コメントが！ぜひお買い求めください！！#カグラバチ #Kagurabachi #ヒロアカ pic.twitter.com/21XoFv041u— カグラバチ公式 (@kagurabachi_x) February 1, 2024
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【推薦！】#カグラバチ 3巻、『NARUTO-ナルト-』の岸本斉史先生より推薦コメントを頂戴しております。いよいよ明日7月4日(木)発売！ぜひお求めください！https://t.co/h0DWWleuNl pic.twitter.com/IlFdHuEHJs— カグラバチ公式 (@kagurabachi_x) July 3, 2024
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Growing up, Hokazono dreamed of becoming a manga artist. During the pandemic, he decided to pursue his childhood dream. With his one-shot ‘Enten’, he won the Tezuka Manga Award. He was praised by Takehiko Inoue, the creator of Slam Dunk and Vagabond. When we hear of all the praise he has gotten and the clarity in his vision, the successful track record of Kagurabachi makes much more sense. The mangaka saw through the void that existed, the stars aligned and he hit it out of the park with his creation.
Kagurabachi is available to read on MangaPlus app and website.
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