Kagurabachi Creator Admits the Pandemic Pushed Him to Create Manga

Kagurabachi is one of Shonen Jump's most prolific hits in recent years.

By Megan Peters

It has been less than a year since Kagurabachi hit Shonen Jump, but it has already made a name for itself. The manga managed to gain viral fame before its first chapter hit shelves, and now, the series is a certified hit. It is hard to imagine the magazine's line-up without the series, and if it were not for the pandemic, Kagurabachi would not have happened.

Recently, the creator of Kagurabachi admitted they got the gumption to pursue manga as a career in 2020. Takeru Hokazono was a college student during the pandemic, and as the period went on, the artist decided he would give manga a shot while cooped up in his home.

"I majored in product design and was creating furniture and chairs. I liked drawing, but I wasn't doing much of it in university. However, I've always loved Naruto, and I've always vaguely thought manga is great, I want to become a manga artist," Hokazono shared with Asahi.

"In the spring of 2020, when the pandemic hit, my university switched to online classes. With more time at home, I thought let's give it a try. I tried drawing a few pages by watching and learning, and it was incredibly difficult... But I felt likeI want to keep doing this. So, around June of my sophomore year, I dropped out of university and started focusing on manga. Since it was difficult, I thought I couldn't just treat it as a hobby."

Clearly, Hokazono went with this gut, and what a decision it was. To date, the series has two volumes to it name, and it has sold more than 200,000 copies globally. With the series ranked as a top contender at Shonen Jump, Kagurabachi has earned recommendations from big names like the creator of My Hero Academia. So if you aren't familiar with the manga, you might want to check it out.

Want more information on Kagurabachi? No sweat! You can read up on its official synopsis below:

Related:

"Young Chihiro spends his days training under his famous swordsmith father. One day he hopes to become a great sword-maker himself. The goofy father and the serious son--they thought these days would last forever. But suddenly, tragedy strikes. A dark day soaked in blood. Chihiro and his blade now live only for revenge. Epic sword battle action!"

Have you checked out Kagurabachi? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Trending Now: