Kagurabachi Creator Was “Scared” By the Manga’s Instant Popularity

When it comes to manga, there are few series that come out of the gate hot, and there are even fewer that find fame before they launch. Kagurabachi is just one of those rare series. Last fall, artist Takeru Hokazono made their manga debut with Kagurabachi, and the sword fighting series has become a solid hit. But as it turns out, Hokazono was terrified of the early fame.

Recently, Hokazono spoke with Asahi in Japan about Kagurabachi in anticipation of volume two. It was there the artist was asked about the manga’s viral fame, and Hokazono confessed the ordeal caught him by total surprise.

“I was scared at first. Suddenly, so many people were reading [Kagurabachi] that I was afraid to even make one chapter a week. However, I’m glad that so many people have come to like my work,” the artist shared.

Of course, you can imagine why Hokazono was taken by surprise when Kagurabachi was released last year. It normally takes time for a manga to gain an audience, and that goes doubly for first-time publishers. This was not the case for Hokazono, however. As the premiere of Kagurabachi neared in 2023, a slew of memes turned the manga into a household name. It was only after the manga went live that readers realized Kagurabachi slaps, and the manga has grown from there. To date, the manga has more than 200,000 copies in circulation with just two volumes under its belt. So clearly, Hokazono is doing something right.

If you are not familiar with Kagurabachi, the manga is easy to binge on the Shonen Jump app. So for more info on the series, you can read its official synopsis below:

“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!”

What do you think about this new peek into Kagurabachi? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!