Kagurabachi Creator Unpacks the Manga's Origins in New Interview

Kagurabachi is approaching its first anniversary as one of Shueisha's top hits.

By Megan Peters

Kagurabachi isn't even a year old at this point, and yet, it stands as one of the biggest hits at Shueisha. With series like My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen closing, all eyes are on the future of Shonen Jump, and Takeru Hokazono is leading it right now. After all, Kagurabachi became a smash hit even before its first chapter dropped, and Hokazono unpacked the manga's origins for fans in a recent interview overseas.

Speaking with 47 News in Japan, Hokazono was spotlighted as one of the up-and-coming creators at Shonen Jump. It was there the creator of Kagurabachi thumbed through his inspiration for the manga, and it seems the artist was most inspired by revenge and Hollywood films.

"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. But I don't want to make a simple story that sells the pleasure of revenge. I was influenced by Tarantino and David Fincher," Hokazono explained (via sandman_ap).

Beyond its inspiration, the creator of Kagurabachi also touched upon the demeanor of its hero Chihiro. According to Hokazono, he wanted to craft a protagonist that kept much of his turmoil on the inside and worked through stress during battle. "I also want to emphasize the protagonist's conflicts, such as what it means to live and what it means to die," he explained.

As the interview continues, Hokazono reflects on his own life now that he is a manga artist. The creator published this first project in September 2013, and before then, Hokazono was your average college student. During the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown gave Hokazono the perfect chance to pick back up art as he enjoyed drawing in high school. As his art expanded, Hokazono chose to leave college to pursue a career in manga, and the artist said his family supported him the whole way.

"I dropped out of college to become a manga artist, but my parents didn't object to anything. I had to succeed for them," he explained. "I have huge pen calluses on my fingers because I hold the pen in an odd way and put too much pressure on it."

Clearly, Hokazono has given back to his parents tenfold as Kagurabachi is an undeniable hit. Whether we're talking Japan or the United States, the manga has already positioned itself to be one of shonen's new leaders. So if you want to know more about the sword-fighting drama, you can read its official synopsis below:

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

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