Kagurabachi - the new era manga phenomenon

Kagurabachi - a manga series by author Takeru Hokazono - has taken social media by storm even before the first chapter was released.

Looking back at Kagurabachi's journey after more than a year of publication, it's hard to imagine that it was once the laughing stock of social networks when it first launched - Photo: Shonen Jump

From a satirical joke on X (Twitter) at the end of the year, Kagurabachi was suddenly promoted to "legendary" status by the online community itself, becoming a rare example of a cultural product rising thanks to the power of memes.

In late September 2023, just a few days before the first chapter was released, user X started spreading a meme comparing Kagurabachi to Boruto - the sequel to Naruto . Despite the audience not knowing the content, Kagurabachi was hailed as "a worthy descendant of the three pillars of manga" ( Naruto, One Piece, Bleach ), surprising many people because... the manga had not yet been released.

The Special Fate of a New Recruit

It all starts with a pretty simple introduction: Chihiro, a boy living under the strict tutelage of his famous swordsmith father, dreams of following in his footsteps. But one day tragedy strikes.

Her family is broken, Chihiro survives with the only sword left, starting her journey of revenge. The first illustrations are just images of Chihiro wearing a long black coat, holding a sword, creating a familiar feeling like hundreds of other shonen characters.

From a name that was mocked in the manga world, Kagurabachi gradually won the hearts of many readers - Photo: Shonen Jump

However, that ambiguity has become a "fertile ground" for the online community's imagination. From a simple meme, Kagurabachi has been "built" as a monument comparable to Attack on Titan or Jujutsu Kaisen .

Many people even pretended to believe that an anime adaptation was produced by MAPPA, had a proper voice cast, and the first season had already... finished airing!

Even famous voice actor Aleks Le "added fuel to the fire" when he recreated a part of the Kagurabachi manga on TikTok with his own sounds, effects, and dialogue.

By this point, the name Kagurabachi was no longer just a joke - it had become a cultural phenomenon that was very much of the digital age.

The Kagurabachi case reminds many people of Goncharov - "the best mafia movie of all time" made up by... Tumblr. With Goncharov , people not only imagine the content but also compose soundtracks, posters and discuss the artistic meaning as if the movie really existed.

So is Kagurabachi as good as the rumors say?

What Goncharov and Kagurabachi have in common is that they both reflect the ability of the online community to "co-create" when they come together to praise an imaginary or unfinished work. However, unlike Goncharov or Morbius - films that were ridiculed for their poor quality, Kagurabachi is actually... not bad. On the contrary, it is considered to have potential.

The revenge story takes place in a modern Tokyo filled with darkness and dark magic. The main character Chihiro is now a swordsmith and warrior who uses the Enten - one of seven stolen magical swords - to destroy bad guys in the underworld .

Kagurabachi's cinematic pages were inspired by Quentin Tarantino's action films - Photo: Shonen Jump

The first volume takes readers into a battle between mystical forces with many action scenes depicted with sharp drawings and fast storytelling speed.

The character designs are simple yet realistic and modern, reminiscent of the style of Chainsaw Man . The contrast between the dark colors and light humor also helps the series avoid the excessive darkness often found in revenge works.

No one knows for sure whether Kagurabachi can maintain its appeal or survive the harsh elimination of Weekly Shonen Jump, where new manga series are canceled after just a few chapters. But at least so far, it has done the unthinkable: turned a joke into the most powerful marketing tool.

With its ever-increasing appeal, Kagurabachi is proving to be more than just an "internet phenomenon". Since its first episode, Kagurabachi quickly entered the top of Shueisha's Manga Plus rankings, surpassing many big names.

Kagurabachi is expected to follow in the footsteps of successful rookie manga like Sakamoto Days or Jujutsu Kaisen when it is adapted into anime - Photo: Mappa/Shonen Jump

In 2024, the series won first prize at the Next Manga Award and was nominated for prestigious awards such as the Shogakukan Manga Award 2024 and the Kodansha Manga Award 2025.

In less than a year, Takeru Hokazono's manga has surpassed 2.2 million copies in circulation (as of May 2025), according to the series' official account X. This growth further solidifies the belief that Kagurabachi is absolutely worthy of an anime adaptation.

Although there has been no official announcement, experts and the fan community believe that Chihiro's action-packed revenge story will soon be brought to the small screen, like what Jujutsu Kaisen or Chainsaw Man have experienced.

In Vietnam, Kagurabachi also has a relatively large readership with many groups of tens of thousands of members on social networking sites.

In addition, IPM Publishing House has just confirmed that it has acquired the copyright to publish the manga Kagurabachi in Vietnam, promising to continue attracting many fans to read this series with a unique fate in the future.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/kagurabachi-hien-tuong-manga-thoi-dai-moi-20250511084940155.htm