In September 2023, Weekly Shonen Jump launched a new manga series called Kagurabachi — an epic dark fantasy story that quickly gained a large readership for the publication. Now, the next generation of Shonen Jump has won Kadokawa's prestigious “Next Manga” award, further cementing the series' popularity and bringing it one step closer to an official anime adaptation.
According to Oricon, “Tsugimanga” (“Next Manga”) is a “user participation” award that seeks to determine which upcoming series is most likely to become Japan’s next big hit. Every year, avid manga readers are invited to vote for a pre-selected group of titles. Out of 8,212 eligible titles from Kadokawa, Takeru Hokazono’s Kagurabachi took first place among print publications with a total of 101,836 votes. In contrast, the runner-up, Welcome to Demon School Iruma-Kun!: Episode of Mafia, received 33,033 user votes. Coming in third was Tsumiki Ogata & the Strange, Everyday Life, which received 30,384 votes. Girl meets Rock!, RuriDragon, and Vtuber Kusamura Shigemi took first, second, and third place respectively in the web manga category.
Kagurabachi's Victory Gives Shonen Jump Manga a Bigger Chance to Become Anime
Kagurabachi's win is especially notable when compared to the previous winners' performances. Last year's winner, There is Also a Hole in the Student's Organization, received a total of 39,283 votes; in 2022, first-place winner Medalist received just 47,064 votes—making Kagurabachi's win a landslide in both cases. Additionally, the first installment of the Welcome to Demon School! series was originally released in March 2017, giving it more time to accumulate a following than Hokazono's newly minted hit.
Kagurabachi's plot is far from typical Shonen Jump fare. Instead of seeking physical power or a legendary treasure, protagonist Chihiro Rokuhira seeks revenge for her father's brutal murder by a group of evil wizards known as the Hishaku. However, it's more than just a vicarious revenge fantasy. In a recent interview with 47NEWS, Hokazono explained how he went out of his way to create a story that's “different from the mainstream” by exploring the characters' complex motivations and themes. “Instead of making it a piece of entertainment that just gives you the feeling of getting revenge on your enemies, I'm going to change it,” he stated.
Kagurabachi is Hokazono's first multi-chapter manga. Including digital manga sales, the series currently has over 315,000 copies in circulation (as of July 2024). This notable sales milestone, coupled with Kagurabachi's recent win of the “Next Manga Award,” makes it likely that the series will be adapted into an anime at some point in the future. After Kadokawa announced the winners, Hokazono sent a heartfelt message of thanks to his fans. “I'm really happy that so many people like it and find it interesting, and I'm energized to draw more manga. Thank you so much! I'm really motivated to make it even more interesting… so I ask for your continued support,” he wrote.
The latest chapters of Kagurabachi are now available in English on VIZ Media.
Kagurabachi
Kagurabachi follows the journey of Chihiro Rokuhira, a young swordsman with a dark past, as he seeks revenge for his father's murder. Armed with a mystical sword forged by his late father, Chihiro battles dark forces and uncovers the secrets of his family's legacy.
Author Takeru Hokazono
Artist Takeru Hokazono
Release date September 19, 2023
Category Work
Book 2
Source: Tsugimanga – Oricon
