Reviews for Kagurabachi

Kagurabachi is the greatest piece of fiction to ever come into existence in the history of reality itself. Kagurabachi has transcended the concept of being peak and is above all subjective and objective ratings, it is not possible to accurately describe kagurabachi using human words or emotions. But in all seriousness Kagurabachi is the newest shounen jump series that has received unbelievable hype among english speaking fans. The hype isn't necessarily because it's that good or anything, it's just a funny joke. The actuality of Kagurabachi is that its a pretty generic shounen with an edgy protagonist and good art. At the time of writing thisthere is only 2 chapters out so I can not really judge if it's good or not however I can say it has potential. With series like Black clover and My hero academia reaching their climaxes new promising manga has to come out of shounen jump and i believe that this could be one of them.

I would definitely say you should check this out if you're into shounen manga but you might want to wait for a few more chapters to come out.

Here's a harsh truth: you can't tell whether Shounen Jump manga will be good until at least 20-40 chapters are out. To get even get greenlit for publication the first few chapters are practically done already, and the strong premise that will carry the first arc or two is necessary for the editors to even consider accepting the new series. A good beginning is only worth so much. This doesn't mean all first chapters are equal - as far as this one goes, I'd say it was decent. But instead of acting like I can judge the series off of the two chapters currently out, I'll simplygive some green and red flags.

These are merely flags; it is completely possible for a green flag's potential to be wasted, just as a red flag does not guarantee bad things in the future of the manga (or that bad habits will continue).

RED FLAGS:

* The main character Chihiro himself is pretty bland. While his moderate edginess is cool for now, this can quickly become boring week after week. He'll need to become more interesting quickly, or much more focus will need to go on side characters as we continue.

* While it seems the author can write more enjoyable characters, the only examples of this we have so far are Chihiro's dad and his "sidekick" Shiba, who both give off VERY similar vibes. It's completely up in the air whether this story will have varied and interesting characters as it continues.

* Art detail can vary wildly from page to page. Just look at the difference in chapter 1 between scenes of Chihiro and his dad talking, and them in the forge working. Neither style or level of detail is necessarily good or bad, but the quick jumping between them can be jarring.

GREEN FLAGS:

* The setting seems to be an alt-history Japan, probably in the late 20th century. The architecture of Kyoto that we see on one page was still overwhelmingly old-style, but some concrete buildings exist and characters tend to wear things like graphic tees, business suits, trench coats, and zippered jackets. When the tools of action are katanas and sorcery, this creates a very cool blend of old and modern aesthetics, which I hope is deliberate and stuck to without just being vague background dressing.

* Similarly, the aesthetic of the magic is very well realised. Both the goldfish motif of Chihiro's sword and the tree magic we saw from a sorcery lend themselves well to very stylish pages.

* The story has an immediate and tangible goal which chains into other, shorter-term objectives: find the 6 other magic swords. The number of objectives also inspires confidence in another way: imagine if Chihiro was instead looking for 100 magic swords. It's a large enough number that each individual blade no longer becomes special, not to mention it would mean some of the swords having lame half-baked powers would be inevitable. 6 is a good small number that allows hype to build for each sword. I can expect the reveal of what each one can do to be very cool.

* Even better, this does not constrain the story as it does not mean only 6 swords exist, or ever will exist; we know Chihiro learned his father's smithing style, and it's always possible another character can make more as well. If the manga blows up in popularity, there is plenty of room established from the get-go to naturally expand its scope to keep running for hundreds of chapters.

Kagura Bachi, the captivating manga masterpiece, is an artistic journey that transcends the boundaries of storytelling and transports readers to an unparalleled realm of narrative excellence. With every page turn, this manga weaves a tapestry of emotions, character depth, and plot intricacies that leave an indelible mark on the reader's imagination. Let's begin with the artwork, for it is nothing short of a visual marvel. The meticulous attention to detail, the expressive character designs, and the dynamic panel layouts create a visual experience that is nothing short of breathtaking. Each page is a work of art, and every frame is a testament to the illustrator's masteryof their craft.

The storytelling in Kagura Bachi is a narrative symphony that resonates with the heart and mind. The characters are richly developed, with complex motivations, flaws, and aspirations that make them feel like real individuals. Their growth and evolution throughout the story are a testament to the author's ability to craft authentic and relatable personas.

The plot of Kagura Bachi is a rollercoaster of emotions and surprises. It takes readers on a journey that is both exhilarating and thought-provoking. The narrative is filled with twists and turns, each one expertly executed to keep the reader eagerly turning pages, hungry for the next revelation.

The world-building in Kagura Bachi is nothing short of extraordinary. The manga's setting is vividly realized, with its own rules, history, and mythology that add depth and texture to the story. It's a world that feels lived-in and immersive, inviting readers to explore its intricacies.

Now, let's delve into the themes and messages of Kagura Bachi. It tackles profound and thought-provoking subjects, from the human condition to the complexities of relationships, from the pursuit of one's destiny to the consequences of one's actions. It's a narrative that encourages introspection and discussion, leaving readers with much to contemplate long after they've finished reading.

The pacing of Kagura Bachi is masterful, with each chapter propelling the story forward while allowing moments of reflection and character development. It's a manga that strikes a perfect balance between action and introspection, keeping readers engaged from the first page to the last.

In conclusion, Kagura Bachi is not just a manga; it's a literary masterpiece. It's a work of art that celebrates the art of storytelling in every sense—artwork, character development, plot intricacies, world-building, and thematic depth. Kagura Bachi is a narrative symphony that will linger in your mind, inviting you to revisit its pages and discover new layers of meaning with each reading. It's a manga that leaves an indelible mark on the world of storytelling and a must-read for anyone who appreciates the power of the medium to captivate and inspire.

Kagura Bachi's impact on the manga industry cannot be overstated. It stands as a shining example of the heights that the medium can reach when talent and creativity converge. This manga has garnered a dedicated and passionate fanbase, and it's no wonder why.

The emotional depth and resonance of Kagura Bachi are unparalleled. It's a manga that doesn't shy away from exploring the complexities of the human experience, delving into themes of love, loss, sacrifice, redemption, and the enduring human spirit. The characters' struggles and triumphs become the reader's own, forging a deep and lasting connection that transcends the pages.

The dialogue in Kagura Bachi is another standout element. The exchanges between characters are not just vehicles for exposition but profound insights into their personalities and motivations. The author's skillful use of language adds depth to the narrative and enhances the overall reading experience.

Moreover, Kagura Bachi's ability to surprise and engage readers is a testament to its narrative prowess. It defies conventions and genre expectations, keeping readers on the edge of their seats with its unpredictable twists and revelations. It's a manga that constantly challenges the reader's assumptions and rewards them with moments of sheer brilliance.

The manga's thematic exploration of destiny and the choices we make is a central pillar of its narrative. It asks profound questions about fate and free will, encouraging readers to contemplate their own lives and the paths they choose to follow. Kagura Bachi is not just a story to be consumed; it's a journey of self-discovery and reflection.

In addition, Kagura Bachi's artistic consistency is worth commending. The quality of the artwork remains top-notch throughout its run, showcasing the illustrator's dedication to their craft. The action sequences are dynamic, the emotional moments are beautifully rendered, and the world-building is visually stunning.

In summary, Kagura Bachi is a manga that stands head and shoulders above the rest. It is a narrative masterpiece that marries exceptional artwork, intricate character development, a compelling plot, and profound themes. It's a manga that resonates on a deep level with its readers, leaving a lasting impact and a sense of wonder. Kagura Bachi is not just a manga; it's a literary achievement that will be celebrated for generations to come, a timeless classic that continues to inspire and captivate readers around the world.

Kagura Bachi is, without a doubt, a manga that deserves high praise. It offers readers an incredibly enjoyable experience from start to finish. The artwork is impressive, the characters are well-developed, and the story is engaging.

First and foremost, the artwork in Kagura Bachi is truly outstanding. The illustrations are beautifully detailed, and the characters are drawn with precision and emotion. The action scenes are particularly well-executed, making the reader feel as if they're right in the midst of the action.

Speaking of characters, Kagura Bachi boasts a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique personalities and backgrounds. Readers will find themselves attached to these characters, rooting for their success, and empathizing with their struggles.

The story itself is a classic tale of adventure and heroism. It follows a tried-and-true formula, with the protagonist embarking on a quest, facing challenges along the way, and ultimately growing stronger both in skill and character. This familiar narrative structure is what makes Kagura Bachi so accessible and enjoyable.

The pacing of the manga is also well-balanced. There are moments of intense action, heartfelt emotion, and quiet reflection, all coming together to create a cohesive and engaging storyline. This balance keeps the reader invested in the plot and eager to turn the page.

Kagura Bachi's themes are timeless and relatable. It explores concepts such as friendship, perseverance, and the power of believing in oneself. These themes resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds, making the manga universally appealing.

In conclusion, Kagura Bachi is a manga that excels in all the right areas. It offers stunning artwork, memorable characters, a compelling story, and themes that touch the heart. It's a manga that can be enjoyed by readers of all tastes and backgrounds, and it's a testament to the enduring appeal of classic storytelling. Kagura Bachi is a must-read for anyone looking for a captivating and satisfying manga experience.

In conclusion, Kagura Bachi stands as a shining example of what a manga can achieve when it masterfully combines exceptional artwork, well-developed characters, a classic adventure story, and universal themes. While it may embrace familiar tropes and narrative structures, it does so with finesse, offering readers an enjoyable and engaging experience that transcends generational and cultural boundaries. Kagura Bachi is a manga that has earned its place in the pantheon of beloved classics, and its enduring appeal continues to capture the hearts of readers around the world. If you're seeking a manga that delivers a quintessential and gratifying reading experience, Kagura Bachi is a worthy choice that will leave you thoroughly satisfied.

Given the end of the first arc and the innumerable reviews of unjustifiable slander, I feel it appropriate to provide a bit of perspective. This is one of the strongest starts to a series we’ve seen in a while. It manages to balance action and exposition, character and plot very well, never feeling rushed or lagging. So far we have a good sense of the stakes and the consequences. Even though the world building is still somewhat undeveloped, the scope is present and the potential is there to be explored in time. The power system has enough complexity to make it intriguing without feeling unnecessarilyconvoluted. It employs a simple means, which is actually to its credit, and demonstrates the scale that can add intensity to future encounters.

The characters so far have enough of a presence, either through their art or character, that is strong enough on its own to carry the momentum of the series.

Do not allow the distraction of outside noise to influence your appreciation of what has been presented so far. It takes genuine skill to pull off what these eighteen chapters have been able to pull off so far, setting the stage for even bigger and more impactful moments. It’s action is top tier, backed by clean art and some truly memorable panels. It’s action is breathed to life with character development and plot implications that demonstrates it isn’t action for action sake. It has a story to tell and is one that will reach beyond the modern shonen devices we’ve seen before and truly leave its mark.

One of the best mangas I have ever read. Plot: It not only has a plot and a some main characters, but also a group of antagonists and a storyline. Its use of heavily reused plots by many of its predecessors make it very easy to read, very intuitive and digestible for those who are just getting into shōnen. Characters: The protagonist, for his part, is cold as ice and unflappable, just like me. He has a strong motivation that will carry him on a long journey. Waking up every morning with fresh hatred, he uses his demonic sword and his heavily trained abilities to sweep the floorwith the baddies. His skills would, undoubtedly, allow him to defeat aspiring, newbie swordsmen, such as Zoro, Tanjiro, Ichigo and even that Miyamoto Musashi bum. And did I mention his dad looks like Hibino Kafka from 8Kaijuu? Simply amazing.

Art:

And what to say about the drawing style! Its use of predominantly white backgrounds and very little shading denote a much cleaner and pristine style than most manga. It goes for a very simplistic approach, which highlights the violence in the scenes. Add to that his masterful design of facial expressions, which are totally avant-garde, and we have an art style that rivals Kentaro Miura's any other day. And did I mention that scar on the protagonist's face?! Simply unique. It makes it easy to recognize who he is and gives him a remarkable touch that distinguishes him from the rest of the cast.

Comedy:

The only thing left to mention is its spotless comedy style, which contrasts incredibly well with the serious tone of the story. Having a couple of characters that serve as comic relief in contrast to the protagonist's tragic background and his poker face, undoubtedly detracts from the seriousness of many situations and themes that may be disturbing to underage audiences. That makes it accessible to a greater public.

I can conclude, having only read a few pages, that this manga will set a precedent. It will go down in posterity as one of the best mangas ever made. It's time for oldies like Hajime No Hippo and One Piezzz to retire once and for all and make way for a new generation. This will be the new successor of shōnen, the one that will carry the torch and lead this demographic into a new era of light.

Let's put memes aside, Kagurabachi is just ok, but it has potential. Kagurabachi is, for now, solid manga. We got bit of world building, bit of power system and important characters for the story and main goal for MC. But it didn't do anything groundbreaking. Art isn't really detailed and some faces look bit bland, but few action panels look good. Characters are ok, bit plain but manga is still new so it's excusable. Power system is combination of jujutsu kaisen and demon slayer. But I have a felling that it brings nothing new to the table. If it doesn't make itself stand out it mightget axed and only remembered for memes.

Yes, it has potential for growth. We will see more fights and get info about blades. I hope we will know more about war that happened in past, where MC's dad helped with enchanted blades. It looks like we are entering first bigger arc so let's hope for the best.

Look, we've all seen the memes, we were all there for it. People joked about it left and right, Aleks Le voiced an edit, so on and so forth. I'm here to set things straight, as people are still primarily joking about the manga, and I wanna shed some real light on it. This manga is fun, really fun. It's still very early, as chapter 29 came out the day I'm writing this, but so far the story has been really enjoyable. The action is incredibly on point, and the paneling helps to elevate it though how snappy and creative it is in the ways itleads you through the page and onto the next one. There's some times it gets a bit cluttered, but those moments are very much overshadowed by the countless times I've been in awe at how simply cool the manga's presentation is. There's many, many panels or specific poses and shots that serve to reflect and contrast the other throughout or between chapters as well, supremely cinematic and unapologetically cool to look at. It's the definition of watching a really solid action flick, you know what you're getting and you're having one hell of a time with it.

The art quality is very often outstanding, but I have my issues with the current style on the characters expression-wise. Most of the expressions the main cast have are either closed mouthes or giant, square-shaped maws, there's no real in-between. This has progressively been getting a bit better, but it's still a present pet peeve with the art-style.

The characters are also a surprising amount of fun to watch. Chihiro's deadpan attitude meshes very well against the colorful types he has around him, it makes him stand out, which also serves for some effective levity at times. The standout to me so far is probably the main antagonist of the first arc, Sojo, who is simply a straight-up menace that serves perfectly as a foil to Chihiro and as a trend-setter for the manga's intentions. He's awesome to see in action and is the first example of what makes Kagurabachi enjoyable to me: pure, effective and classic shonen. Also shout-out to Hiyuki, a newer character who potentially might be one of the coolest women in modern shonen, if she truly gets to shine.

I very much want to relate this manga to Sakamoto Days, almost like a sibling to it in how it's presented. Both are action-focused series that really trim the fat in relation to how they get to the action, making sure the reader gets the maximum amount of time reading action over anything else. The main difference is that Sakamoto Days is much sillier in it's presentation in-between the action, compared to Kagurabachi's more serious and straightforward approach.

I do implore you to give Kagurabachi a chance if you haven't, regardless of why. Not everything needs to reinvent the wheel, sometimes it's just a matter of making a wheel that rolls really damn good, and that's what Kagurabachi is to me, nothing that breaks the mold, but something incredibly solid that's extremely enjoyable and fun to read.

I feel obligated to write this review in order to share the incredible work that the author has been doing consistently since release. Not once in my life have I read a literary work that the reader can clearly see and feel the not only constant, but almost parabolic improvement from the author in terms of story and writing, and in this case, art and panelling. I only feel awe towards the author to make me feel when I picked up this manga around chapter 30 and go from "this is a solid 6,5-7, decent shounen that has an incredibly high pace" to where I amnow. At the current moment of this review, I can say this manga is entering JJK's Shibuya levels of shounen peak.

It's such a joy to have been able to read this weekly and see the improvement. The art has gone from mid to incredible, shout out to the panelling, the author's taking a liking to fish eye panels and I'm really grateful that he's done that. The story's gone from "I will kagura your bachi" to probably the best (by far) battle shounen plot I've read, to the point where if it continues improving at this rate I think it will be kind of an insult to consider this manga a simple battle shounen.

Before ending, I have to give a especial mention to the villains, if they can be considered as such. By far with no doubt in my mind the best villain group I've seen in a battle shounen.

The author is fully aware of the restraints of the genre he's writing, and that's probably the reason why he's able to write such a good story. Every aspiring mangaka should take note of Kagurabachi's improvement across its chapters and how it gets to the point.

I pray unlike JJK the author doesn't fumble the latter arcs, and let it be known I invested in Kagurabachi stocks (aka, my 9) while it was still rated sub 8 in MAL and practically underground aside from meme-acknowledgment. Extremely enjoyable read and weekly experience. 50 BUCKS AND A LIGHTER.

Kagurabachi, the most iconic shounen manga of all time which needed less than 10 days to surpass year/decade long lasting franchises such as the Big 3 since it only has 2 chapters and Chihiro has already become King of the Pirates, earned the title of Hokage and outsmarted Aizen's masterplan without even having to even appear in any of the original stories. Now, to speak obejctively one must consider plenty of factors in order to correctly assess how good the manga actually is and with the raw material given at the moment it doesn't seem like the case for at least a couple more months inthe future. Keeping that in mind while anylizing the manga right now it is not fair to be too harsh or praise it too highly.

By reading the manga we are are introduced to a dark fantasy world whose power system revolves around swords and magic. Cool concept, surely haven't seen it elsewhere. That is pretty much the extent of our current information right now about the power system.

What about the characters? Chihiro, the protagonist of the story is cool looking edgy dude who also appears to be a very powerful swordsman, wielder of a magic katana. His goal is to avenge the death of his father and then presumably pass his father's will of not letting katanas being used for evil, as it is implied. I am concerned about his backstory because it doesn't seem likely to hold any interesting secrets to be revealed later. He kinda reminds me of Vulcan from Fire Force. Ngl I had to look up Vulcan's name even though I watched the anime twice and read the full manga. And yeah, Vulcan's backstory was great but he was a supporting character. Chihiro on the other hand is the protagonist... Hopefully there is more to it, perhaps like learning about his father's story etc. Other characters aren't that noticeable so far either. Chihiro's father only is interesting even though he is dead. He allegedly was a war hero in the past thanks to the enchanted swords he made. I hope that more characters will start shining soon because I wouldn't like reading a story where only a dead man with great legacy is interesting. Imagine if One Piece had Gol D. Roger but all the other characters were your average isekai characters.

Artstyle wise: It is pretty good,some panels are meh but some are insane so I will give it a pass. This could be because Takeru-sensei is still unexperienced, we'll see in the future if it gets better.

Overall it seems like a fine modern fighting shounen manga and I wouldn't advise against reading it as it is still too early for that even though there are some red flags. I mean Kill la Kill started in a similar fashion with Ryuko wanting to avenge her father but it ended up being a staple series in the anime world. If Kill la Kill managed to do that with a smilar premise, who would say Kagurabachi can't establish iteslf as a great manga?

Kagurabachi is one of the best mangas I've had the chance to read. The fights are thrilling, and the characters are wonderfully written. It's a perfect blend of action and world-building. At first, I felt like I was reading an average shonen, and the artwork seemed just ordinary. However, as I kept reading more chapters, the manga constantly surprised me. The panels are truly impactful and have a lot of aura; the story is captivating, the power scaling is simple and enjoyable, and although the plot isn’t particularly groundbreaking, it’s executed exceptionally well. The characters are diverse, and while some of them are simply typical tertiary characters,the supporting characters get a lot of attention and play a key role. There’s no shortage of character development here, which is often a problem in shonen manga, so Kagurabachi has pleasantly surprised me in this regard.

The manga is genuinely impressive, and reading it keeps me on the edge of my seat. It’s also quite easy to feel a connection with the characters.

I recommend Kagura Bachi, but if you're still enamored with the likes of "One Piece" or "Bleach," then you're clearly not ready for the transcendent experience that is "Kagura Bachi." Created by the prodigious Takeru Hokazono, this series is nothing short of a magnum opus, a tour de force in the realm of manga that makes other series look like mere doodles. Now, let's talk about the protagonist, shall we? Unlike the overused archetypes of "Bleach's" Ichigo or "One Piece's" Luffy, our main character is a complex, dark, and multi-layered individual. He's not some run-of-the-mill shonen hero; he's a swordsman seeking revenge against evil, a characterwith depth that you can't help but be captivated by. His design alone—gloomy red eyes, dark cloak, and katana in hand—speaks volumes. It's as if Hokazono-sensei took the essence of what makes a character truly intriguing and poured it into this masterpiece.

And don't even get me started on the art style. It's not just good; it's sublime. Every panel is a feast for the eyes, a level of craftsmanship that makes other mangaka look like amateurs. The art isn't just a vehicle for the story; it's an integral part of the narrative that elevates the entire experience.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "But what about the long-standing giants like 'One Piece' and 'Bleach'?" To that, I say, they had their time in the limelight, but let's be real—compared to "Kagura Bachi," they're relics of a bygone era. The narrative depth, the intricate character development, and the sheer artistic brilliance of "Kagura Bachi" make those series look like child's play.

So, if you're still clinging to the past, it's high time you evolve. "Kagura Bachi" isn't just another manga; it's the future of the medium. And if you can't see that, then you're simply not paying attention.

Seeing as there aren't any reviews on MAL that go past Chapter 8, I'm taking it upon myself to write it. Kagurabachi's time as a meme has largely run its course. As most MAL reviews will tell you, for its first 7 or 8 chapters, Kagurabachi is a series with good art, an ok cast, and a story that's generic but is still decent and shows potential with its worldbuilding and cold tone. And then Sojo arrives in Chapter 8. And then there's Chapters 9 and 10. By the end of Chapter 10, Kagurabachi becomes a legitimately good shonen. Sojo, a character mentioned early on, is properlyintroduced in Chapters 8-10 and is a GREAT villain. He's cold, he's sadistic in his treatment of others, and worst of all, he also worships Chihiro's father, but in the most terrifying way possible. He's a perfect foil to Chihiro; if any character is going through an early training arc right now, it's not Chihiro, it's Sojo.

And it's thanks to Sojo that Chihiro has someone he desperately needs to stop. They have no direct connection, their relation is so unlike most shonen protag/antag relations, and yet it feels so strong. The cast is being extended to include more characters who can fight against Sojo. Char's terror is now made clear thanks to Sojo's plans, plans that, if they go through, could make Sojo develop into a long-term villain rather than the secondary villain he technically is.

The art has gotten a lot better. Almost every chapter since Chapter 9 has an absolutely insane panel or two. While the faces could still use some work, the details going into character art is getting more polished. The cast themselves is showing some more emotional range, with Chihiro finally expressing sorrow rather than just the "fresh hatred" he's had since the start. To prevent it from being too overbearing, the supporting cast that surrounds Chihiro are much more emotive and even a bit goofy, albeit still able to do their jobs when necessary. The cast also helps make it clear that Chihiro's apparent lack of emotion is really just a way to mask his recklessness.

The point is that it's clear by this point that there's a lot more going under the hood of Kagurabachi's generic-sounding premise. That's not to say it's a *great* series, the art is still a bit rough at times, and the cast and story, while good hasn't yet made me fall head over heels. But that's the key word, potential. Kagurabachi is not just a series with potential but, unlike many manga that have ran in Shonen Jump (I would give Mamayuyu as an example but people would get mad at me because a lot of people really like that one), it's focused enough that me and other readers feel like author Hokazono is indeed capable of realizing that potential

The jury's still out on whether or not Kagurabachi is the next big shonen, but well, I won't be too surprised if that ends up happening.

Alright, enough time has passed. I finally feel prepared to tell you all, why YOU should be reading Kagurabachi right now! What was considered by many to be a meme at the beginning has blossomed into one of the biggest bangers in Weekly Shonen Jump today. It's a unique and engaging story that only gets better over time. So do yourselves a favour and get into it now, you won't regret it. Right, let's start with something obvious - this manga is just super fun! Right off the bat, it starts off with some of the classic elements of early 2000s cool - katanas, gangsters, crime,trenchcoats and buckets of blood! Add to that the simple, yet versatile magic system and you've got an absolute heater on your hands! It's action packed, stylish, and just really engaging to read on a surface level. There's tons of love for swords and swordsmithing for those passionate about that. The author Takeru Hokazono has shared that John Wick and Kill Bill were some of his key influences for the story and it's blatantly obvious. Those are what inspired him to make it a tale of revenge and you can definitely feel the vibe of those iconic films in here. So if you enjoy any of these things, I firmly believe you'll love it. However, it would be foolish to brush it off as merely just an edgy revenge story, because there is so much to love here! While yes, the series can be pretty edgy at times, people might overexaggerate this aspect. Let me tell you, while reading this series, I also read the Hellsing manga and that's billions of times edgier than this ever gets! And yet Hellsing is a very popular and well respected series. So whatever edge there is, it's tasteful and well measured, like a well honed katana! So now, allow me to convince you of how different and unique Kagurabachi really is!

The best place to start is to show you how this series defies stereotypes and stands as something truly unique! I firmly believe that across all of Shonen Jump, past and present, Kagurabachi really stands out! Firstly, it retains all of the core tenets that make a battle shonen great - amazing action, cool power system, high stakes, character growth, a dash of humour, etc. However, it doesn't follow any established shonen formula and actually feels a lot closer in tone to seinen at times! At its core, it's a bloody revenge story in a yakuza crime thriller setting with lots of fantasy elements like magic. There's truly nothing else like it to my knowledge. It's intense, dark, engaging and rich. The world is this familiar yet strange anachronistic setting, where everyone carries swords and clashes with them like in Feudal Japan, yet there's cars like in the mid 70s and then modern tech that borders on science fiction. You can compare Kagurabachi to Bleach or Jujutsu Kaisen for example but while it shares elements with those for sure, it stands on its own as something starkly different. There's a strong escalation of tension and some pretty strong worldbuilding that adds over time and our protagonists Chihiro grows in body and mind through training and turmoil as any good shonen MC should, but the threats doesn't merely grow through stronger and stronger fighters. While there's plenty of those, a lot of the threat level stems from the many shady organizations involved and their vast influence and controlling power! Not to mention that all sides have to use a lot of strategy, politicking and manipulation to reach their end goal. Never has pure brute force been the solution and that makes every arc so exciting!

This seems like a perfect transition into what I believe are the biggest strengths of this story. First - the execution! While the premise might seem a bit generic at first glance - revenge story, yakuza, sorcery, etc. - it's anything but and what really sets it apart is how the story unfolds. Every arc is this multi-layered tapestry of ideas that mix together and unfold in beautiful fashion. Among the bloody, gory action, there's philosophical quandaries about morality and honour, deep emotional stories of perseverance, suffering and turmoil, introspections about the power of the human spirit, comments on society and the perception of conflict and those within it. Every arc has a lot of such powerful themes and leaves you with lots to ponder and think about and the answer is never obvious. Within the events themselves, every arc isn't just your standard "MC has to beat this week's big bad evil guy". Instead, there's always multiple parties involved, all with their own agendas and goals. Like I said above, they often don't rely on just their strength and have to instead use their influence, intelligent strategy and mental games to accomplish whatever it is they're after and watching them maneuver around each other keeps the story thoroughly exciting and unpredictable. For all parties and people involved, the line between good and evil is razor thin and exploring where that line lies is a core aspect of the story. In fact, I'd say the debate of morality is the one central theme for the entire story!

More of the excellent execution can be explored through the art! Now, it's clear from the get go that it's a bit simplistic and the line work is a little rough around the edges. However, it's very competently made, it's pretty clear at all times what is happening and the character's faces are simplistic, but expressive and memorable. Plus there's plenty of unique aspects of the art that make it instantly recognizable. Definitely passes the "what is that guy reading on the train" test. Kagurabachi is definitely among the first disciples of the Chainsaw Man school of character design, so expect a lot of sharply dressed characters in stylish black suits. Nonetheless, while keeping things grounded and realistic, every character has a distinct appearance and is easily recognizable, even when drawn smaller, without details or reduced to chibis. This all helps add to the awesome neo-noir setting that the series is going for and it honestly looks damn perfect in black and white!

However, the true strength of the art isn't in the purely technical aspects of it, but in everything around it - pacing, paneling, page layouts! Now, this is a battle shonen after all, so you need excellent fight scenes to pull it all together and Kagurabachi definitely excels here! There's lots of dramatic and dynamic posing, fast paced movement and excellent choreography. The sword fights feature a lot of intense close clashes and the sorcery also begets many massive, high impact shots that feel colossal and devastating. For those curious, the title of the series can be roughly translated as "Karmic Ritual Dance", a title very apt on many levels, but one of those is the action itself! Hokazono-sensei uses a lot of exaggerated poses and movement that really make the fights feel like a dance of death! Exaggerated perspectives, even five point perspective, unique positioning and very unorthodox camera angles definitely help make everything feel so fluid and epic! Every sword swing is dangerous, yet graceful. Seriously, if you love sword fights, Kagurabachi has some of the best out there!

Now about the paneling and page layouts, this is probably the most notable aspect of Hokazono-sensei's unique writing style. The dialogue is simple and rock solid and there's lot of dramatic framings that use both emotional expressions and strong symbolism to add a lot of extra oomph to any scene. Sometimes, just a simple memory can be as dramatic as a clash of swords. One of his most unique techniques is how he loves to have a current event and a flashback happen at the same time, alternating panels between the two of them. Techniques like this allow him to add worldbuilding, explain attacks, add backstory and also just tell two different events at the same time, which is so engaging and different, I absolutely love it! Beyond that, there's something that I can't quite put into words, but a lot of the scenes are so...cinematic! That really is the best word to use about it. There's just so many scenes that I can feel will become truly iconic with time, just from how powerful and memorable they are. The expressions, the pacing, the way they're arranged, the juxtapositions, combined with how unpredictable the story itself is and how it twists and turns in unexpected directions, it just builds more and more hype and after every chapter and you just can't look away!

Lastly, I want to talk about the star of the whole show - our main character Chihiro! In this series, practically every character is a rich tapestry of emotions and aspects and brings so much to the story. However, Chihiro really is a cut above the rest. Many might brush him off as just another generic edgelord - red eyes, big scar on his face, katanas, trenchcoat, avenging his dad. He's got all the elements. But I think that was kind of intentional on Hokazono-sensei's part, making this character that looks like a generic edgy boy and then subverting the expectations so masterfully! For Chihiro is a killer, he leads a path of violence and bloodshed, but he finds no pleasure in any of this. He might seem aloof, stoic and uncaring but deep down, he's a very compassionate and loving person who wants to protect others and prevent the work of his father from being used for evil. He's never afraid of sacrificing his own life for someone else and even after being a hair's breadth away from death, he still persists and moves forward. Unlike many Shonen Jump good boys, his motivations are believable and real. He wants to walk through Hell and close the door behind himself. Be a monster so nobody else has to be one ever again. His path starts with blind vengeance, but as he experiences more, he learns and grows, becoming a much more complete person and learning to see the bigger picture and work for the greater good. I can confidently say, Chihiro is one of the most engaging protagonists in Jump and it's just a joy to follow his entire journey! Plus, he's a left handed swordsman, which is super rare across all kinds of fiction!

So there you have it, I have gushed long enough and I hope I've convinced you of how awesome Kagurabachi really is and now you feel the urge to read it! This was one of the first series I was able to catch right at the beginning of its serialization, there were only 3 chapters out when I started. Like many, I first heard of it thanks to the memes and decided to check it out, given that it was so short at the time. However, while the many that memed on it at the start dropped off, I stuck around, I was curious to see where this goes. And boy, am I glad I did! Kagurabachi has blossomed into something beautiful and every aspect of it has become absolutely spectacular. Over time, Hokazono-sensei has really fleshed out the characters, the worldbuilding, the power system and now I am just locked in for the ride! I think any bad rap that came at the start was simply because the series took a little while to really get going, a couple of edgy moments and because a lot of the early scanlations were of very poor quality. I've gone back and reread the official volumes now and I can tell you, this has been a heater from the get go and just needed to flesh things out and show all of its greatness! There's a lot of subtle foreshadowing, very careful writing and lots of consideration put into it all, so this duck is definitely not winging it! It's unique in both visuals and story, has many stand out writing techniques and some of the most exciting paneling out there. Honestly, the fact that Takeru Hokazono can bring this level of quality in his first every serialized manga is absolutely insane! The memes of the internet put massive pressure and unexpected attention on this inexperienced young mangaka, but dammit, he pushed through and came out in force! The irony is that people memed on this series at the start, sarcastically claiming how it will be the best manga ever, but now, it's so good that it might just unironically achieve that! The hype just builds and builds and every chapter just leaves me floored. After the last page, I keep finding myself screaming at the heavens in excitement and joy with just how hype and awesome what I just read was. This fine blend of swords and sorcery, this tense yakuza thriller, this action packed shonen-seinen hybrid has unironically become one of my favourite series to follow and I just tremble with anticipation for each new chapter. After everything I said, I just wanna end on this - Kagurabachi is just....so so good! I really can't explain this feeling without spoilers, so do yourself a favour and jump in, see what I mean! You won't be sorry! Enough time has passed, the new King is here!

So every day, I start the morning with fresh love for Kagurabachi! I hope you will now too.

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The anti Morbius. Let me explain ok just hear me out. Morbius when it was revealed was advertised a lot, was being produced by a massive studio, featured an edgy protagonist, and looked like it was gonna be just another unremarkable movie. Because of this everyone online made fun of it by pretending it was the most amazing thing ever sarcastically. Then it releases and is bad and quickly forgotten. Kagurabachi when it was revealed was advertised a lot, was being published by a massive company, featured an edgy protagonist, and looked like it was gonna be just another unremarkable manga. Because of this everyoneonline made fun of it by pretending it was the most amazing thing ever sarcastically. Then it releases and is actually awesome?! Read this manga right now.

What I initially viewed as an average revenge story with an edgelord as a protagonist has evolved long ago into what I think is one of the best new-gen manga series. The story may appear simple at first glance but my personal low expectations drove me to be utterly amazed by its quality. I have yet to read a jarring chapter, almost all of them are action-packed with a fight choreography extremely satisfying to follow. Even though it brings a lot of charm to the more fun and light-hearted scenes, the low-detailed faces may turn off certain readers, but the composition and panelling are sogood I have to give credit Hokazono-sensei's amazing art.

With a cast of lovable and well-written characters, two main villains so good they make me worry about future ones feeling underwhelming in comparison, at least one large memorable and epic panel per chapter and a hard to miss inspiration from western cinema, Kagurabachi had surpassed its status of "series with potential from which I want to see more of" and is now undoubtedly an amazing piece of art that will surely reach an insane status of popularity.

I very highly recommend you give a shot to the first 10 chapters at least.

Tenoì.

"I want to be a better manga" "I want to be.... Kagurabachi" 1.0 Executive Summary At the time of writing this, Kagurabachi has been praised (mostly jokingly) as the greatest piece of manga to ever grace planet Earth, a piece of fiction that has has influenced the childhood of billions and the author was even sent letters about how it changed the lives of fans overseas before chapter 1 even dropped. So this begs the question, "Is the manga actually good?", is the art, story and character writing really up to the standard of the hype? The art is effective at entertaining the reader. However, the story, writingand and world building overall can be a bit lacklustre. Nonetheless the manga remains charming with its likeable characters although they suffer from a bit of flaws I'll get into later on. This review will aim to provide both points for and against this manga and make a judgement based on it's value to the future of Shounen and the industry as a whole.

2.0 Stronger Points - The Art

The art of Kagurabachi is unironically amazing and worked great in achieving a balance of goofiness and tension whenever it's needed. The art style gave the characters extremely malleable and simple to draw faces while maintaining the high detail in the clothing, weapons and background, this allows for the very same faces to be used across in tonally different scenes with flexibility without requiring much change. For example a panel of Chihiro ( the mc's name isn't actually Kagurabachi 🤯) malding over his dad dying has the same amount of detail on his face compared to a panel of him staring emotionlessly at some fish in a tank as his uncle talks to him about how the uncle is larger than him ( height) . This allows for pacing to feel consistent throughout the manga which makes for a more enjoyable read. Furthermore, the artwork at action scenes were beautifully drawn with an inky and fluid style that engulfed the pages with excitement whenever Kagura said it's KAGURA BACHING TIME and Kagura Bachi'd all over everyone, sorry he doesn't say that. One really cool thing about the first major fight in chapter 1, was that the entire fight was drawn as if Chihiro only used one swing. The manga starts the fight with a cinematic buildup reminiscent of a Yakuza movie with a group of men staring down at Chihiro as he draws his sword. Chihiro cuts down a crowd of attackers and we are given two panels where we slowly see the impact of his slice; emphasising the impact as he beyblades into the air and cuts another man's hand off, the motion of his blade never drawing back as he fully extends his arm in the following page and lands while painting the page black with a mixture of his own sword and the blood of everyone around him. While one may raise the valid argument that the monotone face makes Kagurabachi look like Shigeo from Mob Pyscho 100 and just makes the manga a bit silly, it's important to remember that this is a shounen manga and the -_- ahh faces serve the purpose of establishing a less serious tone in comparison to something like Berk which would allow the manga to be a lot more marketable to children, children who are into watching a man kill crowds of people but whatever. Overall, the art of Kagurabachi is really good.

3.1 Weaker Points - Story

The story of Kagurabachi is where we begin to start seeing cracks in its potential to become a "newgen big 3". The story is very basic. That's not to say simple ideas can't be executed to the T into something great, however the first few chapters at least have really failed at capturing the audience to believe it to be all that special. Kagurabachi is about a young man with a special sword who goes on a quest of revenge after his dad got nae nae'd by a mysterious and a powerful lookmaxxer with a strong jawline which he obtained from hours of mewing and chewing gum. As a result of this simple premise, the story in the beginning felt cliche and a lot of emotional impact was lost especially at the death scene of his father as the father felt less like an actual character we can care about but rather just a way of continuing the narrative, and the motive of Chihiro as a result became uninteresting to follow. There's this quick test one can do at home which I stole from OSP to see how much of an impact a character's death left on the audience by just imagining the character as a really sexy lamp and see if you still feel about the same. If Chihiro's dad wasn't the one burnt to death but rather his favourite lamp was smashed (non sexually), the weight of the overall death would've felt the same in the long term. The counterargument can be made that it's too much to expect so much to be built within only two chapters but other mangas have been able to do that by focusing on creating an interesting premise at the start and only hinting at the character's motivations to be explored thoroughly later on, which could've been interesting to see in Kagurabachi. Additionally, the world building was fun but also still quite standard and raised a few questions, taking place during a time where trains have been invented but not a single one of the mob was using a gun. Another question the reader may have, was regarding why the townspeople simply just hung around the same place with the Yakuza when transport was clearly open with a working train line, and how come none of the townsfolk ever tried to travel out to seek legal enforcement. All in all, while the story has much time to grow and develop, it its current state its mildly repetitive, confusing and only compelling to a moderate extent.

3.2 Weaker Points - Characters

The character writing of the manga was charming but had small kinks in their dialogues. Although it was mentioned above already how the death of the father of Kagurabachi was way too sudden to feel impactful the little bit of characterisation he did have was actually pleasant, as we got to watch him yap on about how Japanese steel has the largest cock in the whole galaxy. Chihiro is quite likeable and foiled his father's cheerful personality with a dead pan expression at all times which in the beginning was quite cute and served to paint him as a very pragmatic and logical person, this also may have been a result of the burden that this young boy had to carry as his mother clearly wasn't around. Only issue Chihiro had was the way his writing made him come off as an aggressively edgy teenager with lines like, "Everyday, I start the morning with fresh hatred", and "I can't allow a slime like you to wield katana". That was just corny, and wasn't even cute in the same way baby Thorfinn was in the beginning of Vinland Saga. However, hopefully the author will work on Chihiro more later on to feel more relatable and nuanced rather than just straight corny.

4.0 Conclusion

Overall, Kagurabachi was a very entertaining manga that had excellent art but suffered mainly in its lacklustre storytelling and awkward character writing. And even though it may not be Godfather of modern literature, only two chapters are out as of this review and the author has a lot of potential ways of improving his story, such as having Kagurabachi killing all of Shounenjump in chapter 3 and saving soul society in the progress. Overall, Kagurabachi may not be able to change the scene of shounen forever, but the author has made an earnest attempt at creating an entertaining reading experience.

TLDR:it's not bad, read it if you want

Art: 8/10

Story: 6/10

Characters: 7/10

Overall: 7(00000)/10

Enough Time Has Passed, after 112 chapters of nonstop action, Part 1 of Kagurabachi comes to an end and now is the perfect time to not only recommend this manga but to start reading it yourself. Any fan of the Shonen genre MUST start reading this manga, and soon to be anime because it has every quality that a top tier Shonen has imo. And what started as a meme even before the series was officially released, has turned into one of Shonen's hottest and best selling manga without an anime ever, and what makes this achievement even more impressive is that Hokazono is doingthis in a market where physical copies are becoming less popular. Regardless of how one would feel about the series itself, for Takeru Hokazono to be making a manga of this quality and this popular as his first fully weekly manga series is a feat on its own.

After this paragraph this review will be filled with some spoilers and a more in depth review of all the main qualities that make this such a special series already. However, if readers don't want to bother themselves with reading the rest, what makes this manga so compelling is its simplicity. The series starts off very simple, with basic but cool premises; however, it evolves and grows with the rest of the story to make something truly compelling. Another aspect that makes it spectacular is how Hokazono wastes no time in not only setting up characters and arcs, but also finishing them and making each chapter a special read. Lastly Hokazono wears no shame in putting what helped influence this manga on full display while making it entirely his own thing. Kagurabachi has many special qualities, from its unbelievable fights and use of perspective/ paneling, emotional backstories and fantastic cast of characters, to unironically the aura that it has and how cool it is.

Lets start this review briefly talking about the main character Chihiro Rokuhira, one of my favorite Shonen mcs to come out not only in recent memory but of all time. He first comes off as this edge lord who just wants revenge but as the story goes on and as the reader learns more about him you realize that he is the exact opposite and he is one of the most hopeful, optimistic and GENUINELY empathic mcs that have graced the Shonen landscape in recent memory. And another aspect of his character that is great is that up until now he has been more "developed" and "mature" than other Shonen main characters but not in the way the reader may think. It isn't necessarily that Chihiro is more mature than characters like Luffy or Asta because of how he acts, its like that because it feels like he is already way farther along on his journey than other mcs when the main story starts, (which sort of gets into how fast paced this manga is) as the story starts after a 3 year time skip with his father already dead and he having pretty good proficiency of his weapon the Enten. Chihiro in Part 1 is basically like a sponge retaining all the information that the world is giving him about their view of the enchanted blades after being sheltered and only fed his father's description of what they should be used for. And despite the conflicting ideals he gets ready at the end of Part 1 to forge a new blade with a new ideal that HE, Chihiro Rokuhira wants to wield. His growth as an main character is absolutely fantastic to see grow weekly and something that the reader should experience themselves, as I do feel like I am leaving off details about more of the intricacies of how he acts but that should be left up to you, the reader.

This review will continue with characters as it will briefly summarize some of the side characters and what makes a lot of them (not main antagonists or main side characters) so compelling. Kunishige Rokuhira despite not being present in many chapters and being dead since the start of the manga, his impact and weight is felt by EVERY character in the series and helps drives them further despite not being dead. Every time a character gets ready to claim or forge a new ideal it is off the basis of his enchanted blades that he crafted with his own ideals to end the Seitei War. Soya Sazanami, despite being an awful person who tortures one of the main deuteragonists, does so because of the legacy of their family and their twisted views on love. Despite how I may feel about him as a character, he is undeniably compelling to a certain degree. Ikura (THE GOAT) is unironically something that made me believe that this series was going to be truly special, despite only being a friend to one of our other deuteragonists the way he carries himself after seeing what Chihiro does and his desire to protect Iori is wonderful. Kiri is another wonderful side character who has shown herself to be cute and quirky but also to be a further big player later, despite not having much about her character yet she proves that Hokazono can make lovable characters very quickly.

Continuing with characters lets start with the Antagonists/ Villains, because despite it only being Part 1 Kagurabachi has laid claim to already having one of the strongest Antagonist cast in not only Shonen history, but potentially even manga history already. The first main villain of the story Sojo is fantastic as he directly opposes Chihiro's ideal and also features in one of the greatest first arcs in manga he is cold menacing and actually funny (bonus chapters). Kyora Sazanami the main villain of the next arc is bold and extravagant, in many ways he feels like the ultimate Shonen villain, being unbelievably extra with his Presentation, PROCEED! The way that Hokazono presented and paneled his arc made it such an unbelievable read and him such an unbelievable villain, PROCEED! The Hishaku, the main antagonists cast for Part 1 of this manga have been fantastic so far, from their leader Yura, to the members such as Hiruhiko, Hokuto, Uran, Bingo, Yokishida, Kuguri, Toto, to the two unnamed members. To keep from dragging this review out it will be leaving out why this group is unbelievably good, but I will briefly mention both Yura and Hiruhiko. Yura's character and how he was developed directly contrast Chihiro in many ways and makes their interactions very interesting, and even before knowing his inner machinations he was still very elusive and mysterious which gets explained later in the manga. Hiruhiko is mischievous and is set up to be a potential final villain candidate for Chihiro, his fighting style and presentation to his current weapon all are so fitting (duh), they all work together to make a very complexing villain who at any point could live or die, which makes him even more fun. The Sword Saint is this version of Chihiro in a different era almost, despite being massively more powerful, he wields the same ideals as Chihiro and similar mannerisms as Kunishige.

Finally, former antagonist Seiichi Samura is one of the greatest characters that have popped up in the last 10 years. Almost every time he was on screen he stole the show, with some of the coolest and well thought out character writing that I have witnessed in animanga history. To have a character this good, this compelling be set up and concluded in around 60 chapters is what confirmed to me that this was a future hall of fame manga. I don't want to explain any parts of his character, because they are better left interpreted and left for the reader, because his story is something truly special.

Finally the main side characters and deuteragonists, which won't be as long but they are just as great. Hakuri Sazanami, the way that his past shaped him to force him to hurt himself to his own detriment, how he helped save Chihiro by just being fantastic and funny in his own way makes him incredibly lovable. Iori which wasn't entirely revealed until the end of Part 1, which just shows that Hokazono is setting up for something big in the future. Still her reveal in the Swordbearer Execution Arc and her own personality makes her lovable. Characters like Shiba who is sort of like a Satoru Gojo in a way with him always being too late to help and being the pinnacle of sorcery (not enchanted blades). And what separates him from other mentor characters is that he is an irresponsible and lazy adult, he is still also really cool and has awesome teleporting. The characters have all been absolutely fantastic and get a 9/10 with the antagonists being stronger overall and some backstory nitpicks but here are some other awesome characters to take note of on your read: Uruha, Azami, Natsuki, Char, Hinao, Ikuto, Hiyuki, and The Masumi.

Next up are the incredible paneling, perspective and fights, because at the end of the day Shonen is about cool fights, and Kagurabachi has no lack of that in any department. His love of movies are on full display with unbelievable cinematic fights and perspective shots. Not only that Hokazono makes his art and by consequence characters feel so alive whenever he draws a panel. His fights read like a movie and they are truly a sight to behold, whenever reading I always can just see the anime because Hokazono made a manga that was 100% made for an anime adaptation.

The power system is very simple, however like mentioned previously it is that simplicity that makes it so good and evolves and grows throughout the story. Sorcery is powered by spirit energy which equals to life force. In fact it is basic, however the fact that later on it is revealed that if you burn up too much energy it condenses and turns to black and kills you is a fantastic addition. Another thing that makes it great is you really feel how powerful the enchanted blades are early on, despite some readers maybe thinking that this just feels like super powerful weapons that can slaughter anyone, and in some aspects they may be correct, story and power wise the Enchanted blades have all been set up fantastically. Their unique powers are simple, however their applications evolve with the reader and make them their own special weapon.

The arcs in Part 1 have all so far been masterfully set up and all got magnificent conclusions. All of the main overarching arcs: The Vs Sojo Arc, The Rakuzaichi Arc, and the Swordbearer Assassination Arc all are incredible, however it truly feels like with each arc, each chapter, each panel is better than the last. They set the tone for the series wonderfully, and add more details and mysteries as the story goes on. Despite it only being Part 1, Hokazono makes each arc feel like the last, because of how incredible he is at building tension.

Let’s conclude this review because hopeful enough was explained for the reader, Kagurabachi, while not straying away from any violence manages to be one of the most hopeful reads. And it does so while having awesome fights, paneling, perspective and characters. Each chapter seems better than the last and the art feels unbelievably alive. It is clear that Hokazono has a plan for this manga and it is abundantly clear that any reader should be along for the ride, because with the end of Part 1 of Kagurabachi, truly Enough Time Has Passed.

KAGURABACHI I remember knowing about this manga first through it's memes before the first chapter even aired. The memes got over and so I moved on with life forgetting this manga ever existed. Until after 2 years of publishing I actually got to know about the manga being actually good and peak like the memes unironically stated. So I had to give it a shot I've currently read till chapter 69 of the manga so far and all i can say that ITS ACTUALLY FUCKING GOOD for a shonen manga! The basic plot of this manga is about a boy named Chihiro and his quest to seek the6 enchanted blades made by his father(which are really powerful and can become a threat if in enemy's hands) and seek vengeance on the hishaku ( a group of sorcerers)

Unlike a lot of shonen manga/anime that take 50-60 chapters or the first season to finally truly start becoming a great series (like jujutsu kaisen with it's shibuya incident arc), Kagurabachi actually provides all those things you need in a great shonen series with impressive action sequences and panelling, gorgeous art, plot twists to keep you engaged with the plot, and a pretty cool power system, character developments within the first 30 chapters

The first arc(which is like 15 chapters) gives a pretty good introduction to the world of kagurabachi and the 2nd arc just makes you realize that KAGURABACHI IS THE REAL shit!

The thing is even after the 2nd arc kagurabachi is still going strong, with even crazier reveals and action sequences.

Can't wait for how Hokazono (the mangaka) goes forward with this incredible piece of work

So the memes became true afterall...

EASILY ONE OF THE BEST ONGOING SHONEN MANGA RIGHT NOW AND CAN BECOME THE NEXT BIG THING IN MANGA AND ANIME

The worst thing about Kagurabachi has got to be its characters. All of them have very simple personality, with little to no distinctive traits. . There is no charisma to our MC's allies. Villains, who while not totally forgettable, are incredibly simple in motivation and depth of personality. Chihiro, being the main protagonist, is given decent amount of background and care. The problem? There is simply no fight he cannot win. He is able to regenerate as if he was Wolverine. His training arcs usually happen off screen or are told to us in a quick 3 page flashback. He learns new skills fasterthan any other shonen MC you've ever seen, able to fully understand apparently incredibly difficult techniques just by watching them for a single fight. Its some of the most ridiculous "leveling up" in any battle manga that I've ever read. Hakuri, a fan favorite, with a good background, cool powers and reasonable limitations on those powers. No other character has anything close to these 2 characters.

The plot of Kagurabachi is the second worst thing. This is a manga that is clearly designed to be more of a storyboard for an anime than an actual manga. The art and the framing of the fights is quite good. Panels are used well. However the plot moves faster than Japan's next-gen L0-series high speed trains. A fight will start and finish within a max of 2 chapters. Our MC, Chihiro, will jump from 1 fight to the next. At the time of writing this post (70 chapters) there has been maybe 3 moments of "down time" lasting no more than a chapter. The downtime is usually just flashbacks what happened in-between fights but not enough to explain much of what's happening beyond them. We know almost nothing of the world in Kagurabachi other than there was this horrible war in Japan. Flashbacks are pretty much limited to how our characters got into a situation or provide a deus ex machina explanation for how a fight is about to be won/was won. Characters will die but you won't be able to care as 1) they have been given no depth to care about them and 2) no time to mourn as we are already on to the next round of action. Most named characters are simultaneously incredibly powerful in universe and easily dispatched.

Just an overall mess.

Kagurabachi, despite all the memes, in its own shell-- its own universe, serves as a good (although basic) story concept, with fun characters, interesting and pulling antagonists, and a nice set of funny and heartwarming side characters, and it's final ingredient- a nice good drop of yaoi. Great manga so far, I hope Hokazono gets even better at his craft, and puts more gay boys in his manga. I believe that Hokazono, with being the fact that he's only 23 is doing something unprecedented in the creation of this manga, without even taking part in it. Glory to the Kagurabachi nation, Glory to Chihiro, Gloryto Hakuri, GLORY TO YAOI.