After waiting for more than two years, Kagurabachi fans finally got the anime announcement, and the series will premiere next year. The acclaimed Weekly Shonen Jump manga written and illustrated by Takeru Hokazono began serialization in September 2023 and immediately captured readers’ attention, becoming viral right after its first chapter. It had one of the most successful debuts in recent years, after which, the anime’s path to success was all but guaranteed. Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer are the two biggest anime in recent years, and they also had impressive manga sales before their anime debuts. While Jujutsu Kaisen sold 2.5 million copies before the anime, Demon Slayer already had 3.5 million copies in circulation shortly before the anime’s debut.
However, Kagurabachi has surpassed both their records and crossed the 4 million milestone, becoming one of the most successful manga in Shonen Jump without an anime debut. The information was confirmed by the official X handle of the series, which revealed that the sales count includes both physical and digital copies. The manga has released 11 volumes in Japan so far, but only seven have been translated into English. It takes a few months for volumes to be licensed and translated before being sold internationally, which is why English volume releases take longer than expected.
Kagurabachi‘s Anime Is Guaranteed to Be a Major Hit
It’s rarely ever seen, even in Shonen Jump, that a series would spark this much excitement right after its debut. With a sales count of over 4 million copies, it’s already one of the most successful series in the magazine, and an anime adaptation will only skyrocket its popularity. The series has been under the public eye since the first chapter was released, which is why there was never any doubt about an anime adaptation, even if the news came later than expected.
The anime began circulating in 2024, less than a year after the manga’s debut, when a report confirmed that Shueisha applied to trademark the series across various categories, including animation. These trademarks are crucial for securing rights related to new anime projects, leading readers to view this piece of information as an encouraging sign.
What Is Kagurabachi About?
Kagurabachi centers around the themes of revenge, family, tradition, and destiny in its intense plot, centering around a quest for vengeance. The story follows the journey of Chihiro Rokuhira, an 18-year-old, who takes possession of his father’s last legendary sword to avenge his death at the hands of a rival sorcerer group. Three years after the death of his father, he embarks on a quest to hunt down all the members of the group and reclaim the other blades they stole from his father.
The manga concluded its first part in February this year and commenced its Part 2 with a new arc one week later. The first part is divided into three arcs, with the third arc, Sword Bearer Assassination, being the longest one till now. The story took drastic turn as the first part concludes, where Chihiro is one step closer to achieving his childhood dream and becoming more like his father.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
