Kagurabachi took the animanga world by storm and became a popular internet meme before even debuting. So, will Kagurabachi be the next Shonen Jump hit? Here's what we think!
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Epic Swords, Goldfish Metaphors, and Revenge: An Overview of Kagurabachi
In many ways, Kagurabachi's plot is similar to typical shonen titles, but its fans sense that it's going to be special.
The fantasy manga is written and illustrated by Takeru Hokazono, who is also known for the one-shots, Chain and Roku no Meiyaku.
Kagurabachi's protagonist is Chihiro, a young boy who spends his days learning how to forge swords by his father's side. His dream is to become a legendary swordsmith too.
But since the untimely death of his father, Chihiro wields his last sword and lives only for revenge.
This initial plot is quite vague, which gives it the potential to be executed in many different ways.
Right now, the premise doesn't look like the most original, but a groundbreaking plot is not always necessary for a manga to become a hit. Let's break this down below.
A Brief History of Kagurabachi's Hype
Before Kagurabachi's first chapter was even released, the manga took over the internet thanks to the efforts of fans who made it a popular internet meme known as "Kagurabachi glazing."
It all started when an X user posted Kagurabachi's main image next to an image of Boruto with the caption, "Enough time has passed."
Following the tweet that seems to hail Kagurabachi as Boruto's successor, many similar posts started to praise the manga before its first chapter was even out.
The phenomenon of overhyping the manga came to be known as "Kagurabachi glazing."
Right now, few shonen fans are strangers to Chihiro's sword and intense crimson gaze.
Why Is Kagurabachi So Popular Already?
Kagurabachi seems to have the recipe that makes shonen anime click; impressive art, a strong character with a goal, and loads of impressive action, mingled with some magic.
Right now, it looks like a manga that will appeal to fans of Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen, and it lies somewhere between the two in terms of how dark it is.
Of course, internet hype played a role, because Kagurabachi hasn't released enough chapters to prove itself yet.
Not every post on X or TikTok becomes viral, but when this happens, many manga fans will check out a new work simply to see if it'll live up to the hype.
Is Kagurabachi the Next Big Shonen Manga?
So far, Kagurabachi is being set up as the next Shonen Jump hit. It is doing extremely well on VIZ as of writing, having dethroned older favorites. Of course, the question is whether it will withstand the test of time.
Right now, some fans swear by it. Others find the hype extreme and even annoying as they don't feel that Kagurabachi has done much to deserve it — at least not yet.
So far, the manga has a burdened protagonist with an understandable if unoriginal motivation, and a solid cast with some potential.
However, since the first few chapters are quite action-focused, it might be a while before the manga's more unique aspects unfold.
All in all, Kagurabachi has a lot of potential to become the next Shonen Jump hit in the long run.
It will, however, need to prove itself with more than social media praise, by telling an excellent story that will make it stand out.
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