Manga First Impression: Kagurabachi
Hype for the first chapter of a new series in Shonen Jump isn’t new. People get excited and look forward to the release of a manga all the time. However the excitement that surrounded Kagurabachi was staggering. Even though I found myself easily among those waiting until the chapters release with high hopes, the amount of people I saw voicing their own enthusiasm for the series debut.
Official Summary
Young Chihiro spends his days training under his famous swordsmith father. One day he hopes to become a great sword-maker himself. The goofy father and the serious son--they thought these days would last forever. But suddenly, tragedy strikes. A dark day soaked in blood. Chihiro and his blade now live only for revenge.
Quick Information
Mangaka: Takeru Hokazono
Publisher: Shonen Jump
Published: September 18, 2023
Genre: Action, Fantasy
Series Status: Ongoing
First Impressions
Out of Jump’s newest titles this was the one out of the three I was looking forward to reading most. When I first saw the main character in Jump’s preview I knew this was a series I would dive headfirst into, if only for the character design and to enjoy some sword wielding action.
The story is about a young man named Chihiro who works as a swordsmith apprentice to his father. They both work hard and are diligent to their craft. As with most Shonen Jump series, peaceful days are shattered and now Chihiro wields his fathers last sword for revenge.
What drew my attention most was the story’s pacing. When we first see the main character, he has a different hair style and is without the facial scar he has on the cover art. The story opens up before that, starting in the past essentially, and it shows us the peaceful days leading up to… whatever happens to change this young man from swordsmithing to a bloody path of revenge. The slice of life element of a boy living with his father shows us what Chihiro will lose.
The story then skips 38 months later, which I thought was a very interesting way to tell a story. The reader is left in the dark of what took place during that time period. When we see Chihiro again, he's changed and has the cover art’s scar.
The artwork for this series is fantastic, and it really gets to shine later on in the chapter when the action scenes take place. The dynamic movement of blood spatters and even severed limbs frame the panels brilliantly. Showcasing the quick carnage without lingering on anything specific for too long.
I have seen some comments memeing on the main characters' dialogue but I don’t think there is anything wrong with it. It feels very much like a line your typical Shonen protagonist would say and that’s not a bad thing. Tropes aren’t inherently bad. Archetypes help establish a character when we’re being introduced to them for the first time. Having a simple goal with a focused MC isn’t something to shy away from. You only need to look at Demon Slayer to see how successful a “standard” shonen character can be.
I haven’t been this excited about the first chapter of a Shonen Jump series in awhile. This first chapter is fantastic. Not only did it live up to my initial excitement, but now, with context, I’m looking forward to reading more! Hopefully Kagurabachi will dodge the ax and hack through the competition to stay at the forefront of Jump's pages and continue to fill the sword wielding series void in my currently reading titles.