Kagurabachi, the popular Shonen Jump manga series by Takeru Hokazono that has been dubbed the "next-generation" hit, is finally getting ready to announce an anime adaptation, according to a report by the reliable Toyokezai. The report says that Cygames Pictures, a subsidiary studio of CyberAgent, will produce the animation for the Kagurabachi anime. Cygames Pictures will reportedly lead the project together with Shochiku.
The report also mentioned the potential of the CyberAgent and Shochiku partnership to emerge as a “third force” in the anime industry. The report hasn't been confirmed on the official accounts of Kagurabachi, and no release date or streaming details have been revealed at the time of this writing.
Speaking to Toyokezai, an unnamed producer talked about the risk of having an animation studio entrusted with multiple works tackle the production of a major project: "If there was an additional intention [behind choosing an outsider], it would be to decentralize the studios. If one studio is entrusted with multiple works, there is a high risk that the production line will collapse (due to the workload, etc.). Rather than having a studio that is already working on major works such as MAPPA of Jujutsu Kaisen, WIT Studio of Spy x Family or CloverWorks of The Elusive Samurai, the thought of trying out a different studio that looked good may have come into play."
The source also talked about how CyberAgent’s growing international IP plans likely aligned with Shueisha’s goals for overseas expansion. One of the main strengths of this decision include the fact that CyberAgent operates the popular Japanese streaming service ABEMA (the company majority-own it with a 55.2% stake), and they have successfully linked anime campaigns with major advertisers. Meanwhile, Shochiku, which owns over 20 cinemas across Japan, has expertise in theatrical distribution.
What is Kagurabachi about?
Kagurabachi, a manga series written and illustrated by Takeru Hokazono, has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine since September 2023, and as of October 2024, four volumes have been released. The rapidly-rising dark fantasy series won the Next Manga Award 2024 in the Print Category. VIZ Media licensed the series in English, and shared a description for Kagurabachi's story:
As a young boy, Chihiro trains every day under his father to become a swordsmith. Although different in temperament, the two spend peaceful days laughing and working together. But one day, tragedy strikes… Now Chihiro burns with hatred and sets out to exact revenge. Following clues left behind by a ruthless yakuza organization, Chihiro confronts the Hishaku, a deadly group of sorcerers that may be behind his father’s murder!
Fans in the anime community know that it's just a matter of time before Kagurabachi gets the anime adaptation it deserves. The series already surpassed one million copies in circulation in just four volumes, on pace with other best-selling manga series such as Jujutsu Kaisen. You can watch the official trailer for the fourth volume of Kagurabachi manga series below:
