'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Takeru Hokazono's manga, Kagurabachi, has taken the world by storm, emerging as one of the most sensational new-gen manga despite having only one chapter published. It is a part of Shueisha's JUMP NEXTWAVE project where new manga are being introduced. This is a great strategy on the part of the company as many of their extremely popular series are soon coming to an end and as a result, new manga needs to fill the space.
The story of Kagurabachi revolves around Chihiro Rokuhira, the son of a renowned swordsmith and an exceptional swordsman himself. Chihiro embarks on a mission to avenge his father's tragic death at the hands of a group of sorcerers who have taken control of the entire city.
The extraordinary level of hype surrounding the manga cannot be overstated, and it is only matched by the sheer number of memes it has inspired.
Trending
In fact, Kagurabachi memes have also been created in response to a recent trending commercial from McDonald's, thus, proving the point.
Kagurabachi and McDonalds become sources of memes for X users
In recent times, there has been a noticeable increase in interest in dark, bloody, and gory manga and anime. Chainsaw Man and Hell's Paradise are two such examples that have gained immense popularity.
Kagurabachi also falls into this category, featuring a cold and resolute protagonist and action scenes consisting of a lot of sword fights. Takeru Hokazono's masterfully executed line and brushwork enhances every scene and is one of the reasons behind the manga's popularity.
However, the initial hype surrounding the series, even before a single chapter had been released, triggered a counter-response within the animanga community. Thus, the series became a subject of trolling and a source of numerous memes.
More recently, McDonald's Japan launched a new advertisement in the form of a short anime clip on X (formerly Twitter). This advertisement features a family of three enjoying their fast food in the comfort of their home.
The commercial rapidly gained popularity and garnered mixed reactions from around the world. Some viewers praised it for its portrayal of a happy home life, while others criticized it on ideological grounds, highlighting the stark contrasts in the brand's marketing strategies across different countries.
Memes also emerged, poking fun at Japan's birthrate, claiming the advertisement is asking Japanese people to have more children.
Since the character of the father in the advertisement has black, spiky hair, it has prompted a couple of X users to draw parallels between him and Kagurabachi's dark-haired protagonist, Chihiro.
In fact, one X user even created artwork depicting Chihiro and the mother and daughter from the advertisement holding a packets of fries and drinks instead of his sword.
Social media users often show remarkable ingenuity while creating memes, and these are only a few such examples.
Chapter 2 of Takeru Hokazono's latest manga is scheduled to release on Monday, September 25, 2023, at 12 am JST.
