Takeru Hokazono's Kagurabachi manga has captivated several manga enthusiasts with its engaging plot and interesting characters. While the manga has released only ten chapters so far, it has already shaped up as a brilliant work of fiction that deviates from the traditional shonen tropes made famous by legendary titles such as Naruto and One Piece.
In fact, the protagonist of Kagurabachi, Chihiro Rokuhira, has emerged vastly different from the likes of Naruto or Luffy in the broad shonen spectrum. Unlike them, he treads on a path of revenge and doesn't hesitate to get blood on his hands.
Within just ten chapters, Hokazono has already demonstrated how his manga rejects multiple traditional shonen tropes, very similar to how Gege Akutami and Tatsuki Fujimoto have done in Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man, respectively.
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Kagurabachi manga showcases violence in a way Naruto and One Piece couldn't do
While every shonen protagonist has different objectives, there's a fine line of thread that binds them together. This fine thread symbolizes the traditional shonen tropes found in almost all shonen works.
However, Takeru Hokazono has meticulously severed that thread and presented Chihiro Rokuhira as a unique protagonist in his Kagurabachi manga. According to many fans, the dark-haired protagonist from Takeru-san's manga has brought freshness to the shonen genre.
Like Naruto Uzumaki, Chihiro Rokuhira doesn't believe in Talk no Jutsu. He doesn't hesitate for once before killing an enemy in front of him. The only thing that drives him, is his unwavering resolve for revenge against those who killed his father and stole the enchanted blades.
Takeru-san hinted at Chihiro's compulsion for violence in the first chapter, where he killed more than 50 mafia goons. Naruto fans would agree that the titular protagonist wouldn't have acted in such a manner.
In fact, within the first ten chapters of Kagurabachi manga, Chihiro Rokuhira has killed nearly a hundred beings. It does not necessarily imply that he enjoys violence, but it's possibly the only thing that he can do in the cruel world he lives in.
Fans would agree that he resembles Tanjiro Kamado from The Demon Slayer, who too is compelled to wield his blade against the demons because that's the kind of world where he lives. However, unlike Tanjiro, Chihiro's opponents aren't demons but human beings with sorcery powers.
Undoubtedly, very few shonen protagonists exhibit characteristics akin to Chihiro Rokuhira from the Kagurabachi manga. No protagonist from the "Big Three" club, especially Naruto Uzumaki from Naruto and Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece matches the revenge mindset of Chihiro.
Interestingly, Luffy is known to be a protagonist who doesn't "kill" his opponents. Even Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach doesn't tread on a path of revenge like the dark-haired protagonist from Takeru-san's manga. Notably, neither Naruto nor One Piece manga has seen so many mobs being killed within the first ten chapters.
In this respect, Kagurabachi manga has achieved a unique feat, thanks to its protagonist, Chihiro Rokuhira. This is perhaps one of the biggest reasons why many fans believe Takeru Hokazono's manga can become the next big thing in the shonen genre.
However, it should also be mentioned that this is not the first time a shonen manga has deviated from traditional tropes and emerged unique. As mentioned earlier, even Gege Akutami in Jujutsu Kaisen and Tatsuki Fujimoto in Chainsaw Man have embraced violence as a chief element in the narrative.
Shonen fans may agree that this is perhaps the way forward for the next generation of manga. Undoubtedly, Kagurabachi manga, like some other titles, has started setting new benchmarks for the future.
Keep up with more anime news and manga updates as 2023 progresses.
