Weekly Shonen Jump: Kagurabachi's rising popularity is concerning for Hokazono and Weekly Shonen Jump may just not care

Kagurabachi's rising popularity is concerning for Hokazono and Weekly Shonen Jump may just not care

Modified Oct 27, 2024 07:08 GMT

Kagurabachi (Image via Takeru Hokazono, Shueisha)

Takeru Hokazono's Kagurabachi seems to be on the rise among manga with each passing minute. Beginning serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine on September 19, 2023, the series has witnessed a growing success as the manga reaches its 54-chapter mark.

Further, there have been a lot of releases of colored pages depicting breathtaking artwork and visuals. Its seemingly perfect mix of dark fantasy, swordsmanship, and revenge-driven storytelling allowed it to pick up quickly. It gradually gained the title of “the next big hit.

However, this increasing success of the manga might be quite concerning for its creator, Hokazono, and it all connects to him not taking a break since his manga started serialization. Considering the norms that Shonen Jump enforces on authors that have the tendency to become popular, Hokazono might become the victim of a 'hiatus due to health concerns' if he doesn't take a break.

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed in this article solely belong to the author.

Weekly Shonen Jump being oblivious to Kagurabachi's rise to fame raises concerns for Hokazono

Enten (Image via Takeru Hokazono, Shueisha)

It is in 2024 that the mega-popular series Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia concluded. Following successful runs, the authors of each series decided it was time to draw the curtains on their respective works. With that, Weekly Shonen Jump needed to quickly look for the next big thing. They did not have to look far as Hokazono's series was stealing hearts all over the manga community.

Kagurabachi witnessed an unexpected surge in popularity when it began publishing in the latter half of 2023. Now, in 2024, with 54 chapters published, the series is believed to be the successor of Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia. Given its immense and growing popularity, it is expected to fill the gap left by the two series and more so when the anime adaptation releases.

This is what Weekly Shonen Jump is now leaning on as it further pushes the series. Allowing it to feature on the cover page and showcasing its artwork when possible is testament to this fact. Moreover, the manga has not really seen a break yet, despite 54 chapters in, which seems to be even better for Weekly Shonen Jump as it implies a continuous flow of content.

Chihiro Rokuhira (Image via Takeru Hokazono, Shueisha)

On the flip side, Kagurabachi's increasing success might not be all that pleasant for author Takeru Hokazono. Not to be mistaken, the series doing extremely well is a major boost to Hokazono. However, at the same time, it spells quite a tough time for the 24-year-old on the road ahead. His work has spoken for itself, showcasing the kind of talent he possesses.

But this talent needs to be protected for it to continue to grow and produce stunning results. Consecutively releasing chapters is not an easy feat in the slightest. Moreover, in the recent past, the series has been receiving a number of colored pages. This shows Hokazono's tireless commitment to his series, but is also a sign of him working non-stop to churn them out.

As seen with mangakas like Gege Akutami, Kohei Horikoshi, and Yoshihiro Togashi, constant work affects the health in a major way. Each of these mangakas worked tirelessly on their manga and in turn suffered significant health repercussions.

Towards the tail end of their respective series, they needed breaks and had the manga community concerned about their wellbeing. If Hokazono continues this way at his tender age, he might face the same uncomfortable reality.

In Conclusion

Kagurabachi has turned out to be a hidden gem, which is now taking the manga world by storm. The immersive story, adrenaline-filled action sequences, intriguing concepts about the legendary blades, and the fierce protagonist make it an unmissable read. Undoubtedly, it won't be long before it receives an anime adaptation (the rumors for which are already over the internet).

But for it to keep going, Hokazono's health is vital. True, mangakas have to meet deadlines and keep producing to allow for continuity. However, this cannot be done at the cost of one's mental and physical well-being.

The most well-known example in this case would be of Berserk author Kentarou Miura whose death is linked to his relentless publishing schedule. Hopefully, Hokazono doesn't face the same fate and learns how to take breaks before Shonen Jump starts enforcing its continuous publication schedules on him.

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Edited by Somava