Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Kagurabachi‘s Chihiro set himself apart from other Shonen heroes from the very first chapter. While most Shonen protagonists have an uplifting aura around them, Chihiro is the exact opposite.
Chapter 1 ofKagurabachirevealed Chihiro’s dark past, and it was abundantly clear that the character means business. Any distraction is simply not allowed, which is probably why the manga fetched such a high viewership rate as soon as it debuted.
In an interview, Kagurabachi’s author, Hokazono Takeru, talked in detail about how he created Chihiro and his story.
Kagurabachi‘s Author Created a Dark Hero, Challenging Shonen Standards
In an interview withAsahi Shimbun, Hokazono Takeru discussed his creation process for Chihiro. The author was more experienced with one-shots and wanted to play to his strength with hisfirst serialization.
However, an ambiguous dream of becoming something does not sit right in one-shots. But if the hero’s goal is to kill someone, it becomes much easier to understand. Seeking revenge is also more of a direct approach.
“They’re in my blood”: Keanu Reeves and Quentin Tarantino Have a Bigger Hand in Influencing Kagurabachi Than Fans Realize
Since the author has experience with revenge stories, he decided to use the genre in the manga.
“And since this was my first serialization, I thought it would be cool to create something more challenging…And my thought is, if you want to kill someone, you might as well be an avenger.”
So that is how the character of Chihiro came to be. Takeru wanteda unique storythat would make an impact on the audience, and his formula worked wonders forKagurabachi. While mostShonen protagonistsare happy-go-lucky and carry the burden of being likable, Chihiro never has to adhere to the standards.
From the very beginning, Chihiro has been a brooding guy, who was later broken by the death of his father. As you know, his next step was to set out to take revenge against the people responsible for his father’s death.
One Piece: Eiichiro Oda’s 1 Straw Hat Pirate Has Inspired Haikyuu and Kagurabachi That Will Further Upset Sanji Fans
Another shocking thing that the author revealed is that he created a revenge story partly because:
“Also, blood splatters just look cool in black-and-white manga illustrations.”
There is also a scene in Chapter 1 that perfectly summarizes Chihiro’s outlook on life. When Shiba asks why Chihiro doesn’t get his scar removed, Chihiro answers that every day, when he wakes up and sees his face, the scar motivates him to take the path of revenge.
Different Japanese Motifs inKagurabachi
Hokazono Takeru claimed that he loved seeing exaggerated Japanese aesthetics in Western movies. While most people think it is overdone and exaggerated, Takeru somehow likes it and gets excited because of it.
The author always hoped that he would be able to create a story just like that, filled with Japanese motifs, Which is why his story has traditional Japanese symbols likekatana,sorcery, goldfish, and more. Originally, the author had planned to draw koi fish since:
“Their red, black, and white colors would match well in a revenge story with lots of blood splatter and a protagonist whose clothes are all black.”
“I’d like to keep up the popularity”: Weekly Shonen Jump Editor Wants Kagurabachi Anime – Will it Ever Happen?
However, Takeru changed the koi fish to a goldfish to symbolize Chihiro’s life with his father.
Hokazono Takeru ensured that Chihiro andKagurabachihad a distinct feature when compared to other manga. For the author, a revenge story was what greased the plot’s wheels.
You can read theKagurabachimanga on Viz Media.
Aaheli Pradhan
Anime Content Writer
Articles Published :1557
Aaheli is an Anime Content Writer at FandomWire with 1300+ published articles. With five years of experience under her belt, she is a living, breathing encyclopedia for anime and manga. From Shonen and Shojo to the most niche anime, nothing escapes her radar. Her poisons of choice are Assassination Classroom, Gintama, Ouran High School Host Club and every Ghibli movie ever. She believes in living a slow life, surrounded by incomplete art projects and her beloved cats.
