Kagurabachi: What You Need to Know About the Next Big Anime Since Jujutsu Kaisen
The shonen genre has long been the driving force of global anime fandom, and following hits like Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen, Takeru Hokazono’s Kagurabachi is hotly tipped as the next big powerhouse.
Like the latter two, the ongoing manga series comes from popular magazine Weekly Shonen Jump. Since beginning publication in 2023, it's amassed a strong readership, and an anime adaptation seemed less like a hope and more like an inevitability.
Sure enough, an announcement came in December 2024 that a Kagurabachi anime was indeed in the works. In April, the first teaser trailer dropped, followed by a few character-focused videos introducing the main voice cast. So, while we’ve got a while to wait for the series to be released (more on that later), here’s what we know about it so far, and for the uninitiated, what you need to know about the popular manga it’s based on.
What Is the Plot of Kagurabachi?
Kagurabachi follows the recent-ish trend of dark, supernatural-based shonen stories, in the same vein as the aforementioned Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen, but also the even darker Chainsaw Man. As in JJK, Kagurabachi’s setting is a version of modern-day Japan in which some people practice sorcery in secret. The backdrop of the main story is the Seitei War, nearly 20-years prior, which pushed the previously mainstream magic practice into the shadows.
The protagonist is 18-year-old Chihiro Rokuhira, the son of a master blacksmith who created a set of six Enchanted Blades (katanas) that were used by special Sword Bearers to end the Seitei War. Naturally, they’ve become greatly sought after by others looking to wield their almost unlimited sorcery, including the villainous Hishaku group. Three years before the start of Kagurabachi, the group murdered Chihiro’s father and stole the Blades – but they didn’t finish the job: Chihiro not only survived, but was left with a secret seventh Blade, Enten, which he is now armed with on his quest for revenge for his father.
Who Are Kagurabachi’s Main Characters?
The cool, calm and collected Chihiro isn’t alone in his mission. The main supporting cast includes Chihiro’s childhood friend, Togo Shiba, the brasher, more immature one of the pair but fiercely loyal to him. Hakuri Sazanami is an outcast who is also on a vengeance quest – against the family who abused and abandoned him, and operates a criminal enterprise. Chihiro’s crew is rounded out by Iori Samura, the daughter of one of the deceased Sword Bearers. She was raised and trained by her father until he decided his controversial Seitei War veteran status was too much to bear. Erasing her memories of him, he sent her away, but her bond with him eventually broke the magic and unleashed her sorcery.
The other notable group you need to know about are the Kamunabi, the government’s sorcery bureau. Formed from the remnants of the Counter-Sorcery Army during the Seitei War, they also want to recover the Enchanted Blades from the Hishaku for the greater good of the nation. But can a government agency be trusted with such power?
Kagurabachi’s Power System, Explained
Like haki in One Piece and ki in Dragon Ball, Kagurabachi’s power system is based on channelling an innate spiritual energy (Genryoku) inside all of us. Through rigorous training, sorcerors can channel this energy into their sorcery to gain a variety of powers, including superhuman speed, strength, and even sensing things before they happen.
Most sorcerors, as is the case with most shonen power systems and fighting styles, develop a specialist area or ability and build exclusively upon it; some of these traits are predetermined by one’s family.
The Seven Enchanted Blades factor into this system as incredibly powerful conduits of spirit energy. However, and pun intended, it’s a double-edged sword: wielders who haven’t learned to adequately control their power will find it blowing up in their faces – often literally…
Why Is Kagurabachi So Popular?
Kagurabachi was an instant hit upon release, and if you’re familiar with the genre and read at least the first chapter, you’ll see what makes it so special: there’s enough familiarity in its setup that those looking for their next favourite action series will be immediately drawn in, while those after something fresher will be intrigued by its more unique aspects – Chihiro’s sword technique, for instance, based on the fluidity of goldfish, is especially unusual and visually striking.
In Japan, sales success in manga is measured by online page views and print volume circulation figures, with Kagurabachi having four million of the latter this April. Meanwhile in the U.S., it’s been a fixture on the all-important New York Times’ Bestseller list, the western industry yardstick for author notoriety, since 2024. Famous fans such as My Hero Academia’s Kōhei Horikoshi and Naruto’s Masashi Kishimoto (of whom creator Hokazono is a huge fan), and nods from some of the comic industry’s most lauded awards in Japan and America also lend Kagurabachi impressive critical status.
What Can We Expect From the Anime?
We know very little at this stage about how the Kagurabachi anime will shape up. It’s being adapted by Cypic (formerly CyberAgent), a relatively new studio that made a splash in 2025 with easy anime-of-the-year contender The Summer Hikaru Died, alongside the more established distributor Shochiku, whose more recent work includes the touching and stunningly animated A Silent Voice and Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll.
Tetsuya Takeuchi is slated as series director, a name that should make Naruto fan ears prick up, as he is the animator behind the legendary Gaara Vs Rock Lee fight, among a laundry list of other notable credits.
When Is the Kagurabachi Anime Released?
Kagurabachi will be released in April 2027 and streamed globally by Crunchyroll. Keep an eye on this page for a more specific release date, as well as other potential streaming options. In the meantime, watch the official teaser trailer below for a taste of what’s to come.
