A TV anime adaptation of action manga Kagurabachi has been announced with an April 2027 broadcast start date. CyPic (formerly Cygames Pictures) is producing with Tetsuya Takeuchi (From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated! and Yuri Seijin Naoko-san, Lycoris Recoil Episode 4 storyboard artist and director, Tengoku-Daimakyo Episode 1 battle scene storyboarder et al.) in the director’s seat.
Taihi Kimura is voicing protagonist Chihiro Rokuhira, a swordsmith’s son who is on a path of revenge after an attack by sorcerers leaves his father dead, and all but one of his father’s Enchanted Blades stolen. Handling the character designs is Keigo Sasaki (Umamusume: Cinderella Gray co-character designer, Blue Exorcist).
A teaser trailer and teaser visual have been released, delivering a small taste of Chihiro’s bloody path. For a more substantial early preview, fans will want to keep an eye on the planned “world tour” for the first episode’s initial 20 minutes. Exact details will arrive later, but the tour will kick off this summer and will provide screenings at various anime events. The final stop is Japan, where the entirety of the episode will be shown. The tour finale will also feature special guests.
The Kagurabachi manga by Takeru Hokazono started serialization in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in September 2023. Early in its run, it went viral after becoming the subject of English memes that positioned it as a manga titan. It ranked seventh in the Manga We Want to See Animated 2024 ranking and took first place in the Next Manga Awards 2024’s Print Manga category, and was featured in The New York Times’ International Edition last October.
Manga Plus provides Kagurabachi‘s chapters in English online, while Viz Media publishes its volumes. The latter’s synopsis for the manga reads:
As a young boy, Chihiro trains every day under his father to become a swordsmith. Although different in temperament, the two spend peaceful days laughing and working together. But one day, tragedy strikes… Now Chihiro burns with hatred and sets out to exact revenge. Following clues left behind by a ruthless yakuza organization, Chihiro confronts the Hishaku, a deadly group of sorcerers that may be behind his father’s murder!
Source: Kagurabachi anime website
