“You often see an exaggerated version of Japan”: Kagurabachi Creator Reveals Why He Uses Goldfish in His Series After Growing Up Watching Hollywood Movies
Kagurabachi has been quick to take over the manga industry with only two volumes to its name. Written by Hokazono Takeru, Kagurabachi delves into a thrilling revenge story in a crime-infested Tokyo with dark swords and enchanting sorcery. Although it originally started off as a meme, the manga quickly gained a steady fandom due to its interesting plotline and mesmerizing artwork. The internet’s fascination with Kagurabachi also created a wave that boosted its popularity.
With Kagurabachi taking the shonen genre and manga industry by storm, the creator, Hokazono Takeru, explained why the manga series depicts goldfish as part of the protagonist, Chihiro Rokuhira’s main ability. Kagurabachi became a sensational hit even before its first chapter was released, and this is largely due to the fact that it looked so different from the rest of the action series within it. Takeru talked about his inspiration behind the action scene, saying that he largely borrowed from Western movies and other action franchises.
Why Does a Goldfish Appear During Chihiro’s Attack?
In a rare interview with Hokazono Takeru, courtesy of Asahi, a Japanese outlet, he revealed that Kagurabachi is largely influenced by Western movies like John Wick and he takes inspiration from directors like Quentin Tarantino, David Fincher, and Christopher Nolan. This also led to the addition of goldfish at the center of it all. An X user, @brkagurabachi, posted the translated interview of Takeru with Asahi, where he claims that the inclusion of Japanese aesthetics surrounding the swords, goldfish and more is due to the exaggerated way that Japanese culture was often shown in Hollywood. He said:
“In Hollywood movies, you often see an exaggerated version of Japan. As a Japanese person, I’d get excited every time I saw that. It looked really cool. So, I thought it would be great to someday create a story set in such a town.“
📰Takeru-sensei's interview for Asahi Newspaper!
The Japanese newspaper "Asahi" interviewed our beloved Takeru-sensei. Below is the complete interview with our great hero. I ended up subscribing to the newspaper to bring it to you. I apologize for any… pic.twitter.com/DiWlyrHyPO
— Kagurabachi Brasil | #Kagurabachi | #カグラバチ (@brkagurabachi) May 2, 2024
Takeru also disclosed that he originally intended to go with a koi fish instead of the iconic goldfish but ultimately settled with the goldfish because the ratio of its body and fins fit better with Chihiro’s attacks and the central relationship with his father. He further elaborated on why goldfish were incorporated into Chihiro’s Enten attack and how it was going to be an entirely different fish initially. He explained:
“Initially, I planned to draw carp. I thought Koi would look beautiful in black and white. In a revenge tale where the protagonist’s clothes are stained black with blood, the colors white, black, and red match well, making colored illustrations look cool. I really intended to go with Koi until the last minute, but when finalizing the storyboard, I realized that goldfish would be easier to symbolize the daily life between Chihiro and his father.“
It is impossible to imagine any other fish other than the iconic goldfish paired with Chihiro’s attack. Takeru further mentioned that when he tried drawing the scene where Chihiro unsheathes his sword in the first chapter, he found that goldfish have a good balance with the fins and the fantails provide more variety in shapes.
Kagurabachi Is Greatly Influenced By Naruto and Western Movies
It seems like Takeru has also joined the ranks of the popular manga artists who were inspired by Marvel movies. Apart from Marvel superhero movies, Takeru reveals that he was also inspired by Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto. He said:
“I’ve always loved Marvel superhero movies. They’re cool and exciting. That initial impression has always been strong. The things like Marvel and “NARUTO” that I’ve been exposed to since childhood, I’ve been so engrossed in watching them that I’ve never really thought about what’s good about them. They’re already part of me.“
Of course, it’s easy to make a comparison between John Wick and Kagurabachi. Although they are both set in two different worlds, the stories center around one theme: revenge. Naruto‘s influence on Kagurabachi is obviously notable in Takeru’s Enten, a one-shot that earned him an honorable mention in Shueisha’s Tezuka Prize in 2020, however, he is approaching Kagurabachi with more nuance than his earlier works.
You can read Kagurabachi’s latest chapters on VIZ Media.
