Dragon Ball is an evergreen anime and manga title that has thrilled and inspired audiences ever since it first appeared in Shonen Jump in February 1986. Akira Toriyama’s revolutionary mix of comedy, action, and drama has been embraced by multiple generations of fans, some of whom have become manga creators themselves. One such fan-turned-pro is Takeru Hokazono, the author of Kagurabachi, currently running in Shonen Jump.
In a recent post on Shueisha’s Manga Plus website commemorating the late Akira Toriyama (who passed away in 2024), Hokazono revealed how Dragon Ball influenced his life and work. He recalled, “I was one of those terrible kids who would ask his parents for cash as a birthday present. But what could I do? I was addicted to Dragon Ball Heroes.”
The Rise of Dragon Ball Heroes
An Arcade Revolution
Dragon Ball Heroes, a trading card arcade game developed by Bandai, launched in November 2010. It introduced a unique gameplay system where players placed physical cards on a panel to control characters. While this format never gained traction overseas, it revolutionized gaming and the trading card market in Japan. The same system remains popular today in games like Pokémon and PreCure.
The game evolved into Super Dragon Ball Heroes in 2016, featuring updated mechanics, new characters, and enhanced graphics. It later received its own anime web series and achieved massive success, selling an estimated 1.2 billion trading cards. More recently, it made the jump to the Nintendo Switch and PC, keeping the Dragon Ball brand alive for a new generation.
Dragon Ball Inspired Many to Pursue a Manga Career
Kagurabachi's Success Was a Breath of Fresh Air for Shonen Jump
Born in 2000, Hokazono was ten when Dragon Ball Heroes debuted—perfect timing for him to be captivated by the game. He was also a huge fan of Naruto and other Shonen Jump series. His passion for manga and anime eventually led him to pursue a creative career, making his professional debut in 2020.
Kagurabachi, one of the biggest manga in Shonen Jump right now, is allegedly getting an anime, and there are plenty of reasons to be excited.
His first long-running series, Kagurabachi, debuted in Shonen Jump in 2023 and quickly became a hit. While an anime adaptation has yet to be announced, rumors suggest one may be in development. It’s exciting to think that the kid who once spent his birthday money on Dragon Ball Heroes could now create a series just as beloved.
Kagurabachi is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takeru Hokazono. It began serialization in Weekly Shōnen Jump in September 2023. The story follows Chihiro Rokuhira, an 18-year-old aspiring swordsmith whose father, Kunishige Rokuhira, was a renowned blacksmith known for forging six enchanted blades instrumental in ending the Seitei War. After his father's murder by a criminal gang of sorcerers called the Hishaku, who also stole the enchanted blades, Chihiro embarks on a path of vengeance to reclaim them. Armed with his father's last enchanted blade, Enten, Chihiro confronts various adversaries, including the Hishaku and other antagonistic groups.
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