Ideological Conflicts Unveiled in Kagurabachi’s Chapter 64

Takero Hokazono graced us with another Kagurabachi chapter after a short break, and it didn't disappoint at all. The newest chapter, titled 'Become the Samurai,' sees the continuation of the fight between the Masumi Clan members, with Chihiro at the helm, and a Hishaku member, Kuguri. Besides the action, it showcases the conflict between two different martial arts philosophies, making it a very interesting plot point of the overall series.

The Fight Continues

In the previous chapter, we saw Chihiro being 'freed' from his burden by his fellow Masumi Clan members, who vowed to help him in his mission to avenge his father. This led to a fight against a Hishaku member that we learned to be named Kuguri, who wants to capture Samura's daughter Iori and take her into Hishaku's custody. This chapter starts just after the previous one, and it is incredibly action-packed.

Kuguri expresses his excitement to fight against Chihiro, but the teenager himself showcases a level of self-reflection that only few can admit to—he is still weak.

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Chihiro Questions his Skill

It's so interesting seeing the journey Chihiro made through Kagurabachi. From a calm kid that quickly went on a path of revenge for his father, Chihiro became quite 'entitled' with his goals. He wanted revenge more than anything, and with his Enten, he wanted to kill everyone in his sight. However, it seems that the interactions with Samura really made Chihiro think about the trueness of his skills. He admits to Masumi Clan leader that he is weak and that his weakness led to his friend Hakuri almost dying.

Chihiro questions his pure ability as a swordsman, which includes handling of the blade and raw physical fighting. He remembers the Sword Bearers mastering Enchanted Blades in the Seitei War, despite having those weapons much less in their possession than Chihiro, whose been handling Enten for more than three years. Sword Bearers were master swordsmen before the war, making them mastering the Enchanted Blades much easier—they made the swords part of them. Chihiro admits he never really learned how to handle a sword, Shiba not being a suitable mentor for that, but that his bond with Enten carried his fights in the past. The leader of the Masumi Clan vows to help Chihiro become a proper swordsman.

Conflict Between Two Martial Arts Philosophies

In the meantime, the fight is still ongoing, and Kuguri realizes that Chihiro's skills simply lack. The Hishaku member is clearly obsessed with swordsmanship and has a proper meltdown in front of Chihiro, whom he says to simply not use the sword if he doesn't know how to wield it. This prompts a massive burst of strength and speed from the Kuguri, who continues to chase Iori. Chihiro knows that he cannot simply get to Kuguri, but with the internal motivation of his mentor and idol, Samura, and his strange enemy/friend, Hirohiko, Chihiro decides to become a true samurai, who will hone his swordsmanship to perfection.

The last manga panel sees Chihiro unlocking his new power that has nothing to do with his spiritual energy but pure and raw power of the sword itself.

Conclusion: Chihiro Grows With Every New Chapter

Reading this chapter was a blast and it taught us a lot about Chihiro's character. It's very noticeable that his encounter with Samura left a massive impact on his character and that he started questioning his morals and his overall skillset as a swordsman. The moment of self-reflection was really refreshing to see from the main character of Kagurabachi, and seeing that Chihiro now has great support from his peers makes his character growth even more awesome.

There were great moments with Kuguri, a Hishaku member who is quickly becoming a fan favorite with his funny obsession with swords and some cool lore drops about the swordsmanship and Enchanted Blades. This chapter marks the return of Kagurabachi's regular updates, so expect next Sunday a continuation of the amazing fight between the Masumi Clan and members of Hishaku.

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