Exploring Conflict Representation Within Kagurabachi

Kagurabachi has enjoyed instant success among the shōnen manga fans with its solid story foundations, good characters, and very complex themes that are presented with every chapter. Young mangaka Takeru Hokazono managed to encapsulate a complex and, at times, very dark atmosphere in his work, especially when it leads to the exploration of the war themes in Kagurabachi, which is the center point of the main plotline.

Hero Worship and War Symbolism

The beginning of the Kagurabachi manga, specifically the first chapter, is incredibly interesting because it presents us with the very calm and easygoing lifestyle of the Rokuhira family. We see a man presented to us as Kunishige Rokuhira, a man living with his young son Chihiro in a secluded house away from an 'urban wilderness' of Tokyo. We learn that Rokuhira is a very talented swordsmith who created a formidable katana called Enchanted Blades that helped Japan secure a victory in the Seitei War.

Basically, Kunishige is a war hero and is very renowned across the country, which his son Chihiro appreciates in his own way. Even Shiba, Kunishige's friend, reminds Chihiro of his father's heroism and adds that the son will be like his father in one day. This leads to Kunishige later explaining to Chihiro how being a swordsmith requires great responsibility and accountability because the katana they create are made to kill other people—if their weapons are in the wrong hands, many good people will die. Afterwards, the Rokuhira estate is attacked by the group of sorcerers calling themselves Hishaku, wanting to get their hands on Enchanted Blades, killing Kunishiga and leaving Chihiro an orphan.

That event is the breaking point of Chihiro, who goes on to avenge his father with Shiba as his mentor, only strengthening the hero worship that will continue throughout the length of Kagurabachi. Consequently, the Seitei War that ended 15 years prior to the Rokuhira tragedy sparks another war that will only grow further and further.

'History is Written by the Victors' Angle

Throughout Chihiro's revenge path, we learn a lot about his character but also other 'players in the war' that will only make things even more complicated. We learn that the Hishaku want to kill all six Sword Bearers of the Enchanted Blades, taking powerful weapons in their own hands. Another group that wants their hands on the swords is Kamunabi, a government group of sorcerers trying to use the weapons to maintain peace in Japan. Chihiro even meets some of the original Sword Bearers (Samura and Uruha) that were his father's comrades in the Seitei War, who only fondly look back at Kunishige, leading to Chihiro admiring them.

However, the Seitei War is still mostly a mystery; sorcerers of Japan fought against the unknown entity, and Kunishige crafted the Enchanted Blades that eventually led to Japan's victory. That's it; there are no more details about this conflict; the stories about heroes and the ultimate victory are the only truths citizens of Japan will ever know, including Chihiro. Yet, the Sword Bearers, Samura and Uruha, and even Chihiro's closest person in his life, Shiba, know the real truth behind the conflict—that it was far from squeaky clean.

Heartbreaking Truth and Consequences of the War

There were some hints that many things from the Seitei War weren't really true throughout the manga, but the ultimate betrayal of Samura in recent chapters of Kagurabachi stuns Chihiro to the core. During the siege at the temple, Samura and Uruha have a pretty damning conversation, the former saying that during their path to victory in the war, the Swords Bearers used their blades and did unthinkable things to their enemies. Essentially, they were war criminals who slayed everyone on their path, and Samura feels incredibly guilty.

His mission is to slay every single Sword Bearer, every person that wants the blades for themselves, like Hishaku, and seal the blades, for no one to have access to them, ever. Eventually, he will accomplish his mission by ending his own life. Chihiro is devastated by the betrayal, but even he later realizes that on his path to revenge, he killed so many people and that he needs to end this once and for all, with maybe a more sensible approach to Samura's.

The heartbreaking truth of the war is just that—it breaks people's spirits and hearts, leaving unerasasable consequences to one's mental state, just like it negatively affected Samura, and consequently, Chihiro.

Conclusion: War Is Hell

We see many violent conflicts in the shōnen genre, some even going so far as to romanticize certain aspects of it, but mostly, war is used to keep the main character grounded and eventually lead him to the ultimate victory. Takeru Hokazono isn't a certified genius storyteller, but he is good, even more than good, to showcase the duality of war and how it can 'paint' a certain idealistic picture of its heroes. Like Samura, Uruha and Kunishige, who gave their lives to the cause, lived through hero worship by their citizens and therefore became the symbols of Japan's victory.

On the other side, they were plagued with the burden and death of the war, which took away their peace and innocence and a chance to have a normal life. This reflected on Chihiro, a young man who will never be the same and who won't stop to complete his mission, ultimately becoming a reference of why war is truly hell.