Kagurabachi tackles the concept of identity deeper than any new gen manga

Kagurabachi is proof that the spirit of Shonen manga will never die. Since its inception, Kagurabachi has held the attention span of its viewers, pushing them to the edge of their seats. Like all great Shonen manga, the plot of the series is simple, but when explored deeply, the themes can be very complex.

At its core, Kagurabachi is antiwar. The manga tries to show that even in the most righteous of wars, there is no victory. It also highlights the people behind the devices used at war, and it does this without any filter. Viewers see Kunishige talk about the enchanted blades with sadness in his voice; they also see him tell Rokuhira about a better way of being a swordsmith.

What Kagurabachi uses its antiwar message to challenge the most is identity. The series raises many questions, but the one it subtly explores throughout is whether the human experience is shaped by the past. The past matters a lot in Kagurabachi, with many characters being stuck on what happened instead of what can happen. The series demonstrates the open-ended nature of the future and encourages its viewers to believe in that too.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s views and may contain spoilers.

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How Kagurabachi tackles identity better than most manga

Chihiro's healing also allows other characters to heal (Image via Shueisha)

What makes Kagurabachi stand out from its Shonen cousins is how it approaches identity. The likes of Naruto, Death Note, and Attack on Titan confront identity through a racial or tribal lens.

However, Kagurabachi goes beneath the surface when it talks about identity. It deeply asks the question: “Who are you?” This question is thrown at many characters in the series, and how they answer it is beautiful as well as profound.

The first person who gets asked this question is the main character, Chihiro Rokuhira. At the start of the series, Chihiro’s answer to “Who are you?” is entirely fixated on the past.

Chihiro is the son of Kunishige, the master swordsmith who created the enchanted blades, and he was preoccupied with the idea of revenge. The thing about revenge, as satisfying as it may be, it is a venture rooted in the past.

Hakuri rids himself of past actions by making steps to change (Image via Shueisha)

On the quest for revenge, there is no real healing; there is no justice. It only causes collateral damage that harms innocent bystanders and the victim of what is seen as a crime. When Chihiro first pursues the Hishaku, he doesn’t fully think about how the fight might hurt innocent people. This changes when he fights against Genichi Sojo—Chihiro realizes how dangerous that power can be and how it can hurt others.

Gradually, Chihiro’s journey shifts from revenge against his father’s killers to protecting innocents from the destructive effects of the enchanted blades. In the current arc, Chihiro understands who he is. He is not defined by his father’s death; he is a man who wants to save his loved ones and keep the world safe from the enchanted blades.

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Final thoughts

Many other characters achieve their identity separate from incidents in their past. Hakuri Sazanami is the most notable in the series. While he is portrayed to be the blameless bullied child of the Sazanami clan, Hakuri is not innocent. He aids the family’s illicit activities, and only sees it as wrong when he falls in love.

Love makes Hakuri realize his errors, but what changes Hakuri is himself. He doesn’t wallow in the guilt of his past actions; he tries to do better. Despite failing on numerous occasions, he gets up and eventually does the right thing. When he takes the right steps, he becomes his own person.

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