Takeru Hokazono

Takeru Hokazono
外薗健
Born (2000-09-06) September 6, 2000 (age 24)[1]
Osaka Prefecture, Japan
OccupationManga artist
Years active2020–present
Known forKagurabachi

Takeru Hokazono (Japanese: 外薗健, Hepburn: Hokazono Takeru, born September 6, 2000) is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for Kagurabachi, which is serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since September 2023, and licensed by Viz Media in North America.

Biography

Takeru Hokazono was born in the Osaka Prefecture, Japan on September 6, 2000. He grew up reading Weekly Shōnen Jump and had a desire to have a work serialized in the magazine. The author is a fan of Naruto, and the series inspired him to become a manga artist.[2] Hokazono started making manga during the COVID-19 pandemic while he was in college.[2] His first manga was the one-shot Enten published in Jump Giga Spring 2021 issue and won the 100th Tezuka Award. His other one-shot Farewell! Cherry Boy! was also published in the same issue.[3]

Career

In September 2023, the serialized version of Kagurabachi premiered in Weekly Shōnen Jump.[4] Hokazono created Kagurabachi because he wanted to write a revenge story. He had already tackled the theme in his one-shots, which led his editor to take on the challenge of serializing Kagurabachi.[2]

Hokazono's Kagurabachi was the highest-voted work in the Manga Plus AX poll, beating out Sakamoto Days, RuriDragon, and Blue Box.[5] The manga won the 10th Next Manga Award in the print category,[6] and has been nominated for the 70th Shogakukan Manga Award.[7]

Style and influences

He is a fan of western movies, especially Quentin Tarantino and John Wick movies.[2] This prompted the author to go for a revenge-themed story in Kagurabachi.[2] Along with the Tarantino, the author is also a fan of directors Christopher Nolan and David Fincher.[8]

Hokazono's story elements in Kagurabachi were also inspired by Naruto, Chainsaw Man, Ajin: Demi-Human, and Attack on Titan. His earlier one shots, especially Enten, were influenced more by Naruto.[2]

Works

Serializations
One-shots
  • Enten (炎天) (April 2021; published in Jump GIGA)
  • Farewell! Cherry Boy! (さらば！チェリーボーイ！) (April 2021; published in Jump GIGA)
  • Chain (チエイン) (July 2021; published in Jump GIGA)
  • Madogiwa de Amu (まどぎわで編む, Knitting by the Window) (April 2022; published in Weekly Shonen Jump)
  • Roku no Meiyaku (ロクの冥約) (August 2022; published in Weekly Shonen Jump)

References

  1. ^ "漠然とした夢より「復讐」を マンガ「カグラバチ」作者インタビュー". The Asahi Shimbun. May 2, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "2024 Manga Picks Editor Interview". Shueisha. February 16, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "MamaYuYu Leads Off 3 New Shonen Jump Manga Debuts". Crunchyroll. September 10, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  4. ^ Cayanan, Joanna (September 3, 2023). "Fabricant 100 Manga Ends, 3 New Manga to Launch in Shonen Jump". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 4, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  5. ^ Senzatimore, Renee (July 10, 2024). "Sakamoto Days Loses Out to Shonen Jump's New Hit Series in Manga Plus Vote". CBR. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  6. ^ "Kagurabachi Tops Print Category, Girl Meets Rock! Wins in Web Category of Next Manga Awards 2024". Anime News Network. December 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  7. ^ "12 Works Including The Apothecary Diaries, Kagurabachi Nominated for 70th Shogakukan Manga Awards". Anime News Network. December 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  8. ^ Peters, Megan (May 2, 2024). "Kagurabachi Creator Counts Naruto, Western Movies as Top Inspirations". ComicBook.com. Retrieved December 5, 2024.