Kagurabachi has become hugely popular in a short period, and this success has seen it receive its first “voiced comics” release from its publisher for the manga’s English-language version. The format allows more accessibility to a broader audience than ever, taking the success of Kagurabachi even further.
It is worth noting that Kagurabachi is the first of Shonen Jump’s “voice comics” to receive its animation for its English version. Voice comics are similar to “motion comics, ” sometimes used to adapt Western comic books. In these productions, the manga/comic panels and their actions are scrolled through in a way that gives the story a sense of movement. The characters are still static, so it’s not full-on animation. However, the dialogue and sound effects are audibly delivered, furthering the sense that the story is coming alive on the page.
Kagurabachi has the distinction of the voice comics adaptation being in English, though this doesn’t extend to the dialogue. In other words, while the voiceover is still spoken in Japanese, the manga’s text is written in English. In many ways, it’s like watching a subtitled version of an anime for fans, with the subtitles being in English while the audio is in the original language, allowing those who don’t speak Japanese to follow along.
Since the release of its first chapter, Kagurabachi has enjoyed massive success mainly due to the series becoming the stuff of internet memes in various circles, with many hyping it up alongside other famous works such as One Piece and entries in the “dark trio of shonen.” As a result, the series’ quality is almost comically overplayed for dramatic effect, with many calling it “the greatest manga of all time” after a single chapter.
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.
