There’s Only 1 Studio for Kagurabachi and Thank God It’s Not Toei

Tensions are high with Kagurabachi and the race between four major studios that want the rights to animate the masterpiece. Takeru Hokazono has truly made it when studios can’t even decide who should take this incredible dark fantasy anime. Kagurabachi, however, doesn’t need a major studio to animate it to have the best adaptation possible. It requires a studio that can match its vibe accurately and not ruin it with unnecessary changes that would make Kagurabachi lose its essence.

The case with several popular anime that major studios animate is that they are treated as cash grabs or their employees are overworked and exploited. MAPPA is notorious for this with its million of projects. Toei Animation, while they do a brilliant job of animating One Piece, drag out the scenes to milk the anime. However, if a small studio like Ufotable or CloverWorks picks up Kagurabachi, it could be given the respect it deserves.

Which Studio Deserves to Animate Kagurabachi?

Kagurabachi is filled with gorgeous swordsmanship, relatable characters and emotional highs. The artwork by Takeru Hokazono is praised for its details and how dark yet beautiful it can be. Chihiro Rokuhira summons goldfish with his sword, something so unique and mesmerizing. This level of choreography can be achieved by Ufotable, the studio behind Demon Slayer, which is known for its fluid fighting choreography. However, according to rumours, the studio is not in the race to get the rights to its animation.

Fans on X have stormed the site to talk about which animation studio deserves Kagurabachi. According to one source, there are four major studios in the race and MAPPA is confirmed to be one of them. However, Ufotable, Bones and Madhouse are not interested. Many have reacted to MAPPA wanting to animate it with unfavorable criticism as well as disappointment that Ufotable or Bones would’ve been perfect. Moreover, Hokazono themselves have praised CloverWorks.

While the source, @AnimeTsumi, is usually reliable with its anime news, they have claimed Kagurabachi has been picked up by an animation studio. So, someone has won the race but there’s no reason to believe that a major studio will be responsible for the anime adaptation. The mangaka themselves love CloverWorks, which is doing an amazing job with Wind Breaker, despite being much more invested in romance anime. However, with Wind Breaker, they are breaking their roots. Kagurabachi deserves a studio that will break its tradition to give respect to the source material.

So Who Must’ve Won The Game to Adapt Kagurabachi?

While the fight between the major studios happened, many speculate that realistically it would be MAPPA who ultimately will win and it wouldn’t be a surprise if news comes out tomorrow that it did. MAPPA notoriously takes on too many anime adaptations at the cost of their employees’ mental health, some of whom claim they haven’t seen their families in days due to the overtime. So, it isn’t an ideal situation if MAPPA picks Kagurabachi up but the animation will be solid.

Many are hoping Ufotable will get Kagurabachi since much of the aesthetic is similar to Demon Slayer. From the swords to the outfits, Kagurabachi definitely is reminiscent of the anime, and thus, Ufotable would be fit to do the job. Let’s hope whichever studio gets it will give the respect Kagurabachi deserves.

Kagurabachi is available on VIZ Media.