Kagurabachi is officially moving forward with a major promotional push. The production team has released the first official GIF from the upcoming anime adaptation, giving fans their first real look at the animation quality. The show is scheduled to begin broadcasting in April 2027.
The GIF comes from the teaser trailer and shows crisp animation that has got fans talking. After months of waiting since the anime was announced in January 2026, this small piece of footage has built more excitement in the anime community. The manga, created by Takeru Hokazono, has sold over 4 million copies as of May 2026.
Cypic Studio Brings Kagurabachi to Life With Top Voice Talent
Cypic, the animation studio formerly known as CygamesPictures, is producing the Kagurabachi anime. The studio rebranded in May 2026 after all shares transferred to parent company CyberAgent. Tetsuya Takeuchi is directing the series, with Keigo Sasaki handling character designs.
Taihi Kimura voices the main character Chihiro Rokuhira. He won the Best New Actor award at the 2025 Seiyu Awards. The production team has not yet announced the full cast list, but more names will likely come out closer to the premiere.
The story follows Chihiro, the son of legendary swordsmith Kunishige Rokuhira. A powerful group of sorcerers called the Hishaku attacked their home, stole the six enchanted blades, and killed Kunishige. Years later, Chihiro carries the seventh and final enchanted blade named Enten. He hunts down the sorcerers for revenge.
Kagurabachi World Tour Brings First 20 Minutes to Major Conventions
The Kagurabachi team has planned a world tour for summer 2026. Fans at four major anime conventions can watch the first 20 minutes of Episode 1 months before the official April 2027 broadcast. The tour starts in Los Angeles at Anime Expo on July 3, 2026.
Here are all the screening dates and locations:
Anime Expo 2026 (Los Angeles, USA)
- Date: Friday, July 3, 2026
- Time: 4:45 PM โ 6:05 PM PDT
- Venue: Los Angeles Convention Center, JW Marriott Diamond Room
- Guests: Taihi Kimura (voice of Chihiro Rokuhira), Takuro Imamura (manga editor), Koichi Yasuda (anime producer)
Japan Expo 2026 (Paris, France)
- Date: Thursday, July 9, 2026
- Time: 3:30 PM โ 4:30 PM CEST
- Venue: Parc des Expositions de Paris-Nord Villepinte, Yuzu Stage
- Guests: Riki Azuma (cross-media producer), Koichi Yasuda (anime producer)
AnimagiC 2026 (Mannheim, Germany)
- Date: Saturday, August 1, 2026
- Time: 10:30 PM โ 11:00 PM CEST
- Venue: Rosengarten Mannheim, Mozart Hall
Anime NYC 2026 (New York, USA)
- Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
- Time: To be announced
- Venue: Javits Convention Center, Main Stage
The tour ends in Japan during spring 2027 with a full screening of Episode 1 before the television broadcast begins. This global rollout strategy shows the confidence producers have in the adaptation.
What Is Kagurabachi About and Where to Read the Manga
The manga first appeared in Weekly Shonen Jump in September 2023. Early readers joked about the series, but the story won them over quickly. The official description from MANGA Plus explains:
“Chihiro spends his days training under his famous swordsmith father. He hoped to become a great blade maker himself one day. The funny father and serious son thought these days would last forever. But suddenly, disaster strikes. A dark day soaked in blood. From then on, Chihiro and his blade live only for revenge, accompanied by epic sword battles.”
The series has picked up several award nominations. It won the Next Manga Awards 2024 and got nominated for the 70th Shogakukan Manga Awards in December 2024. It also received a nomination for the 49th Kodansha Manga Awards in April 2025.
Fans can read the manga digitally on MANGA Plus and VIZ Media platforms. VIZ Media also prints physical volumes in English, with the seventh volume released on May 5. The 11th Japanese volume came out on May 1. Chapter 124 of the manga is scheduled for June 14, 2026, after a short break.
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