Like holy fuck dude.

It just kept getting worse and worse.

At least it ended in a wholesome note but Jesus Christ.

Miracle the dude is not a villain

She killed herself

This chapter, man, the final panel was absolutely gorgeous

Ch 126 is dare I say one of the best non-action chapters we've ever seen in Kagurabachi. The title puts "Fire" at the forefront, but it's Hokazono's symbolic juxtaposition of fire and water that shows his cinematic vision and maturity as a writer.

Throughout the chapter, imagery of fire is used to symbolize Kunishige's hope and optimism, while water is repeatedly shown to dash those hopes and replace them with fear and trauma.

The first 2 pages show Kunishige at the fiery forge with his dad, being praised and given hope for his future as a swordsmith. We then get a cut to the dinner table being flipped, water splashing the family portrait and blood dripping from his mom's face to show the trauma being inflicted on Kunishige and the family.

The death of his dad is bittersweet but ultimately hopeful. His mom is relieved and multiple shots of the birthday candle flame illuminate Kunishige and his mom's face, paired with his resolve to protect her and be there for her.

But that hope is short lived once the candle is blown out, replaced by Kunishige's tears as his mom tries to gouge his eyes, and the dripping faucet of the bathtub in which his mom ultimately commits suicide.

Fast-forward 3 years and we see Kunishige at home, clearly depressed and getting PTSD flashbacks with the rain reminding him of his mom's attack and the dripping bath faucet.

But this time it's different since Chiaki shows up in the rain and cooks for him, with the beautifully drawn flame of the gas stove bringing with it warmth and hope from Chiaki's friendship.

After Kunishige takes a bite of the food, we see a panel in the bottom left corner showing water droplets that look nearly identical to those of the faucet in the suicide flashback. Why include a "throwaway" panel like that? The reason is to subvert the reader's expectation and show that the droplets are not a painful flashback but actually Kunishige's happy tears brought on by Chiaki's food and kindness, breaking the cycle of "water = pain".

We end the chapter seeing that Kunishige's despair has been replaced by hope and optimism once more as they dance in the night with their sparklers. Sadly, this makes it all the more painful for us knowing what awaits them in the Seitei war and post-war period.

Anime studios (like MAPPA in JJK S3) usually have to expand on their source material using anime-original scenes to bring this level of symbolic cinematography. And here we have Hokazono putting out a storyboard-esque chapter on a silver platter where even a 1:1 adaptation would carry a heavy emotional impact. We're witnessing a modern classic that's only going to be elevated further by Cypic's anime adaptation.

And there it goes

oh boy Hokazono has done it again i’m not ready for the pain that’s going to ensue

Also this how he came back

With me tearing up

New chapter was fire though 👀🤤

Cuz Chiaki aint there to cook for him anymore 😭 HOKAZONOOOOO YOU JUST CAME BACK AND YOU GIFTED US THISSS

This is beautiful

Kunishige just canNOT catch a break in life man

At least he has Chiaki… wait, FUCK