Haigakura

Haigakura (ハイガクラ) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shinobu Takayama. It was initially serialized in Ichijinsha's manga magazine Comic Zero Sum WARD from January 2008 to May 2015, when that magazine ceased publication and was later transferred to the Zero-Sum Online manga website in September 2015. Its chapters collected in sixteen volumes as of August 2023.

An anime television series adaptation produced by Typhoon Graphics is set to premiere in Q4 2024.

Plot
The world, supported by the four gods known as the Four Evil, is in a critical situation due to the escape of two of them. In order to bring back the fleeing gods, the song officers known as Kashikan used "songs" and "dances" to confine the foreign gods in their own "sai" and carry them back. Kashikans came to arrest the fugitive gods and restore stability to the country. Ichiyo goes into action to reclaim the evil gods and return to his peaceful life. He, who was said to be a dropout because of his incredible tone-deafness, is also traveling around the country. Are there gods in Japan? That's what Ichiyo and Tenko are trying to find out. Capturing gods and bringing them home to their land is actually their job. While they are in modern Japan, they face all kinds of adventures. Will Ichiyo and Tenko be able to find gods in Japan or have they all disappeared?

Characters

 * Ichiyō (一葉)
 * One of the Kashikans searching for the gods who fled to other realms. he is sarcastic and violent. his parents are unknown, and he was raised by Hakugou, the divine beast of the shrine forest. He was caught and imprisoned when Hakugo was taken away, but was later urged by Ai-Seiwa to aim to become a poet. He is a tone-deaf man, but he has an outstanding talent for dance. He hates water because he is a hammer.
 * One of the Kashikans searching for the gods who fled to other realms. he is sarcastic and violent. his parents are unknown, and he was raised by Hakugou, the divine beast of the shrine forest. He was caught and imprisoned when Hakugo was taken away, but was later urged by Ai-Seiwa to aim to become a poet. He is a tone-deaf man, but he has an outstanding talent for dance. He hates water because he is a hammer.


 * Tenkō (滇紅)
 * One of the subordinate gods that Ichiyo uses. He is usually quite gentle, but is given to suddenly change from time to time. Since his divine name was unknown, it was given by Sundori and Ryui. At first, he had an arrogant personality, but as a result of being used by Ichiyo for his immature singing and dancing, he lost his personality and memory. When Ichiyo dissolves, he temporarily regains his abilities and transforms into white-haired red-eyed. He can control water. He is usually a terrifying glutton.
 * One of the subordinate gods that Ichiyo uses. He is usually quite gentle, but is given to suddenly change from time to time. Since his divine name was unknown, it was given by Sundori and Ryui. At first, he had an arrogant personality, but as a result of being used by Ichiyo for his immature singing and dancing, he lost his personality and memory. When Ichiyo dissolves, he temporarily regains his abilities and transforms into white-haired red-eyed. He can control water. He is usually a terrifying glutton.


 * Hakushurin (白珠龍)


 * Ransaiwa (藍采和)


 * Sontō (孫登)


 * Kaka (花果)
 * A god serving under Ichiyo, it usually appears as a mild-mannered child, but can also make a ferocious transformation. Kaka's race has lived for 3000 years and changes, but Kaka is a strange species that has already changed since birth. Therefore, it seems that ordinary singers cannot handle it.
 * A god serving under Ichiyo, it usually appears as a mild-mannered child, but can also make a ferocious transformation. Kaka's race has lived for 3000 years and changes, but Kaka is a strange species that has already changed since birth. Therefore, it seems that ordinary singers cannot handle it.


 * Ryuu (龍王)
 * A god who once sealed away the four evils. He created Goshinzan and Ryugu to protect the country by making it imperceptible to the outside world. For the sake of convenience, he has become a subordinate god of Aizenwa. His position is Chief of the Water Department. He has nine children called the Ryusei Kyuuko.
 * A god who once sealed away the four evils. He created Goshinzan and Ryugu to protect the country by making it imperceptible to the outside world. For the sake of convenience, he has become a subordinate god of Aizenwa. His position is Chief of the Water Department. He has nine children called the Ryusei Kyuuko.


 * Heikan (丙閑)


 * Hōryūsei (峰龍井)


 * Rakan (羅漢)


 * Take (武夷)

Manga
Written and illustrated by Shinobu Takayama, Haigakura initially began serialization in Ichijinsha's manga magazine Comic Zero Sum WARD on January 16, 2008. On May 16, 2015, the magazine ceased publication and Haigakura was later transferred to the Zero-Sum Online website. Ichijinsha has collected its chapters into individual volumes. The first volume was released on November 25, 2008. As of August 24, 2023, sixteen volumes have been released. Ichijinsha republished the first ten volumes of the series in from February 29, 2024, to June 28, 2024.

Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced on August 24, 2023. The series is produced by Typhoon Graphics and directed by Junichi Yamamoto, with Yū Murai handling series composition, Masaki Satō designing the characters, and Yuki Kurihara composing the music. It is set to premiere in Q4 2024.

Reception
By August 2023, the manga had over 1.3 million copies in circulation.