Kenichi Kondō
Description
Kenichi Kondo is a Japanese manga artist recognized as the original creator of the supernatural horror series Dark Gathering. He began his professional career in the manga industry as an assistant to Katsura Hoshino, the creator of the popular series D.Gray-man. This experience helped shape his skills before he embarked on his own projects. In 2016, Kondo released Cheer Danshi!! -GO BREAKERS-, a serialized manga adaptation of Ryo Asai’s novel Cheer Danshi!!, which marked his first major published work.
Kondo is best known for creating Dark Gathering, a manga series that he both writes and illustrates. The story follows a reluctant ghost magnet named Keitaro Gentoga and a determined young girl named Yayoi Hozuki who forces him to help her capture dangerous supernatural spirits. The series began serialization in Shueisha’s shonen manga magazine Jump Square in March 2019. It has achieved significant commercial success, with over 2.5 million copies in circulation as of late 2025.
The popularity of the manga led to an anime television adaptation produced by the studio OLM. The first season of Dark Gathering aired from July to December 2023. Following its success, a second season was officially announced in October 2025, with the story set to adapt the Kyoto arc. Kondo has publicly expressed his excitement for the continuation, reflecting on the intensity of drawing the original manga material and his appreciation for the anime staff bringing it to life.
As an original creator, Kondo works as both writer and artist on his projects, giving him complete authorial control over the narrative and visual presentation. His artistic identity, as demonstrated in Dark Gathering, leans toward horror and the supernatural, characterized by a creepy atmosphere and detailed depictions of malevolent spirits. His transition from assistant on a major franchise to creator of his own successful horror series represents a notable path within the manga industry, and Dark Gathering has become a significant title in contemporary shonen horror.
Kondo is best known for creating Dark Gathering, a manga series that he both writes and illustrates. The story follows a reluctant ghost magnet named Keitaro Gentoga and a determined young girl named Yayoi Hozuki who forces him to help her capture dangerous supernatural spirits. The series began serialization in Shueisha’s shonen manga magazine Jump Square in March 2019. It has achieved significant commercial success, with over 2.5 million copies in circulation as of late 2025.
The popularity of the manga led to an anime television adaptation produced by the studio OLM. The first season of Dark Gathering aired from July to December 2023. Following its success, a second season was officially announced in October 2025, with the story set to adapt the Kyoto arc. Kondo has publicly expressed his excitement for the continuation, reflecting on the intensity of drawing the original manga material and his appreciation for the anime staff bringing it to life.
As an original creator, Kondo works as both writer and artist on his projects, giving him complete authorial control over the narrative and visual presentation. His artistic identity, as demonstrated in Dark Gathering, leans toward horror and the supernatural, characterized by a creepy atmosphere and detailed depictions of malevolent spirits. His transition from assistant on a major franchise to creator of his own successful horror series represents a notable path within the manga industry, and Dark Gathering has become a significant title in contemporary shonen horror.
Works
- Topics: Anime overview
- Topics: Anime overview