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Black Torch
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| Black Torch | |
 First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Jiro Azuma (front) and Rago (back) | |
| Genre | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Tsuyoshi Takaki |
| Published by | Shueisha |
| English publisher | |
| Imprint | Jump Comics SQ. |
| Magazine |
|
| Original run | December 31, 2016 – July 11, 2018 |
| Volumes | 5 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Kei Umabiki |
| Written by | Gigaemon Ichikawa |
| Music by | Yutaka Yamada |
| Studio | 100studio |
| Licensed by |
|
| Original network | Tokyo MX, SUN, TVA, RKB, HTB, BS11 |
| Original run | July 4, 2026 – present |
| Episodes | 8 |
Black Torch (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tsuyoshi Takaki. It was serialized in Shueisha's monthly shōnen manga magazine Jump Square from December 2016 to March 2018, and later on the digital platform Shōnen Jump+ from April to July 2018. Its chapters were compiled in five tankōbon volumes. In North America, the manga was licensed for English release by Viz Media. An anime television series adaptation produced by 100studio premiered in July 2026.
Plot
Jiro Azuma is a teenage punk, trained in the art of the ninja, who has the incredible ability to talk to animals. Despite this, he was constantly bullied as a child for talking to animals; he could only find solace with other animals, such as his dog Nachi. One day, Jiro is led into the woods by some birds and encounters a gravely injured cat. He nurses the cat back to health, who is shocked to find out that Jiro can understand him. The cat reveals himself as Rago of the Black Star of Doom, an immortal mononoke, or evil spirit. He reveals that he was attacked by other mononoke for refusing to help them. Later that night, Rago attempts to escape from Jiro's house, but they are attacked by one of the mononoke Rago encountered earlier. This mononoke kills Jiro by stabbing him through the chest with his immense claws. Feeling pity and indebted to Jiro for saving him earlier, Rago fuses with Jiro to give him a second chance at life. With their combined power, they kill the mononoke, but are then taken into custody by the Bureau of Espionage. The two later join the Bureau in order to stop more mononoke in the future.
Characters
- Jiro Azuma (我妻 弐郎, Azuma Jirō)
- Voiced by: Ryōta Suzuki[3] (Japanese); A.J. Beckles[4] (English)
- Rago (羅睺, Ragō)
- Voiced by: Yōji Ueda[3] (Japanese); Keith Silverstein[4] (English)
- Ichika Kishimojin (鬼子母神 一華, Kishimojin Ichika)
- Voiced by: Sayaka Senbongi[3] (Japanese); Erin Yvette[4] (English)
- Reiji Kirihara (桐原 零司, Kirihara Reiji)
- Voiced by: Junya Enoki[3] (Japanese); Kyle McCarley[4] (English)
- Hana Usami (宇佐美 花, Usami Hana)
- Voiced by: Reina Ueda[5] (Japanese); Julie Nathanson[6] (English)
- Ryosuke Shiba (司場 涼介, Shiba Ryōsuke)
- Voiced by: Junichi Suwabe[5] (Japanese); Ryan Colt Levy[7] (English)
- Koga (咬牙)
- Voiced by: Nobuhiko Okamoto[8] (Japanese); Luis Bermudez[9] (English)
- Amagi (天鬼)
- Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa[8] (Japanese); Ben Diskin[7] (English)
- Toshimasa Azuma (我妻 寿正, Azuma Toshimasa)
- Voiced by: Shinpachi Tsuji[10] (Japanese); Ben Balmaceda[7] (English)
- Toko Kusumi (久澄 陶子, Kusumi Toko)
- Voiced by: Yūko Kaida[10] (Japanese); Laura Post[6] (English)
- Banjuro Tokieda (時枝 蛮十郎, Tokieda Banjuro)
- Voiced by: Hōchū Ōtsuka[10] (Japanese); Mick Lauer[11] (English)
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Tsuyoshi Takaki, Black Torch was serialized in Shueisha's monthly shōnen manga magazine Jump Square from December 31, 2016, to March 2, 2018.[12][2][13] It was then transferred to Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ online platform, being serialized for four chapters from April 11 to July 11, 2018.[14][15][16][17] Shueisha published its 19 individual chapters in five tankōbon volumes, released from April 4, 2017, to August 3, 2018.[18][19]
In North America, Viz Media announced that it had licensed the series for English release in North America in July 2017.[20][21] The title became available on its Shonen Jump digital platform in December 2018.[22] The five volumes were released from August 7, 2018, to August 6, 2019.[23][24]
Volumes
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 4, 2017[18] | 978-4-08-881097-3 | August 7, 2018[23] | 978-1-9747-0046-2 |
| 2 | August 4, 2017[25] | 978-4-08-881139-0 | November 6, 2018[26] | 978-1-9747-0152-0 |
| 3 | December 4, 2017[27] | 978-4-08-881291-5 | February 5, 2019[28] | 978-1-9747-0222-0 |
| 4 | April 4, 2018[29] | 978-4-08-881391-2 | May 7, 2019[30] | 978-1-9747-0457-6 |
| 5 | August 3, 2018[19] | 978-4-08-881541-1 | August 6, 2019[24] | 978-1-9747-0744-7 |
Anime
In March 2025, at Emerald City Comic Con, it was announced that the manga would receive an anime television series adaptation. The anime is produced by 100studio and directed by Kei Umabiki, with series composition and screenplays by Gigaemon Ichikawa, character designs by Gō Suzuki, and music composed by Yutaka Yamada.[31] It premiered on July 4, 2026, on Tokyo MX and other networks.[3][8] The opening theme song is "Freeze Me Up", performed by SiM, and the ending theme song is "Groooovy", performed by I Don't Like Mondays.[32]
Viz Media, the company that made the adaptation announcement, has licensed the series.[31] Crunchyroll is streaming the series.[33] Muse Communication licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia.[34]
Episodes
| No. | Title [35][36] | Directed by [a] | Written by [a] | Storyboarded by [a] | Original release date [37] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Future Is in Our Hands" Transliteration: "Mirai wa Oretō no Te no Naka" (Japanese: 未来は俺等の手の中) | Unknown | Unknown | TBA | July 4, 2026 | |
|
Jiro Azuma, who has the ability to speak with animals, defeats three delinquents who were bullying a stray cat. After returning home, Jiro's grandfather Toshimasa Azuma scolds him for picking another fight. Afterwards, a crow alerts Jiro towards a seriously wounded black cat, who is actually a mononoke, an immortal evil spirit, named Rago. Jiro takes Rago home and Rago explains that he is being hunted by another mononoke. Meanwhile, Ichika Kishimojin, an agent from the Bureau of Espionage tasked with eliminating mononoke, is out to hunt Rago having traced his scent to where he was picked up. That night, Rago attempts to escape, but Jiro wakes up and the two encounter the mononoke who is after Rago. Jiro comes in to help Rago fight the mononoke, but gets mortally wounded. To repay the favor for saving him, Rago fuses with Jiro to revive him, and Jiro defeats the mononoke with his new power. After the battle, Jiro is detained by the Bureau led by Ryosuke Shiba and is taken into custody. | ||||||
| 2 | "The Choice Is Yours" | Unknown | Unknown | TBA | July 11, 2026 | |
|
The next day, Jiro awakens at a hospital under the Bureau's jurisdiction greeted by Ichika and the two immediately argue with each other. Shiba walks in and explains how the Bureau came to be and their mission to destroy mononoke who threaten humankind. Shiba has Jiro taken in for protection because he is fused with a mononoke. After Jiro is left alone, he breaks out of the hospital with assistance from wild crows that he orders to attack the security guards. Jiro returns to his home but is ambushed by Toshimasa, who takes him to a nearby park to have a sparring match. As the two fight, Toshimasa reveals that he heard everything from Shiba and that he is a former Bureau agent. During the fight, Toshimasa criticizes Jiro for lacking resolve and being only half a man. However, Jiro shows his renewed determination and his unwillingness to back down. The fight ends with Toshimasa admitting defeat and allows Jiro to choose his own path but is still critical his decision. That night, Toshimasa asks Shiba to pick him up the next day. | ||||||
| 3 | "WHAT'S MY NAME?" | Unknown | Unknown | TBA | July 18, 2026 | |
|
Jiro moves out of his grandfather's home to be escorted into captivity handcuffed in an armored truck. However, on the way the drivers are killed by a pair of mononoke. Ichika goes out to fight the mononoke alone and Jiro escapes the truck as it gets destroyed by the mononoke. Ichika reveals that she comes from a ninja clan led by her father and her mother was killed by a mononoke, motivating her to succeed her father as the clan's head. Struggling in her battle against the pair, Jiro convinces Ichika to uncuff him, and together, Jiro and Ichika defeat the mononoke with the two properly introducing themselves after the fight. Meanwhile, Shiba decides to recruit Jiro and form a new squad called Black Torch consisting of Shiba, Jiro, Ichika, Shiba's assistant Hana Usami, and the new recruit Reiji Kirihara with the council's approval. Afterwards, the members of Black Torch meet up for the first time at a warehouse. Shiba has Jiro spar with Reiji to assess his abilities, telling Jiro that he needs to prove his worth to be accepted into Black Torch. | ||||||
| 4 | "Two Is Not Enough" | Unknown | Unknown | TBA | July 25, 2026 | |
|
Reiji shows off his sensing ability after allowing Jiro to attack him with his eyes closed. However, Jiro shows his resiliency and breaks Reiji's wooden sword to land a punch. The two then knock each other out in a fist fight. Afterwards, Jiro and Reiji are outfitted with their new uniforms with Shiba teaching him how to change between combat, quantum camouflage, and stealth modes. Shiba gives Black Torch their first mission at a shrine. There, while Black Torch meets the client, Jiro notices a suspicious person outside. The client escorts Black Torch underground to the Seventh Sealed Sanctum where Rago was sealed to investigate the scene. Shiba and Ichika return to the surface, while Reiji asks Rago about what happened when he was released from the rock. Rago only recalls that he was being persuaded to join a group to take the Bureau down but refused. From this, Reiji concludes that the group is out to get revenge on mankind and the Bureau. A mononoke suddenly enters the sanctum and picks a fight with Jiro and Reiji, while outside the shrine Shiba and Ichika are approached by the Special Operations Division 1 (SOD-1) chief Toko Kusumi. | ||||||
| 5 | "Young Gunz" | TBA | TBA | TBA | August 1, 2026 | |
|
The mononoke, Koga, explains that he wants to rule the mononoke and needs Rago's power. Rago refuses, and Reiji attacks Koga, but only manages to wound his arm. Koga breaks Reiji's sword and knocks him out. Jiro fights back and combines his energy with Rago's to launch a powerful attack at Koga that breaks his sword. Impressed by the attack, Koga becomes even more determined to take Rago for himself as he takes his leave. As Ichika comes to get Jiro and Reiji, Shiba tells Kusumi that he will take responsibility for this unauthorized mission as she departs. The next day, Shiba holds a training session for Black Torch, bringing in his mononoke partner Fuyo to lead it. Jiro, Ichika, and Reiji are tasked with breaking free from Fuyo's hallucinations. Reiji has a sword fight with his older brother Shinji Kirihara in his hallucination. Meanwhile, Ichika recalls the final time she saw her mother and later discovered that her mother is still alive but is immobilized due to a mononoke's curse. Jiro keeps running and encounters a mononoke and prepares to fight it. | ||||||
| 6 | "Turn Up" | TBA | TBA | TBA | August 8, 2026 | |
|
Reiji remembers that he was tight with Shinji and supported his brother in becoming the family heir knowing that Shinji's swordsmanship far exceeded his own. But during the Rite of the Sword, Shinji gets possessed by the cursed sword, Hell Tempest. Shinji departed with a message to Reiji to get stronger after killing the guards. Reiji breaks free of his hallucination after defeating the shadow Shinji, while Ichika also breaks free within ten minutes. Meanwhile, Fuyo loses control of Jiro's hallucinations that puts him in a perilous situation. Jiro sees Rago's memories instead of his own, and Rago realizes that Amagi, a powerful mononoke who led an army to get revenge on the Oniwaban, an undercover mononoke extermination squad, is the one who tried to recruit him. Amagi slaughtered the shrine's inhabitants after Rago refused to join him. That caused him to transform into his true form and go berserk, destroying the shrine in the process. Rago willingly sealed himself to remain loyal to nobody. Now knowing that the beast is Rago's true form, Jiro fights back and breaks free of the hallucination. | ||||||
| 7 | "3 on Three" | TBA | TBA | TBA | August 15, 2026 | |
|
Shiba calls Kusumi out to report about Amagi, as well as to discuss homicides happening in Hirasaka, a town suddenly blanketed in heavy fog. Jiro, Ichika, and Reiji are deployed into Hirasaka rescue the inhabitants, disperse the fog, and capture the enemy. After entering Hirasaka, Rago detects the four mononoke responsible for the fog: Roren, Naruko, Kanawa, and a hooded man. Kanawa suddenly appears and Jiro takes him on while Ichika and Reiji split up. Ichika takes on Roren, while Reiji takes on Naruko and the hooded man. Jiro initially gains the upper hand on Kanawa, but Kanawa uses his special power to control gravity to pin Jiro down. Meanwhile, Ichika overcomes Roren's illusion after he tried to turn her into his plaything and cuts off a horn to disable his illusion. As Jiro struggles in his fight, his jacket falls off, unleashing Rago's powers that were neutralized by the jacket and dismembers Kanawa. Elsewhere, Reiji recognizes the sword the hooded man is carrying and realizes that the hooded man is Shinji. | ||||||
| 8 | "Under Dog" | TBA | TBA | TBA | August 22, 2026 | |
Reception
In 2019, Black Torch was one of manga titles that ranked on the "Top 10 Graphic Novels for Teens" by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association.[38]
Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network gave the first volume a B, praising the character dynamics and story devices, but criticized its rushed start and lack of character development. She noted that Takaki's art style resembles that of Tite Kubo (Bleach) and other Weekly Shōnen Jump authors, but without being an imitation of any of them. Silverman concluded, "If you're in the mood for a new shounen action series, this is one worth checking out, because once it works out its issues, it could definitely go places".[39]
See also
- Heart Gear, another manga series by the same author
Notes
References
- 1 2 "Viz Media Announces New Supernatural Action Manga Series Black Torch" (Press release). Viz Media. July 11, 2018. Archived from the original on December 8, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2020 – via Anime News Network.
- 1 2 動物としゃべる力持った少年が物ノ怪と出会う、SQ.で新鋭のSF活劇. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. January 1, 2017. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 10, 2025). "Black Torch Anime's 1st Main Promo Video Reveals July Premiere". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 11, 2025. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "VIZ Media Takes Center Stage at NYCC 2025 with World Premieres, Star Appearances, and Exclusive Fan Events" (Press release). Viz Media. October 12, 2025. Archived from the original on December 12, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
- 1 2 Cayanan, Joanna (December 21, 2025). "Junichi Suwabe, Reina Ueda Join Cast of Black Torch TV Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 21, 2025. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
- 1 2 Beveridge, Chris (July 1, 2026). "'Black Torch' Anime Sets Same-Day English Dub Debut With Staff & Additional Cast Revealed". The Fandom Post. Archived from the original on July 1, 2026. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Mateo, Alex (July 1, 2026). "Black Torch TV Anime Reveals Same-Day English Dub, Cast". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 1, 2026. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 28, 2026). "Black Torch TV Anime Reveals More Cast, July 4 Debut". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 28, 2026. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
- ↑ Black Torch [@BlackTorch_EN] (June 8, 2026). "The Strongest Mononoke title is on his mind, Luis Bermudez will be voicing the mischievous and ambitious villain, Koga in the English dub 😏🗡️ @LuisBermudezVO Notable roles: ▪️ Blanka - Street Fighter 6 ▪️ Carlito - Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster ▪️ Koana - Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail BLACK TORCH streams on @Crunchyroll July 2026" (Tweet). Archived from the original on August 23, 2026. Retrieved August 23, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
- 1 2 3 Hazra, Adriana (May 15, 2026). "Black Torch TV Anime Reveals More Cast, Staff". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
- ↑ Black Torch [@BlackTorch_EN] (June 8, 2026). "@MickLauer to voice Banjuro Tokieda, Kusumi's quiet subordinate who happens to be a flawless fighter 🤫 Previous work 🗣️ ▪️ Leone Abbacchio - JoJo's Bizarre ▪️ Yoriichi Tsugikuni - Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba ▪️ Tenjiro Kirinji - Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War" (Tweet). Archived from the original on August 23, 2026. Retrieved August 23, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
- ↑ ジャンプSQ.2月号 12月31日. jumpsq.shueisha.co.jp (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on December 14, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ↑ Takaki, Tsuyoshi [@takatsuyo320] (March 2, 2018). 「青の祓魔師」が表紙のジャンプSQ4月号本日発売です！ブラックトーチは第15話！アクションとかおっぱいを頑張って描きました！あと最後のページでお知らせしてありますが、次回からジャンプ+に移籍となりました。本作がSQに載るのはたぶん今回で最後なので是非！ (Tweet) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 19, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ↑ Takaki, Tsuyoshi [@takatsuyo320] (April 11, 2018). ブラックトーチ第16話公開中です！よろしくお願いします！https://shonenjumpplus.com/episode/10834108156629692143 (Tweet) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 19, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ↑ [第16話]BLACK TORCH. Shōnen Jump+ (in Japanese). Shueisha. April 11, 2018. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
- ↑ [第19話]BLACK TORCH. Shōnen Jump+ (in Japanese). Shueisha. April 11, 2018. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
- ↑ "C'est fini pour le manga Black Torch". Animeland (in French). July 11, 2018. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- 1 2 "BLACK TORCH 1" (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- 1 2 "BLACK TORCH 5" (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ↑ Ressler, Karen (July 20, 2017). "Viz Media to Release Black Torch, Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga in English". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ↑ "Viz Media Announces New Manga Series Acquisitions At Comic-Con International" (Press release). Viz Media. July 25, 2017. Archived from the original on March 19, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2020 – via Anime News Network.
- ↑ Ressler, Karen (December 17, 2018). "Viz's New Shonen Jump Service Launches With 70+ Catalog Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- 1 2 "Black Torch, Vol. 1". Viz Media. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- 1 2 "Black Torch, Vol. 5". Viz Media. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ↑ "BLACK TORCH 2" (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ↑ "Black Torch, Vol. 2". Viz Media. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ↑ "BLACK TORCH 3" (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ↑ "Black Torch, Vol. 3". Viz Media. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ↑ "BLACK TORCH 4" (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ↑ "Black Torch, Vol. 4". Viz Media. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- 1 2 Tai, Anita (March 9, 2025). "Black Torch Manga Gets TV Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 9, 2025. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
- ↑ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 5, 2026). "Black Torch TV Anime Reveals, Previews Theme Songs in Video". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 5, 2026. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ Mateo, Alex (March 19, 2026). "Crunchyroll to Stream Black Torch TV Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 19, 2026. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ↑ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 13, 2026). "Muse Asia Licenses Black Torch Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 13, 2026. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Story | Terebi Anime『Black Torch』Kōshiki Saito" STORY | TVアニメ『BLACK TORCH』公式サイト [Story | Story | TV Anime『Black Torch』Official Site]. blacktorch-anime.com. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
- ↑ "Watch BLACK TORCH". Crunchyroll. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
- ↑ BLACK TORCH(アニメ)のあらすじ一覧. The Television (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
- ↑ Ressler, Karen (January 29, 2019). "Silver Spoon, My Brother's Husband Rank in YALSA's Top 10 Graphic Novels for Teens". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 5, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ↑ Silverman, Rebecca (August 11, 2018). "Black Torch – GN 1 Review". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
Further reading
- First, Marlene (August 7, 2018). "Black Torch Has It All". Viz Media.
- Brown, Urian (December 4, 2018). "Black Torch Vol. 2". Viz Media.
- First, Marlene (August 13, 2019). "The Fate of Man, Ninja and Mononoke Is Decided". Viz Media.
- O'Neil, Kate (March 18, 2019). "Black Torch Vol. #03 Manga Review". The Fandom Post.
- Silverman, Rebecca (June 3, 2019). "Black Torch GNs 2-4 – Review". Anime News Network.
- Douresseaux, Leroy (July 30, 2018). "Black Torch: Volume 1 manga review". ComicBookBin.
- Douresseaux, Leroy (November 11, 2018). "Black Torch: Volume 2 manga review". ComicBookBin.
- Douresseaux, Leroy (January 31, 2019). "Black Torch: Volume 3 manga review". ComicBookBin.
- Douresseaux, Leroy (May 4, 2019). "Black Torch: Volume 4 manga review". ComicBookBin.
- Douresseaux, Leroy (August 9, 2019). "Black Torch: Volume 5 manga review". ComicBookBin.
External links
- Official manga website at Jump Square (in Japanese)
- Official manga website at Shōnen Jump+ (in Japanese)
- Official anime website (in Japanese)
- Official manga website at Viz Media
- Black Torch (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
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