Black Torch

Black Torch (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tsuyoshi Takaki [ja]. 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 has been announced.

Black Torch
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Jiro Azuma (front) and Rago (back)
Genre	Action[1] Science fiction[2] Supernatural[1]
Manga
Written by	Tsuyoshi Takaki [ja]
Published by	Shueisha
English publisher	NA: Viz Media
Imprint	Jump Comics SQ.
Magazine	Jump Square (2016–18) Shōnen Jump+ (2018)
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	December 31, 2016 – July 11, 2018
Volumes	5
Anime television series
Directed by	Kei Umabiki
Written by	Gigaemon Ichikawa [ja]
Music by	Yutaka Yamada
Studio	100studio
Licensed by	Viz Media

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.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Tsuyoshi Takaki [ja], Black Torch was serialized in Shueisha's monthly shōnen manga magazine Jump Square from December 31, 2016, to March 2, 2018.^[3][2][4] It was then transferred to Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ online platform, being serialized for four chapters from April 11 to July 11, 2018.^[5][6][7][8] Shueisha published its 19 individual chapters in five tankōbon volumes, released from April 4, 2017, to August 3, 2018.^[9][10]

In North America, Viz Media announced that it had licensed the series for English release in North America in July 2017.^[11][12] The title became available on its Shonen Jump digital platform in December 2018.^[13] The five volumes were released from August 7, 2018, to August 6, 2019.^[14][15]

Volumes

No.	Original release date	Original ISBN	English release date	English ISBN
1	April 4, 2017[9]	978-4-08-881097-3	August 7, 2018[14]	978-1-9747-0046-2
2	August 4, 2017[16]	978-4-08-881139-0	November 6, 2018[17]	978-1-9747-0152-0
3	December 4, 2017[18]	978-4-08-881291-5	February 5, 2019[19]	978-1-9747-0222-0
4	April 4, 2018[20]	978-4-08-881391-2	May 7, 2019[21]	978-1-9747-0457-6
5	August 3, 2018[10]	978-4-08-881541-1	August 6, 2019[15]	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 scripts by Gigaemon Ichikawa [ja], character designs by Gō Suzuki, and music composed by Yutaka Yamada. Viz Media, the company that made the announcement, has licensed the series.^[22]

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.^[23]

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".^[24]

See also

• Heart Gear, another manga series by the same author