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 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]Ryosuke Shiba (司場 涼介, Shiba Ryōsuke)Voiced by: Junichi Suwabe[5] (Japanese); Ryan Colt Levy[6] (English)Koga (咬牙)Voiced by: Nobuhiko Okamoto[7]Amagi (天鬼)Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa[7] (Japanese); Ben Diskin[6] (English)Toshimasa Azuma (我妻 寿正, Azuma Toshimasa)Voiced by: Shinpachi Tsuji [ja][8] (Japanese); Ben Balmaceda[6] (English)Toko Kusumi (久澄 陶子, Kusumi Toko)Voiced by: Yūko Kaida[8]Banjuro Tokieda (時枝 蛮十郎, Tokieda Banjuro)Voiced by: Hōchū Ōtsuka[8]
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.[9][2][10] It was then transferred to Shueisha’s Shōnen Jump+ online platform, being serialized for four chapters from April 11 to July 11, 2018.[11][12][13][14] Shueisha published its 19 individual chapters in five tankōbon volumes, released from April 4, 2017, to August 3, 2018.[15][16]
In North America, Viz Media announced that it had licensed the series for English release in North America in July 2017.[17][18] The title.
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 [ja], character designs by Gō Suzuki, and music composed by Yutaka Yamada.[28] It premiered on July 4, 2026, on Tokyo MX and other networks.[3][7] 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.[29]
Viz Media, the company that made the adaptation announcement, has licensed the series.[28] Crunchyroll is streaming the series.[30] Muse Communication licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia.[31]
