Info in Movie News | Black Torch, a series that has been one of Shonen Jump’s most underrated for a long time, is making a comeback to the eyes of the public. The anime adaptation of Tsuyoshi Takaki’s supernatural action series that was only halfway through its run before it was canceled, and couldn’t really find its fanbase, is going to be launched in July 2026. To the fans who have been reading the manga from the very beginning, this really seems like the acknowledgment that the series has been waiting for all along. For new viewers, it offers a fresh entry point into a compact, character driven story that now has the chance to reach far beyond the manga’s original limits.
According to ComicBook, Black Torch occupies a strange but fascinating position in Shueisha’s history. The series was spread through Jump Square and Shonen Jump+, meaning it was published monthly instead of weekly, and it ended with less than 20 chapters. This brief run made it a title that almost faded as quickly as it was noticed. Nevertheless, the factor which differentiates Black Torch from other canceled manga is the clarity with which its fundamental concepts were laid out. The series managed to do with a few chapters only the creation of a whole world, the establishment of the conflict, and the characterization of a main character whose emotional development seemed to be a rare thing in a battle genre shonen.
Jiro Azuma is the core of Black Torch. He is a 17 years old boy coming from a family of ninjas. Unlike the usual ninja main characters who are driven by ambition or revenge, Jiro’s most notable characteristic is empathy. He is the only one who can talk to animals, and this ability makes him lonely since he is different but it is also what shapes his strong moral character. Jiro is living a peaceful life, making sure that animals that are injured or left alone are taken care of, until the day when his life crashes with the forces that are way beyond his control.
That collision comes in the form of Rago, a mysterious black cat who is later revealed to be a powerful mononoke. Rather than forming a friendly partnership, Jiro and Rago enter a tense, often hostile bond. When the two fuse, Jiro gains immense supernatural strength, but at the cost of being dragged into a hidden war between humans and mononoke. This uneasy relationship becomes the emotional core of the series. Rago is cruel, scheming, and devastatingly truthful, he is on the one hand a kind of weapon but on the other hand a constant reminder of the price that is to be paid for Jiro's new power.
Further in the plot, Jiro becomes the Black Torch's agent. Black Torch is a secret unit under the Bureau of Espionage, whose mission is to eliminate mononoke threats going beyond the knowledge of the normal society. Jiro's decision to work with Black Torch is not a step towards his heroic dream but rather an acceptance of a difficult burden. In each confrontation, he has to face nasty thoughts about violence, control, and whether monsters are by nature or by their deeds. The presence of this moral issue is one of the reasons why the Black Torch has been memorable despite the short lifespan it had.
The announced anime adaptation implies that the creative team is aware of the importance of the character-driven approach. The series will be directed by Kei Umabiki at 100studio, with series composition and scripts handled by Gigaemon Ichikawa. Go Suzuki is in charge of character designs, and Yutaka Yamada is leading the music composition. A production with such a staff lineup is generally indicative of a movie or series that focuses on creating an immersive world, touching the viewer emotionally, and being visually clear rather than just dazzling the viewer with a spectacle.
Voice casting further reinforces that direction. Ryota Suzuki voices Jiro Azuma, bringing a balance of toughness and vulnerability to the role. Yoji Ueda takes on Rago, a character who demands a commanding presence and sharp delivery. Senbongi Sayaka and Enoki Junya are the two main characters who play the roles of Ichika Kishimojin and Reiji Kirihara respectively. Both characters interact with Jiro a lot and therefore Black Torch becomes their journey.
As the source material is limited to only five volumes, the anime is given a wonderful chance to present the full-fledged story without any kind of filling. Such a composition enables the narrative to develop the speed it wants thereby it is able to keep the turnover and at the same time it can give sufficiency to Jiro’s deeper nature and his changing relationship with Rago. In an industry crowded with long running franchises, a tightly told supernatural action series could help Black Torch stand out during the competitive Summer 2026 season.
Ultimately, Black Torch is not just about reviving a canceled series. It is about giving a second life to a story that never fully had the chance to grow. Black Torch follows Jiro Azuma's journey and the main character themes that are coexistence, restraint, and the price of power, which are all mixed with the fierce action and setting that is influenced by the dark, myth-inspired folklore. If the conversion to anime is good, then maybe, just maybe, Black Torch will be able to make a comeback and get the recognition that it was almost but not quite awarded years ago, thus showing that certain tales are just too advanced for their era.
Source ComicBook, Crunchyroll
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