VIZ Media Announces Production of Black Torch Anime

Exciting news for anime enthusiasts: VIZ Media has officially announced that the popular manga Black Torch is being adapted into an anime, and IGN has the exclusive first trailer to share. The announcement came during VIZ Media's panel at Emerald City Comic Con, where fans got their first look at protagonist Jiro Azuma donning his stealth uniform, accompanied by his powerful mononoke ally, Rago. The trailer also teases a mysterious dark figure looming over the cityscape, hinting at the impending dangers that Jiro and Rago will face.

For those new to the series, Black Torch was crafted by Tsuyoshi Takaki and initially ran in Jump SQ. and Shonen Jump+ from 2017 to 2018. To give you a taste of what to expect, here's the official synopsis of the upcoming anime:

"A new era of ninja battles begins," the official synopsis reads. "Hailing from a long line of ninja, Jiro has been brought up by his grandfather in the ancient warrior art of the shinobi. Jiro also happens to be a particularly skilled communicator able to converse with the animal world. But life takes an abrupt turn thanks to a mysterious encounter in the forest with an injured black cat named Rago. Only, Rago's feline appearance is deceiving...

"It turns out the 'ordinary' cat is the stuff of mononoke legend—the Black Star of Doom! Swarming in the shadows are more mononoke, eager to exploit Rago’s uniquely immense powers. To fight back against the tide of dark spirits, the undercover Bureau of Espionage is poised to seek and destroy. Of course, everyone has their motives when it comes to Rago’s powers. But Jiro and Rago are ready. A shinobi clash between boy and mononoke is about to ignite!"

Black Torch Manga Art. Image Credit: VIZ

For a deeper dive into the creative process, Tsuyoshi Takaki shared his thoughts on the adaptation: "I’ve been supervising the settings and storyboards, and I feel it’s been recreated into something even better, while still fully respecting the original story. A new BLACK TORCH has been brought to life, now with voices, sounds, movement, and color."

To celebrate this milestone, Takaki unveiled a special drawing at the panel, which will be available online soon (link will be added when live).

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