VIZ Media Confirms Black Torch Anime Production

Exciting news for anime enthusiasts: VIZ Media has officially announced the production of the Black Torch anime at its Emerald City Comic Con panel, and IGN is thrilled to exclusively reveal its first trailer. The trailer showcases protagonist Jiro Azuma in his stealth uniform, accompanied by the powerful mononoke Rago perched on his shoulder. A mysterious dark figure reflected in the cityscape hints at the looming dangers that await.

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. Here's the official synopsis to get you up to speed:

"A new era of ninja battles begins," the synopsis states. "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!"

To celebrate this significant milestone for Black Torch, check out this drawing by Takaki from the panel (link will be added once available). Tsuyoshi Takaki shared his thoughts on the project, stating, “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.”

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