VIZ Media Officially Produces Black Torch Anime

IGN has exciting news for fans of the supernatural ninja series, as VIZ Media officially announced at Emerald City Comic Con that the Black Torch anime is in production. Alongside this announcement, IGN is thrilled to exclusively unveil the first trailer for the upcoming anime.

The trailer introduces us to Jiro Azuma, depicted in his stealth uniform, accompanied by his powerful mononoke companion, Rago, perched on his shoulder. A glimpse of a mysterious, dark figure reflected in the cityscape hints at the looming threats that Jiro will face.

For those new to the series, Black Torch was crafted by the talented Tsuyoshi Takaki and initially serialized in Jump SQ. and Shonen Jump+ from 2017 to 2018. Here's the official synopsis to get you up to speed on what to expect from the anime:

"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!"

During the panel, Tsuyoshi Takaki shared a special drawing celebrating this significant milestone for Black Torch. (Link to the drawing will be added once available.)

Takaki also shared his thoughts on the adaptation, saying, "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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