Eight years after the manga cancellation, Black Torch became a fan-favorite series thanks to the anime debut this summer season. Written and illustrated by Tsuyoshi Takaki, the manga was serialized in Shueisha’s Jump Square magazine from 2016 to 2018. Since it’s a monthly magazine, the series only released 19 chapters before getting cancelled by the publisher. However, the true potential of the story didn’t go unnoticed by the animation studio EEK, which is why an anime adaptation was confirmed several years later. As expected, the anime became one of the hottest series of the year, winning the hearts of Shonen Jump fans from across the globe.
Thanks to the anime’s success, the manga is also getting more attention after being forgotten for a long time. The official website of Viz Media confirms that the official box set of the manga will be released on September 22nd, 2026. It will contain all five volumes of the manga along with an exclusive double-sided poster. The manga volumes in the box set will be available in a paperback version, and it’s already available for pre-order on Amazon. Viz Media also shared the link to pre-order the manga’s final release.
Black Torch Got a Second Chance Thanks to Its Exceptional Story
Cancelled Shonen Jump series getting anime adaptations isn’t unheard of, but not many become as successful as Black Torch. The story follows a 17-year-old Jiro Azuma, who was born with the ability to talk with animals since he is the descendant of a long-standing shinobi clan. His life takes an unexpected turn when he saves an injured cat, only to learn that it’s a demonic spirit known as a mononoke.
The demonic spirit named Rago is being targeted by his own kind for not agreeing to help them wreak havoc upon the world. After the chance encounter, Jiro risks his life to save Rago and dies after receiving a fatal wound. Rago uses his own energy to save the boy’s life, who later gets entangled in all kinds of chaotic situations with supernatural beings. The anime is scheduled for 12 episodes, and it’s streaming weekly episodes on Crunchyroll.
Why Was Black Torch Cancelled?
While Shueisha never officially states the reason behind such cancellations, it’s mostly because of poor performance in sales or viewership. Even if a story has potential, it will get axed if it fails to catch the readers’ eyes. Not to mention that magazines such as Weekly Shonen Jump and Jump Square have limited slots to begin with, which is why the competition is tough. The publishers would want to axe a series that isn’t performing well so they could create room for a new, promising series.
Black Torch didn’t release many chapters before getting axed, which is why Takaki wasn’t able to expand the story like he wanted. However, since the series has officially reached its conclusion, the anime will go down the same path. The manga won’t be getting another shot at continuation, and there hasn’t been any word on a sequel either.
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