When was the last time a cancelled manga got a second chance at life — and actually took it? That is exactly what is happening with Black Torch, the ninja-supernatural action series that Weekly Shonen Jump axed back in 2018. Now, in July 2026, studio 100studio has brought it back as a full anime adaptation, and the fandom cannot stop talking about it.
Here is the wild part: Black Torch was never supposed to get an anime. Tsuyoshi Takaki’s manga ran for only 26 chapters before Shueisha pulled the plug. The series had a cult following, but it was dead — buried under the weight of bigger titles like Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia. Nobody expected a revival. Nobody except the fans who never stopped hoping.
What Is Black Torch About?
The story follows Jiro Azuma, a 17-year-old descendant of a shinobi clan who can communicate with animals. Trained by his grandfather in the ninja arts, Jiro lives a quiet life protecting the creatures around him. Everything changes when he encounters Rago, a powerful mononoke (demon spirit) who has been sealed away for centuries. Through a twist of fate, Rago ends up merged with Jiro’s body, and the two must learn to coexist while fending off an organization of evil spirits that wants Rago’s power for themselves.
If that sounds like a setup reminiscent of Jujutsu Kaisen’s Yuji Itadori and Sukuna dynamic, you are not wrong. But Black Torch actually ran before Jujutsu Kaisen’s anime debut. The DNA is shared — supernatural battles, a reluctant host with a demon inside, and a secret organization fighting to maintain the balance between humans and spirits.
The Studio and Production Team
100studio is handling the animation, and the production team is stacked with veteran talent. The character designs are being handled by designers who previously worked on major action series, and the soundtrack is composed by a team that understands how to blend traditional Japanese instruments with modern rock — a perfect fit for a ninja series with supernatural elements.
The main voice cast includes Nobuhiko Okamoto (known for his roles in My Hero Academia as Katsuki Bakugo) as Rago, and Jun’ichi Suwabe (Aizawa in My Hero Academia, Sukuna in early Jujutsu Kaisen promotional material) as a key supporting character. Kellen Goff and Ryan Bartley lead the English dub, which Crunchyroll confirmed for same-day release alongside the Japanese broadcast.
Why Black Torch Was Cancelled — and Why It Matters Now
Tsuyoshi Takaki launched Black Torch in Weekly Shonen Jump in December 2016. Despite strong initial reviews and a unique premise blending ninja action with animal communication, the series struggled to maintain readership in the ultra-competitive magazine. After 26 chapters and three collected volumes, it was cancelled in March 2018.
But here is what makes the comeback so significant: Black Torch was one of the last “ninja genre” manga to appear in Shonen Jump before the ninja concept essentially disappeared from the magazine. With Naruto long finished and Boruto failing to capture the same magic, Black Torch represented a new take on the ninja formula — one that mixed yokai lore, animal whispering, and modern shonen action.
The fact that an anime studio saw enough value in a cancelled series to fund a full adaptation in 2026 says something about the changing landscape of anime production. Studios are no longer just adapting whatever is popular in manga form right now. They are mining cancelled and overlooked titles with cult followings, recognizing that a dedicated fanbase can be more valuable than casual readership.
How It Compares to Summer 2026’s Other Heavyweights
Summer 2026 is absolutely stacked. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Cour 4 — The Calamity is airing its final episodes. Mushoku Tensei Season 3 is in full swing. Re:ZERO Season 4 Part 2 continues to dominate discussions. And yet, Black Torch has carved out its own space in the conversation.
Crunchyroll’s decision to same-day dub the series signals confidence in its international appeal. The streaming platform has positioned Black Torch as a replacement for the Jujutsu Kaisen-sized hole in the seasonal lineup — a supernatural action series with a charismatic protagonist, a grumpy demon partner, and enough fight choreography to keep shonen fans satisfied.
The Fandom Reaction
Across X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and anime forums, the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Fans of the original manga — some of whom have waited nearly eight years for this moment — are emotional about seeing Jiro and Rago animated for the first time. New viewers are discovering the series fresh, with many noting how refreshing it feels to watch a ninja anime that isn’t weighed down by hundreds of episodes of filler.
The compact 26-chapter source material means the anime adaptation can be tight, focused, and free from the pacing issues that plague longer shonen adaptations. There is no need for original arcs or stretched-out battles. Every episode can serve the story.
What Do You Think?
Are you watching Black Torch this season? Does a cancelled manga getting an anime adaptation give you hope for other forgotten series? The fact that Tsuyoshi Takaki’s work is getting a second life on screen is a testament to the power of dedicated fandoms — and a reminder that cancellation does not always mean the end.
Drop your thoughts below. Are you team Jiro, team Rago, or team “I cannot believe they actually made this”? Either way, Summer 2026 just got a lot more interesting.
