Black Torch

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Black Torch
First volume cover
Genre
Manga
Written byTsuyoshi Takaki
Published byShueisha
English publisher
ImprintJump Comics SQ.
Magazine
DemographicShōnen
Original runDecember 31, 2016 – July 11, 2018
Volumes5

Black Torch is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tsuyoshi Takaki. It was serialized in Shueisha's monthly magazine Jump Square from December 2016 to March 2018, and later on the digital platform Shōnen Jump+ from April to July 2018. Its chapters were compiled in five tankōbon volumes. In North America, the manga was licensed for English language release by Viz Media.

Plot

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Jiro Azuma is a teenage punk, trained in the art of the ninja, who has the incredible ability to talk to animals. Despite this, he was constantly bullied as a child for talking to animals; he could only find solace with other animals, such as his dog Nachi. One day, Jiro is led into the woods by some birds and encounters a gravely injured cat. He nurses the cat back to health, who is shocked to find out that Jiro can understand him. The cat reveals himself as Rago of the Black Star of Doom, an immortal mononoke, or evil spirit. He reveals that he was attacked by other mononoke for refusing to help them. Later that night, Rago attempts to escape from Jiro's house, but they are attacked by one of the mononoke Rago encountered earlier. This mononoke kills Jiro by stabbing him through the chest with his immense claws. Feeling pity and indebted to Jiro for saving him earlier, Rago fuses with Jiro to give him a second chance at life. With their combined power, they kill the mononoke, but are then taken into custody by the Bureau of Espionage. The two later join the Bureau in order to stop more mononoke in the future.

Publication

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Black Torch is written and illustrated by Tsuyoshi Takaki. It was serialized in Shueisha's monthly shōnen manga magazine Jump Square from December 31, 2016, to March 2, 2018.[3][2][4] It was then transferred to Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ online platform, being serialized for three consecutive issues from April 11 to July 11, 2018.[5][6] Shueisha published its 19 individual chapters in five tankōbon volumes, released from April 4, 2017, to August 3, 2018.[7][8]

In North America, Viz Media announced the English language release of the manga in July 2017.[9][10] The title has been available on its Shonen Jump digital platform since December 2018.[11] The five volumes were released from August 7, 2018, to August 6, 2019.[12][13]

Volumes

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No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 April 4, 2017[7]978-4-08-881097-3August 7, 2018[12]978-1-9747-0046-2
2 August 4, 2017[14]978-4-08-881139-0November 6, 2018[15]978-1-9747-0152-0
3 December 4, 2017[16]978-4-08-881291-5February 5, 2019[17]978-1-9747-0222-0
4 April 4, 2018[18]978-4-08-881391-2May 7, 2019[19]978-1-9747-0457-6
5 August 3, 2018[8]978-4-08-881541-1August 6, 2019[13]978-1-9747-0744-7

Reception

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In 2019, Black Torch was one of manga titles that ranked on the "Top 10 Graphic Novels for Teens" by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association.[20]

Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network ranked the first volume as a B. Silverman commended the characters' dynamic and its story devices; however, she criticized it for "doing a lot right off the bat" and for the lack of character development. Silverman found Takaki's art style similar to Tite Kubo's, of Bleach fame, and to other Shōnen Jump authors, but she said that it does not feel like an imitation of any of them. Silverman concluded: "If you're in the mood for a new shounen action series, this is one worth checking out, because once it works out its issues, it could definitely go places".[21]

See also

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  • Heart Gear, another manga series by the same author

References

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  1. ^ a b "Viz Media Announces New Supernatural Action Manga Series Black Torch". Viz Media via Anime News Network. July 11, 2018. Archived from the original on December 8, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  2. ^ a b 動物としゃべる力持った少年が物ノ怪と出会う、SQ.で新鋭のSF活劇. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. January 1, 2017. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  3. ^ ジャンプSQ.2月号 12月31日. jumpsq.shueisha.co.jp (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on December 14, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  4. ^ Takaki, Tsuyoshi [@takatsuyo320] (March 2, 2018). 「青の祓魔師」が表紙のジャンプSQ4月号本日発売です！ブラックトーチは第15話！アクションとかおっぱいを頑張って描きました！あと最後のページでお知らせしてありますが、次回からジャンプ＋に移籍となりました。本作がSQに載るのはたぶん今回で最後なので是非！ (Tweet) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 19, 2020 – via Twitter.
  5. ^ Takaki, Tsuyoshi [@takatsuyo320] (April 11, 2018). ブラックトーチ第１６話公開中です！よろしくお願いします！https://shonenjumpplus.com/episode/10834108156629692143 (Tweet) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 19, 2020 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "C'est fini pour le manga Black Torch". Animeland (in French). July 11, 2018. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  7. ^ a b BLACK TORCH 1 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  8. ^ a b BLACK TORCH 5 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  9. ^ Ressler, Karen (July 20, 2017). "Viz Media to Release Black Torch, Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga in English". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  10. ^ "Viz Media Announces New Manga Series Acquisitions At Comic-Con International". Viz Media via Anime News Network. July 25, 2017. Archived from the original on March 19, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  11. ^ Ressler, Karen (December 17, 2018). "Viz's New Shonen Jump Service Launches With 70+ Catalog Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Black Torch, Vol. 1". Viz Media. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Black Torch, Vol. 5". Viz Media. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  14. ^ BLACK TORCH 2 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  15. ^ "Black Torch, Vol. 2". Viz Media. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  16. ^ BLACK TORCH 3 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  17. ^ "Black Torch, Vol. 3". Viz Media. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  18. ^ BLACK TORCH 4 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  19. ^ "Black Torch, Vol. 4". Viz Media. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  20. ^ Ressler, Karen (January 29, 2019). "Silver Spoon, My Brother's Husband Rank in YALSA's Top 10 Graphic Novels for Teens". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 5, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  21. ^ Silverman, Rebecca (August 11, 2018). "Black Torch - GN 1 Review". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2020.

Further reading

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