Exciting news for fans of the supernatural ninja saga: the much-anticipated Black Torch anime is now officially in production at VIZ Media. IGN has the exclusive scoop and is proud to unveil the very first trailer for this thrilling series.

The announcement came during VIZ Media's panel at Emerald City Comic Con, where attendees were treated to a sneak peek of Jiro Azuma donning his stealth uniform. Accompanying him is the formidable mononoke, Rago, perched on his shoulder. The trailer also teases a mysterious, ominous figure looming in the cityscape, hinting at the dangers that lie ahead for our protagonists.

For those new to the series, Black Torch was crafted by the talented Tsuyoshi Takaki and originally ran in Jump SQ. and Shonen Jump+ from 2017 to 2018. Here's a quick rundown of the story to get you up to speed:

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

Black Torch Manga Art. Image Credit: VIZ

For a deeper dive into the world of Black Torch, check out this special drawing by Takaki from the panel, celebrating this monumental moment for the series. (Link will be added once available.)

"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," Takaki shared. "A new BLACK TORCH has been brought to life, now with voices, sounds, movement, and color."

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