In a very shocking and bizarre turn of events, one of Shōnen Jump+'s canceled manga has been confirmed to receive an anime adaptation, and the trailer looks gorgeous. The circumstances surrounding this news are very interesting, and even the creator of the manga is surprised by the sudden promotion.

Confirmed on March 8, at this year's Emerald City Comic Con, Viz Media has announced that Black Torch by Tsuyoshi Yakaki will be receiving an anime adaptation, accompanied by a trailer and key visual that were also revealed alongside the news. Furthermore, the main staff of the production was released, showing that the project has been underway for quite some time and that it will not be long until the anime debuts. This type of surprise announcement is very rare in the industry, and if the anime does end up becoming successful, it will likely open up a new and unexplored path for studios.

Black Torch's Anime Is A Miracle

A Second Wind To Renew Interest in the Series

Bringing the anime to life is 100Studio, the same producers behind Quality Assurance in Another World. Kei Umabiki will be taking the helm as the director, and Go Suzuki will be in charge of the character designs. Yutaka Yamada, the genius behind the music of Vinland Saga and Tokyo Ghoul, will be in charge of music composition, and Gigaemon Ichikawa will take over the script. The unique and vibrant art style in the trailer as well as the very fluid animation, shows that the anime is not going to disappoint, and this news has just caught the attention of many.

The series is about a new era of ninja battles as Jiro, raised by his grandfather in the ancient art of shinobi, possesses the rare ability to communicate with animals. His life takes a turn when he encounters an injured black cat named Rago, who turns out to be the legendary Black Star of Doom, a powerful mononoke. Dark spirits seek to exploit Rago’s abilities, and the Bureau of Espionage is ready to eliminate him. With everyone after Rago for their own reasons, Jiro and Rago prepare for a fierce showdown in a battle between a boy and mononoke.

While anime fans are definitely surprised by this bizarre turn of events, the creator, Tsuyoshi Yakaki, is even more shocked and excited by this. He credited the adaptation to the fans all around the world, and that he is grateful. He will also be heavily involved in the production, such as supervising and making storyboards, all to make the anime elevate the source material as much as possible while staying true to the manga, much like how Tite Kubo supervised the creation of Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War. Fans of the original manga can look forward to even more content as the creator promises an even better version.

Black Torch Receiving An Anime Is Not The Norm

A Canceled Manga Receiving An Adaptation Is Unheard Of

One of the big reasons a publisher allows a studio to adapt a manga into anime form is so that the adaptation can bring more attention to the source material and increase the manga sales. Almost all the highest-selling manga ever have a very popular anime, such as Demon Slayer's meteoric rise due to the anime series and movies. As such, it doesn't make sense as to why Black Torch would receive an anime when the manga has been discontinued. Furthermore, it has been 7 years since the manga ended, making the situation even more puzzling.

However, it is not the first time a canceled manga has received an anime. Beat and Motion is going to receive an anime despite it being canceled, but this is a special case since the manga won a competition that promised an anime later. Romantic Killer is another Shōnen Jump+ manga that was canceled but received an anime, one season, 12-episode ONA, to be specific. While there is definitely a precedent, Black Torch's case is much more unusual and intriguing.

This Could Lead To Other Canceled Manga Receiving An Anime

Many Other Manga Series Can Receive A Second Chance

If Black Torch does end up being a hit, it could pave the way for other great canceled manga such as Psyren, Mx0, Ayashimon, and many more series deserving of a second chance to hopefully receive an anime one day. Black Torch's anime could be something that changes the industry in a meaningful way, and with the series having an interesting premise and great action, a good adaptation could open a lot of doors for other canceled manga.

Source: Viz Media.