Black Torch Becomes Surprise No. 1 on Crunchyroll
Brisk pacing and polished animation have revived interest in a cancelled 19‑chapter manga, raising questions about how that short source will be paced or expanded in the anime.
Overview
- Streaming trackers show Black Torch has surged to the top of Crunchyroll’s most-watched list, turning a low-profile manga into a breakout title.
- The anime adapts Tsuyoshi Takaki’s original run, which ran in Jump Square and Shonen Jump+ and ended after 19 chapters collected in five volumes.
- Reviewers credit Studio EEK’s faster pacing and stronger animation with converting the manga’s slow start into a tighter, more engaging show.
- Recent episodes have pushed early plot hooks — including a hinted connection to the protagonist’s father and Ichika’s personal motive — without resolving major spoilers.
- Because the source has only 19 chapters, analysts say the show will likely either compress the material into a standard single cour or use anime-original material, a choice that could shape future manga sales and possible continuation.