Crunchyroll’s Jujutsu Kaisen Replacement Is Now a Global Streaming Hit

A relatively new shonen anime has suddenly forced its way into the upper tier of Crunchyroll’s worldwide charts. BLACK TORCH sits at No. 2 on FlixPatrol’s Crunchyroll Worldwide TV chart for August 26, 2026, behind Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation.

That is striking because Jujutsu Kaisen helped define the modern supernatural-shonen boom with its curses, explosive battles and instantly recognizable characters. But BLACK TORCH arrives with a different kind of supernatural arsenal, and its rise raises an intriguing question: could anime audiences be watching the emergence of another major contender?

Calling it a “Jujutsu Kaisen replacement,” however, is an editorial comparison, not an official Crunchyroll designation.

BLACK TORCH Takes Over No. 2 Spot on Crunchyroll’s Global Top 10

For a series still building its name, landing this high on Crunchyroll’s worldwide chart is impossible to ignore. According to FlixPatrol’s August 26 chart, BLACK TORCH is No. 2 among Crunchyroll’s worldwide TV shows, with only Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation above it. FlixPatrol describes these as streaming/VOD popularity charts rather than official subscriber or viewing-hour reports, meaning the ranking should not be treated as a Crunchyroll-released viewership figure.

The momentum is particularly interesting because the anime was only a few weeks old when it reached this position. It premiered on July 4, 2026, and Crunchyroll confirmed a broad international rollout spanning North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East and CIS. Yet BLACK TORCH is hardly a brand-new concept. Tsuyoshi Takaki’s manga began in Jump SQ in late 2016 before moving to Shonen Jump+ in 2018, ultimately concluding after five collected volumes.

Its premise is tailor-made for supernatural-action fans. Jiro Azuma is a young descendant of shinobi who can communicate with animals. His life changes when he encounters Rago, a mysterious black cat who is actually a powerful mononoke. Their encounter pulls Jiro into a hidden war involving supernatural beings and the Bureau of Espionage.

The anime is produced by 100studio, with Kei Umabiki directing, Gigaemon Ichikawa handling series composition and screenplay, Go Suzuki designing the characters, and Yutaka Yamada composing the music. Ryota Suzuki voices Jiro, while Yoji Ueda plays Rago.

One fascinating detail is that Takaki has personally supervised settings and storyboards for the adaptation, saying the anime preserves the original story while adding movement, sound and color. Another is that BLACK TORCH was Takaki’s first major serialized work. His next series was Heart Gear, which began on Shonen Jump+ in 2019. The chart rise therefore feels less like the arrival of an unknown franchise and more like a delayed second chance for a manga that never had the opportunity to become a major anime hit during its original run.

How BLACK TORCH is Filling the Void Left by Jujutsu Kaisen

Reiji and Jiro from Black Torch. [Credit: 100studio]

The Jujutsu Kaisen comparison makes immediate sense. Both series build their action around supernatural entities that exist alongside ordinary human society. Jujutsu Kaisen centers on curses born from negative human emotions, while BLACK TORCH draws heavily from Japanese folklore and mononoke. Both place young fighters inside secret organizations, mix supernatural mythology with hand-to-hand combat and give their protagonists extraordinary powers connected to otherworldly beings.

But BLACK TORCH is not simply Jujutsu Kaisen with ninjas. Its biggest distinction is its fascination with the relationship between humans, animals and Japanese supernatural folklore. Jiro’s ability to communicate with animals is central to his personality, while his connection with Rago creates a more unusual hero-partner dynamic. The series also leans into its shinobi heritage, giving its supernatural battles a distinctly ninja-flavored identity.

Jujutsu Kaisen became a genuine global phenomenon. Guinness World Records recognized it in 2024 as the world’s most in-demand animated TV show based on Parrot Analytics data, while Crunchyroll’s coverage noted its extraordinary surge during the Shibuya Incident era. Nothing about a No. 2 FlixPatrol position proves BLACK TORCH has reached that level. It doesn’t establish comparable viewership, cultural impact or long-term popularity. What it does prove is that something is happening around the series.

A manga that ended years ago has received a modern anime adaptation, found a worldwide streaming home and climbed near the top of Crunchyroll’s global chart within its first season. That is enough to make the Jujutsu Kaisen comparison worth discussing—but perhaps the more exciting possibility is that BLACK TORCH does not need to replace anything. It may simply be carving out its own supernatural-shonen territory.

Could BLACK TORCH really become the next big supernatural shonen? Tell us what you think in the comments!

BLACK TORCH is available on Crunchyroll.