Why Did Black Torch Get Canceled? New Crunchyroll Hit Has Only 19 Manga Chapters

There will always be at least one anime series every season that most people did not expect would be popular. For the summer 2026 season, the anime series is Black Torch, which has become a sensation and managed to dominate the views of Crunchyroll instantly.

What makes this story even more interesting is where it started. Before becoming a streaming hit, Black Torch was actually a short manga that got canceled early. That makes its current success feel like a true comeback story.

Black Torch Manga Faced Strong Competition in Jump Square

Black Torch started out as a manga by Tsuyoshi Takaki from Jump Square, but it switched over to Shonen Jump+ in 2018. The manga had an interesting premise from the start. A ninja boy named Jiro pairs up with a very powerful spirit cat called Rago. They battle against supernatural foes. But even with such an interesting premise, the manga itself did not have a long life. It was cancelled after just 19 chapters.

The first reason why the manga struggled to take off was because of its slow beginning. The story needed time to establish itself, but in a fast-paced manga magazine, this can backfire. Readers usually decide very quickly if they want to keep reading. If the early chapters don’t hook them, the series struggles to survive.

Competition was another big problem. When Black Torch appeared in the magazine, there were already many strong titles published by Jump Square, including Blue Exorcist, Moriarty the Patriot, Kemono Jihen, and World Trigger. New series had to fight exceptionally hard for reader attention, and even promising stories could get canceled if they lagged in monthly popularity polls. That is exactly what happened to Black Torch.

Black Torch mostly found itself at the lower end of the poll throughout its run until it was eventually moved to Shonen Jump+ to conclude the manga series in 2018. Despite the cancellation of Black Torch, however, the journey didn’t end – Viz Media translated the manga into English and published all five volumes in the West.

Many fans later found out that the manga actually gets much better as it goes on. There is action, character development, and storyline progression, which made it appealing to many people all over the world.

Black Torch Anime Is Now a Surprise Crunchyroll Hit

Years later, Black Torch got a second chance through its anime. And this time, things are very different. The anime quickly became one of the most-watched shows on Crunchyroll. It even reached the No. 1 spot, which is a huge achievement in a season full of big releases.

Jiro and Rago from Black Torch. | Credit: 100studio

Pacing is another reason behind the success. Unlike the manga version, where the pacing was very slow, the anime version starts off on a fast note and engages viewers right away. The immediate action, emotions, and storyline made it easier to stay hooked. Besides, the animation also plays a significant part in this regard. The fights are more dramatic, and the bond between Jiro and Rago is enhanced through visuals. Seeing their story come to life adds energy that the manga could not fully show.

Furthermore, the familiar nature of the story itself played a significant role here. There are ninja aspects like Naruto, and there is the relationship between humans and spirits like Chainsaw Man. These kinds of things grabbed the attention of the fans immediately.

However, at the same time, Black Torch mixes them in its own way, so it still feels fresh. Also, what is most important is that the anime was released exactly when it needed to happen. Fans who were searching for something new found Black Torch to be a perfect choice. As a result, something which initially barely survived as a manga became the biggest anime of the season.

So now the big question is simple: Do you think Black Torch truly deserves this second chance, or is its success just a temporary moment? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Black Torch anime is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.