BLACK TORCH

Overview & Narrative Setting

Descended from a proud, long-standing lineage of shinobi, hot-headed teenager Jiro Azuma possesses a unique and extraordinary gift: the innate ability to speak directly with animals. While his fierce temper often leads him into unnecessary scuffles, his deep compassion for stray creatures defines his true character.Jiro’s world is upended the night he rescues an injured, unassuming black cat named Rago. Rago is far more than a stray—he is an immortal mononoke (demonic spirit) belonging to the Black Star of Doom, hunted by hostile factions of the supernatural underworld. When a vicious rival mononoke tracks them down and inflicts a mortal wound on Jiro, Rago makes an unprecedented choice: instead of devouring the boy, he fuses his life force with Jiro's to grant him a second chance at life.Now fused with ancient demonic power and enhanced by his agile shinobi combat training, Jiro is thrust into a hidden, high-stakes war operating just beneath the surface of modern society. Recruited by the covert Bureau of Espionage, Jiro joins an elite, specialized unit known as Black Torch. Alongside fellow operatives, he must navigate a dangerous labyrinth of dark spirits, government conspiracies, and questions of trust, loyalty, and sacrifice.Blending modern urban fantasy with classic shonen action, Black Torch explores themes of identity, the friction between human and supernatural worlds, and the unbreakable bond formed between an impulsive young ninja and a cynical demon cat.