Black Torch Episode 1 Review: Bleach Meets Chainsaw Man In This Promising Shonen

Black Torch Episode 1 delivers a promising start with good animation, fast-paced action, and a protagonist who instantly stands out. While it wears its influence from Bleach and Chainsaw Man on its sleeve, the episode still showcases its own character.

Black Torch Episode 1 Review

How is the vibe of Black Torch?

The moment this anime began, it started giving major vibes of Bleach. Then, we got to witness some massive similarities with the original Bleach anime, confirming the fact that the makers from Black Torch have drawn some heavy inspiration from one of the big three series. The opening of this show was also good, making the first few moments of the watch experience already likeable.

How is the protagonist?

The protagonist is also very similar to Ichigo from Bleach. Jiro is a delinquent-like figure but has a generous heart. On top of that, he is someone with the power to speak to animals. And he uses that power to help the animals out when they need him. Again, this aspect made me think of Ichigo, who used to help souls out.

How do we get introduced to our protagonist, Jiro?

We see that Jiro could talk to animals ever since he was a kid. Later, when he grew up, he started helping other animals and beating up humans who would treat them cruelly. He even beat some troublemaking high school students who could not fight with Jiro because he had literal ninja techniques. Apparently, his grandfather taught him ways to fight like a shinigami, which was another reference from Bleach.

Who was the next most important character in this series?

We meet a cat called Rago, who was attacked in a forest. Jiro gets called by a crow to help Rago out, and he goes there to rescue the cat. When Rago wakes up, he reveals that he’s not an ordinary cat but rather a mononoke. Though Jiro helps Rago out and feeds him, Rago decides to leave because his enemies are after him. Later, in the dead of night, when Rago sneaks out, Jiro wakes up and tries to tell him not to leave because he’s hurt. That is when another mononoke, who was Rago’s enemy, attacked the two.

What happens in the fight?

Rago instructs Jiro to run away while he fights with the enemy. But Jiro refused to do that and came back with a sword and injured the hostile mononoke. Then a fight ensues; it becomes apparent that Jiro would die at the hands of the mononoke. He literally gets pierced through his chest in a fatal blow.

What does Rago do after that?

Rago helps Jiro instead of eating him, which mononoke do. They feed on humans. But Rago enters Jiro’s body, giving him the power to revive himself. This kind of reminded me of Chainsaw Man. After that, the real fight begins, which is pretty interesting to witness.

What worked and what did not work?

One of the episode’s biggest strengths was its crisp animation, which made the viewing experience far better. While the story drew inspiration from several iconic shonen series, most notably Bleach and newer titles like Chainsaw Man, it still managed to carve out an identity of its own. It blended familiar elements with a particular style, making it a strong contender as a promising new shonen anime.