Black Torch Episode 2 Review: A Stronger Episode With Better Pacing

Jiro meets the Bureau of Espionage and uncovers secrets about Rago in Black Torch Episode 2. However, his own family’s past became a lot to handle.

Black Torch Episode 2 Review

What happens with Jiro after he fights the mononoke?

Some strange people arrive to clear the scene, and a girl takes him to the hospital. While at the hospital, Jiro wakes up to find the woman who brought him to the doctors.

Who was the girl called Ichika?

Not only Ichika, but we also meet a new character called Shiba. They are apparently a part of an organisation called the Bureau of Espionage. Interestingly, Jiro already knew about this organisation, and then Shiba goes on to explain their past. There used to be an undercover agency called Oniwaban, which worked for the Edo shogunate. When the Meiji Restoration happened, Oniwaban shifted from the shogunate to the new government. This time, this organisation became an undercover government wing with an elite group of agents. Their main work is intelligence and counterintelligence both domestically and internationally. However, they also find and destroy mononoke.

Did the organisation know of Rago from the very beginning?

Apparently, Rago was sealed inside a facility within the Bureau. However, their facility was attacked by a band of mononoke, and Rago was released. Shiba confessed that he has no idea about how Rago and Jiro could be separated. Thus, Shiba stated that the organisation would take both Jiro and Rago under its protection. At least till the time they managed to find a solution for the situation. Jiro was also not given any choice but to agree to this.

Does Jiro do exactly what Shiba tells him to do?

Jiro obviously does not do anything that Shiba tells him to do, and he plans his escape with Rago. The most important thing for Jiro was to let his grandfather know that he was okay. Thus, he goes to his house only to be beaten by his grandpa. There, he gets to know that his grandfather was also a member of the Bureau, and Shiba had already told him about everything.

What did Jiro’s grandfather want?

Things take a dark turn when his grandfather tells Jiro that he would not let the Bureau or the mononoke take any advantage of Jiro. And the way to do that would be to destroy both Rago and Jiro at the same time. After that, the grandfather planned to kill himself.

What happens after that?

An intense fight begins between the grandfather and the grandson. At one time, Rago tried to help Jiro out, but Jiro told him not to step in, as this was his fight. In this section, we also get a glimpse into the grandfather’s past life and how he fought with a mononoke back in those days. In the end, he discards his stubbornness and accepts the fact that his grandson can take care of himself with the help of a new friend, Rago.

What worked and what did not work?

The overall vibe of this anime is standard shonen with similar themes. In this episode, the story progresses a lot, making the pace far better than in many other similar anime. It also comes with some pretty good animation, which definitely adds to the viewing experience. However, we haven’t seen something extraordinarily different yet.