Just looking at the title, a somewhere mysterious and dangerous atmosphere drifts from “Black Torch”. A shonen manga by Tsuyoshi Takaki, it was serialized in “Jump Square” from the February 2017 issue to the April 2018 issue, before moving its stage to “Shonen Jump+” and developing until July 2018. The center of the story is the battle between the “Onmitsu” active behind the scenes of modern society and the non-human existences known as “Mononoke”. At a glance, it is a setup reminiscent of a classic special-ability battle, but once you open the page, a unique, deep black world view leaps into your eyes all at once. As if symbolizing the “BLACK” in the title's name, the impression of black is strong, and particularly in combat scenes, a rough expression reminiscent of a brush is put to good use. This sinister screen is precisely one of the unique characteristics that cannot be left out when talking about this work.

The protagonist, Jirou Azuma, has a slightly unusual ability that ordinary humans do not possess. That is being able to understand the language of animals. What such a Jirou encountered one day was a single black cat in a near-death state: Ragou. If it were just “saving an injured cat”, it might look like the beginning of a peaceful story, but this black cat holds an outrageous secret. Ragou's true identity is a “Mononoke” that has lived through eternal time, a powerful existence once feared so much as to be called the “Black Star of Ill Omen”. An encounter that began from casual goodwill becomes the entrance to a world far removed from human common sense. This speed of introduction possesses a strong power to make readers want to read further.

Aiming for the power that Ragou possesses, another Mononoke attacks, causing Jirou's daily life to crumble completely. Trying to protect Ragou, Jirou suffers serious injuries and is driven into a state where even his life is at risk. What Ragou selected here was “fusion” with Jirou. The decision to keep Jirou alive through his own power connects the destinies of the two literally into one. Then, using the fused power, the two end up repelling the attacking Mononoke. A human boy and a powerful Mononoke—existences that would originally be completely different—share a single body. From the moment this relationship is born, an interest in the story different from simple specter extermination begins to show.

Ending the battle with the Mononoke naturally does not mean the matter is settled. What appears before Jirou and Ragou is an organization called the “Onmitsu Bureau”. Even just the appearance of words like “Kougi” (Government) and “Onmitsu” (Secret Agent) reminiscent of period dramas while set in modern times lets one feel the unique flavor of this work. Triggered by contact with this organization, Jirou comes to step in earnest into the battle against Mononoke that he did not know about until then. A boy who had merely saved a black cat by chance becomes a party to a battle unfolding unbeknownst to people before he knows it. This sense of speed rolling down from the ordinary into the extraordinary is also pleasant, making one naturally want to turn the page asking, “What kind of Mononoke is waiting next?”

What particularly catches the eye in “Black Torch” would after all be the battle scenes. Through drawn lines that seem to make use of a brush, the eeriness of the Mononoke and the momentum of attacks spread across the entire screen, and a roughness that is not overly tidy conversely produces an intense impact. A screen where black is used heavily possesses weight, seemingly conveying even the foreignness and danger when an enemy appears. Rather than a direction of simply “the art is pretty”, it is impressive that a “coolness that is established precisely because it is this work” is formed. Themes such as Mononoke, Ninjutsu, and modern society also have very good compatibility with these powerful visuals.

What personally attracts me is, even more than the powerful force itself, the point that the different existences of Jirou and Ragou are combined. Ragou is a Mononoke once feared, and Jirou is a boy who can understand the voices of animals. Even though the encounter of such two was accidental, the relationship is tied in the form where Jirou protects Ragou, and this time Ragou saves Jirou's life. This composition is truly thrilling. While fully savoring the dark atmosphere and rough combat depictions, one can also thoroughly enjoy a level of heat characteristic of shonen manga. Black, sharp, yet somewhere possessing human warmth. “Black Torch” is a work that makes one want to step into its world at least once, as a Mononoke battle manga wearing such a unique air.