Black Torch TV Anime Adds Three Cast Members, Reveals July 4 Premiere
The addition of veteran actors Tsuji, Kaida, and Otsuka to the cast of a relatively short manga adaptation signals that the production is investing in experienced talent to elevate the material, while the detailed staff credits show a heavy reliance on CG work from 100studio's multi-location pipeline.
Reporting from 4 sources: Anime News Network, Comic Natalie, Anime Trending, The Fandom Post.
The staff for the television anime adaptation of Tsuyoshi Takaki's manga Black Torch announced three additional cast members and several new staff positions on May 15. Shinpachi Tsuji will voice Toshimasa Azuma, Yuko Kaida will play Toko Kusumi, and Hochu Otsuka will portray Banjuro Tokieda. The newly revealed staff include sub-character designers Yumi Nakamura, Masahiko Suzuki, and Mariko Kinoshita, design works by Shunya Kikuchi, art directors Sachi Takahashi and Shoko Imaizumi, color designer Haruko Nobori, CG director Hirotaka Naito, director of photography Satoshi Yamamoto, editor Masato Yoshitake, sound director Takeshi Takadera, and sound effects by Naoto Yamatani. The anime is directed by Kei Umabiki at 100studio, with character designs by Go Suzuki, series composition and scripts by Gigaemon Ichikawa, and music by Yutaka Yamada. Black Torch will premiere on July 4 on TOKYO MX and other channels. Crunchyroll will stream the series in multiple regions including North America, Europe, and Oceania. The manga, which ran in Shueisha's Jump Square and later on Shonen Jump+, spans five volumes and is published in English by Viz Media.
The three new cast members join a previously announced roster that includes Ryōta Suzuki as Jiro Azuma, Yōji Ueda as Rago, Sayaka Senbongi as Ichika Kishimojin, Junya Enoki as Reiji Kirihara, Junichi Suwabe as Ryosuke Shiba, Reina Ueda as Hana Usami, Toshiyuki Morikawa as Amagi, and Nobuhiko Okamoto as Koga.
CG director Hirotaka Naitō said the production involves CG staff from 100studio's offices in Tokyo, Osaka, Taiwan, and Korea, as well as the affiliated studio Infinity1. He described the show as having "more action and CG elements than the hybrid animation of hand-drawn and CG that 100studio has previously worked on."
Color designer Haruko Nobori, a self-described cat lover, said she designed Rago "to be cute and cool with sharp eyes and will, not just a black mass." Director of photography Hijiri Yamamoto said he "struggled with how to express the coolness of the black-and-white world's effects" from the original manga.
Sound director Takeshi Takadera called the series "content that can be enjoyed not only in Japan but also overseas." Sound effects artist Naoto Yamatani described protagonist Jiro Azuma as "a man who is straightforward with his emotions, which is quite refreshing."
In comments published by Comic Natalie, Shinpachi Tsuji said he taught his character's grandson martial arts "in a Spartan manner" that "was strict to a degree that would not be tolerated in today's world." Yuko Kaida described her character Toko Kusumi as "a cool beauty with a scar on her face." Hochu Otsuka said he is "grateful to be cast in this work, which has enthusiastic support from overseas."
The Fandom Post also listed an English dub cast: A.J. Beckles as Jiro Azuma, Erin Yvette as Ichika Kishimojin, Kyle McCarley as Reiji Kirihara, Keith Silverstein as Rago, Ryan Colt Levy as Ryusuke Shiba, and Julie Nathanson as Hana Usami.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Anime News Network Black Torch TV Anime Reveals More Cast, Staff
- Comic Natalie アニメ「BLACK TORCH」追加キャストに辻親八、甲斐田裕子、大塚芳忠（コメントあり） - コミックナタリー
- Anime Trending BLACK TORCH TV Anime Adds 3 New Cast Members & More Staff
- The Fandom Post ‘Black Torch’ Anime Expands Cast