{"rewrite":{"id":"r_7405ded78eb65143cca8380e","clusterId":"c_90a12dc98dcc75fb19abcffd","slug":"black-torch-opening-video-released-featuring-sim-theme-song","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Black Torch Opening Video Released Featuring SiM Theme Song","summary":"The upcoming anime adaptation of Tsuyoshi Takaki's manga \"Black Torch\" has released its opening video, featuring the theme song \"FREEZE ME UP\" by the band SiM. The video was streamed ahead of the series' premiere on July 4, 2026. The anime will be available on Crunchyroll in multiple regions including North America, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, and the CIS. The series is produced by studio One Double-0 (100studio), with Kei Umabiki directing, Gigaemon Ichikawa handling series composition and screenplay, Gou Suzuki on character designs, and Yutaka Yamada composing the music. The Japanese voice cast includes Ryota Suzuki as Jiro Azuma, Yoji Ueda as Rago, Sayaka Senbongi as Ichika Kishimojin, Junya Enoki as Reiji Kirihara, Junichi Suwabe as Ryosuke Shiba, and Reina Ueda as Usami. The English dub cast includes A.J. Beckles as Jiro Azuma and Erin Yvette as Ichika Kishimojin. The ending theme is \"Groooovy\" by I Don't Like Mondays. The manga originally ran in Jump Square from 2017 to 2018, spanning five volumes.","whyItMatters":"The opening video release confirms the production is on schedule for its July premiere, and the full cast and staff details provide the clearest picture yet of how the adaptation will handle the complete five-volume manga run.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe opening video release follows the anime\u0026#39;s surprise announcement in March 2025, which came years after the manga\u0026#39;s serialization ended. The manga originally ran in Shueisha\u0026#39;s Jump Square from February 2017 to April 2018, then moved to the Shonen Jump+ digital platform and concluded in July 2018. It totaled 19 chapters collected into five volumes. Viz Media acquired the English license, releasing the first volume on August 7, 2018.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe full Japanese voice cast includes several additional names beyond those previously announced: Nobuhiko Okamoto as Koga, Toshiyuki Morikawa as Amagi, Shinpachi Tsuji as Toshimasa Azuma, Yuhko Kaida as Toko Kusumi, and Hochu Otsuka as Banjuro Tokieda. The English dub cast also adds Kyle McCarley as Reiji Kirihara, Keith Silverstein as Rago, Ryan Colt Levy as Ryusuke Shiba, Julie Nathanson as Hana Usami, Laura Post as Toko Kusumi, and Ben Balmaceda as Toshimasa Azuma.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story follows Jiro Azuma, a descendant of shinobi who can talk to animals. He rescues a black cat named Ragou and learns the world is filled with spirits called mononoke that take the form of people and animals. The two are attacked by a hostile mononoke seeking Ragou\u0026#39;s power.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Black Torch's opening video confirms SiM's track, but the real draw is how studio One Double-0 adapts a five-volume manga that ended eight years ago. The pacing will test whether a short series can justify its length.","twitterPost":"Black Torch's opening video is out. The five-volume manga ended in 2018; the anime's pacing will determine if it was worth the wait.","threadsPost":"Black Torch's opening video is here, but the bigger question is how studio One Double-0 handles a five-volume manga that finished in 2018. Short manga adaptations often struggle with pacing. This one has a July 4 premiere on Crunchyroll.","newsletterBlurb":"The BLACK TORCH anime has released its opening video, featuring the theme song by SiM. The series premieres July 4 on Crunchyroll with a full cast and staff lineup. The adaptation covers the complete five-volume manga run.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Anime Corner\",\"url\":\"https://animecorner.me/black-torch-opening-video-featuring-theme-song-freeze-me-up-by-sim-released/\",\"title\":\"BLACK TORCH Opening Video Featuring Theme Song \\\"FREEZE ME UP\\\" by SiM Released\"},{\"source\":\"The Fandom Post\",\"url\":\"https://www.fandompost.com/2026/06/26/black-torch-anime-streams-clean-opening-sequence/\",\"title\":\"'Black Torch' Anime Streams Clean Opening Sequence\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":8941,"outputTokens":1257,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1782527547,"createdAt":"2026-06-27T02:23:49.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-06-27T02:25:24.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-27T02:25:24.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_90a12dc98dcc75fb19abcffd","canonicalTitle":"BLACK TORCH Opening Video Featuring Theme Song \"FREEZE ME UP\" by SiM Released","representativeArticleId":"a_9ca0d16437adf120f722971f","sourceCount":2,"writtenSourceCount":2,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[\"BLACK TORCH\"],\"manga_titles\":[\"BLACK TORCH\"],\"work_titles\":[],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[\"Tsuyoshi Takaki\"],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"anime\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-06-26T11:07:10.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-06-26T11:07:10.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-27T02:25:24.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Anime Corner","url":"https://animecorner.me/black-torch-opening-video-featuring-theme-song-freeze-me-up-by-sim-released/","title":"BLACK TORCH Opening Video Featuring Theme Song \"FREEZE ME UP\" by SiM Released"},{"source":"The Fandom Post","url":"https://www.fandompost.com/2026/06/26/black-torch-anime-streams-clean-opening-sequence/","title":"‘Black Torch’ Anime Streams Clean Opening Sequence"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":["BLACK TORCH"],"manga_titles":["BLACK TORCH"],"work_titles":[],"studios":[],"people":["Tsuyoshi Takaki"],"type":"announcement","domain":"anime","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["The opening video for the Black Torch anime was released on June 12, 2026, featuring the theme song 'FREEZE ME UP' by the band SiM.","The anime premieres on July 4, 2026, and will stream on Crunchyroll in North America, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, and the CIS.","The series is produced by studio One Double-0 (100studio), directed by Kei Umabiki, with series composition by Gigaemon Ichikawa, character designs by Gou Suzuki, and music by Yutaka Yamada.","The manga by Tsuyoshi Takaki ran in Jump Square from 2017 to 2018, totaling five volumes, and Viz Media released the first English volume on August 7, 2018."]}