English Dub Review: Black Torch “ONE”

Overview

Finally, Jiro has gained consciousness in a vast warehouse, behind the stone-cold stare of Kusumi.

Our Take

Picking up from the previous episode, this feels more like a setup chapter, with several smaller developments happening at once. Rago surviving thanks to Kouga was a welcome surprise, especially since Kouga saved him even after he lost his powers, suggesting he may care more about his fellow Mononoke than Amagi does. Meanwhile, Amagi keeping his plans hidden from his own allies raises some interesting questions. Jiro’s loss of control leads to another training arc, with Grandpa Azuma stepping in to calm him down and reminding everyone that Jiro should still be treated as a human. Their relationship remains one of the episode’s stronger aspects, while Ichika and Roren provide some of its funniest moments.

The rest of the proceedings have some fun character moments, but Jiro remains a frustrating protagonist. His outburst feels more like a tantrum than meaningful growth, and considering how often he’s treated like a punching bag, it would be nice to see him actually come out on top for once. His new transformation looks cool, but immediately losing control of it feels like a missed opportunity. The series also continues to struggle with a generic supporting cast and a lack of its own identity compared to other battle shonen. Still, Rago remains one of the stronger parts of the story, and the anime has stayed fairly faithful to the manga’s pacing and paneling, even if some of the mangaka’s extra character notes could have added more flavor.

Overall, this was a decent episode that feels like it’s finally building toward more interesting material. The story and world are becoming more engaging, and the upcoming trip to Ibuki’s domain could finally give Jiro a chance to grow beyond being everyone’s punching bag. Rago’s continued development is another major positive, while Ichika’s antics provide some much-needed humor. Yet the series still has plenty holding it back, particularly its uneven comedy, underdeveloped side cast, and frustrating protagonist, but there are enough promising pieces here to make the next arc worth watching.