This summer, Crunchyroll boasts an impressive lineup of fresh anime. Unlike the previous two seasons, which relied heavily on returning favorites, this current wave is all about exciting new premieres. We’ve already seen the arrival of a darkly brilliant series vying for Anime of the Year, alongside Tomb Raider King stepping up as a worthy successor to Solo Leveling. Even so, the genre capturing the absolute most attention from fans right now is shonen.
As the bedrock of the entire anime industry—shaped by monumental hits like Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, and Dragon Ball—shonen newcomers are always measured against the greats. This summer’s standout debut, Black Torch, wears its inspirations proudly. Early on, it established a breakneck, action-oriented pace reminiscent of Jujutsu Kaisen. However, as the story unfolds, undeniable parallels to Naruto are coming to light—most notably through a modern spin on Team Seven, complete with a take on the classic Sakura archetype that many viewers feel rectifies past missteps.
Crunchyroll’s Black Torch Delivers an Improved Take on the Sakura Archetype
The Naruto influences in Black Torch run deep, beginning with the protagonist himself. Jiro is a young ninja born into a shinobi lineage who accidentally acquires an inner demon power in the very first episode, mirroring Naruto and Kurama. Recent episodes also dive into Jiro’s mysterious, overarching connection to his elusive father. Meanwhile, his teammate Reiji deals with a complicated sibling rivalry that instantly evokes Sasuke. That leaves Ichika as the third member of the trio, bearing a striking visual resemblance to Sakura.
Crucially, though, Ichika avoids feeling like a mere carbon copy. Instead, she embodies the potential that many fans wished Sakura’s character had possessed all along. Black Torch sets Ichika apart by giving her an independent, deeply personal motivation for joining the Mononoke-hunting organization: finding a way to reverse a curse that turned her mother to stone. Furthermore, her identity isn’t tethered to a romantic fixation on a male teammate.
Instead, Ichika holds both of her male peers accountable with a no-nonsense attitude fans always wanted to see from early-era Sakura. Her assertion that she fights as an equal to Jiro and Reiji feels genuinely earned, unlike similar claims made in classic predecessor series. By taking familiar tropes and refining them with stronger execution, Black Torch has cemented itself as a must-watch hit in Crunchyroll’s 2026 shonen lineup.