Black Torch Ep.12 - What a template ending...what was that about Amagi?

Episode 12 of Black Torch concludes the series with one of the most cliché and uninspiring endings I've seen in recent anime history. Beyond being a matter of good or bad story progression, it was so rushed that it felt completely unfinished and fragmented. You know that "axed manga" feeling, and considering the manga is complete at five volumes, I'm honestly wondering if that was the case.

The story continues from where we left off, with Jirou fighting against Amagi's new form in an impossible battle against all odds. Jirou is quickly defeated, but manages with a final burst of energy to destroy Ragou's prison, allowing them to merge again and putting Jirou on the same level as his enemy.

Why is Ichika's hair on fire? Like what happened? I know she's always hot, but...

This has to be one of the most classic ending shot with all the main characters and the sky in background.

Yes, it's the typical "spontaneous power-up" that many shounen series rely on, but here it feels particularly cheap because it doesn't feel earned the way the initial training did. Ragou simply arrives, and suddenly Jirou can go toe-to-toe with Amagi. He eventually wins, and Amagi dies while delivering some of the corniest lines in history.

Then comes the escape, medical recovery, and a return to business as usual because "our fight is not over yet," wrapping things up in a very standard ending that resolves absolutely nothing. There is no permanent solution for Ragou and Jirou's merge, nothing regarding Ichika's mother's situation, and nothing for Reiji's brother, who is still at large and free to wreak havoc.

Even when it comes to Amagi himself, his character development never made much sense in the first place, despite the foreshadowing in earlier encounters. He switched too quickly from being a savior of the mononoke against human oppression to some sort of self-proclaimed god of the planet, and none of it ever seemed to amount to anything.

Add on top of that the fact that Hana and Ryousuke's backstories were never touched at all, and it paints a bleak picture of a series that wanted to do so much but never had the time to properly develop anything. It's really a shame, as I liked how the story started and all the old-school vibes it had going for it...

Ok Hana ending up as a disciple of the old man was surprising I'm not going to deny that. I wonder if she can become strong...

Hana was one of the most underutilized character in the series. I was expecting her to be some sort of support character giving instructions, but turned out to be just...there?

Overall, I still feel Black Torch did a few things right by returning to the roots of classic action series, but I cannot really recommend it to anyone in its current state. I'm not sure if I want to take the plunge and try the manga, because the limited number of volumes makes me believe it's going to end in the exact same manner.