Black Clover Introduction and Story
Black Clover follows the story of Asta and Yuno, two orphans who grew up in the tiny village of Hage and both strive to achieve their dreams of becoming the Wizard King one day. Though Yuno is blessed with a rare four-leaf grimoire, Asta discovers that he actually has no magical powers at all. Despite this, both boys work hard every day, making their way to the royal capital, joining the Magic Knights and working alongside their comrades to protect the Clover Kingdom from all kinds of dangerous enemies!
In this arc before the elf arc of the shounen series, Asta and friends manage to get accepted into the Royal Knights, an elite squad made for the purpose of taking down the Eye of the Midnight Sun. Led by the fierce Mereoleona Vermillion, the Royal Knights set off for a hidden castle to take down Licht and his group. While they seem to be winning at first, the tides quickly turn! The reincarnated “Licht” was living inside the captain of the Golden Dawn all along, and he fights against the Wizard King, resulting in Julius’ death. The elves are brought back in the bodies of many of the magic knights, meaning that Asta and what is left of the Royal Knights must now face off against their very comrades to protect the Clover Kingdom!
1. It Features Some of the Best Animation in Fights
Longer shounen anime often suffer from poor animation, particularly in parts that are less important to the plot. Black Clover is no exception in this regard, although it has been improving steadily over time. This arc, in particular, has seen some of the most fluid and detailed animation, especially when it comes to the fight scenes. The evidence is clear when you compare the fight between “Licht” vs. Julius, or with Yuno and Asta vs. actual Licht, with some of the earlier important fights in the series. Though some of the visuals can get a little too loose in these fights, they still come together well in the end.
2. We See the Life and Death of Julius Novachrono
Revealing William as the vessel for the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun might not have been as shocking as intended, since hints had been dropped about him through most of the series. However, the death of Julius at the hands of this character was indeed shocking. The Wizard King has been a mystery, and at this moment, as we learn about his unique grimoire and the influence he has had on so many, it was hard to take in his subsequent death as well.
3. It is a True Test of the Bonds Between Characters
With so many comrades fighting as elves now, the test of the bonds between characters becomes all too important! Like many shounen, Black Clover has always been all about the bonds its characters share. Now faced with having to potentially kill their friends in order to save the world, the strength of these bonds is evident for all. Asta is part of the reason that Yuno awoke to fight against the enemy—now we can only hope that other strong bonds will help save some of our favorite characters!
1. This is a Fight-Heavy Arc
Though we do see a bit of conversation between characters, most of this arc is about the different battles happening against the elves. Very few characters have seen any growth early on in this fight, at least outside of combat. We have learned a few important truths and backstories for characters as well. However, if you’re not a huge fan of the fight sequences to begin with, this arc will be one of your least favorites. Especially with having so many characters to keep track of now, their battles take even longer.
2. Their Recaps and Flashbacks Have Not Gotten Better
When you’re waiting each week for the next episode to air, sometimes a recap of events can be helpful. However, as with many shounen series, Black Clover tends to overdo its recaps…
There have been episodes in this cours where, combined with the opening credits, the new content doesn’t begin until five minutes in! To top that off, right when Asta and Yuno are about to fight to defend Hage Village, we get a random recap episode thrown in, talking about all of their achievements up until this point. It seems strange for such an important arc to be dragging along right at its climax, but that is almost what it feels like. And with the amount of characters’ perspectives to swap through, we get a small recap almost every time we switch to a different person.
Final Thoughts
Black Clover’s latest arc has been one of the most interesting yet. Despite the emphasis on battle and its many recaps, the characters, animation, and story have all improved greatly since the series first debuted almost two years ago!
Let me know what your thoughts are on Reincarnation Arc in Black Clover, and stay tuned for more great news and reviews here!