Battle-shounen are probably the hardest formula to get right, especially with how much pressure is put on your work and if they're adapted a lot of people will be ready to critique it. Black Clover had it all backwards. A really weak start coupled with probably the loudest MC in Asta left many fans dissatisfied and spawned the term: 'Naruto Copy'. In 2016, Black Clover was named the worst manga for anyone at any age, and to be honest although harsh, this critique made sense. Black Clover had all the boxes checked to be one of the worst manga adaptations of all time but instead
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spawned one of the most loyal and passionate fanbase in anime history. In this review I'll delve into Black Clover and how it grew on me, and how possibly one of the worst possible start for an adaptation has now reached 170 episodes and will receive a movie in the near future.
Story: 8/10
Battle-shounen stories are as predictable as ever, we've all seen the predecessors and Black Clover is not that different. Asta a peasant with no magic dreams of becoming the 'Wizard King' (a trope we've seen quite a lot). Now couple this very generic tropes accompanied with a rushed beginning and you get a very forgettable Shounen that shouldn't be remembered right? Now I'll be honest, Black Clover has a lot of 'Shounen Tropes' let's call them. Asta is very loud but likeable, The Heroine is prickly but grows on you and lastly you have the silent cool guy in Yuno who shows up and get serious when he needs to. Now delving into the plot a little bit more, Asta joins the Magic Knights and is accompanied by mostly Noelle as they go on missions around the Kingdom. My main issue with the plot would be that the author takes too much time in setting up the main plot and subplots which explains its very weak beginning, and couple this with the very weak schedule the anime had and you're set-up for a very messy beginning. The anime found its footing in the Capital-Riot Arc which takes place around Episode 20 onwards and from then on it does not stop. I previously mentioned that Black Clover uses a lot of previous known tropes, but if it utilises it well, isn't that a good thing? Black Clover keeps you excited and guessing to what comes next and this is only amplified more in the Royal Knights Arc (E65 onwards). The Royal Knights Arc takes a step up from its previous arcs and sets the stone for the upcoming arcs which Tabata slowly masterfully crafted behind the scenes. The Reincarnation Arc displays the strengths of Black Clover and allows Tabata to fully delve into the story he wanted to tell. Black Clover's story start off rough and just like the manga it takes its time to find its footing. Black Clover takes it's time to bloom but once it does, you're met with a very pretty flower that tells a great story and this is mainly signified in the Shadow Palace Arc where its first saga comes to a beautiful climax with great and masterful foreshadowing from Tabata. Black Clover's story at first might seem like it's been told before, and it might have been but Black Clover is different and this is realised each arc. Black Clover at the end of the 170 episodes is not a copy of any show but instead was able to introduce new feats that we'll possibly see in future shows.
Art: 6.5/10
Black Clover's biggest issue is clearly its animation. A weekly Battle-Shounen with a very jam-packed schedule produced some horrifying and some great sights for us to behold. If you're going into Black Clover there will be parts where you'll be surprised how shocking the art and animation is, especially during its early stages. Many credits go to the staff and especially series Director: Tatsuya Yoshihara for keeping the series afloat and giving us some amazing episodes. Black Clover's highs are an absolute treat for anyone, you can see the talent and vision the Staff have for the series and how amazing the series can be at its highs. Black Clover's biggest weak point comes in its fast-pace, although this is great story wise, it's incredibly hard for a weekly show and this was especially visible in the Elf-Arc where some episodes even melted. Black Clover if it does return, it would be glorious to see how the Staff could do with a more flexible schedule. For now, I'll await the movie and I'm sure the staff will deliver there.
Sound: 7/10
Many of the many memorable Shounen Adaptations especially Battle-Shounen have many memorable OST's. Previously works from Pierrot being Bleach and Naruto, I had some high expectations for Black Clover's OST's. They are pretty forgettable except one or two you hear many times and not until recently (Spade Arc Adaptation E158) did some OST's become more apparent and memorable, although it's mostly too late now. The reason I'm rating the Sound high still is because the Openings and Endings absolutely blow you away every time. Black Clover has many memorable OP's and ED's and are sure to end up in your Playlist.
Character: 9/10
I think the reason many people are able to make its rough beginning is because of the Characters. The way Tabata introduces characters and ties them into the story is masterful, the ability to make you remember all of the Black Bulls and other side characters is no easy feat and Tabata does it gracefully and pretty easily. Each character in Black Clover leaves it mark on you, whether they are a side-character or main character. These character will still have and keep their tropes though, which I wish was worked a bit more on. Starting from our Main Trio, we see many characters introduced and developed until the end of the show. The way the anime is able to introduce characters and keep on building upon its large cast is enjoyable and allows for a very fun and diverse cast. Side-characters like Yami, Finral, Mereoleona or even Klaus (who is not even a Black Bull) remain developed and it allows you to feel and start caring about them the same way you'd maybe care for a main-cast. Black Clover's characters hit the mark and go beyond for what you expect in a long-running show. The way Tabata crafted its characters and especially developed some character you would not expect development for is just a nice breath of fresh air compared to many other long-running shows.
Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Black Clover is a very enjoyable series through and through and once you are invested, you will enjoy a lot of it. Black Clover has everything you need in a long-running show and is able to pace the series very well after its initial rough start. Black Clover is what I wanted in a new-gen Shounen and is able to combine previous known elements and do them very well while keeping its identity. Black Clover is fun, bingeable and lastly a very fun show.
Overall: 8/10
I think Black Clover was perfectly set-up for failure, but a passionate fanbase and Tabata finally being able to tell the story he wanted allowed it to grow into something special, now I'm not claiming Black Clover will be remembered as one of the greats or if it even deserves to be put into that category, but I do know that Black Clover has taken some of the best components an anime could offer and signified them. Black Clover is fun, enjoyable and lastly a really good show. Black Clover might not be for everyone though and my rating can differ from others. Give the anime a shot and see how you find it, if not I definitely recommend picking up the manga and checking out some of the well-produced episodes.
Concluding this review I wanted to focus on what Black Clover has to offer as its own independent show, Black Clover is special, and I appreciate the world that Tabata the author was able to build. No story goes without flaws, but in this review I wanted to focus on Black Clover and its growth from "one of the worst manga" and try to convey its growth through this review.
To end this review, I'd like to share one of my favourite quotes from the series:
"You aren't special or anything like it, but that is exactly what makes you special", This quote describes Black Clover perfectly to me, Black Clover from its front may not be special but with time it grows into something special that can be enjoyed given the chance. The Black Clover anime is in no way perfect and has flaws especially at the beginning, but given the chance and time you will enjoy the story and its characters.
Thank you for reading.
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Mar 30, 2021
Black Clover
(Anime)
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Battle-shounen are probably the hardest formula to get right, especially with how much pressure is put on your work and if they're adapted a lot of people will be ready to critique it. Black Clover had it all backwards. A really weak start coupled with probably the loudest MC in Asta left many fans dissatisfied and spawned the term: 'Naruto Copy'. In 2016, Black Clover was named the worst manga for anyone at any age, and to be honest although harsh, this critique made sense. Black Clover had all the boxes checked to be one of the worst manga adaptations of all time but instead
...
Mar 23, 2017
Naruto: Shippuuden
(Anime)
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It's truly the end. Naruto was always something that I considered bad due to the fillers, however once I got into it I was hooked.
Story: Ah, the story. It's just filled with so much emotion and it was amazingly executed up until the Pain Arc, yes it went down, and we all know the War was dragged on for far too long but surely that doesn't ruin the moral of the story? Naruto always had one goal, and we always knew that he would meet stronger opponents, some that could challenge his goal, and Obito and Madara were those two. The later of the War ... |
