Overview
Black Clover is the anime adaptation of Yuki Tabata's manga published by Shueisha, produced by Studio Pierrot and broadcast on TV Tokyo from 3 October 2017 to 30 March 2021 across 170 episodes. It follows Asta and Yuno, two children abandoned at the same church. Yuno has rare magical talent while Asta has no magic at all, yet both aim for the title of Wizard King.
OtaHub's take
The series hinges on the anti-magic grimoire Asta receives at fifteen, which turns him into a close-range fighter in a world that worships magic. Joining the Black Bulls under captain Yami, Asta grows through each mission. The early arcs are fairly slow, but the anime finds its stride in battles with large casts, carried by Minako Seki's score.
After the TV run, Pierrot made the film Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King, directed by Ayataka Tanemura and released on 16 June 2023 in Japanese theaters and on Netflix at the same time. Season 2, announced at Anime Expo 2025, premieres on 3 October 2026 with Tanemura again at the helm. According to OtaHub's article, it adapts the Spade Kingdom raid arc, features an opening theme by WANIMA and streams worldwide on Crunchyroll.
Verdict
Suited to fans of traditional magic shonen who are patient enough with the slow opening to reach the action-heavy arcs. Viewers who finished all 170 episodes should revisit the final episodes before Season 2, since the story picks up directly from there. Newcomers can treat the 2023 film as a short introduction to the world and its cast.