What I really wanted was to write separate reviews for each Black Clover arc but it was so good I breezed through the entire three seasons.
I don’t know if I could do justice to every amazing aspect of this show so I’ve chosen to talk about my favorite arcs in the series instead. Some very minor spoilers included, not enough to spoil your viewing experience.
Dungeon Exploration Arc. I think this was easily one of the best arcs in the show because this was the first time that Asta truly pushed his limits as a Magic Knight. Magna was an easy friendship for Asta because they were very similar but Luck was a different story. He likes to do things alone and it took Asta’s strong determination and loyalty to break his habit of going solo and wanting to fight for glory. It just proves that the boy with no magic’s true powers lie in his stubbornness and determination.
Also, Asta and Yuno were pitted against one the Diamond Kingdom’s Shining Generals — Mars, whose mana seemed endless. Mars was a formidable opponent because of the brainwashing that he went through under the Diamond’s Kingdom’s experimentation. The two childhood friends and rivals had their work cut out for them in defeating Mars.
Royal Capital Arc. In the general scheme of things, Rades’ attack on the capital in behalf of the Eye of the Midnight Sun seemed like a small fry attempt to cause chaos on the capital. However, this was the first time that we were introduced to Crimson Lions captain Fuegoleon Vermillion and his younger brother Leopold. Captain Fuegoleon showed his power and leadership abilities in the face of battle and even got to make it a teaching moment for the younger knights. While there was huge foreshadowing for what will happen at the end of the arc, it still did not minimize the impact of that shocking moment (and manner) of his return. Plus, Charmy and Yuno are so cute in their first meeting.
Eye of the Midnight Sun Arc. This is by far one of my favorite arcs in the series because we got to see the sheer power of Gauche, and how he was reluctantly influenced by Asta’s grit and never say die attitude. Of course, this was the first time that that the true power of Captain Yami was unleashed against no less than Licht and the Third Eye and what a glorious battle it was. Even before the other captains arrived, he was bravely holding his own while protecting his squad. Even though he was overflowing with confidence, his realistic side seemed to understand how the probability of dying in battle was imminent. Asta was lucky because right after getting tips from Captain Fuegoleon in the Royal Capital battle, he got hands on training from Captain Yami right in the battlefield. Captain Yami was most definitely the MVP of this arc.
Seabed Temple Arc. The action just keeps on levelling up as the stakes get higher in this series and the ambush of the Seabed Temple Contest was such a nail biter. The Black Bulls had to fight the strongest member of the Third Eye, Vetto without the help of their captain. With an obvious disadvantage, this was the first time we saw the Black Bulls work together as a complete unit to use their magic together to defeat the enemy. So many members stepped up but I was especially impressed by Finral and Vanessa, whose reliable support for Asta proved vital in victory. There were times that this arc was just so brutal that I cried (literally). As the team came together to surpass their limits, it was a huge relief to see them succeed in their goal.
Royal Knights Arc. We met a lot of great characters in this arc including Zora Ideale, and Kirsch, Mimosa Vermillion’s narcissistic brother. We also met En, the mushroom dude who puts filial duty above all others. Yuno managed to surpass his limits even more and Asta vows to catch up to his friend and rival as he continues to grow stronger.
Hot Springs Training Camp Arc. How can this not be part of the list when there’s Mereolona Vermillion bossing everyone around, and plenty of Charlotte X Yami content here? Although this was basically a filler arc, it was tons of fun to see the feisty temporary captain of the Crimson Lions whip up everybody into shape — squads and captains included.
Reincarnation Arc. Talk about battles and this arc just kept pushing forward. Things start to go sideways as the elves get the upper hand when they take the final two stones in brutal fashion to complete their reincarnation. The Royal Knights face trouble head on while captains and the Magic Knights get their bodies taken over by the vengeful elves. This arc broke my heart multiple times but it also made my heart beat faster, because I just kept on rooting for all the characters.
From Yami to Asta, Yami and Yuno, the Black Bulls and Henry, to everybody just continuing to fight with everything they’ve got even though they were overpowered and outnumbered. I loved after how, after 117 episodes, the connection to the first magic Emperor was revealed. There were so many great things about this arc. There were so many heroes, so many evolutions, and it was literally tiring to see everyone just dig deep and give it their all despite the odds. This arc had everything — intense action, betrayal, powerful drama. And the occasional romance too.
Special Mention:
Clash! The Battle of the Magic Knight Captains!
Technically, this was not a full arc but is a full episode where Magic Emperor Julius Novachrono divides the captains into two teams to battle it out and inspire the citizens of the Clover Kingdom at the same time. We get to see the full power of Dorothy’s Glamor World, new and improved attacks from squad captains Nozel Silva, Fuegoleon Vermillion, and the powerful plant magic of William Vangeance and Charlotte Roselei. We also catch another glimpse of Yami’s Dark Sword Equinox in this episode which proves just how powerful the Black Bulls squad captain is without half trying.
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