Black Clover's strength as a series is intrinsically tied to the appeal of its main character, Asta. Asta starts the series as a magic-less boy, a pariah in his world, before getting the strongest magic in the series. His Anti-Magic operates similarly to magic itself, except ends up much stronger. He can negate any magic, spells, or attacks thrown his way simply by touching them, creating one of the most broken powers in anime.
Later in the series, when Asta has had some time to train with his new Anti-Magic, he can even use his friend's abilities through his own Anti-Magic Swords. He has several Magic Swords in his arsenal, each with their own use and their own incredible strength. While other Magic Types in Black Clover, like Yuno's Wind Magic or Yami's Dark Magic, are much easier to understand, figuring out what makes Anti-Magic work so well can be a little complicated.
Asta’s Anti-Magic Started Out Weak
Asta Learning To Wield The Force Is An Important Part Of His Character Development
Like most shōnen protagonists, Asta started the series as a weak but hopeful young boy who wanted to get stronger to protect the people around him. He goes to the Grimoire Selection Ceremony with Yuno to get a Grimoire, except the Grimoire selects them. There are a flock of Anti-Magic birds at the Ceremony that tell Magic Knight Captains how much magic a person has. Yuno has zero birds by him, indicating he's incredibly powerful, while Asta has so many birds around him that his tiny frame can barely be seen.
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It's an early indicator of just how 'weak' Asta is in this world, except the reality is that he isn't weak at all. He's later selected by a dusty, old, Five-Leaf Grimoire, the strongest in the series. He gets his first Magic Sword and defeats a bully who was looking down on him by slashing away his magic in an instant. While Asta later becomes one of the strongest characters in Black Clover, he didn't start out that way. He was a runt left out of the Ceremony by all the Magic Knight Captains, and if Yami hadn't found him funny, he might never have joined the Black Bulls.
Anti-Magic Is What Finally Got Asta The Attention He Always Deserved
The Unique Ability Set Him Apart From Other Mages
Asta's Anti-Magic abilities quickly got him a lot of attention. He didn't have much of a reason for the Magic Knight Captains to notice him, but his work ethic combined with his broken powers changed that quickly. Yami took him into the Black Bulls because he was a misfit, like the rest of the Bulls he had already collected. Asta's newfound teammates, Noelle included, immediately took a liking to his charm, enthusiasm, and funny naivety. They'd soon realize that their new teammate wasn't just funny and quirky, but one of the strongest men in Black Clover.
The first time Asta got noticed by another Magic Knight Captain was by the Captain of the Crimson Lions, Fuegoleon Vermillion. He saw Asta's tenacity first hand, and when Asta blocked a ton of magical attacks headed their way, he realized that Yami might have a better eye for his students than he did.
Asta Gets His Anti-Magic From the Devil Liebe, His 'Brother'
Asta's Anti-Magic comes from Liebe, the Devil hidden inside Asta's Grimoire (which used to be Licht's Grimoire). Liebe is revealed to be Asta's adoptive brother in a way, as Asta's biological mom, Richita, raised the Devil when he made his way out from the first level of the underworld. Liebe, like Asta, is a rare entity that doesn't have any magical abilities. The Devils in the Underworld used to bully Liebe because he had no way of defending himself from their magical attacks.
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One day, when an annoyed Higher-Ranking Devil was looking to take his frustration out on someone, it threw Liebe at the gate separating the Underworld and the Human World. Because Liebe has no magical abilities, he went right through the gate, much to his and every other Devil's surprise. Liebe was now a Devil in the Human World and got attacked for it constantly. He fled to the woods, confused and injured, when he found Richita. She was also an outcast because she drained the lifeforce and magic from everyone around her.
She goes on to raise Liebe as her own, and the two have a happy little life for a while. Lucifero then finds Liebe alive in the Human World and possesses his body. He forces Liebe to kill Richita by impaling her with his hand, but due to Richita's strong Anti-Magic influence, she dispels the Highest-Ranking Devil from her adoptive son. Using the last of her life force, she stores Liebe in the Five-Leaf Grimoire she found earlier, passing away. Liebe spends the rest of the series in the Grimoire where he broods on his hatred towards all Devils, and eventually develops his own Anti-Magic power that Asta will later use.
Asta’s Anti-Magic Is the Most Powerful in Black Clover
Asta transforms from a powerless peasant to a total powerhouse in just a few seasons of Black Clover. Towards the end of the anime, and now continuing in the manga, Asta can decide entire battles on his own thanks to his Anti-Magic. Yami even asks Asta to fight with him against Dante Zogratis, showing just how far he's come. Thanks to Liebe, Asta can use the Devil's powers in his incredible Black Form, allowing him to fly through the air and attack with a huge increase in his own power.
What sets Asta apart though isn't his Anti-Magic, it's his unbelievable determination. Asta is the last character in any series to give up. He won't accept a loss even when it seems like it's the only outcome. His top-tier tenacity, combined with his overpowered Anti-Magic abilites, make him one of the biggest allies his friends could ask for and the last person his enemies want to see on the battlefield in Black Clover.
Release Date October 3, 2017
Seasons 4
Writers Kazuyuki Fudeyasu , Kanichi Katou
Directors Tatsuya Yoshihara , Ayataka Tanemura
Creator(s) Yūki Tabata
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English (US) ·