[Fall 2017] Black Clover Discussion Thread

[Buckeye]

ブラッククローバー

A Shonen Jump show about two brothers who are out to become the Wizard King, but take two completely different paths as one of them is magically gifted while the other is using fitness to compensate for his lack of magic.

Airs: Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Studio: Pierrot

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Asta and Yuno were abandoned together at the same church and have been inseparable since. As children, they promised that they would compete against each other to see who would become the next Emperor Magus. However, as they grew up, some differences between them became plain. Yuno was a genius with magic, with amazing power and control, while Asta could not use magic at all, and tried to make up for his lack by training physically. When they received their Grimoires at age 15, Yuno got a spectacular book with a four-leaf clover (most people receive a three-leaf-clover), while Asta received nothing at all. However, when Yuno was threatened, the truth about Asta's power was revealed, he received a five-leaf clover Grimoire, a "black clover"! Now the two friends are heading out in the world, both seeking the same goal!

Notes
As usual, please try to follow these two easy forum courtesy habits when replying:
1) If you're the first person to post about an episode in any given week, please indicate in the first line which episode you're posting about.
2) If someone has already posted about an episode before you, please quote that post (or a relevant reply to that post), or include the episode title in the first line. ("Re: Episode 1") Just make sure the episode is indicated.

For more guidelines please refer to this thread.

[Buckeye]

Episode 1

I'm gonna be king of the wizards!

Asta sure is the very embodiment of a Shonen Jump protagonist. This time, this fired-up guy is dealt a huge blow when it turns out he can't use magic, and he works his ass off to improve his body so that someday the magic comes to him. Things were looking quite bleak when he was the only person at the grimoire selection exam, all while Yuno got the coveted four-leaf clover book. But little did anybody know that Asta has one-upped that with a five-leave clover book where he has an alter-ego inside him. It's off to a good start here as even though Asta's character is cliched and downright annoying, the premise is interesting and the episode did the job in laying the foundation for big things to happen.

So with that, the usual rules regarding the trial period apply.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Re: Episode 1

I had read the first few chapters when the series started in Weekly Shonen Jump, and I dropped it there. This version doesn't look to change my mind. Jump protagonists don't have to be unbearable cookie cutter templates, guys. We've moved past that. It always seemed like this series was just too concerned on being Naruto and ended up a poor man's Naruto at best. Pretty sure we already have one of those airing, and I dropped that one, too. Of course, all of these series start off much weaker than they eventually become, so I'm not saying it has no chance or that I'm even guaranteeing I won't give it another shot at some point. But from first impressions, I'm no more inspired than I was from those first few chapters.

[Buckeye]

Episode 2

Not giving up is his magic.

Just when Asta was about to kick ass, the backstory is explained about how Asta and Yuno came to be. Asta was determined to become Wizard King no matter what, and his sense of justice got him into lots of trouble. But nevertheless, he just wouldn't let those naysayers have their way with him. Asta's streak of being that annoying typical Shonen Jump MC goes quite back a long time, all to fulfill a promise between brothers. He may lack magic, but he has everything else that makes him fit to be king.

So I'll give it one more episode and maybe two depending on the next one fares. At this point, I feel like I've been there, done that with this show as Asta is just another Naruto.

[Buckeye]

Episode 3

Off to the capital.

Asta and Yuno are hard at work training at the church, and then they make their journey to the capital to take the entrance exam. While Yuno has it in the bag, Asta is another matter entirely as he's just building muscles. And Asta has some romantic relationship with Lily as motivation for becoming the Wizard King. So off they go to the capital where they encounter a lot of dangers along the way, all while Yuno is proving that Asta is all brawn and no brain. Well, that was pretty underwhelming, but at least it does explain the background of those two better.

Anyway, I'm about ready to call it quits with this show. It's decently entertaining, but the MCs are just bland and generic for a Shonen Jump title. Seeing that I think this is going to be a long show with several seasons coming (this one is 13 episodes long) that I think I would better enjoy it through binge watching, so that will be it.