#OPINION: The Latest Black Clover Episode Shows Off The Series' Greatest Strength
“#OPINION: The Latest Black Clover Episode Shows Off The Series' Greatest Strength”
SPOILERS AHEAD FOR EPISODE 166 OF BLACK CLOVER
When it comes to the various anime series I watch, there are often certain bits I can point to as: "Ah, this is what makes this worth sticking around for." And y'all, moments like this are the reason I watch Black Clover.
Black Clover's world-building usually remains pretty focused on the plot at hand, rarely allowing itself any huge tangents — which means most of what you get out of its universe is laid before you. Its action scenes are usually pretty well-choreographed and it's clear that both manga creator Yuki Tabata and the production staff at TV Tokyo are dedicated to finding interesting ways for the various powers and personalities to play off of one another. Episode 151 an anime original that mostly consisted of a Capture the Flag-esque contest between the Magic Knights Squad captains, is proof that the creators of the show know there's no point in having all of these magical powers if you're not gonna do some cool stuff with them. However, the fighting and victories rarely drive the momentum of the characters.
So while these are both strong aspects of the show, they aren't THE element — the part of the show that keeps me coming back over and over again. That element, as it has been since the early days of Black Clover, remains the relationships. And Episode 166, directed by Naoki Matsuura, a relatively new anime director who previously helmed Episode 158 (which featured Asta's wonderfully hard-hitting assault on the Spade Kingdom moving fortress), features one of the show's best examples of this as its climactic focal point: Yami and Asta, standing side by side, facing down the seemingly unstoppable Dante.
Even without prior knowledge of the show, this kind of moment works fundamentally on a visual level: The plucky underdog gets called up to fight alongside the grizzled veteran, juxtaposing Yami's aged confidence and seemingly endless amount of torso muscle with Asta's eager frame in the foreground. It also works fundamentally on a basic anime level. If you've watched any of Black Clover's Weekly Shonen Jump-based peers, you know that when the main character of the show gets a chance to start fighting alongside members of the Varsity Team, rad stuff is about to go down. But because of the way Black Clover has shaped the bond between these two men, it rises to another level. To paraphrase a frequent Black Clover catchphrase, it "surpasses its limits."
Their entire history together has built up to this, as the little montage of flashbacks shows us. Yami has always pushed Asta, not because he seems to have any huge dreams for Asta or sees Asta as fulfilling a particular prophecy, but because he likes Asta, is proud of Asta, and knows that Asta has it in him to excel. Since we've learned bits and pieces of Yami's backstory, it's clear that Yami sees some of himself in Asta — they both have roots as outcasts, and have been fighting against the obstacles provided by classism their whole lives. Yami was mentored by Wizard King Julius Novachrono, whose intelligence and goofy charm helped ease Yami into his new life. Yami, while definitely having a different style than Julius, wants to fit that same role for Asta it seems.
Yami has always been rough with Asta but never lowers himself to cruelty. He's praised Asta, but never panders to him. All so that, one day, Asta can stand beside Yami as equals. Not equal in strength (that's a power level debate best left for, like, a 45-minute YouTube video) but equal in spirit — equally dedicated to not letting the Black Bulls or the Clover Kingdom or each other down. It's a kind of confidence in someone that's earned over time, satisfying not because Asta has finally reached that point, but because Yami is admitting he has by calling for his help.
Black Clover thrives on these kinds of interactions. For instance, when Asta told Noelle that her use of her powers was awesome during the undersea arc, it validated her struggles up to that point to be seen as more than a royal blemish and be recognized as a useful part of the team. It gives audiences the feeling that all of these characters are important, not because we're constantly reminded that they're important, but because the other characters value them as people. There's open admiration, respect and even jealousy sometimes, building in a way so that when something as simple as a student standing next to a teacher happens, it's not just a hype moment but an emotional crescendo.
There are plenty of reasons to watch Black Clover, and talking about this one thing just scratches its surface. It's one of the most effortlessly enjoyable shows to watch for me because it's clear that so much effort has been put into its conception. So when Asta stands beside Yami on the battlefield, ready to trust one another as both warriors and friends, it's truly great because it's been such a long time coming. I personally believe that's Black Clover at its best.
Daniel Dockery is a Senior Staff Writer for Crunchyroll. Follow him on Twitter!
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