‘Black Clover’ Watch Order: Including the 2023 Movie
Black Clover is a manga written and drawn by Yūki Tabata and published in Shūeisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since February 16, 2015, after an initial one-shot of the series saw its release in November 2014. The title refers to the grimoire used by the protagonist, which has a black pent-sheet on the cover. In this article, we are going to give you the complete Black Clover watch order guide, including all the OVA episodes, the anime series, the non-canon ONA series that aired in 2019, and the 2023 movie.
Editor’s Note: This watch order is regularly updated to give you an overview of the latest movies and episodes released.
How many Black Clover seasons and episodes are there?
The Black Clover manga by Yūki Tabata began publication in 2015. Since then, the manga has received several adaptations. The first was a 27-minute OVA episode that was released on May 2, 2017, followed by a full, four-season anime series that aired from October 3, 2017, to March 30, 2021, with a total of 170 episodes. A second OVA was released in 2018 during the airing of the anime.
On March 30, 2021, the Black Clover anime ended, but the franchise will continue through an anime movie that was announced that same month. Not much is known about the Black Clover anime film, but it will be a sequel to the finished anime series and will air sometime in 2023. Also, there is an 8-episode ONA series that aired from July 1, 2019 to August 19, 2019, but it is actually a spin-off and is not part of the original narrative. Here is a general overview of the whole Black Clover chronological watch order:
- Jump Festa 2016 OVA (OVA, 2017)
- Black Clover, Season 1 (anime, 2017–2018)
- Black Clover, Season 2 (anime, 2018–2019)
- Jump Festa 2018 OVA (OVA, 2018)
- Squishy! Black Clover (ONA, 2019)
- Black Clover, Season 3 (anime, 2019–2020)
- Black Clover, Season 4 (anime, 2020–2021)
- Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King (film, 2023)
Black Clover chronological watch order
In this part, we will focus on the chronological Black Clover watch order, providing you with some details on each of the works listed here.
Jump Festa 2016 OVA
Release Date: November 27, 2016
A 27-minute OVA episode that was released on May 2, 2017, roughly half a year after it premiered on the 2016 Jump Fiesta. The OVA features the Grimoire Acceptance Ceremony, as well as a fight between Klaus Lunettes and Yuno versus Mars, and Asta versus Revchi Salik.
Jump Festa 2018 OVA
Release Date: November 25, 2018
This special OVA episode was titled “The All Magic Knights Thanksgiving” and was set before the events of the main anime series.
Black Clover Year 1 (2017-2018)
Black Clover Year 1 collected chapters I-V and episodes 1-51. Asta and the Black Bulls venture into the Clover Kingdom, with Asta aiming to become the Wizard King. Asta receives a grimoire, joins the Black Bulls, and embarks on an exploration of a dungeon where he encounters Mars, a magic knight from the Diamond Kingdom. During a zombie invasion of the capital, Asta is taken captive by rogue mages working for the Eye of the Midnight Sun squad.
After being rescued, Asta teams up with a fellow Black Bull and their captain to confront child kidnappers. Later, the Black Bulls journey to the Underwater Temple, facing various challenges while searching for a magic stone pursued by the Eyes of the Midnight Sun.
Black Clover Year 2 (2019-2020)
Black Clover Year 2 covers chapters VI – X and episodes 52 – 102. Broccos and Yuno prepare to battle, but Ragus steps in to fight Yuno instead. Yuno’s augmented wind arrows, fueled by Bell’s magic, overpower Ragus’ lightning arrows. Meanwhile, Yagos employs a giant mucus snail to drain magic from injured mages. Langris Vaude, the vice-captain of the Golden Dawn, teleports part of the snail and Yagos’ arm away. Yami instructs Charmy, Asta, and Finral to aid the citizens while he searches for Vangeance.
As Yuno and Ragus engage in a duel, Yuno’s superior skill leads him to impale Ragus with a wind trident, emerging victorious. Later, Yuno warmly greets Asta, surprising Finral, whose own rivalry with his brother was far from friendly. Mimosa offers to heal Asta’s broken arms, but he insists she tends to others first. Broccos attempts to assassinate Vangeance but is swiftly defeated, and Lotus’ plan to attack Vangeance is foiled by Yami. Instead of fighting, Lotus retreats with Broccos. Yami confronts Vengeance and demands that he remove his mask.
Black Clover Year 3 (2020-2021)
Black Clover Year 3 covers chapters XI-XV and episodes 103-154. Asta’s new sword proves to be immensely powerful as it heals Father Orsi and removes poison from everyone. Determined to save the possessed knights, Asta uses his sword to restore their normal state. The attacking elf, overwhelmed by disdain for humans, prepares to unleash all his magic, but Asta realizes the elf is seeking help and strikes him in the chest to prevent further transformation. Asta’s sword not only breaks the reincarnation spell but also awakens the Clover King, who is horrified to discover the kingdom’s internal strife.
Asta and Yuno share their knowledge about the elves with Father Orsi and others, while Digit, a knight no longer possessed, reveals the elf within him never desired to fight. Asta decides to rescue both their human friends and the elves, bringing Digit along. As the floating dungeon passes over Magna and Vanessa, the possessed Luck decides to attack a nearby village. Yuno senses this and they agree to split up, with a disagreement arising over who should take Digit with them.
Black Clover Year 4 (2021)
Black Clover Year 4 covers chapter XVI and episodes 155-170. The Black Bulls, accompanied by Leopold, Mimosa, Charlotte, and Rill, journey to the Heart Kingdom, with Charmy joining them against the invitation. Gaja assigns Spirit Guardians to train Luck, Mimosa, Charlotte, Rill, Leopold, and Finral, each specializing in different elements.
Meanwhile, Queen Loropechika reveals to Noelle and Secre that their ultimate goal is to stop Megicula, with only the combined powers of Loropechika, Undine, Noelle, and Secre having the potential to achieve it. As the training progresses, some members struggle to adapt, including Magna, while Asta finds himself challenged by Gaja’s strategic approach. Final reports their progress to Yami, who undergoes his own training on Yultim Volcano Trail.
Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King (2023)
Asta and Yuno, have overcome numerous challenges on their path to becoming the Wizard King. However, their latest adversary is Conrad Leto, the former predecessor of Julius Novachrono, who aims to bring about a new era of equality by destroying the Clover Kingdom. With the power of the “Imperial Sword,” Conrad resurrects four like-minded wizard kings from the past—Edward Avalaché, Princia Funnybunny, and Jester Garandaros—to aid him in realizing his vision.
Squishy! Black Clover (2019)
This 8-episode ONA series featured chibi versions of characters that appeared in the Black Clover anime series in different, often funny, situations. In Episode One, Asta struggles to find out how to become the Magic Emperor. When he goes to ask Julius, he finds Yuno already there asking the same question.
The two boys renew their vow to become the Magic Emperor. In Episode Two, Asta and Yuno wander the Royal Capital in search of merits, while Magna and Luck chase after Sekke and are turned into robots.
Again, in Episode Three, Asta and Yuno search for the person who turned Magna and Luck into robots; meanwhile, Charmy makes and sells mille crêpes. Sally sneaks up on Charmy and turns her into a robot. In Episode Four, Sally buys drinks for Finral and Vanessa, but Asta and Yuno later find the pair have also been turned into robots.
In the next fifth episode, Yuno decides to use Asta as bait to trap the culprit. Gauche goes to visit his sister, and Sally pretends to be Marie and tricks him into becoming a robot.
In Episode Six, Noelle is flustered when she sees Asta dressed as a present. Sally poses as a fortuneteller and tricks Noelle into becoming a robot. Grey also happens to be turned into a robot. Episode Seven sees Yuno vent his frustration over being unable to talk much and then accuses Yami of turning the Black Bulls into robots.
Sally reveals herself as the culprit and makes the robots join together to form a Black Bull mecha. She has also awoken the giant demon skeleton to attack the Royal Capital.
Finally, in Episode Eight, Sally reveals that she planned to dissect Asta and turn him into a robot. Asta is convinced to combine with the mecha and defends the Royal Capital from the demon.
Do you need to watch Black Clover in order?
Since the bulk of the anime series is actually contained in the 170-episode anime series, you can mostly skip the two OVA episodes (okay, you can watch the first one, but the second one is a filler) and definitely the ONA series, which features chibi versions of the characters and is not actually related to the main narrative. So, just watch the anime series, and you’re good as far as Black Clover is concerned.
Will there be more Black Clover anime?
Now that the Sword of the Wizard King movie has been released, Black Clover anime is still on hiatus, and we are waiting for new announcements. There is definitely more to come.
