Summary

• Black Clover and Naruto share shonen tropes, idealistic protagonists, and character archetypes reminiscent of Don Quixote.
• Black Clover creatively utilizes and redistributes the shonen formula seen in Naruto to create a familiar yet unique narrative.
• Calling Black Clover derivative of Naruto overlooks the success of the shonen formula that both series embody, contributing to their popularity.

the unannounced Black Clover fifth season, I fail to see the problem.

I've only recently begun properly diving into Black Clover, but knowing how much I enjoy shonen battle manga and anime, primarily Naruto, alongside a magic-focused gimmick, I knew I'd enjoy it. I was not disappointed, immediately being charmed by the manga's wonderful background art, and Yūki Tabata's character designs, alongside a thrilling anime adaptation.

Black Clover began its run as a Weekly Shonen Jump series in 2015, before changing to a seasonal publication schedule with Jump Giga starting on December 25, 2023. Since then, the series has generated millions in sales, amassed a dedicated fan base, and even dominated the streaming airwaves.

Given its position as a shonen battle series, it's prone to comparisons with others in this popular genre, especially as many of those, including Black Clover and Naruto, are the best-selling stories in the medium.

Black Clover and Naruto's Similarities Are Instantly Apparent

However, That's Not the Bigger Picture

Both Naruto and Black Clover heavily feature themes of empathy and social acceptance, and on the surface, it can be easy to draw conclusions.

As a Naruto fan since basically the time the series made its way to North America, I fully acknowledge my viewer bias and innate tendency to compare other shonen battle anime to it, and Black Clover is no exception. The similarities are legion, from its plucky, idealistic outcast protagonist Asta, to his more talented rival, Yuno, and they expand outward from there. Asta wishes to be the Wizard King, Naruto wishes to be the Hokage. Both Naruto and Black Clover heavily feature themes of empathy and social acceptance, and on the surface, it can be easy to draw conclusions.

Still, the similarities don't end there; plenty of other comparisons can be made if you look hard enough. Yami teaching Asta about ki in chapter #48 smacks of Asuma teaching Naruto about wind release techniques in the Akatsuki Suppression Mission Arc. Naruto begins the series as hopelessly incompetent, while Asta is seemingly devoid of magic in a society where magic is everything. There are even parallels drawn between Yami from Black Clover and Itachi Uchiha from Naruto, but his characteristics, and these other similarities, are completely coincidental for a pretty good reason.

Black Clover and Naruto Are Examples of the Shonen Formula

Similarities Are Everywhere in the Genre, and They Work For a Reason

Black Clover is loaded with lovable characters who, despite being well-drawn and charmingly executed, are examples of common anime tropes, especially Asta. The series can easily be defined by TV Tropes archetypes as "a young man from the countryside who wants to be a master of whatever his universe deems Serious Business". Black Clover is not derivative of other series for this in any disingenuous way or form, and Naruto owes a lot of its success to a similar appeal.

Black Clover's formulaic tricks extend to broadly common tropes found in countless manga and anime, including a beach episode in chapter #57.

Without going too far into detail, these components, combined with a gimmick sure to appeal to mass audiences (in Black Clover's case, magic knights), ensure longevity and popularity. Luffy from One Piece's desire to be the King of the Pirates is a classic example. This is part of a common trend alluded to in other popular series, where manga authors are pushed to create manga that are big sellers, and not letting a popular manga come to an end.

Calling Black Clover Derivative Is Short-Sighted

Don't Hate the Player, Hate the Game

Black Clover is another manga and anime created to embody tropes and portray relatable, endearing characters because that's the recipe for success in many ways. However, the pressure to create and maintain a weekly release schedule showed its negative effects in Black Clover, especially by the Elf Reincarnation Arc onward, limiting the detailed backgrounds, changing line work, and prioritizing larger s, as keenly observed by Shonen Ouji on YouTube. In fact, Mikio Ikemoto, Boruto's illustrator, feels the same way, as is evident in the switch from Weekly Shonen Jump to the monthly V Jump, something Boruto and Black Clover have in common.

To say Black Clover is derivative is to fail to see the forest for the trees, as these comparisons are easy between shonen series.

Black Clover resembling Naruto is a consequence of the latter helping consolidate the success of the shonen formula, and it'll only get more frequent as more series are introduced, with anime and manga becoming more mainstream. To say Black Clover is derivative is to fail to see the forest for the trees, as these comparisons are easy between shonen series. Black Clover's narrative execution and distinctive, detailed art can be seen as appealing to Naruto fans, not a pale imitation. In fact, its exceedingly idealistic protagonists are easy draws for readers, and they're common in more than anime and manga.

Asta and Naruto: The Modern Don Quixote

The Well-Intentioned Fool Archetype

Asta and Naruto are examples of the "Idiot Hero", but their exceedingly idealistic traits, such as befriending even the most dangerous potential enemies, come across as quixotic. The origin of this trait, Don Quixote, refers to its protagonist, Alonso Quijano, whose chivalry drives him to good-natured deeds, but is seen as delusional by those around him. This trend, mixed with some comedic buffoonery, makes for a common manga and anime hero archetype that presents itself in other Japanese media, such as Ichiban Kasuga from Like a Dragon.

Naruto is an outcast with the deadly Nine-Tailed Fox Kurama sealed in him, while Asta is born without magic and harbors the ominous Liebe, yet neither falls to despair. The potential for this trait to be popular is unsurprising, as people love comedic and idealistic heroes, and throw millions at the box office every year to see the latest formulaic delivery from a certain cinematic universe. It's what sets the shonen battle anime formula apart from, say, the seinen manga world, whose formulas dance somewhere along the line of gorgeous artwork, and philosophical musings serving as video essayist fodder.

Black Clover Creatively Uses Archetypes Found in Naruto

A Familiar Recipe With Some Spice

Comparing Black Clover to Naruto unfairly can distort our view of the former, but seeing how it actively improves or redistributes the formula is fascinating. I'd argue that Noelle's character borrows Naruto's traits, such as her immense magic reserve, status as a reject in society despite her noteworthy lineage, and her realization about the friends who believe in her by chapter #58. Asta is thoroughly untalented in magic, honing himself for close combat instead, making him an ace once he gets his grimoire, making me think more of Rock Lee as the protagonist, but again, that's a short-sighted perspective.

Any unfavorable comparison between manga unravels quickly when we understand that this is the nature of popular series, as Black Clover and Naruto are hardly the only examples. In fact, Naruto's creator, Masashi Kishimoto, has stated the influence of Godzilla and even citing Yu Yu Hakusho for inspiring Naruto's shadow clone technique. In the creative sphere, this is a common occurrence, and dwelling on static facts like the similarities between Naruto and Black Clover is far less interesting than the unique substance of their stories and art.

Sources: TV Tropes, Shonen Ouji, Crunchyroll