Black Clover -2017-2021- -season 1 2 3 4 May 2026

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Episodes: 1–51
Key Arcs: Introduction Arc, Dungeon Exploration Arc, Royal Capital Arc, Seabed Temple Arc.

When Season 1 premiered in October 2017, the immediate reaction was polarized. Critics slammed the "constant screaming" of Asta’s Japanese voice actor (Gakuto Kajiwara), while the animation studio, Pierrot (famed for Naruto and Boruto), faced production hiccups.

However, Season 1 lays the essential foundation. We are introduced to the Black Bulls—the "worst" magic knight squad led by the charmingly insane Yami Sukehiro. Characters like the shy but powerful Noelle Silva, the creepy Gauche Adlai, and the food-obsessed Charmy Pappitson quickly become fan favorites.

Season 2 successfully juggles a huge cast, giving side characters like Luck Voltia and Finral Roulacase their own meaningful duels. The production stabilizes, with director Tatsuya Yoshihara implementing a more stylized, impact-heavy art direction.

Episode 170 ends on a massive cliffhanger. The final shot of a fully-realized Devil Arm Asta clashing with a demon is frozen mid-swing. The screen fades to black. The announcement that the anime would "end for now" shocked the fanbase.

But importantly, this was not a cancellation. Studio Pierrot explicitly stated they intend to return once the manga (now entering its final saga) provides enough material. They learned from Naruto Shippuden’s filler hell and chose to go on a dignified hiatus.

When Black Clover premiered in October 2017, few could have predicted the rollercoaster ride that awaited anime fans. Spanning four intense seasons from 2017 to 2021, the series—produced by Studio Pierrot—evolved from a underdog shonen into a beloved powerhouse. For fans searching for Black Clover -2017-2021- -Season 1 2 3 4, this article serves as the ultimate guide to the anime’s entire original broadcast run, covering every major arc, character evolution, and why this period remains the definitive era of Asta and Yuno’s journey.

Set in a world where magic is everything, Black Clover follows Asta, a boy born without any magical power in the Clover Kingdom. His rival and foster brother, Yuno, is a prodigy blessed with immense wind magic. After both receive their grimoires—Asta a rare five-leaf clover containing an anti-magic devil—they vow to compete for the title of Wizard King.

The anime originally aired from October 3, 2017 to March 30, 2021, totaling 170 episodes. However, for streaming and home release purposes, these episodes were divided into four distinct seasons. Below, we break down each season, its episode range, major story arcs, and what made it stand out.

Season 1 (2017–2018): The Boy Without Magic Black Clover -2017-2021- -Season 1 2 3 4

In the border village of Hage, two orphans made a pact beneath a towering clover statue. Asta, a boy with muscles forged by relentless prayer and push-ups, possessed not a drop of magic. Yuno, his quiet rival, was blessed with a four-leaf grimoire and the wind spirit’s favor.

On Grimoire Acceptance Day, the sky split. Yuno received his legend. Asta received nothing. Humiliated but unbroken, he screamed defiance at the heavens—and a grimoire blacker than abyss fell from a crumbling altar. Inside: a five-leaf clover, corrupted by despair. And a demon.

Thus began Asta’s journey as a Magic Knight of the Black Bulls—the squad of misfits, drunks, and lunatics led by the mysterious Captain Yami Sukehiro. With his Anti-Magic swords, Asta sliced through spells that would fell seasoned knights. He fought the ice-royal Noelle Silva (who couldn’t control her own power), the narcissistic Gauche Adlai, and the exploding lunatic Luck Voltia. Together, they survived the Dungeon arc, the Saussy Village attack, and the first clash with the Eye of the Midnight Sun—a terrorist cult led by the masked, vengeful Licht.

Season 2 (2018–2019): The Eye of the Midnight Sun

The stakes sharpened. The Royal Knights Selection Exam pitted Asta against his own comrades. But the real war began at the Seabed Temple, where Asta learned to control his Black Asta form—half-human, half-demon, with horns of pure shadow. Here, Yami revealed his ultimate move: Dark Magic infused with dimension-slashing intent.

The Eye’s true leader, the Word Soul Devil Zagred, remained hidden. Instead, the three disciples—Vetto, Fana, and Raia—attacked the Magic Knight headquarters. Vetto broke Asta’s arms. Fana burned Mimosa’s healing fields. Raia copied every spell. But the Black Bulls retaliated. Vanessa’s Fate Magic twisted inevitability. Finral’s spatial portals opened new battlefields. Charmy, hungry and mysterious, summoned a giant sheep wolf.

Then came the reveal that shattered everything: Licht was not a villain but a betrayed elf. The humans had slaughtered his people 500 years ago. The Midnight Sun were elf-possessed Magic Knights. Even loyal comrades like Gauche’s sister Marie showed elf reincarnation marks.

Season 3 (2019–2020): The Reincarnation Arc

The Elf Resurrection ritual consumed the Shadow Palace. Hundreds of Magic Knights—including Yuno, Luck, and even the Wizard King Julius Novachrono—were possessed. Julius fell in battle against an ancient demon, his grimoire pages melting. The Clover Kingdom watched its protectors become executioners.

Asta, immune due to his devil, fought alongside the few unpossessed: Yami, Noelle, and the traitor elf Patolli (who wore the corpse of William Vangeance). In the sky above the capital, Asta confronted the true mastermind: Zagred, a high-ranking devil who had orchestrated the elf massacre to birth a five-leaf grimoire.

The battle lasted five manga-chapters worth of animation. Noelle unlocked Valkyrie Armor. Yuno fused wind with a spirit’s blessing. Yami performed his ultimate Death Thrust, cutting through dimension itself. But Zagred could only be killed by Anti-Magic. Asta, arms breaking, sword shattering, drove his demon-dweller through the devil’s heart. The elves, finally free, wept and passed on. Would you like me to draft the full

The Wizard King was gone. The kingdom wept.

Season 4 (2020–2021): The Heart Kingdom & The Spade War

A new threat rose from the north: the Spade Kingdom, ruled by three Dark Triad devils who sought to open the Qliphoth Tree and summon hell unto earth. Asta and Noelle sailed to the Heart Kingdom, training under the Undine-wielding princess Loropechika. A six-month time skip forged new powers: Asta’s Demon Union (a suit of living anti-magic armor), Noelle’s sea-dragon saint mode, and Yuno’s spirit of boreas.

The Spade invasion began. Dante Zogratis, gravity devil host, crushed Yami and kidnapped him to use as a ritual sacrifice. The Black Bulls raided the Spade Castle, layer by demonic layer. Nacht, Yami’s secret vice-captain and devil-possessed shadow mage, revealed the existence of a second demon inside Asta’s grimoire—Liebe, a devil who hated his own kind.

In the final episodes (2021), Asta faced the demon supreme, Lucifero. Half the Black Bulls fell. Noelle fought Vanica, the blood devil. Yuno fought Zenon, the spatial devil. And Asta, crying and screaming, merged with Liebe into a being of pure anti-existence. They did not kill Lucifero—they could not. But they sealed him, shattered the Qliphoth tree, and rescued Yami.

The end credits showed a rebuilding kingdom. Asta, still magicless, now stood as a vice-captain. Yuno became vice-captain of the Golden Dawn. Noelle, finally able to hug her brother without flinching. And the final shot: Asta and Yuno, backs to the camera, pointing at the clover statue where they began.

“Our next goal?” Asta grinned. “Wizard King. Obviously.”

Yuno smiled. “You’ll never catch me.”

End of 2017–2021 (Seasons 1–4).

The anime series Black Clover , which aired from October 2017 to March 2021, follows the journey of Asta and Yuno, two orphans competing to become the Wizard King in a world where magic is everything. Produced by Studio Pierrot, the series spans 170 episodes over four seasons. 🛡️ Core Premise & World-Building

In the Clover Kingdom, social status is determined by magical talent. Set in a world where magic is everything,

Asta: Born without any mana, he compensates with physical training and eventually obtains a five-leaf grimoire containing Anti-Magic.

Yuno: A prodigy gifted with immense mana and a rare four-leaf grimoire, he serves as Asta's friendly but fierce rival.

The Magic Knights: Nine squads protect the kingdom, with Asta joining the rowdy outcasts of the Black Bulls and Yuno joining the elite Golden Dawn. 📺 Seasonal Breakdown (2017–2021)

The series was released as a continuous weekly run but is often categorized into four distinct seasons: Season 1 (Episodes 1–51)

Focuses on the Magic Knight Entrance Exams and the introduction of the Eye of the Midnight Sun, a terrorist group seeking to destroy the kingdom. Key arcs include the Dungeon Exploration and the Royal Capital Invasion. Season 2 (Episodes 52–102)

Features the Witches' Forest Arc and the Royal Knights Selection Exam. This season explores deeper backstories for characters like Noelle Silva and Vanessa Enoteca, culminating in the beginning of the massive Elf Reincarnation arc. Season 3 (Episodes 103–154)

The climax of the Elf Reincarnation Arc. The kingdom faces an internal war as elven souls possess various Magic Knights. It concludes with a training period (partially anime-original) to prepare for the looming threat of the Spade Kingdom. Season 4 (Episodes 155–170)

The Spade Kingdom Raid Arc. Asta and his allies face the Dark Triad, a group of powerful mages possessed by high-ranking devils. The season ends on a massive cliffhanger as Asta begins his Devil-Binding Ritual. 📈 Reception and Legacy

A "Slow Burn": Initially criticized for Asta's loud voice and inconsistent animation, the show gained massive popularity by its second season through relentless momentum and character growth.

Global Success: In 2020, it became the most-watched anime on Crunchyroll in over 80 countries.

Future: While the original TV run ended in 2021, the story continued in the film Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King (2023), and a new season has been announced for 2026.

Episodes: 103–120 (Short season due to COVID-19, but dense)
Key Arcs: The Elf Reincarnation Arc (Climax).

Most fans agree: Season 3 is the absolute peak of the 2017–2021 run. The story reaches a breaking point as the reincarnation spell fully activates. Friends become foes, and the Clover Kingdom nearly collapses.