Black Clover was first introduced in 2015 and was written and created by Yuki Tabata. The manga was later adapted into an anime series that began airing in 2017 and became a sensational hit. The story revolves around a young man named Asta who was born withno magical power but still strivesto become the Wizard King and is rivaled by his childhood friend Yuno who also wants to become the Wizard King. On the other hand, Berserk was first introduced in 1989 and was written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura. The manga was later adapted into several successful anime series and movies. Berserk follows the story of a mercenary named Guts, as he battles the world filled with demons and monsters.
Many fans have speculated notable similarities between Black Clover and Berserk, however while there are certain similarities between the two series, it is important to understand thatBlack Cloveris its own uniquecreation and is not just a rip-off of Berserk.
Black Clover: What Makes Asta Inspiring
Similarities And Differences
One of the similarities between the two anime is their themes, both Black Clover and Berserk explore various power dynamics between the protagonists and how they both need to undergo extreme obstacles to achieve their final goal. Both anime also touch on the fact that the protagonists dwell on a strong sense of justice and desire to protect the people they love and care about. Another similarity is the dark theme and use of demons, skulls and monsters in both anime to create the dark and gritty atmospheres. There is also theconcept of the protagonistsbeing a unique character who tends to stand out from the crowd and is seen to be stronger than they appear. Both the protagonists possess the sheer will and determination to defy all odds and fight to their death kind of personality, their unwavering determination makes them stellar characters as they are able to keep the viewers on their feet during most of the fight scenes.
Just like most anime, combat is also a key indicator to showcase the strength of the protagonists. Asta and Guts are both extremely skilled fighters and swordsmen who rely on their physical strength to defeat enemies. While Asta uses his sword tofight wizards and demons, Guts also uses his sword to fight against demons and supernatural beings. The use of physical combat is also what makes these type of anime so intense to watch.
Another detail which can be explored further is the influence of western fantasy on the two anime, especially revolving around the themes of being the “chosen one” which is a common trope, just the way the two protagonists play an important role in the world they are in. While both anime are inspired from western fantasy ideas, there is of course the influence of Japanese culture, the traditional elements ofsamurais, swords, demonsand ninjas as well as the Japanese themes of honor, loyalty, respect and duty.
While there are many similarities there are a few differences also. One of them being that Black Clover features more traditional fantasy elements such as magic and mythical creatures while Berserk is morerooted in medieval mythology. Another notable difference between the two anime is that although both have dark perpetual themes, Berserk is known to be more gorey and involves explicit violence while Black Clover is more targeted towards the younger shonen audience and is not as dark and graphic as Berserk with a more optimistic approach. With Asta being a more cheerful and easygoing person while Guts is more shown to be a more brooding and darker character.
Another difference worth talking about is the sense of humor in each anime, while both anime has their own humoristic moments, Black Clover portrays a more playful and usually goofy humor because of Asta’s ecstatic nature whereas the humor inBerserk tends to be more darkand cynical. Black Clover has been hugely popular in Japan and around the world and has been widely praised for its amazing character development and creative world-building. Berserk on the other hand has been hailed as one of the greatest anime of all time and has had a long-standing history of impacting the anime industry by influencing numerous other anime and manga.
Conclusion
While it cannot exactly be said that Black Clover was inspired byBerserk because of the similaritiesbetween the two anime, what can be said is that these types of anime are perfect for fans of the dark fantasy genre as they both have their own ways of captivating the audiences and leaving the viewers awestruck every time because of their interesting storylines and character growth/development. It is clear that both Black Clover and Berserk have left a mark in the anime world and will continue to be influential and instantly recognizable top-tier anime.
