Black Clover Watch Order: Anime and the Movie

Black Clover looks intimidating from the outside — 170 episodes and a movie — but it has a secret most long shonen don't: almost everything is canon. No filler seasons, no alternate-continuity films to sort, no reboot. This guide gives you the exact order, tells you honestly which stretch is a slog (and why you should push through it), where the Sword of the Wizard King movie fits, and where the manga picks up after the anime ends.

The complete watch order

Order	Title	Type	Released	Covers
1	Black Clover	TV, 170 episodes	2017–2021	Manga through the Spade Kingdom raid
2	Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King	Film	2023	Original story, post-ep 170

The premise (spoiler-free)

In a world where literally everyone has magic, Asta is born with none. His answer — outscream fate, swing anti-magic swords torn from a five-leaf grimoire, and declare he'll become the Wizard King anyway — sets up shonen's purest underdog story since Naruto. His rival Yuno, a prodigy raised in the same church orphanage, chases the same title. Both join the Magic Knights, elite squads with wonderfully distinct captains, and the series escalates from squad missions to full inter-kingdom war.

An honest pacing guide — where it's rough and where it soars

Two things every new viewer should know. First: the early episodes are divisive — Asta's screaming is genuinely loud and the animation starts modest. The show finds its feet around the Seabed Temple arc (~ep 40) and never looks back. Second: the payoff is real. From the Elf Reincarnation arc (roughly eps 84–120) through the Spade Kingdom raid (eps 158–170), Black Clover produces some of the best TV fight animation of its era — episode 170 in particular is a legendary send-off. Nearly everything is canon; the handful of anime-original one-off episodes are light comedy palate-cleansers, and skipping them costs you nothing but also saves you almost nothing. Watching straight through is the cleanest approach.

Where Sword of the Wizard King fits

The 2023 film is an anime-original story supervised by creator Yūki Tabata: a former Wizard King, imprisoned for treason, breaks free and resurrects three of his predecessors to remake the Clover Kingdom. It's set after episode 170, uses the cast's late-series power levels, and functions as a spectacular epilogue to the TV run — watch it only after finishing the series, because it freely spoils late-game reveals and transformations.

Why did the anime stop at 170 — and will it return?

The anime ended in 2021 because it had caught up to the manga (it aired weekly, year-round — a pace almost no adaptation sustains). It concluded at a clean arc boundary rather than inventing filler seasons. The manga has since moved into its final saga, and with the film's success and the manga approaching its endgame, a continuation adapting the remaining arcs is widely expected. There is plenty of story left to animate.

Where to continue in the manga

Episode 170 corresponds to roughly chapter 270 of the manga. Start reading at chapter 271 — the beginning of the Spade Kingdom aftermath — and you'll be in the final saga territory the anime hasn't touched. The film's story is anime-only, so it doesn't affect your reading position.

What to watch next

If Asta's underdog grind is what you loved, our anime like Naruto list is practically a Black Clover fan's menu, and My Hero Academia (watch order here) runs on the same quirkless-to-greatest engine. For another magic-world power system, try our best magic anime ranking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Black Clover have filler?

Almost none — a rare thing for a 170-episode shonen. A few standalone comedy episodes are anime-original, but there are no filler arcs to route around.

Is the Black Clover movie canon?

It's an anime-original story supervised by the manga's creator, set after episode 170. Treat it as a canon-adjacent epilogue — it doesn't appear in the manga but contradicts nothing.

Why did the Black Clover anime stop?

It caught up to the manga after airing weekly for four straight years. It ended at a clean arc break; a continuation of the final saga is widely anticipated.

Where does the anime end in the manga?

Around chapter 270. Start reading at chapter 271 to continue the story.

Is Black Clover worth watching in 2026?

Yes — especially now. You get one of shonen's best sustained escalations with no weekly waits, a film capstone, and a perfect jumping-on point before the final saga is animated.