Just a heads-up – there are some spoilers ahead that you might want to skip if you haven’t tried the game yet.
The release of Black Clover M: Rise of The Wizard King has once more thrown this shonen action series back into the headlines. Based on the hit anime and manga series, Black Clover M sees players take on the role of main character Asta as he works to become the Wizard King.
By now, if you’ve already started playing the game, you’ll have noticed the engaging graphical style, swish UI and massive roster of characters that can be summoned. But unless you’re already familiar with Black Clover, you may be a little confused by…well, everything. Doubly so if you’re not a follower of manga in general! But don’t let the fact this game is based on an original series put you off, because Black Clover M offers an exciting twist on the RPG formula with fantastic graphics and exciting battles.
So, who are Asta and Yuno, our two principal characters? What’s a Wizard King and what exactly IS a Black Clover? Well, while the game does brush over some of these points, it leaves a lot up to the player’s imagination, so with that in mind – here’s a brief explainer of exactly what’s going on in the world of Black Clover for those who aren’t avid followers of the manga or anime.
The World of Black Clover
The world of Black Clover is set in a world where magic is commonplace and is split into four kingdoms: the Diamond Kingdom, Heart Kingdom, Spade Kingdom and the Clover Kingdom – where our story is set. Each kingdom specialises in a different type of magic, but all four share the same commonality; everyone from noble to commoner can use magic in some way.
Our story focuses on the orphans Asta – a uniquely magicless young man – and his best friend and rival Yuno, a talented young mage in his own right, both living in the small town of Hage. As with many shonen stories, we have a dubiously historical backstory to fuel our protagonist’s ambitions. In the distant past, a powerful mage called the Wizard King defeated an enormous demon, with the most powerful mage in the world thereafter being given the title of Wizard King and both the responsibilities and respect that the honour entails.
Since then, everyone wants to be the Wizard King, naturally. So as children, Asta and Yuno make a vow to each other that they’ll both work to become the Wizard King, and to beat the other to the title. Unfortunately, as stated, Asta was born without any magic whatsoever, rendering it a bit of a moot point, while his friend Yuno is an immensely talented mage in his own right.
However, Asta is immensely skilled physically, training to overcome his natural lack of magic. But sadly, all this does is continue to make him stand – comically – out of place compared to his peers. Meanwhile, Yuno seems to have grown distant from Asta, leaving the hapless young man at a loose end as he’s eclipsed by his naturally talented friend.
Grimoires & The Black Clover
All this comes to a head when Yuno and Asta attend the grimoire selection ceremony, where each person who comes of age is gifted their own magical spellbook uniquely tailored to them. While Yuno receives one embossed with a golden four-leaf clover – a symbol of immense power and luck – Asta once more gets nothing, further cementing his luckless nature.
We get to see Asta reiterate his intent to rival Yuno for the title of Wizard King, only for his friend to cruelly brush him off and leave.
But, when Yuno is ambushed by a rogue mage wanting to steal his grimoire, Asta leaps in and attempts to save his friend. Despite being beaten down, Asta doesn’t give up and suddenly finds his own grimoire being summoned to him. This one, unlike Yuno’s, is embossed with a Black Clover, and summons a powerful anti-magic sword, levelling the playing field and letting Asta dispatch the attacker.
After this, Yuno and Asta reconcile, and the two go through a six-month time-skip before departing their home village.
The Adventure Begins
From there, Asta and Yuno head off to be inducted into the Magic Knight ceremony, where we leave the game’s beginning and head into the story proper. From there, the duo will work to join the magical knights, encountering enemies and allies as Asta seeks to prove himself while Yuno grapples with the nature of his own uniquely powerful grimoire.
Black Clover M: Rise of the Wizard King lets players step into the shoes of Asta and Yuno…or for that matter, any of the characters they so choose! Players can summon and play as any of an extensive roster of characters in turn-based battles which let them unleash powerful abilities.
Anything beyond this would get into the realm of spoilers, so you’ll have to go and play Black Clover M: Rise of the Wizard King to find out what happens for yourself! And if you need a headstart, check out our tier list for Black Clover M ranking the available characters as well as some of the best teams.
