4 Star

A Grimoire Tale

Funimation brings us a new tale of magic users from the manga written and illustrated by Yūki Tabata. This series has been adapted by Tatsuya Yoshihara (Long Riders!) and written by Kazuyuki Fudeyasu (Claymore). As an avid anime fan I find this series as a mix of Fairy Tail and One Piece which isn’t a bad thing at all.

Many years ago a mage defeated a massive demon and became the first wizard King of the Clover Kingdom, a Kingdom where everybody is a magic user in their day to day lives.

Many years later two baby boys are abandoned on the front step of a church where Father Orgi and Sister Lily reside. The pair take on the rearing of the two young boys, who are Asta and Yuno.

Yuno is a dark haired boy who prefers his own company and his study of magic, which is a skill that comes easily to him, whereas Asta is brash and shows no skill in the magical department at all. So he spends all his time training his body and confessing his undying love for Sister Lily. The pair are like brothers and they both have the same aim, to become the next Wizard King, but with his lack of magic Asta is at a disadvantage and is the butt of all the jokes from the farmers to the lords, who look down on all the commoners.

Now the boys are fifteen years old and it is the day where they and others of the same age get their Grimoire’s, the book that will hold their own spells. Yuno’s will be filled with wind based spells as these come easiest to him. Asta hopes this will be the day where his magical abilities come to him, when he receives his Grimoire.

The norm for a grimoire is a three leaf clover version of the book which symbolises Integrity, Hope and Love but when Yuno is called forth his Grimoire has a four leaf clover which has the added bonus of symbolising Luck. This does not go down well with the Lords who do not think a low born should posses such a rare Grimoire.

Asta on the other hand is disappointed when no book comes forth when he is called, but he still vows to be Yuno’s rival to be the next Wizard King.

Later Yuno is attacked by a disgraced ex magic knight intent on stealing the four leaf Grimoire, Asta rushes to aid his brother but his physical prowess is no match against a trained mage and he ends up being severely beaten. He may be down but he isn’t out and he won’t give up on his brother, this determination brings on a remarkable event “The Black five leaf Clover Grimoire” appears out of thin air and goes to Asta and he is able to conjure a giant black sword. Asta can really use magic but with the fifth leaf allegedly meaning “Devil” what will become of Asta?

 

Let the friendly rivalry begin.

Black Clover is Available on Blu-ray