Narutohas earned its reputation, acclaim, and a diverse catalog of derivative series. In many ways,Narutohas become the archetype for modern shōnenwith its intelligent characterization, involved plot, and slick action sequences. Among the many series it’s inspired,Narutohas left a deep mark onBlack Clover—with many going so far as to claimBlack Cloveris a copycat ofNaruto.
There’s one key way, though, in whichBlack Cloverovercomes its predecessor: world-building.Naruto’s world is deeply lacking in some major ways, andBlack Cloverpicked up the slack from the very start to forge an identity all its own.Naruto’s world is incredibly wide, but compared toBlack Clover, it can’t help but feel flat. One major detail is the perfect example of this:Black Clover’s emphasis on social classes.
Black Clover Builds on Something Naruto Mostly Forgot
Naruto Largely Avoids the Idea of Social Classes
At the very beginning of his story, Naruto is shown to be living in less-than-stellar conditions. His milk is spoiled, and his abode is, to say the least, humble. Nonetheless, despite that fact, Naruto’s ostracization has very little to do with his social or economic position. It’s all, in the end, because he’s the jinchuriki of the Nine Tails.
That’s not to say thatNaruto’s world is absolutely devoid of any sort of class distinctions—they’re there, to a certain extent. There are small-time shopkeepers and professionals of various stripes, there are rulers and leaders, there are underclass clans like the Uchiha, and there are prestigious clans like the Hyuga. However, for the most part,Narutois a series about shinobi: a flattened, relatively egalitarian plane where what gets one ahead is combat prowess and notoriety.
Such is not the case forBlack Clover. From the very beginning, the distinction between the lower and more impoverished peoples of villagesstands in stark contrast to the working class and (especially) nobility living within the capital. There’s a correlation between the strength of magical power and one’s class status. More importantly, Yuno and Asta’s common origin as orphans growing up together in a poor village forgotten by royal power provides a fertile ground for their mutual desire to become Wizard King, well beyond what’s provided byNaruto’s idealistic notion of the Hokage and shinobi power structures.
Black Clover’s Relationships Feel Better Because of Its World-Building
Black Clover Has One Big Advantage Over Naruto Because of Its Early Attention to Detail
This isn’t a minor thing, because it makesAsta and Yuno feel generally more realistic thanNaruto’s characters, let alone Naruto and Sasuke. Asta and Yuno share common ground with a lot of external connections that feel, well, real—Sister Lily, for example. Their brothers and sisters from the orphanage or their foster father are another great example. They come from the same place, and they have a very good reason for making the decisions they make: they have struggled together, and this struggle isintimately connected with the political and class structures of the Clover Kingdom.
Because of this, their mutual respect and support also feel fundamentally real—and far more substantial than Naruto and Sasuke’s eventual mutual support. This small detail makesBlack Clover’s cast of characters altogether feel more substantial, because it feels like they slot into a living, breathing world with political stakes. By comparison,Narutofeels like a fairy tale. That’s not a knock onNaruto, either; its idealism and its simple narrative are part of its appeal.Black Clover, though, goes for something much more visceral and human.
Consider Noelle’s struggles to slot into her noble family’s expectations. Even if the fantasy setting has the strange effect of making it feel unreal, it nonetheless feels uniquely tangible and relatable at the same time. IfNaruto’s greatest advantage is its empathy, thenthere’s something to be said about howBlack Cloverbuilds on that. It’s as easy to empathize with Noelle, from a revered noble lineage, as with Asta, an orphan from a destitute background. Somehow,Black Clovermakes its world work with mutual stakes making every social class feel simultaneously endearing and fantastically distant.
Black Clover’s Universe Feels so Much More Alive
Black Clover’s World Breathes in a Way Naruto’s Never Could
In some of the moments that might otherwise be accused of falling into shōnen trappings,Black Clovershows its unique heart. Consider, for example, the Star Awards Festival (episodes #67-#70). Against the backdrop of a fun festival, Asta and Noelle are roped into a double date. The festival takes place within the Royal Capital and shows the intermingling of all different classes of citizens—including Asta and Noelle themselves. Little moments like this breathe so much life intoBlack Clover’s world and make it feel like it’s truly populated with individuals.
Many chapters earlier, the Royal Capital had fallen victim to an assault and invasion; the festival is a short arc, butit shows the resilience of the Clover Kingdom. Asta’s constant interactions with ordinary everyday people make the world feel like it has a sense of continuity that is sorely lacking inNaruto. Compare Pain’s assault inNaruto, which left Konoha in shambles. A lot of screen time is devoted to the rebuilding efforts, but the actual impact on those outside of the main plot feels negligible.
This is one ofNaruto’s sore spots, and it has been for a while.One Piece Fan LettershowedhowNarutocould have been so much betterif more time had been devoted to showing the real-life impact of the series' events. Even within Konoha,Naruto’s world would have been lifted significantly by spending some time with characters who aren’t shinobi—who, for the record, comprise the majority of Konoha’s population.
Many fans would have surely appreciated such approach. It’s no coincidence thatOne Piece’s best episode in years is a filler specialthat focuses on the lives of the common people in the world of the series. This isn’t a problem from whichBlack Cloveris entirely insulated, but there’s no question thatBlack Clovermanages to identify and correctNaruto’s problems with world-building.
Naruto’s inability to show the real distinctions between the different people within its society gives it a certain kind of mythical grandeur, butit also makes it feel flat in comparison to stories likeBlack Clover. The latter doesn’t get nearly enough credit for its willingness to innovate onNaruto, and this is one of the most significant ways. It’s easy to look atBlack Clover’s setting and compare it to the medieval-inspired royal intrigue that abounds in modern isekai and pokes its head in here and there in stories likeFairy TailandSeven Deadly Sins.
Even if that is the case, though, would it be so bad?Black Clovermight not break new ground with its political setting, but the way it uses it to fill outNaruto’s gaps deserves attention from fans.
Naruto
Naruto is a franchise spawned from the manga series penned by Masashi Kishimoto that began in 1999. Generating several tv series, games, movies, and more, Naruto follows the exploits of a young outcast ninja harboring the spirit of a demon fox who seeks to become the Hokage, the leader of his ninja village, to break the stigma against him. Upon the conclusion of the initial series, Naruto expanded into Boruto, following many series protagonists' children and returning faces.
Black Clover
Cast
Black Clover, released in 2017, follows orphans Asta and Yuno who aspire to become the Wizard King in a world where magic is paramount. Despite Asta’s lack of powers, their journey unfolds as they receive their grimoires and embark on individual paths towards their ultimate goal.
