Black Clover manga has a lot of chapters under its belt. It has over 370+ chapters published in 36 volumes as of writing this article. And yet, author Yuki Tabata still thought he could pump out more stories in mediums apart from manga.
Fans eagerly anticipated the first theatrical film, “Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King,” which debuted in 2023. It was the first animated content in a long time since the anime’s conclusion in March 2021.
Black Clover creator comments on the movie’s authenticity
Tabata-sensei made sure the film stood out from other anime films by adding a story that could have made it in manga.
While commenting on the 1st trailer for Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King, the mangaka informed fans that it is an original story created just for the film, featuring a former Wizard King of the Clover Kingdom.
He admitted that this could have easily been a story for the manga continuity, but he felt fans would love to see Black Clover’s signature flashy battles between Asta and his enemies on the big screen.
The story of the ‘Wizard King’ is made into a film! It’s a ‘Why didn’t you do this in the original [manga]’ story. It will be a movie where you can enjoy large scale and flashy battles between Asta and his powerful enemies! Now, director Tanemura and Studio Pierrot are putting all their efforts into the production…! Thank you so much! Look forward to next March! I’m looking forward to it too!
Ever since Tabata dropped this statement, fans have been wondering whether Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King is canon or not.
The official answer to whether the Black Clover movie is canon or not
The author of Black Clover was indeed supervising the film’s script and production. But does that really mean it is canon?
The story kicks off with a new tournament named “The Triumph,” in which the strongest knights of the Clover Kingdom compete to see who’s next closest to becoming the Wizard King.
The film indicates that Asta is still in exile following the Devil Trial. That means the film’s storyline takes place after the Elf Reincarnation arc, or after season 4 of the anime.
A lot of fans have speculated on Reddit and other social media platforms, with some concluding that the movie is canon to the anime, while others think it’s Tabata’s backstory to one of Black Clover‘s key plot points.
However, Netflix had provided the official answer to this question! On their official website, they clarifed that Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King isn’t canon and is a standalone film.
No. While Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King takes place in the world of Black Clover, the film is standalone. The story takes place after Season 4 of the series — but any future seasons of the series won’t necessarily incorporate the events from the film.
Despite its non-canonicity, the Black Clover movie is still relevant within the overall storyline. While the final episodes of the anime tease all kinds of abilities Asta and the others unlock later, it naturally flows with the movie’s storyline.
And for manga readers, they can find out what Tabata could have actually added in the manga while watching a movie that doesn’t affect the storyline in itself.
They can connect it further by reading Volume 23.5, which contains character sketches, cast and staff interviews, and a 20-page tie-in story.
Black Clover is now available to watch on Netflix.
