I admit Black Clover isn’t original, but that’s what makes it great

Since it first premiered, Black clover Has always been compared to other franchises. Although not all of the comparisons are negative, many fans point to the similarity to Series II Naruto As a sign of Black clover Being derivative and lacking originality. However, I think that people who blame Black clover and characters like Asta and Noelle from​​​​his trope-laden ripoffs Miss the reason this series is so enjoyable to begin with. Worse yet, I worry that they perpetuate a big problem in discussions surrounding anime/manga.

Not everyone has to love every series. It’s okay to be turned off by this fact Black clover Is not striving to break new ground. It is also true that Black clover is still a run-of-the-mill battle scene: there is a rivalry between Asta and Yuno; a great aspiration to become Wizard King; Training, tournaments, unexpected alliances and even a beach episode. But with Black clover‘s fifth season on the horizon and people considering the long-running show, I’ll admit it’s not the most original series ever – But that’s what makes it so good.

Black clover pokes holes in the concept of originality

Focusing on originality is the wrong move for fans

While it’s easy to spot the derivative elements in Yuki Tabata’s series, it’s also true that Black clover Build on ideas from Naruto In a way that is arguably “original”. However, I think these two points are not contradictory to each other, because I think the concept of “originality” is a red herring.

Black cloverIn many ways, is not “original” since it openly borrows Sean traps. However, when it comes to “originality”, there are nuanced changes that a series can make What would still remain unconsidered – because the conversation has already ended with the idea of ​​pure “originality”. This is unfortunate, because Black clover Find countless ways to set yourself apart.

Consider Jujutsu Kaisens intention to be an anti-Naruto. While a series like Jujutsu Kaisen takes a more oppositional view to Sean Tropes, Black clover Makes these tropes his own—with subtle, but still worthwhile, tweaks. Black clovers anti-magic is a cool concept, even if it’s not “innovative”. Instead of a protagonist with innate potential for one reason or another, Astas’ lack of magic also breaks the mold for Sean protagonists in a fascinating way by impeding his big dream of becoming Wizard King.

On another level, while it is as character-driven as Naruto, Black clover Also arguably corrects some of Naruto‘s mistakes in world-building. Black clover Is one of the first Battle Sean to reach his level of popularity Class distinctions play a major roleWith the page “common” constantly thrown around. The home village of Hage also reframes how the hometowns of protagonists are normally presented by Show that it’s a place people want to leaveRun down and forget through the Clover Kingdom.

However, because these are all subtle changes based on well-defined Shaun norms and inspirations, the discourse of originality conveniently forgets them. They’re not flashy, and they don’t stand out like the more obvious Shawn Subversion in series like Attack on Titan Or Jujutsu Kaisen. yet, I don’t think that makes them any less valuable. The point here is simple. If the value of “originality” comes down to the contribution of new ideas, it is actually difficult to define what makes a creative work game-changing as many fans believe.

This is especially crucial because anime tends to be prone to what you might call these Rat-race of innovation. It is a constant evaluation of how “innovative” or “derivative” works are, and measures their quality by this. The end result is not just a pathological preoccupation with novelty or the confusion of novelty with quality, but a very fixed idea of ​​what “innovation” and “quality” even mean.

Black clover Shows the value of simple engagement

When you forget about innovation, you see things differently

Black Clover is an “underrated artist” who wears his influences on his sleeve. Black clover Remains one of my favorite anime today Because of how it produces its effects, and It remains underrated for the same reason. What I think lies at the heart of being an anime fan is having all kinds of experiences with anime and manga Scratch as close to “authentic” as they can. One of the conditions for genuine enjoyment of anime and manga is undermining (or at least being suspicious of) the default discourses for evaluation and comparison.

When I started with anime, my favorites were the random isekai with names like “I Got Reincarnated as a Toilet in the Stupid Dimension” or series like Rosario + Vampire Which are not always taken seriously. As I became more involved in anime and the surrounding discourse (or in other words, as my “taste matured”, whatever that means), There were a few thoughts I began to smuggle unwanted:

• Modern Sean builds on the mistakes of their predecessors.

• Innovation is the crux of a good story.

• The more obvious the departure of a work from the norms of its genre and medium, the more original it is.

Although these ideas were not true to my experience, they were the attitudes I adopted after participating in anime discourse uncritically. I never questioned the core assumptions or the ideas they were based on. As a result, that became the lens through which I analyzed anime. Ultimately, however, the evaluations are bound by a context and subculture, so They are subject to change – and to intervention.

Black clover is my anime “comfort food”

It’s okay to just enjoy an anime

Black clover is fantastic for a simple reason. There’s something to be said for a series that recognizes and uses its context without pretension. Shonen, taken as a broad genre, has developed its norms for many reasons. Mostly, because they reflect the changing attitudes, cultures and priorities of viewers/readers. Black clover Is Inevitably going to be similar to Narutoto Dragon Balland others. Because it’s effectively a love letter to his genre, as with his Dragon Ball Homage, this is unavoidable.

This is not too Black clovers injury. The emphasis on constantly “pushing boundaries” in ways that (apparently) must be obvious has produced franchises that can be emotionally exhausting because of how seriously they take themselves. This does not mean that they are bad at all, It just means they don’t make great comfort watches. When I watch Black cloverIt’s just hype and intrigue, excitement, and, at times, sadness or anger. It produces the reactions Without any aspirations except that they are an enjoyable story.

I can watch Black clover And, in many ways, know what I’m getting. This makes it a cozy watch, which is a perfect reason to love it on its own. At the same time, the fact that It is a separate story with different priorities also makes it fresh. Yes, Asta is similar to Naruto. But he is Not Neither did Naruto and Yuno Sasuke. These are characters all their own, with unique qualities and deliberate choices that are only deeply undervalued by calling them rip-offs or copies.

Black clover Is not bad because it is derivative. It is a showcase of the fact that a work cannot Not Its derivative, but that the choices made in deriving from other works are what makes any work unique. It’s totally likable, even if it’s not trying to be the next big game-changer. I don’t watch Black clover To consider ambiguous topics or be challenged, I’m watching Black clover to smile. This is undeniably valuable in itself. If a person loves Battle Sean, I think they will enjoy – if not love – Black clover Just like I do.