Asta (Black Clover)
A magicless orphan who wields anti-magic from a devil's grimoire.
Asta is the main protagonist of the manga series Black Clover, created by Yūki Tabata. An orphan peasant with no magical power, he overcomes this through intense physical training and wields anti-magic swords from a five-leaf clover grimoire containing a devil. He joins the Black Bulls squad of Magic Knights, aspiring to become the Wizard King.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Black Clover
- First
- Black Clover #1, "The Boy's Vow" (2015)
- Creator
- Yūki Tabata
- Voice
- Japanese:
- Gakuto Kajiwara
- Shun Horie (OVA)
- English:
- Dallas Reid
- Occupation
- Magic Knight in the Black Bulls
- Family
- Richita (Mother)
- Orsi Orfai (foster father)
- Yuno Grinberryall (foster brother)
- Liebe (adopted brother)
Facts from the source article.
Concept and creation
Asta first appeared as Asta Staria in a 2014 one-shot for Jump NEXT!. His name comes from a flower, which itself traces back to a Greek word meaning "star." Creator Yūki Tabata modeled Asta's personality after his own. Voice actor Gakuto Kajiwara notes that Asta pulls others into his orbit in a positive way, using his enthusiasm and stubborn refusal to give up to change how people see him. Kajiwara believes this energy gives readers hope and strength in their own lives.
Appearances
Asta is first seen as a baby left at Hage church with Yuno. Born without magic in the Clover Kingdom, he aspires to become Wizard King to end discrimination. After saving Yuno from a thief as children, they promise to become rivals for the title. At the grimoire ceremony, Asta is not chosen by a grimoire. When Yuno is attacked by the thief Revchi for his four-leaf clover grimoire, Asta tries to stop him but is beaten and learns he has no magic. Yuno's acknowledgement of Asta as his rival motivates him, and he is then chosen by a five-leaf grimoire, from which he wields a giant anti-magic sword. He defeats Revchi and reaffirms his promise. At the magic knight selection exam, Yami Sukehiro recruits him into the Black Bulls with Noelle Silva. As a magic knight, Asta completes missions, including exploring a dungeon where he acquires a second anti-magic sword and defeats the Diamond mage Mars with Yuno. At the knight-promotion ceremony he is looked down upon by higher-born knights. After Noelle is humiliated by her siblings, Asta asserts he will become Wizard King. He later helps against an invasion by the Eye of the Midnight Sun, and while on break encounters members abducting children. His captain Yami teaches him to sense ki, and other captains arrive as reinforcements.
Reception
Asta ranked first in the yearly Japanese Black Clover popularity polls in the second and fourth polls, with 3,064 and 4,296 votes respectively, and placed second in the fifth and sixth polls with 67,695 and 22,535 votes. His and Yami's fight with Dante was listed as the sixth best anime fight from 2021 by Crunchyroll. In 2020, an anime fan couple named their son after him. Early responses were mixed: ComicBookBin's Leroy Douresseaux found his scrappy determination and willingness to learn attractive, noting readers could identify with his refusal to accept limitations. Anime News Network saw him as an underdog archetype similar to Izuku Midoriya and Naruto Uzumaki, with a Japanese voice actor tone that came across as annoying. IGN compared his story to Izuku Midoriya and wanted more uniqueness, also finding Kajiwara's performance annoying, while the English portrayal by Dallas Reid was considered more tolerable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who voices Asta (Black Clover)?
Asta is voiced by Japanese:, Gakuto Kajiwara, Shun Horie (OVA), English: and Dallas Reid.
Where did Asta (Black Clover) first appear?
Asta first appeared in Black Clover #1, "The Boy's Vow" (2015).
More in Fictional Characters Who Have Made Pacts with Devils
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