Black Clover: 5 reasons to wait for Spade Kingdom Raid arc to be animated (& 5 reasons to read it now)

With the imminent release of the Black Clover anime film in 2023, anime fans are heavily debating whether or not to pick up the series’ manga or wait for the film. Both have their benefits, and it’s difficult to jump the shark between adaptations, even if author and illustrator Yuki Tabata does a phenomenal job with the manga.

Nevertheless, it’s a question that many Black Clover anime-only fans have asked themselves since Studio Pierrot’s weekly adaptation ceased. However, it’s far from an easy choice, with plenty of reasons why fans should either wait for the film adaptation of the Spade Kingdom Raid arc or pick up the series’ manga today.

Here are five reasons to wait for Black Clover’s Spade Kingdom Raid arc to be animated and five reasons to read it now.

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Movie quality production, 4 other reasons to wait for Black Clover’s film

1) Voice acting

Easily one of the biggest reasons to wait for the Black Clover anime adaptation is the voice acting the series has. While fans differ on their opinion of Asta’s vocal portrayal, the general voice acting for the series is often well-received by fans and critics alike.

Many claim it to be one of the anime’s major strengths, especially when the series was a weekly anime from Studio Pierrot which was, at times, far from impressive.

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2) Animated fight scenes

While Studio Pierrot’s animation with the weekly Black Clover television anime wasn’t always impressive, there were some impressive moments. With the upcoming anime movie format for the Spade Kingdom Raid arc, fans can expect an appropriate level of animation quality.

There will be plenty of amazing fight scenes to flex this quality, with the Spade Kingdom Raid arc essentially being a cornucopia of combat. There’s little doubt that the movie format for the arc will do such a fast-paced, high-intensity section of the series’ story justice.

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3) Movie quality production

As mentioned above, the Black Clover film, in a fight scene context, for the Spade Kingdom Raid arc will no doubt boast incredibly high production value in all areas. There are many static scenes to adapt which will no doubt be done beautifully. Also, emotionally touching moments with background music will be highly impactful.

This overall production value is no doubt more than enough reason for those who’ve stuck with the anime so far to wait out the film’s release, and they’ll be rewarded for their patience.

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4) More visually impactful

Typically speaking, anime adaptations are often referred to as more visually impactful than their manga counterparts. This is especially true when dealing with series which don’t tailor their artwork to the manga format, as well as when asking the opinions of those who generally prefer anime over manga.

Black Clover certainly fits into the former, with many of the series’ manga scenes translating into an anime adaptation with little to no impact lost. The addition of vibrant color, fluid movement, and all the other bells and whistles an anime adaptation provides give further reason to wait for the film.

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5) Stick to what you know

Finally, most anime watchers for the Black Clover series would likely prefer to stick with what they started the series on. It can be difficult to transition from either adaptation to the other, especially when trying to move off of what you started on.

As a result, it’s likely best for most anime fans of Black Clover to wait for the film instead of souring their love for the series by forcing themselves to switch to the manga.

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Finishing a started story, 4 other reasons to read Black Clover’s manga today

1) Final arc has just begun

One of the biggest reasons to begin reading the Black Clover manga is to read the series' chapter every week as the final arc inches closer. There’s something truly wondrous and magical about being weekly with a series, waiting with bated breath to see how each issue will unfold the story further.

This is even more true for series which are approaching their final stages, including Tabata's work. With the opportunity to be embroiled in the suspense and intrigue of watching a series approach its end, there’s no better time to catch up on the series’ manga.

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2) Great fights even in manga format

While the Spade Kingdom Raid arc’s film will undoubtedly do its plethora of fights justice, that’s not to say that the manga’s version of these conflicts is unappealing. Tabata’s expertise in combat artwork truly shines in the series’ manga, with the fights being expertly drawn and always visually engaging.

While many generally prefer anime fights, the quality of Tabata’s combative artwork is certainly an argument for picking up the Black Clover manga today.

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3) Finishes story the anime began

With the Black Clover anime having been off the air for quite some time now, many fans are likely getting anxious over how the rest of the series unfolds. It’s certainly a major issue for some and has caused many fans to jump the adaptation shark in the past with other series, such as Kentaro Miura’s Berserk.

Considering the full continuation of the story is already available and is progressing in the series’ manga adaptation, there’s no reason for fans to not pick up the manga.

WARNING: General and specific spoilers for the Black Clover manga series below. Anime-only readers beware!

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4) Plot and character developments with Asta

Easily one of the more attractive aspects of picking up the Black Clover manga is the fact of being privy to various reveals behind the progressions of Asta’s character. The Spade Kingdom Raid arc is certainly fantastic for his development and is more than enough reason to pick up the series’ manga.

For this particular point, this article won’t discuss any specific spoilers. However, be aware that the reveals and progressions that come are no doubt some of the best in the series yet.

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5) Julius Novachrono plot twist

A major reason to pick up the manga is to be up-to-date with the latest and greatest plot twists of the series. Those who’ve read the manga already know Julius Novachrono to be Lucius Zogratis, a massive plot reveal which shook the entire anime and manga world.

It’s one of the most exciting plot points for the series’ coming final arc and is undoubtedly one of the major reasons why fans should pick up the manga without further delay.