Black Clover - "A Young Man's Vow" [12/9]

[animePWNS]

Here's a thread for it.

 

[Nobodyman]

Previously on Black Clover: I posted this in the first episode's thread, but for those who didn't see it.

"Hi, I'm Asta and I was adopted by a church as a baby along with my twin brother Yukio/Sasuke. We were raised in the art of Ninjutsu and I strive to become the Pirate King. During the Genin exam, we were all given Mamodo books, except for me since I have no talent for Ninjutsu. After that, my brother and I were attacked by Mizuki/Higuma/Random-one-off-d**che-from-the-first-episode and, in a moment of desperation, I awakened by Shadow Clone Jutsu/Gum-Gum powers/Fire magic/Demon powers/Soul Reaper powers/What-the-f**k-ever."

Oh come on Black Clover! It's only the second episode and you're already doing obnoxiously long recaps!

"I'll keep asking her till I'm old and gray!"

Well, you're already gray.

 

[animePWNS]

Was she going to hit him with that book if he didn't stop?

 

[MasterofRoku]

Geez, so no one else thought this series was worth making another episode thread?

 

[Nobodyman]

So now we're doing backstory? Hmm, couldn't they have just made this the first episode?

 

[animePWNS]

December now? What a coincidence.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

Just got back from a family gathering - will be behind for a spell.

Congratulations on receiving your very own GRIMOIRE! With proper care and utilization it will give you years of spell-casting satisfaction!
Do not use Grimoire if your heart is not healthy enough for magic. Seek immediate medical attention if spells last longer than four hours.

Another shounen series about a loudmouthed loser with high ambitions. Hoorayyyyy...

 

[marklungo]

Shut up, Asta.

 

[Nobodyman]

So I guess he's a father to them in both senses of the word.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

Just like Baccano! and Durarara!!, gives us the names of our cast in the opening credits. Shame they're in cursive and not on screen long enough for me to read.

So is this Wizard thing like the Hunter's Exam or something?

 

[Nobodyman]

We now return you to the epic power-awakening moment, already in progress.

 

[animePWNS]

Back to the present, finally.

Now Asta's going Berserk!

 

[Kitschensyngk]

Flashback episode.

What is his thing with marrying nuns?

And an MRA guy is born.

Even when he was young he wouldn't shut up.

I'm gonna be the next Hokage!!
...I mean, be King of the Pirates!!
...I mean, beat the sxxx outta Satan!
...I mean, bake a cake for Tokine!!
...I mean, BECOME A WIZARD KING!!

Crazy old Maurice.

Ho HO. Beer money.

Your necklace is now mine by way of my actions.

Uhh, Yuno...anytime you wanna step in here...

"Fine. Jeez. Didn't want it anyway. Stupid piece of crap necklace..."

Nice magic. I'll take it.

Yeah yeah chase your dreams believe in yourself blah blah blah.

Can't they both be Wizard Kings? Are they like Highlanders? Is there a rule saying there can be only one?

Though you seriously need to give up trying to marry that nun.

 

[Radical]

Episode 2 was pretty sweet,

Nice with Yuno being caring/compassionate, better than Vegeta/Seto Kaiba/Sasuke/Gen Shishio.

The flashback backstory with Young Asta/Young Yuno's lives was great, Young Yuno more nicer and not arrogant/bratty was great.

Young Asta wanting to marry Sister Lily, hehehe, not gonna happen kid.

Young Asta wanting to be the Wizard King on saving the church was pretty sweet, despite the loud obnoxious nature, but a good great kid with a heart of gold next to Luffy/Gon.

Young Asta calming the cute baby was funny, hehehe.

Poor Young Yuno, beware of scumbag strangers.

Young Asta fighting back at the scumbag Revchi was pretty awesome/brave of him, when Asta gets stronger he'll crush him next time.

Asta crushing the mysterious ruthless villain with his mysterious Anti-Magic was awesome.

Nice that Asta has his own grimoire and him/Yuno wanting to be Wizard King was great.

I'll enjoy more great episodes, still loving this great new anime after Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, Gurren Lagann, Michiko & Hatchin, Attack on Titan, Kill la Kill, One-Punch Man, and Tokyo Ghoul.

 

[PicardMan]

We interrupt this battle to bring you a flashback, just as all other shonens are required to do. We get to learn more about how Asta and Yuno are besties and all that. Oh my, episode 2's thread is so much smaller than the last. I guess people really are off-put (I know Tokyo Ghoul had a similar effect). Still, it's supposed to get better eventually. I've stuck through and endured Tokyo Ghoul Root A, I can endure this.

 

[SaneMan]

The pacing of this anime is legendary for how it drags
Most animes take multiple chapters to make one episode
This anime takes one chapter to make multiple episodes (I em not kidding)

It gets less obnoxious around episode 4
emphasis on "less", as in, "it never truly stops"

 

[Gold Guy]

Yuno must be the only Shonen rival who used to be a crybaby. It's hard to picture Sasuke or Vegeta like that.

 

[Light Lucario]

I thought that this episode was okay. While I was curious about the event that affected Asta and Yuno in the previous episode, I'm not sure if we needed to devote almost all of the second episode as a flashback to explain it. I thought it would be revealed more gradually down the road, but this is a shonen anime and I have heard that the adaptation goes the One Piece route in terms of how they stretch out chapters for the episodes too.

Asta demanding to marry the nun even when he was a little kid didn't make the gag less annoying. I understand that Asta keep trying to do that reflects his standard never give up attitude, but not taking no for an answer in a situation like that is pretty bad, even if they play it off as a joke.

At least we got to see more of his relationship with Yuno. There was a decent bit of friendship between the two of them and Yuno being so sensitive made him look significantly different from his current self. As annoying as Asta can be, being willing to protect Yuno and get his necklace back from that mean drunk was nice. He basically won by refusing to back down until the drunk was too bothered to deal with him anymore, but I think the gesture of standing up for a friend made his declarations feel a bit more genuine and sincere to me. I think that's one reason why I don't mind Asta that much right now. Asta, much like the show itself, is filled with traditional shonen cliches and he can be annoying, but there are moments where he does come off as sincere with his determination instead of being another young shonen protagonist, which makes him appealing enough for me to keep watching the show.

Even though Yuno vowing the never cry again sounded more unhealthy to me than anything else, I understood a bit more as to how he became the aloof rival character. He was seemingly always sensitive, but seeing his friend being beaten up in order to protect him would make him want to get stronger. Even Asta's speech about becoming the Wizard King had the same kind of impact on Yuno.

While it was brief, Asta taking down the chain user was pretty cool. I am curious how bigger fights will like in the series. Asta training his body seemed to pay off for him pretty well. I don't know why Yuno couldn't keep being friendly with Asta even after the two of them promising to be rivals, but they wanted to give Asta a rival right off the bat. At least their relationship makes a bit more sense to me.

Overall, it was an okay episode. I still don't think that the show is that bad. The worst thing I could call the series is generic. You can do better than generic, but you can also do a whole lot worse and for me personally, a show needs to be worse than just generic for me to really turn me off.

 

[PapaGreg]

Yuno must be the only Shonen rival who used to be a crybaby. It's hard to picture Sasuke or Vegeta like that.

I don't know Vegeta had his share of tears from time to time, also while not a Shonen Smiles from Ping Pong The animation cryed when he was younger