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You’re sleeping on Black Clover and the fandom is starting to notice.

With the anime confirmed to return in 2026 as a seasonal series (no more weekly filler padding), the community is louder than it’s been in years. People who dropped it at episode 10 because Asta wouldn’t stop screaming are circling back. New fans are jumping in fresh. And the manga is wrapping up its final arc right now, which means the full story is about to be complete for the first time ever.

170 episodes. One movie. A filler percentage under 11%. And a protagonist who goes from “most annoying character in shonen” to “okay, I actually love this guy” faster than you’d expect.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or picking it back up after years away, this guide gives you three clear paths through the series. No spreadsheets. No confusion. Just pick your route and go.

Quick Answer: The 3 Best Black Clover Watch Routes

Route 1 - Essential Experience (No Filler): Skip every filler episode, watch only manga canon and the important anime canon episodes. Around 140-145 episodes total. Fastest path from zero to caught up.

Route 2 - Complete Immersion: All 170 episodes in order. The filler percentage is so low (11%) that you won’t lose much time, and some anime-original episodes add decent character moments.

Route 3 - Arc-by-Arc with Filler Map: Watch by story arc, checking the filler list at each arc boundary. Best for people who want control over their experience without committing to a single route upfront.

The good news? Black Clover is way easier to navigate than Naruto or One Piece. There’s no Part I vs Part II split, no timeskip between series, and the filler is concentrated in a few blocks rather than scattered everywhere. If you can handle 170 episodes, you can handle this.

Route 1: Essential Experience (No Filler)

This is the lean cut. You get every major plot beat, every power-up, every squad battle, and every twist that matters. Here’s what to watch:

Episodes 1-28 (skip 29) - Magic Knights Entrance through the start of Eye of the Midnight Sun. Episode 29 is pure filler.

Episodes 30-65 (skip 66, 68) - Eye of the Midnight Sun, Seabed Temple, and Witches’ Forest. Episodes 66 and 68 are standalone filler.

Episodes 67, 69-81 (skip 82) - Continuation through the Royal Knights selection. Episode 82 is filler.

Episodes 83-122 (skip 123-125) - The massive Royal Knights and Elf Reincarnation arc. Episodes 123-125 are a filler block you can safely skip.

Episodes 126-130 (skip 131) - Continuing the Elf Reincarnation arc. Episode 131 is filler.

Episodes 132-133 (skip 134-135) - More Elf Reincarnation. Episodes 134-135 are filler.

Episodes 136-141 (skip 142-149) - The anime canon training episodes that bridge into the next arc. Episodes 142-149 are the biggest filler block in the series and totally skippable.

Episodes 150-170 - Heart Kingdom Joint Struggle and the start of the Spade Kingdom Raid. All canon, no skipping needed.

Total episodes on this route: roughly 145. You save about 25 episodes of filler, which is around 8 hours of watch time.

Route 2: Complete Immersion

Watch episodes 1-170 in order. That’s it.

Honestly? This is a valid approach for Black Clover specifically because the filler ratio is so much lower than other long-running shonen. For comparison, Naruto’s original series is about 40% filler. Black Clover sits at 11%. You’re looking at maybe 18 filler episodes total across the entire run.

The anime-original episodes (3, 13, 55-56, 130, 132-133, 136-141, 150-157) aren’t technically manga canon but they were produced to flesh out characters and worldbuilding. Some of these are genuinely entertaining. The training episodes around 136-141 give the Black Bulls more screen time that the manga skipped, and fans who watched them weekly actually remember those episodes fondly.

The only stretch I’d warn you about is episodes 142-149. That’s the one filler block that genuinely drags. If you hit a wall there, skip ahead to 150 and you won’t miss a thing.

Route 3: Arc-by-Arc with Filler Map

This is for the viewer who wants to go arc by arc, checking the filler status at each stop. Here’s every arc with episode ranges and filler marked:

Arc 1: Magic Knights Entrance (Episodes 1-13)

Asta and Yuno leave Hage Village, take the Magic Knights entrance exam, and get assigned to their squads. Asta joins the Black Bulls (the worst-ranked squad) while Yuno joins the Golden Dawn (the best). This arc sets up the rivalry that drives the entire series.

  • Filler: None in this arc
  • Anime Canon: Episodes 3 and 13 (worth watching, they expand on the squad dynamics)

Arc 2: Dungeon Exploration (Episodes 14-19)

The Black Bulls and Golden Dawn both get sent to explore a newly discovered dungeon. First real team battle. You get your first look at how magic combat works in this world, and it’s where the animation starts picking up.

  • Filler: None

Arc 3: Royal Capital Assault (Episodes 20-27)

The Eye of the Midnight Sun attacks the capital. Stakes go from “squad missions” to “the entire kingdom is in danger” real fast. This is where Black Clover stops feeling like a generic shonen and starts building its own identity.

  • Filler: None

Arc 4: Eye of the Midnight Sun Encounter (Episodes 28-39)

Deeper into the conflict with the Eye of the Midnight Sun. Asta gets his second sword, which is a game-changer for his fighting style. The villains start getting actual motivations instead of just being evil for the sake of it.

  • Filler: Episode 29 (skip it, it’s a recap/filler hybrid)

Arc 5: Seabed Temple (Episodes 40-51)

The squad heads to an underwater temple to find a magic stone. This arc is pure fun. Great fights, great comedy, and a genuinely tense finale. If you’re on the fence about the series by this point, this arc will either lock you in or tell you it’s not for you.

  • Filler: None

Arc 6: Witches’ Forest (Episodes 51-65)

Asta’s arms are cursed and the only cure is in the Witches’ Forest. This arc introduces some of the best side characters and has one of the most satisfying power-up moments in the series. The animation quality takes a noticeable jump here.

  • Filler: None in the main arc

Arc 7: Royal Knights (Episodes 66-96)

Tournament arc meets political intrigue. The Clover Kingdom forms an elite squad to take on the Eye of the Midnight Sun, and the selection tournament is stacked. Great fights, big reveals about the magic system, and the buildup to the biggest arc in the series.

  • Filler: Episodes 66 and 68 (standalone episodes, safe to skip)
  • Mixed Canon/Filler: Episode 69 (has some canon elements mixed with original content)

Arc 8: Elf Reincarnation (Episodes 96-157)

This is the big one. 62 episodes. The longest arc in the series by far, and the emotional core of everything Black Clover has been building toward. Ancient elves reincarnate inside the bodies of Magic Knights, turning allies into enemies overnight. Every squad gets involved. Every major character gets a moment.

This arc is why people who stuck with Black Clover tell you the payoff is worth it. The reveals about Licht, the First Wizard King, and the true history of the Clover Kingdom recontextualize the entire series.

  • Filler: Episodes 82, 123-125, 131, 134-135, 142-149
  • Mixed Canon/Filler: Episode 102
  • Anime Canon (recommended): Episodes 130, 132-133, 136-141, 150-157

The 142-149 block is the biggest filler stretch. Skip it. Episodes 150-157 are anime canon and serve as a bridge to the next arc with training sequences and worldbuilding that the manga skipped.

Arc 9: Heart Kingdom Joint Struggle (Episodes 158-167)

Post-Elf Reincarnation. The Clover Kingdom forms an alliance with the Heart Kingdom to prepare for the Spade Kingdom threat. New villains, new power systems, and the scope of the story goes international.

  • Filler: None

Arc 10: Spade Kingdom Raid (Episodes 168-170)

The anime’s final three episodes before it went on hiatus in 2021. The Spade Kingdom Raid begins, and then… the anime stops. Right in the middle of the action. This is where the manga takes over, and it’s the arc the returning 2026 anime will continue.

  • Filler: None

Black Clover Complete Filler List

Here’s the quick-reference list for bookmarking:

Pure Filler (safe to skip): 29, 66, 68, 82, 123, 124, 125, 131, 134, 135, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149

Mixed Canon/Filler: 2, 8, 9, 12, 30, 69, 102 (these have some manga content mixed with original material; watch them on your first viewing)

Anime Canon (not in manga but add value): 3, 13, 55, 56, 130, 132, 133, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157

Total filler episodes: 18 out of 170 (10.6%)

That’s one of the lowest filler ratios in long-running shonen. For comparison, Naruto sits around 40% and Bleach is close to 45%.

The Movie: Sword of the Wizard King

Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King released on Netflix in June 2023. Here’s what you need to know:

When to watch it: After the Elf Reincarnation Arc (episode 157) and before the Heart Kingdom Joint Struggle Arc (episode 158). The movie takes place during the six-month time gap between those two arcs, roughly three months into the training period.

Is it canon? Not technically. The events don’t appear in the manga. But creator Yuki Tabata supervised the film and said he originally wanted to include this storyline in the manga. The characters and events fit within the established timeline without contradicting anything.

Is it worth watching? Yes. The animation quality is a massive step up from the TV series (as you’d expect from a theatrical film), the fight choreography is excellent, and it gives you more time with the Black Bulls during a period the anime skips entirely. The villain, Conrad Leto, is a former Wizard King with a genuinely interesting motivation.

Where to watch: Netflix. It’s a Netflix original film, so that’s your only legal streaming option for the movie.

If you’re doing a full rewatch or first-time binge, slot it in between episodes 157 and 158. If you’ve already finished the series, go back and watch it whenever. It works as a standalone story.

Sub vs Dub: The Honest Take

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Early Black Clover sub episodes feature Asta screaming at a volume that genuinely tested people’s patience. Voice actor Gakuto Kajiwara was giving 110% energy in those first episodes, and while it mellows out significantly by episode 20 or so, those early episodes are rough on the ears.

The English dub (Dallas Reid as Asta) tones down the screaming from the start. Reid still captures Asta’s energy and determination, but at a decibel level that won’t make you reach for the remote. The rest of the dub cast is solid too. Chris Sabat voices Yami Sukehiro, and honestly, Yami in English might be the definitive version of that character.

My recommendation: Start with the dub. Seriously. This isn’t a hot take. The Black Clover dub is consistently good, and those first 10 episodes are so much easier to get through without the sub screaming. If you’re a sub purist, I respect it, but at least give yourself permission to switch to the dub if the early episodes are pushing you away. The Japanese cast gets better as the series progresses, but first impressions matter, and the dub makes a way better first impression.

The dub stays current through episode 170, so you won’t hit a point where you’re forced to switch.

Where to Stream Black Clover in 2026

Crunchyroll - Your best option. All 170 episodes available in both sub and dub. The first 25 episodes are free with ads. Crunchyroll will also be the home for the new season when it returns later in 2026.

Hulu - Has seasons 2 through 4. Missing the first season, which is annoying. If you already have Hulu and don’t want another subscription, you’d need to watch episodes 1-51 elsewhere before switching.

Netflix - Has the movie (Sword of the Wizard King) but the main series availability varies by region. In the US, the main anime series is not on Netflix.

Amazon Prime Video - Available for purchase/rent but not included with Prime.

For the smoothest experience, Crunchyroll is the play. One platform, all episodes, both audio tracks, and you’ll already be set up when the new season drops.

If you’re looking to own the series physically, the Black Clover Season 1 Blu-ray is a solid pickup, and the Sword of the Wizard King Blu-ray looks gorgeous.

The 2026 Anime Return: What We Know

Black Clover is officially coming back in 2026 as a seasonal anime. Studio Pierrot confirmed the continuation at Jump Festa 2026, and the original voice cast is returning.

Here’s what matters:

  • The new season picks up from episode 170, continuing the Spade Kingdom Raid arc
  • It’s shifting to a seasonal format instead of weekly, which means better animation and no filler padding
  • The manga is in its final arc (expected to end in early-to-mid 2026), so the anime will have complete source material to adapt
  • Expected debut: Fall 2026

This is a big deal. The original anime ended in 2021 because it was catching up to the manga. Studio Pierrot made the right call waiting instead of padding with filler. The Spade Kingdom Raid is one of the most action-heavy arcs in the manga, and seasonal production means they can actually give it the animation quality it deserves.

If you’re starting the series now, you have plenty of time to catch up before the new season drops.

FAQ

How long does it take to binge all of Black Clover?

At 170 episodes (roughly 23 minutes each), you’re looking at about 65 hours total. On the Essential Experience route (skipping filler), that drops to around 55-56 hours. If you watch 4-5 episodes a day, you can finish in about a month.

Is Black Clover worth watching if I dropped it early?

Yes, and this is the most common regret in the Black Clover fandom. The first 10-15 episodes are the weakest part of the series. If you dropped it there, you didn’t see what the show actually becomes. The Seabed Temple arc (episodes 40-51) is usually where people go from “this is fine” to “okay I’m invested.” Push through to at least episode 50 before making a final call.

Does Black Clover have a proper ending?

The anime stops at episode 170 mid-arc, so no, it doesn’t have a complete ending yet. The returning 2026 season will continue the story. The manga is finishing its final arc right now, so a complete ending is coming. The movie (Sword of the Wizard King) is a self-contained story and has its own conclusion.

Should I read the manga after episode 170?

If you can’t wait for the anime, the manga picks up from Chapter 270. The Spade Kingdom Raid arc in the manga goes hard. Fair warning though: the art quality in the manga is exceptional and might make you impatient for the anime’s return. You can grab the Black Clover manga on Amazon if you’d rather keep going now instead of waiting for the anime’s return.

How does Black Clover compare to My Hero Academia and Naruto?

All three are shonen with underdog protagonists, but Black Clover leans harder into the “zero talent, maximum effort” angle than either of them. Asta literally has no magic in a world where magic is everything. The power system is more diverse than My Hero Academia’s quirks, and the pacing is faster than Naruto’s (way less filler). If you liked either of those shows, Black Clover is an easy recommendation.

Can I skip the anime and just watch the movie?

Not recommended. Sword of the Wizard King assumes you know the characters, the magic system, and the political structure of the Clover Kingdom. Without that context, it’ll look cool but won’t land emotionally. At minimum, watch through episode 157 first.

The Verdict

Black Clover is the shonen that everybody writes off too early. The first impression is rough. Asta screams too much. The animation in early episodes isn’t going to blow your mind. The premise sounds generic on paper.

But somewhere around episode 30, something clicks. The squad dynamics start working. The fights get creative. The side characters develop real personalities instead of being one-note tropes. And by the time you hit the Elf Reincarnation arc, you realize this show has been quietly building one of the most satisfying long-form narratives in modern shonen.

With the anime returning in 2026 and the manga wrapping up its final arc, there has never been a better time to start or catch up. The filler is minimal. The routes are clear. And the community is about to get a whole lot bigger.

Pick your route. Start watching. And when Asta stops screaming and starts punching above his weight class, you’ll understand why the fandom stuck around.

If you’re looking for more watch order guides, check out our guides for Naruto, One Piece, and My Hero Academia. And if you’re brand new to anime entirely, start with our Best Anime for Beginners list.