As a general rule, Black Clover is often accused of being a Naruto copycat, even by its own fan base. There are many seemingly shared elements, from a distance: a goofy protagonist with a high-pitched voice who dreams of becoming the leader of his society, against all odds considering the horrible power he harbors—but which he actually tames and uses to combat those who stand against the society from which he arises. The animation quirks of Studio Pierrot that underlie either series' adaptation don't do much to help matters.

In reality, Black Clover is by no means a Naruto copycat. In fact, Naruto. One shining example of this is the rivalry between Asta and Yuno. Although the pair are frequently compared to Naruto and Sasuke, Black Clover cleverly avoids recreating Naruto's dynamic—and it's all thanks to one simple reason.

Black Clover's Asta and Yuno Are Less Toxic Than Naruto x Sasuke

According To Black Clover's Mangaka, Anyway—But What Does That Mean?

In an interview with the Spanish-language Norma Editorials, Black Clover mangaka Yuki Tabata tackled a plethora of topics concerning the franchise. One notable question asked Tabata about his feelings on toxic rivalries in major shonen. The exchange was translated into English by X Diab, reading like so:

Question to Tabata: what do you think about the toxic relationships between the two protagonists?

Answer: For me Black Clover was always meant to have a healthy rivalry between the protagonists.

Anime fans intuit that Naruto and Sasuke's rivalry is toxic, and the opinion is widespread. Naruto and Sasuke fail to communicate for the majority of the series, only coming to understand one another after their final confrontation in Naruto Shippuden. Naruto is incredibly caught up in his idealistic image of Konoha, which prevents him from empathizing with Sasuke, the last of a clan that Konoha's power structure systematically disempowered and, finally, massacred. Although the pair recognize one another's ability and growth, it usually takes the form of fear (on Sasuke's part) or envy (on Naruto's part).

This stands in stark contrast to Tabata's explicit claim of wanting a healthy rivalry between Asta and Yuno. Black Clover exemplifies pure and healthy rivalry, and there's one major reason why: neither Asta nor Yuno dehumanize the other for the sake of their ideals or missions because they have the same origins and goals. The pair share a humble orphaned background, growing up adopted brothers in an impoverished village ignored by the royal power structure in the Clover Kingdom. For both, becoming the Wizard King means changing the system that both neglected and nurtured them.

Asta and Yuno: Mutual Origins, Mutual Goals, Mutual Respect

Black Clover's Leading Pair Are Rivals For One Crucial Reason

There are moments that seem almost toxic, like Yuno's personality shift and seeming disdain towards Asta. However, as the story presses on, it's revealed that not only does Yuno care about Asta a great deal, but he also identifies with him deeply. He's incredibly protective of Asta, and when he thinks Asta is dead following the fight with Lucius Zogratis in chapter #335, Yuno reveals in chapter #336 that he always thought Asta was superior, even when the former sured the latter in rank. In response, Yuno vows to become Wizard King, achieving his and Asta's mutual dream.

For Naruto, his Hokage dreams are tied to a set of ideals that lead him to see himself as righteously "saving" Sasuke. Meanwhile, for Sasuke, Naruto represents a dogmatic approval of the society which he at first believes failed to react to Itachi, and later believes (accurately) to have massacred the Uchiha as part of a long chain of political plays. For better or worse, Naruto's insistence on its own ideals—expressed most clearly through its title character—makes it impossible for Naruto to save Sasuke until the very end of the series.

The dream Asta and Yuno share of becoming Wizard King, alongside their shared childhood and their vastly different and incomparable power sets (Asta's demonic anti-magic and Yuno's magical virtuosity) make a huge difference. Both push each other, subtly, toward their shared goal. Because that goal has its origins in their shared upbringing as orphans, the two are able to understand each other, although not always with ease, and they have the same intentions. Both Asta and Yuno use each o, other as a source of strength, while Naruto and Sasuke grow stronger in the view of overcoming the ideals and values underlying the other's apparent calling.

As individual characters, Naruto and Sasuke are brilliantly written, with moving storylines and layers upon layers of emotional depth. However, like My Hero Academia's Deku and Bakugo or Dragon Ball's Goku and Vegeta, the conventions of shonen storytelling combine with the idiosyncrasies of each series to create a rivalry that feels fundamentally off-kilter. Often, shōnen gets too caught up in using rivalry as a vehicle for other overarching ideas—and the relationship suffers along the way. By trying from the word go to make Asta and Yuno different, Black Clover sidestepped an issue that fundamentally plagues Naruto.