Asta vs Ichika! Black Clover Chapter 343 BREAKDOWN

I’m starting to see why people Hate Ani-Twitter. The “Black Clover Fans” over there are TRASH. Seriously! It’s like every week someone’s accusing Tabata of “copying another series” or “Disney Writing,” or heck, even talking about how XYZ character is actually “Trash.” And they people who defend it don’t tend to be all that much better; they act like there was NO influence from other manga! Look, is Ichika’s spell in this chapter like Blackbeard’s “Black Vortex?” Yes, yes it is. Is it a direct reference to that? Who knows, maybe? Am I gonna throw out jokes like “Oda Invented Gravity And Now Tabata Is Copying him?” No, I actually heard people talking like that. It’s like no one gets the concept of a “homage.” Or a “Coincidence.” Seriously, I feel bad for the way I used to act towards this series- this man doesn’t deserve this sh!t. 

I’m getting a lot of traction of of the new volume release, yeah? I have the Lucius Vol 33 extra, but I’ll save that for a chapter that he actually shows up. I felt like sh!t this week; these leaks came out WEDNESDAY and I could even start this post. I’m in trouble. Meh, maybe something lucky will happen again this week that’ll let me work non-stop. He says like he doesn’t need to sleep or eat. Let’s just get to it; Black Clover Chapter 343: “Black Clash.” The unofficial labeled the chapter “Black-On-Black Clash.” People were talking about that title, too. It sounds like something I myself would come up with on an exhausted week, but I heard people talking about it. And not about it being “bad,” if you know how the internet acts…………..

REVIEW 

Asta initiates his…………. This isn’t Union mode because we see Partial Union mode later. So let’s just say “Perfected Black Form” for the moment. He uses Perfected Black Asta to avoid Ichika, but she uses her Darkness’ innate gravitational properties to pull him back. He goes into Partial Union mode and parries her kick, but is still knocked backwards into a waterfall. Asta comes out and almost hits her, but she moved out of the way with the Yojutsu spell: “Black Star-” an ability that creates a field of Black orbs in the sky above them. Ordinarily; this ability would capitalize on her Taijutsu(Physical Combat) and Kenjutsu(Sword Combat) skills by using the Gravitational pull of each star to knock her enemy off balance and create and opening. But she’s adapted it to move herself around and become untouchable!……. Or so she thinks. 

Asta takes out Demon Destroyer and breaks her spell. But she’s undeterred; her Zetten is still better than Asta’s when all is said and done, as she shows when the 2 are about to collide but she ends up kick him into the water. Ichika tells Asta that can never become the Wizard King if he continues to lack the Resolution, Conviction, and Skill required for the job. But in searching her ki, Asta finds something; her anger towards himself and his Captain, but also something deeper. She tells him not to speak as if he could understand, and the 2 are about to go again. But this time; Asta thinks that he’s figured out his Zetten style. And if he’s able to pull it off- He wins. 

He’s about to try it out, but before they ever get close- Ryuu intervenes. Ichika dispels her cloak, and is so ashamed of her blade touch Ryuuya that she’s willing to commit seppuku, but Ryuu stops it. He then asks if Asta is okay, to which the boy begins to panic- He was completely unable to perform a “Zetten” in that moment. He thinks that he needs a little more time to learn it, but, but Ryuu tells them: Lucius’ Paladins Are Here. And what’s more- It’s Revchi The Chain User from chapter 1, Heath Grice from the first arc, and SISTER LILY. Whup, no time to learn- you gotta kill the woman you love. Black Clover Chapter 343 END!! 

Analysis 

I really enjoy this series. That doesn’t pertain to anything in the chapter, I just kind of felt like saying: I Love “Black Clover.” I like the art; I like the Battle system; I like the battles; it’s got some great Volume covers; all the character look cool when they need to; the lore is interesting; I like most of the characters that are important; it’s just a Solid series for me. The Chapter: The Paladins. The Paladins have come to the Land Of The Sun. 1) We’re gonna be seeing a Lo~t of dead characters returning. If Tabata’s bringing back a deep cut like Heath, from all the way back in volume 1 of the story, then we’re going to being some Bigger Names showing up again.

I saw ideas like Licht and Lumiere, or even that Final Diamond General we don’t know nothin’ about. Acier Silva; Catherine from the Eye Of The Midnight Sun; Yuno’s parents; the Elves; Morris; and more. We could see a lot of emotional moments, and learn something about characters like Acier. It would also give those possessed by Elves during their invasion a chance to meet and fight against someone who was so close to them. I REALLY want to see a Lufulu Paladin. Though obviously; Lucius is probably gonna keep the……. stronger Paladins closer to himself. Though he intends for everyone to have “Equal Magic,” so maybe having “stronger paladins” would render his point mute. And I would hate for the Final Villain to be revealed as a “Hypocrite Trying To Justify Murder.” I actually do want him to be trying to do all of this for what he thinks is right. 

All of this said- We know exactly why he sent Sister Lily to the Land Of The Sun. I am of the mindset that Lucius either knows that Yuno will lead to Asta rising up and becoming a major problem, or that he’s unable to predict Asta’s future due to Anti Magic interference. Either way, he knows that if Asta is alive and allowed to grow- He’ll Be A Problem. So he’s sent a Paladin that serves the express purpose of f*cking with his mind further. I imagine that he’ll do the same to everyone else once the fighting starts. They just provide a lot of possibility, don’t they? That may have been random as f*ck, but I want you to think about it: Dead characters= Lore. Maybe that family theory with Luck and Charolette can be resolved by having Luck’s mom reintroduced. Have you heard that one? Bascially, sense Lufulu was Charla’s little brother, people came up with the idea that Luck is a B@stard of the Roselei house. If Luck’s mom were to come back, then maybe she could reveal who his father is……….. 

I also saw a theory about what Asta’s Zetten will end up being, one of which being a “Black Sun” to match Sukehiro’s “Black Moon” and Ichika’s “Black Star.” I also saw someone throw out the idea of a combo move for Sukehiro and Ichika- “Black Solar System.” Sukehiro’s “Black Moon” absorbs all the mana in a radius around him, while “Black Star” is made to pull you in multiple different directions. What would putting them together do, I wonder? You’d honestly think the moon would prevent the stars from coming out on this one, right? Maybe something different will happen…….

But the “Black Sun.” A big ball of Anti Magic……. Sounds cool. I bet that would take a LOT of ink, though! Seriously, though; I like the idea. I’m still not fully aware of what Zetten entails, though. I’m talking about it and I still don’t fully comprehend what it does. I think what everything is trying to tell me is that Zetten is just a “blast of mana/ yoryoku,” and that can come in a few different forms. Asta has the “projection” part of it, but he doesn’t have the full form that manifests like the other Ryuuzen. So I can definitely see a “Black Sun” happening. It would have a decaying effect to it, as we saw on those bamboo stocks, which works out well since the enemy this time around are made with “Undying Bodies.” Insta-Kill. 

And then there’s what going on with Ichika. She hates her brother because he killed their clan and fled punishment, and Asta because he acts so much like Sukehiro. But Asta senses that there’s something more to her feelings than just anger. But WHAT, though? Is she resentful because he left her alone? That……. that’s all I got. The dialogue is too vague for me to learn anything from. But what I do know is that Asta is about to gain the things that Ichika thinks he lacks. He’s going to be the one to defeat Sister Lily. He needs to do it because of what happened. I don’t know if Demon Destroyer can undo what Lucius did, but he’s certainly going to try it…………. I just had an idea. 

What would happen if he used Zetten and Demon Destroyer’s properties? Like…… he forces his ki through it, and that forces the Anti Magic to come out in a wave- one that purifies Paladins! he could perhaps save everyone that Lucius turned into Paladins and maybe even get rid of the ones that should be dead. It’s just a thought that I had. But I believe that he’s going to be doing the same thing he did to the Elves. Still waiting on the “Consequences” Drowa was talking about. Maybe when he starts curing these guys……

Conclusion

There’s a lot of ways the story could go. I’m excited to see what the Ryuuzen can do, and what these particular Paladins are capable of. Heath Grice is back, I can’t believe it. We’re gonna be seeing a LOT of characters we haven’t in a while. Mars, Human Fana, Fanzel, Th Witch Queen and more. This involves EVERYONE. This is gonna be a long fre@kin’ arc, guys. Probably not the 206 “Thousand Year Blood War,” or the 184 Fourth Great Shinobi War, but I’m predicting the final chapter of the series being chapter 425. From 331 to 425- 94 Chapters. And I’m gonna be right here for all of it……… most of it. Til next time, guys; Have A Magical Day.