Fans of the anime series Black Clover have been waiting with bated breath for the announcement of the show's return since it went on hiatus in 2021 after the fourth season. The hiatus was primarily due to the anime catching up with its manga source material — a common occurrence in the world of anime adaptations. As the Black Clover manga continues to evolve, a plethora of new storylines are ready for adaptation.
In an exciting turn of events, the Black Clover franchise recently returned to the screen with the Sword of the Wizard King movie, which premiered on Netflix. This, however, has fans wondering about the future of the TV series. Will there be a Black Clover season 5? Let's delve into the details.
Will the Black Clover Anime Series Return for Season 5?
As of July 2023, there's no official confirmation from the manga author Yuki Tabata or Studio Pierrot about the commencement of production for Black Clover Season 5. This, however, does not rule out the possibility of a fifth season.
Episode 170, the last anime episode aired in March 2021, adapted up to chapter 272 of the manga series. As of June 16, 361 chapters of the manga have been published in Japan and internationally through digital services Viz Media and Manga Plus. Given the anime's pace of adapting approximately three chapters per episode, there is potential for up to 29 new episodes!
Furthermore, the popularity and financial success of the Black Clover franchise make a compelling case for a fifth season. With over 19 million manga copies sold worldwide and an impressive 8.14/10 rating on MyAnimeList, it's only a matter of time before season 5 is officially announced.
When Could Black Clover Season 5 Potentially Release?
Rumors about the imminent return of the Black Clover anime have been circulating online, but these are based on popular leakers' insights and are yet to be officially confirmed.
Predicting the release of Black Clover Season 5 is tricky due to the unique production cycle of the anime series. The first three seasons boasted 51 or 52 episodes, while season 4 was trimmed down to 16 episodes due to the anime catching up with the manga. The COVID-19 pandemic also resulted in a two-month delay between episodes 132 and 133.
While the impact of the pandemic on the anime industry has lessened in 2023, it's likely that the Black Clover TV series would continue on a seasonal release schedule, which means no more 50+ episode seasons. The good news is that this could reduce the waiting time for fans, especially if Pierrot decides that there's enough content for another 16-episode season.
We speculate that Black Clover Season 5 could potentially return in either April 2024 on the Spring slate or July 2024 on the Summer slate.
However, there's one potential issue that fans should keep in mind. Studio Pierrot is already working on several other projects, including Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Part 2, Boruto Part Two, special episodes of the original Naruto, and Osamatsu-san. This heavy production schedule may force the team to delay Asta's adventure for another slate or two.
Despite the uncertainties, fans of Black Clover have plenty of reasons to stay hopeful. Given the anime's track record and the wealth of content from the manga, the chances of a Black Clover Season 5 are highly likely — it's not a matter of 'if', but 'when'.
