Like most shonen anime, powerscaling is a central aspect of Black Clover. Whether their abilities are fueled by magical output or pure will, the strongest characters are immediately evident. Asta and Yuno are nearing their pinnacles already, fulfilling roles that were expected from them. And then there are other combatants, whose exceptional feats are either camouflaged or overlooked amid the endless escalation.
Many of Black Clover‘s most effective fighters excel through versatility, intelligence, or merely on the basis of their staggering potential. Looking back reveals several characters whose contributions were far more impressive than many fans remember, each of whom displayed attributes that went above and beyond their reputations. Now that the manga has reached its conclusion and Season 5 is on the way, it’s a great time to revisit the most underrated powerhouses.
Dorothy Unsworth’s Dream Magic Can Overwhelm Most Mages
Leading the Coral Peacock squad, Dorothy Unsworth appears to have narcolepsy, falling asleep at random and multiple times. That said, her penchant for taking constant naps stems from her masterful control over Dream Magic, which wasn’t at all evident when she was introduced as a “sleeping beauty” trope. In reality, or the Glamour World manifested by Unsworth, her powers are worthy of her Magic Knight captaincy.
When she drags opponents within the Glamour World, they are forced to fight on her terms. Not only can Unsworth produce near-infinite copies of people, magical attacks, and other hazards, but most Black Clover characters don’t possess the versatility to survive her dream battlefield. Without specific counters to her Dream Magic, even the strongest mages would be at a loss.
Magna Swing Earned One of the Biggest Wins in Black Clover
A classic underdog archetype much like Asta, Magna Swing wields the element of flame. Being far less adept at Fire Magic than the Vermillion family doesn’t minimize his punk-ish demeanor, though, as he continues to challenge opponents far greater than himself. For most of Black Clover, Magna fell behind the rest of the Black Bulls, only for his culminating match with Dante Zogratis to prove just how far he had come.
Magna developed an overwhelmingly effective fire spell known as Soul Chain Deathmatch, which connected his soul to Dante’s and dramatically altered the rules of engagement. Despite the Zogratis sibling’s immeasurable Mana reserves, Magna eventually managed to beat him down to size. It was probably the most surprising outcome of the manga’s eleventh and final arc.
Charmy Pappitson Was a Lot More Than Black Clover’s Comic Relief
Charmy Pappitson adores food, whether it’s eating it or cooking it. This obsession is all-consuming, resulting in events like Charmy abandoning the Magic Knights during battle or ignoring enemies and choosing to focus entirely on food instead. That said, her Cotton Magic and Creation Magic revealed glimpses of power that instantly made her a Black Clover powerhouse.
Charmy unlocks her true potential as a hybrid human-dwarf, highlighting a secondary affinity that vastly boosts her already formidable magic. Single-handedly defeating an Elf-enhanced Rill Boismortier — a Magic Knight Captain — is the only testament necessary to confirm her power, even if her character arc mostly revolves around comic relief.
Nacht Faust wields the rare ability of Shadow Magic, allowing him to control shadows both precisely and proficiently. He entered Black Story relatively late compared to many major characters, however, explaining why it’s easy to overlook his significance. But Nacht serves as the vice-captain of the Black Bulls, personally selected by Yami Sukehiro, and there are few recommendations more glowing than this one.
Nacht Faust, as his family name implies, can also command multiple devils with unique forms and specialized powers. His performance during the Spade Kingdom Raid, where Nacht coordinated major operations while also confronting the Dark Triad on the battlefield, proved just how exceptional he was. Asta and Yuno will always inspire the fandom, but Nacht’s role in their inevitable victories must also be accounted for.
Vanessa Enoteca Can Literally Rewrite Fate in Black Clover
Stereotypes abound among the Black Bulls, with Vanessa serving as the crew’s high-functioning alcoholic. She’s playfully referred to as a “Drunken Frenzy Witch,” and her absolute absence of shame and propriety turns her into one of Black Clover‘s most interesting characters. Vanessa’s Thread Magic also feels rather tame and underpowered compared to her teammates, at least until it evolves into the Red Thread of Fate.
Although her true potential has little use in direct combat, Vanessa’s magic can completely change the outcome of a battle. She saves her allies from the Witch Queen by literally undoing their onscreen deaths. Ultimately, the Black Bulls are better protected by the Read Thread of Fate than any magical shield or barrier that exists or, for that matter, could possibly exist in the future.
Finral Roulacase Turned the Utility of Spatial Magic Into Strength
Yet another tiresome anime trope that eventually becomes endearing, Finral Roulacase expresses himself largely through his attraction to women. That said, his lewdness is soon recognized as camouflage, with Finral disguising his lack of combat confidence behind his egregious antics. As such, he preferred limiting his Spatial Magic to create portals for the Black Bulls, a useful technique whose value seemingly drops on a chaotic battlefield.
It’s not until Finral grows beyond his childhood insecurity and actually engages with Spatial Magic that it becomes an elite mode of fighting. The Black Clover manga’s concluding storylines showed him accessing Reinforcement and Compound Magic, augmenting his raw strength while increasing the support offered to his stronger teammates. Finral is unlikely to win any 1v1 battle, but he’s nevertheless an underrated warrior.
Secre Swallowtail Was Vital to Clover Kingdom’s Survival
Secre Swallowtail was introduced as a bird named Nero, or rather an anti-bird with quixotic abilities and a sensitivity toward Mana. She joined Asta in her avian form, only revealing her true nature around the story’s midpoint. Secre’s former relationship with Lemiel Silvamillion, the first Wizard King of Black Clover, automatically improved her standing.
She was the one who turned the first Wizard King into a statue with Sealing Magic, whereas Forbidden Magic essentially preserved Lemiel for centuries. In fact, Secre’s Forbidden Magic can perform impossible feats like restoring destroyed human bodies, something only devils from the Underworld are supposedly capable of. Combined with her vast experience and knowledge, Secre’s potential is limitless.
Leopold Vermillion Never Once Stopped Growing Stronger
The youngest member of House Vermillion, Leopold isn’t like his distant brother or fiery sister. On the contrary, despite believing himself a worthy rival for Asta, he suffers from insecurities relatable to anyone with overachieving siblings. Still, Leopold demonstrates remarkable growth throughout Black Clover, consistently showcasing a level of determination and grit on par with the protagonist.
Unlike prodigies who rely on natural talent, Leopold distinguishes himself by actively pushing himself beyond his limits and willingly learning from stronger warriors. His Fire Magic becomes increasingly refined over time, and his relentless courage allows him to gain valuable experience against enemies that most mages would avoid fighting. Given his young age and room for further development, he might well earn the right to lead House Vermillion in the future.
Noelle Silva Overcame Her Insecurities to Achieve Greatness
Hailing from the royal House Silva, Noelle’s first impression on the fandom wasn’t very impressive. She came off as conceited and haughty, a common feature of her siblings, Nozel, Nebra, and Solid, who actually banished Noelle from the family by sending her to the Black Bulls. Fans soon discovered that Noelle’s weak mastery over Water Magic was the product of an emotional barrier, preventing her from causing harm to others.
And yet, many underestimate her powers and character development thanks to her initial inability to control magic. Once she began overcoming her psychological obstacles, however, Noelle’s combat expertise accelerated at an astonishing pace. The Valkyrie Dress transformation marked a major turning point, while later manga power-ups enabled her to challenge devil-using opponents capable of outclassing the finest Magic Knights.
Julius Novachrono Was Vastly More Powerful Than Anyone Realized
As the Wizard King of Clover Kingdom, Julius Novachrono was always one of the strongest characters in Black Clover, if not the strongest. His Time Magic provided an array of benefits, from manipulating the flow of time to foreseeing battlefield actions before they could occur. As such, the Wizard King only lost to Patolli because he was more interested in saving the kingdom than defeating his enemy.
With Black Clover hurtling towards Season 5’s premiere in October 2026, anime-only fans have a major plot twist in store for them. It turns out that Julius Novachrono was one of two souls born in the same body, with the other soul being that of the series’ final villain, Lucius Zogratis. And Lucius has so much more power that it completely changes Julius’ position in the story’s magical hierarchy.
- Release Date
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2017 – 2021
- Network
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
- Directors
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Matsuo Asami, Rokou Ogiwara, Tazumi Mukaiyama, Akira Shimizu, Fumio Maezono, Daisuke Chiba, Toshihiro Maeya, Yoshimitsu Tsuda, Toshiaki Kanbara, Takahiro Enokida, Yasumi Mikamoto, Kenichi Maejima, Chihiro Kumano, Naoki Horiuchi, Yoshino Miwa
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Gakuto Kajiwara
Asta (voice)
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Nobunaga Shimazaki
Yuno (voice)