Black Clover: Season 2, Part 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Black Clover: Season 2, Part 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

The non-stop action continues.

The action-packed adventure picks up its pace in the non-stop adrenaline-rush that is Black Clover: Season 2, Part 2. The journey continues to expand across the second set of Season 2 episodes. The runaway smash hit anime series continues to air on TV Tokyo in Japan. Broadcast in North America on Cartoon Network's beloved action-anime block, Toonami, the series continues to amaze.

Licensed for release on home media by Funimation Entertainment, Black Clover offers a unique blend of comedy and action that is unmistakable. The series remains produced by the critically acclaimed animation studio Pierrot (Hikaru no Go, Polar Bear Cafe, Yu Yu Hakusho). Don't miss an episode. Produced by Maiko Isogai, Naomi Komatsu, and Masahiro Sugasawa, Black Clover remains a fun watch for anime fans.

Asta is determined to find a cure to his broken arms and continues his good-fight in “never giving up” along the way! As the perilous journey in to the Witches Forest continues, Asta and his friends in the magic guild are put to the test when the ruthless Queen of the Witches ensnares Asta in to her spell: turning the once-strong hero in to nothing more than a mere puppet in her evil control!

The epic conclusion to the Witches Forest story arc unfolds and fans won't want to miss a beat of the action packed adventure. As the complicated Witches arc storyline reaches its must-see conclusion, a new, exciting arc begins: the the Star Festival adventures! As the Magic Knights get a break from danger (momentarily) the guild has a chance – to p-a-r-t-y! Time for some fun.

Zombies attack!

One element of the second set of Black Clover which surprised and delighted was the occasional inclusion of zombies. This was unexpected and it added a nice element of surprise to the set. As everything about Black Clover seems to walk a fine line between action and horror (as a bit of a compelling genre hybrid), the zombie component was appreciated. Fans of The Walking Dead take note.

The animation also remains a compelling element of the production. The art work is extremely well detailed. The line art remains crisp and dynamic. There is something compelling in each episode. A visual powerhouse, Black Clover is a mighty fun showcase of animation. The team of animators are certainly part of the heart of the program. The art direction heralded in by Yuki Maeda (Your Lie in April, Meitantei Conan: Excalibur no Kiseki) excels.

The character designs by Itsuko Takeda (Mirage Blaze, Boys Be...) remain compelling – and the new villains were given unique character designs as well – and that helps set the saga apart from other anime series in production. There were never any lulls in the character designs. The distinctive components of the designs always made a firm impression.

Adapting the original manga by creator Yuki Tabata, series screenwriter Kazuyuki Fudeyasu (Beyblade, Claymore) manages to find new ways to keep the Black Clover series engaging from beginning to end. This installment in the series franchise kicks things up a notch in the action arena without forgetting to focus on characterizations as well. The scripts by Fudeyasu are fun and compelling components of the series.

Head director Tatsuya Yoshihara (Yatterman Night, Muromi-san) manages to find moments to bring the dramatic backbone of the series to life – and pulls at the heartstrings as needed. While the action is also tight, tense, and exhilarating. Black Clover is a fun series and so much of this is due to the direction. The second set of Season 2 is no slouch in the directorial department and it manages to deliver the goods that fans expect from the series.

Black Clover: Season 2, Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Funimation Entertainment, Black Clover: Season 2, Part 2 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The series continues to look downright phenomenal in high-definition. This is another slam dunk of an encode – without any significant drawbacks in regards to compression artifacts.

During the batch of episodes, action sequences show a consistent flair of excitement and the encoding remains as sharp as a tack. There were never any moments where the presentation seemed to struggle to convey beats in the action. The color reproduction appears accurate and faithful to the style of the series. It showcases the somewhat gray-toned Gothic style that so often permeates throughout the series. No significant issues were noticed – only some minor banding in select scenes. A quality presentation.

Black Clover: Season 2, Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes two lossless audio options: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles). Both of the audio options will provide fans with a satisfying lossless audio mix. Dynamics are exceptional. The soundstage is expansive and the experience of viewing the series is heightened by the careful mixing of sound effects. Dialogue consistently sounds crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The action scenes have a decent degree of LFE.

Black Clover: Season 2, Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc One:

Page 64 Audio Commentary

Disc Two:

Black Clover: A Chat Among Kings (HD, 15:32) features Sonny Strait (voice of King Clover) and Rob McCollum (voice of Julius) as the duo discusses the anime series and the fandom. The voice-actors respond to some fan questions posted via social media platforms as well.

Black Clover: Inside the Episode:

Black Clover: Inside the Episode: Episode 64 (HD, 2:40)

Black Clover: Inside the Episode: Episode 67 (HD, 4:45)

Black Clover: Inside the Episode: Episode 69 (HD, 5:04)

Black Clover: Inside the Episode: Episode 72 (HD, 6:42)

Episode 72 Audio Commentary

Clover Clips: Special Edition (HD, 3:29)

Textless Opening Song "Scribbled Pages" (HD, 1:32)

Textless Closing Song "My Song My Days" (HD, 1:32)

Black Clover: Season 2, Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The second set of Black Clover: Season 2 continues the journey in new and surprising ways. The heart of the series remains intact and the action-scenes continue to deliver in spades. The animation is also compelling – as is the fast-and-fun direction. The storytelling remains engaging and fans will find it easy to become absorbed in the fantasy world. The Blu-ray release features a strong video-audio presentation. The set is well worth a pick-up for fans. Recommended.