Black Clover is FAR FROM OVER, Says Author in Barcelona Q&A

With Black Clover into its final arc, fans are wondering if we are really getting closer to the end of the series, especially as we only had 7 chapters for all of 2024 thanks to the quarterly release schedule that began in Fall 2023.

With two chapters to begin 2025, is there any indication that Black Clover is ready to finish?

Well, from the latest inputs from Black Clover author Yuki Tabata, not quite.

On December 6, 2024, at the Manga Barcelona event, Black Clover author, Yuki Tabata, spends the second day answering questions from the fans.

During the event, a fan asked about how long Tabata planned to draw Black Clover.

Tabata responds, saying: “I still have more to do but I cannot tell you anything beyond that.”

This indicates that on top of the quarterly release (with an estimated 1-2 chapters each quarter to total 4-8 chapters a year), it is unlikely that Black Clover will be ending in less than two years or so.

Based on Tabata’s tone, he is confident that he can still deliver more chapters even within this format to give Black Clover the satisfying ending it deserves.

Inspirations and The Path to Becoming an Author

Tabata brings up his inspiration that led him to doing manga, which was Dragon Ball.

However, Tabata has also expressed liking other series throughout his life: Dragon Ball, Slam Dunk, One Piece, Naruto, Yu Yu Hakusho, Bleach, Jujutsu Kaisen, and My Hero Academia, going as far as to say: “Everything that you like, I also like.”

Tabata also reveals that he is self-taught, rather than attending a school.

Even then, he managed to become an assistant to Toshiaki Iwashiro (Psyren, Mieru Hito) and worked hard on many projects.

However, Tabata still recommends that anyone who wants to draw to sign up for specialized schools.

When asked if he prefers paper or digital but Tabata says that he still uses paper as it is more comfortable for him.

Workload

Another fan asks if Tabata works with music or if he eats while working. Tabata answers, first by saying that when eh works with his assistants, he talks to them but when alone, such as when COVID-19 happened, he would put on music or TV in the background. Additionally, Tabata usually eats ramen but otherwise, his wife cooks for everyone in the studio.

Tabata also confirms that he has 5 assistants. While Tabata makes the drafts, the assistants handle the rest of the work, particularly the inking.

Fans also ask how Tabata manages to meet delivery dates, to which he says that he either does it through coffee and energy drinks or his assistants keep him awake.

Tabata’s editor, Junya Fukuda, is asked about his work as a publisher in Japan.

The editor explains that the role has several functions: to produce the manga well, to have good publicity, to understand the audience and organize the agenda of the mangaka.

It is noted that Fukuda has also been Gege Akutami’s editor for Jujutsu Kaisen.

The editor also notes that he has had a great time working with Tabata due to his talent as an artist.

Tabata notes that this is the first time he has been abroad and he loves to see the happiness of the Spanish fans.

Tabata ends the Q&A with advice for future mangaka, that being to read a lot more works and then create your own idea from there.

Masterclass Session and Tabata’s Speed

Later on December 7, 2024, Tabata held a masterclass in the Barcelona event, where he demonstrates how he draws the Black Clover manga. Fans are impressed that he was able to finish his drawing after answering a few questions, the quickest ever done in a masterclass.

This is a recurring theme, an emphasis on how Tabata is one of the fastest mangaka known to fans.

However, Tabata thinks he is slow, such that he was called out as the slowest among his fellow assistants during his time helping with Psyren.

He tells us that he really likes to draw expressions, such as the faces of effort when his characters struggle. He also likes to draw Charmy, especially in chibi mode, which makes her the least troublesome to draw while Tabata finds Asta to have the hardest, such that he wishes he had made Asta’s design much simpler.

Although he loves drawing action scenes, Tabata struggles with the expressions and drawing bigger hands.

Additionally, Tabata’s favorite color is blue.

Might he have a preference for the Blue Roses led by Charlotte Roselei.

Tabata’s Closest Mangaka Friend

It is also during the Q&A that Tabata reveals that he is friends with many mangaka but notably mentions Kohei Horikoshi.

Before becoming popular, they would hold “Takoyaki Parties” in Tabata’s home, where they would prepare takoyaki and eat together while talking about work and giving advice to each other.

However, they are busy with their respective work and they only met once this year.

Tabata and his Editor

Fukuda, Tabata’s current editor, started working with him on the Dante fight, which was written in 2020.

They also make many key decisions together, such as how Nacht’s personality is based in one of Tabata’s previous assistants (though Tabata modified it of course).

Tabata and Harry Potter

An old assistant gifted Tabata a Harry Potter wand thinking he liked Harry Potter. To this day, Tabata uses this wand to draw  wand-holding hand positions, which is interesting considering that Black Clover breaks from the Harry Potter mold of wizards and has them use floating grimoires instead of wands.

Tabata’s Colleagues Inspire Black Clover

Speaking of Nacht’s connection to Tabata’s personal life, Yami was also based on a colleague of his that worked with him in Psyren who poked fun at him for being slow (this assistant was the quickest).

His relationship with that colleague was very similar to Yami and Asta’s

Favorite Scenes

Along with action scenes, Tabata’s favorite scenes were the climaxes during the Seabed Temple and the Witch’s Forest, the first time Black Asta is shown, and once again, he emphasizes how much he loves drawing Charmy’s chibi look.

This might be because Charmy is based on his own wife.

Finally, Tabata mentions that he wears glasses when at work.

Thanks to the Norma Editorial and seph for covering the Q&A.

Source: Twitter

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