Naruto is one of the most iconic anime and manga series of all time. The series is globally recognized for its amazing story, emotional depth, and interesting characters. The story follows Naruto, an orphan who was shunned by the village his entire childhood. He grew up believing he would receive their acknowledgment if he became Hokage, a leader of the village. On the other hand, Black Clover is praised as one of the best Shonen of the new generation. It centers around Asta, a young orphan boy born without magic in a world where it’s crucial to practically everything in life.
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People’s rank and social status are determined by the power they possess. As an orphan, Asta dreams of becoming the Wizard King, the strongest mage in the kingdom. While Black Clover hasn’t yet matched the legacy and popularity of Naruto, there’s one thing it does better than the latter. The rivalry trope is often loved in anime, and many of them adopt it. However, Black Clover follows the trend perfectly with the unparalleled dynamic between Asta and Yuno.
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Black Clover’s Asta and Yuno Have a Healthy Rivalry
Asta and Yuno grew up in the same orphanage since the day they were born. This is why they are as close as family. They share the same room, the same dining table, and the same dreams. Both grew up admiring each other’s strengths. Yuno, who was naturally gifted and demonstrated exceptional talent from a young age, looked up to Asta’s determination to never give up. Meanwhile, Asta, who was born magicless, both envied and commended Yuno’s talents.
He knew he lacked even the basic skills, so he trained physically in hopes of catching up to Yuno. One of the best parts about their rivalry is that they both realize their weakness and strive to surpass each other. They both want to prove themselves worthy by becoming the Wizard King. The duo travel together to the capital and join different Magic Knights. As expected, Yuno is recruited by the best Magic Knight squad in the kingdom, while Asta joins the Black Bulls, the notorious lowest-rung squad. The story continues as the two of them strive towards their goal, while they never clash, only ever exchanging hands in the form of fist bumps. Yuno never looks down upon Asta, even defending him against his critics, while Sasuke refuses to acknowledge Naruto’s growth, especially when it seems Naruto is surpassing him.
Their mutual respect is admirable, and they both often team up against powerful adversaries. Throughout the series, Yuno has been a great friend and ally to Asta. They both support each other regardless of the danger ahead of them. Yuno never lost faith in Asta and lent him a hand whenever he could. They both accomplished some impressive feats as young mages. Both Asta and Yuno appear in the story, and their growth is given equal weight. This is different from Naruto, where Sasuke often takes a backseat during certain arcs.
Naruto and Sasuke Have a More Complex Relationship Than Simple Rivalry
Unlike Asta and Yuno, Naruto and Sasuke met after becoming genin. The two didn’t get along in the beginning at all. After witnessing his brother kill his entire clan, Sasuke swore to take revenge. He always had this aura of darkness around him and wouldn’t let anyone near him. On the other hand, Naruto grew up as an orphan and was eager to connect with more people. Sadly, the village always treated him with animosity. Naruto’s goal since the beginning was to become a Hokage. Hence, the two can’t be considered rivals in true essence if they both have different goals.
The two barely tolerated each other in the beginning, but as part of Team 7, they learned to get along. As a member of the legendary Uchiha Clan, Sasuke was incredibly talented from a young age. But Naruto had to work extremely hard to catch up with Sasuke. Unlike Asta and Yuno’s healthy rivalry, the relationship between Naruto and Sasuke is heavily laden with betrayal, resentment, and psychological trauma. Even in moments such as the first time they exchanged blows using their signature jutsu, Sasuke opts to be petty upon seeing what initially looked like a weaker impact from Naruto’s Rasengan. Sasuke leaves the Hidden Leaf Village not long into his time alongside Team 7 in the Sasuke Recovery Mission Arc.
Sasuke becomes a rogue ninja and follows Orochimaru in order to acquire more power. This deeply upsets Naruto, who does everything he can to bring him back. We see Naruto desperately trying to change Sasuke’s mind through the entirety of Shippuden. The two even clashed against each other as enemies. Therefore, it’s difficult to view them as rivals or best friends when their relationship is more complicated. Naruto even considers Sasuke as a brother he never had. Even so, while Naruto and Sasuke’s relationship is iconic and deeply emotional, it often focuses more on conflict and betrayal, creating more of a wayward surrogate brotherhood rather than a healthy rivalry like in Black Clover.
