Yuki Tabata is the creator of the manga Black Clover. He had great ambitions at the beginning, but due to an important life decision, he lost touch with One Piece and Naruto.
What ambitions did he have? Right after its release, the manga Black Clover climbed into the top 20 of the best-selling mangas in France. It also celebrated great success around the world. A French blog wanted to know from him in 2018 what kind of story readers could expect.
When asked, if Black Clover would be told over the years like One Piece or Naruto, the mangaka Yuki Tabata responded:
Yes, that would be great, and I will do everything to make it happen. I am already mentally preparing to not have a vacation for a long time!
Originally, the manga started in 2015 in Weekly Shōnen Jump and was published there on a weekly basis. This continued successfully for 8 years, and the manga was able to accumulate numerous chapters through the weekly release.
For comparison:
- Black Clover currently has 389 chapters
- Naruto has concluded with 700 chapters and has added some chapters with the successor Boruto
- One Piece is currently the most prolific with 1174 chapters, although an ending is also slowly coming into sight
However, in 2023, a crucial decision by the mangaka shaped the future of the story.
Black Clover is unlikely to reach the chapter count of Naruto and One Piece
What is the status today? In 2023, Tabata decided to publish the manga not weekly but quarterly. So, after 12 chapters, there is now only one chapter per quarter. Mathematically, it is no longer possible for the author to catch up with other genre representatives like Naruto.
Tabata justified this in an afterword of the manga by stating that he always wanted to spend time with his daughter (read on X.com). At that time, he called the author of My Hero Academia for advice. He was nearly in tears during the call.
Since then, the manga has taken 3 years to reach its final stages. The final battle against Lucius Zogratis is largely completed, and the so-called Super Climax is confirmed for April or May 2026, where the question will still be clarified as to who will become the next Wizard King: Asta or Yuno?
Has he achieved his goal? In fact, the manga has managed to run for over 11 years. However, it has not quite reached the length of Naruto and One Piece, as it has not published nearly as many chapters.
The mangaka has not spoken about Naruto and One Piece himself but has addressed the question comparing the two mangas.
MeinMMO editor and anime expert Jasmin says: It is likely that the manga will end this year. Tabata clearly prioritizes family and only contributes one-twelfth of what he initially contributed. It is also known that he is struggling with health issues – which is not uncommon in the industry. Everything indicates that the manga will conclude in 2026.
Tabata made the comparison with Naruto and One Piece. However, another author wanted to distinguish himself from exactly these two mangas and create a somewhat different protagonist. More on this can be read on mein MMO: A successful manga differs from Dragon Ball and Naruto because the creator did not want a superhero
