Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King is a Japanese anime film centered on Black Clover simultaneously released in select Japanese theaters and on Netflix on June 16, 2023.
The film is set during the time skip following the Elf Reincarnation Arc. As Asta strives to become the Wizard King, Conrad Leto, the previous Wizard King who was formerly respected by the people of Clover Kingdom but suddenly rebelled and was sealed away by Julius Novachrono, has been unsealed. He uses the Imperial Sword, a magic tool created by the first Wizard King Lumiere Silvamillion Clover, to resurrect three other banished Wizard Kings from history to crush the Clover Kingdom.
Tropes:
- Antagonist Title: The "Sword of the Wizard King" is actually the Big Bad Conrad's weapon and the titular Wizard King is Conrad himself.
- BFS: Asta uses a giant Black Divider and enlarged Imperial Sword to destroy Conrad's meteor.
- Big Bad: Conrad Leto, Julius's predecessor who is unsealed after Julius loses his magic and resurrects three other former disgraced Wizard Kings to destroy the Clover Kingdom.
- Book Ends: Early on in the film Asta is about to fight Yuno in the Triumph before Conrad and the other former Wizard Kings attack. The film ends with Asta and Yuno about to fight each other.
- Call-Forward:
- Nacht is seen contributing his magic power to Asta's attack with the Imperial Sword despite appearing later after the Dark Triad have attacked the Clover Kingdom.
- Liebe lends Asta his devil power during his battle with Conrad, giving him a second wing in his Black form and stating that he'll get the payment in lump sum in the future, referencing him taking his arm in exchange for more anti-magic power during his fight with Dante later on.
- A black flare lights up from Julius's eye before he uses the magic that seals Conrad. It's revealed in the manga where Julius's time magic is actually Supreme Devil magic, and the person behind him is no hero.
- Colony Drop: Conrad uses the forbidden spell "Doom's Gate" in exchange for his life to destroy the Clover Kingdom. Asta destroys it with the Imperial Sword powered by the magical power of the kingdom's magic knights.
- Cool Sword: The Imperial Sword, which contains the magic power and will of all previous Wizard Kings. It meshes particularly well with Conrad's Key Magic, such that he can use it to destroy the country.
- Death Faked for You: After sealing away Conrad, Julius and his fellow Magic Knights involved in stopping the former 27th Wizard King announced to the public of his (fake) death by sickness. This was done to prevent panic from Clover Kingdom's citizens.
- Designated Girl Fight: Mereoleona vs. Princia, who herself is the only woman amongst the resurrected former Wizard Kings.
- Early-Bird Cameo: The film chronologically takes place before their formal appearances, but Nacht is seen contributing his magic to Asta's attack with the Imperial Sword and Liebe lets Asta use more of his devil power during his climactic fight with Conrad.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Well, none of the four previous Wizard Kings were evil but they're Well-Intentioned Extremist who wanted to change the very foundation of Clover Kingdom and they cannot understand why Asta and his fellow Magic Knights would oppose them and retain the country's status quo.
- Good Cannot Comprehend Evil: On the other hand, Asta and his friends are baffled that the four previous Wizard Kings turned against everything they stood for and oppose their genocidal plot of killing everyone in Clover Kingdom to pave way for a new world.
- Hero's Evil Predecessor: Four actually. Conrad was the Wizard King before Julius and was sealed by him when he rebelled against the Clover Kingdom, and Edward, Jester, and Princia are Wizard Kings reviled by history. Actually even the "hero" part is debatable, given that the person behind Julius is no hero to begin with.
- How the Mighty Have Fallen: Conrad mocks Julius of his de-powered state after appearing to interrupt the Triumph event with his three fellow former Wizard Kings. Also doubles as Dramatic Irony for anyone who had read the latest chapters, given the person behind Julius still has more than enough mana to freeze time in entire continents and start a holy war to annihilate and resurrect humanity.
- Is This Thing Still On?: During the Triumph Event, Mimosa does this after explaining to the audience about the said event as Miss Exposition. Klaus chides for her not turning off her magic microphone albeit forgetting to turn his off as well.
- One-Winged Angel: Conrad absorbs the stolen magical power from his Key Magic turning his hair white and giving him multicolored energy wings when he stops holding back during their battle after Asta refuses to walk the same path as him.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: Conrad sealed away by Julius ten years ago when he suddenly rebelled against the Clover Kingdom and tried to destroy it using the Imperial Sword. Julius's De-power after the Elves' reincarnation leads to him being unsealed and resuming his plan.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: Only Conrad and Jester went shirtless upon getting serious against their respective enemies, Asta and Yuno, Yami, Fuegoleon and Nozel.
- We Can Rule Together: More than once he tries to persuade Asta to join his side after noticing how Asta was similar to him in his youth. Conrad even went so far as offering the young magic knight the position of being his successor once he's no longer around. Asta refused all of Conrad's offers; thus, leaving the former Wizard King no choice but to fight him.
