Black Clover returns on 3 October 2026. Studio Pierrot is producing, and AniList lists the new television series as Black Clover Season 2, continuing the story from the original 170 episode run that ended in March 2021. You will also see it called season 5, because that original run was split into four seasons in English listings. Both numbers point at the same thing: new Black Clover, this Saturday.
This page was rebuilt on 29 September 2026 after a fact check. An earlier version repeated an episode count and arc breakdown that were never confirmed by the production, so everything below is limited to what is actually on the record.
Black Clover 2026 release date
The new series premieres on 3 October 2026. That is a Saturday, and it puts Black Clover in the same opening week as most of the autumn season. Studio Pierrot, which animated all 170 episodes of the original, is back rather than handing the property to another studio, which matters for a show whose fight animation improved steadily across its run.
What is confirmed
| Premiere | 3 October 2026 |
| Studio | Studio Pierrot |
| Listed as | Black Clover Season 2 on AniList, widely called season 5 by fans |
| Episode count | Not announced |
| Previous anime | Black Clover, 170 episodes, October 2017 to March 2021 |
| Film | Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King, June 2023 |
| Source | Yuki Tabata’s manga, serialised since 2015 |
Why the season numbering is confusing
The original anime ran continuously for 170 episodes between October 2017 and March 2021. Japanese broadcasts treated it as one long series, while English databases and streaming platforms chopped it into four seasons of roughly 40 to 50 episodes each. That is where “season 5” comes from: it is the fifth block in the English numbering.
AniList catalogues the 2026 anime as a new entry called season 2, with the original 170 episode series marked as its prequel. Neither label is incorrect, they are just two different counting systems. If you are searching for either, the date you want is 3 October 2026.
Where the story left off
The anime stopped during the Spade Kingdom arc, well before the manga’s current position, and the 2023 film told a separate story that sits outside the main continuity. The manga has since moved far past the anime’s endpoint, so there is a substantial backlog of material available to adapt.
The production has not published an arc plan or a scene by scene breakdown for the new season, so we are not going to invent one. What is known is that this is a continuation of the television anime rather than a reboot or a retelling.
What to watch first
If you are coming back after a gap, the useful order is the original 170 episode run, then the film if you want it, though the film is optional and does not feed into the television continuity. If you dropped off partway through the Spade Kingdom arc, that is the stretch worth revisiting before Saturday.
Where to watch
Crunchyroll carried the original run in most territories, and the series page there lists the 2026 season as well. The official Japanese site at bclover.jp is the place to check for broadcast details and any platform announcements specific to the new season.
What is not confirmed
No episode count, no cour structure, and no arc list. Any site giving you a precise episode number for this season today is guessing, and that is exactly the error this page used to make.
Frequently asked questions
Is Black Clover season 5 the same thing as season 2?
Yes. The 2026 series is listed both ways depending on the database. It premieres on 3 October 2026.
Who is animating the new season?
Studio Pierrot, the studio behind the original 170 episodes.
How many episodes will it have?
Not announced.
Do I need to watch the film first?
No. Sword of the Wizard King tells a self contained story.
Updated 29 September 2026. Release date, studio and series listing checked against AniList and the official site.
