Black Clover chapter 353: Why Mereoleona getting a potential love interest is a refreshing development

Black Clover chapter 353 was officially released on Sunday, March 5, bringing with it the beginning of the wrap-up process for the Hino Country subarc. With the five-headed dragon defeated and Asta’s training completed, all that’s left is to wait for the Black Bulls to show up in the coming issues to bring Asta back to the Ace continent.

Black Clover chapter 353 also gave fans an opportunity to get acquainted with the Ryuzen Seven members outside of the context of battle and training. Of particular significance was Mushogatake Yosuga asking Asta to introduce him to a tough woman from the Clover Kingdom, specifically asking for one with Flame Magic.

Both fans and Asta instantly thought of Mereoleona Vermillion here, but some fans are seemingly upset by the apparent introduction of a love interest for Mereoleona.

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Black Clover chapter 353 sets up introducing a feminine side of Mereoleona’s character, flushing her out further

Brief chapter recap

Black Clover chapter 353 began with Ryudo Ryuya explaining that Asta’s Anti-Magic blew away the permanent yoryoku clouds which the five-headed dragon had created. Ryuya thanks Asta for doing so as the Hino Country citizens admire the clear sky. Asta then finds Heath Grice’s body, where he’s told that Lucius is now able to resurrect people on the level of the Grand Magic Knights.

The issue then reveals that the Black Bulls are still trying to find a way to get to Hino Country, prompting Ryuya to suggest that Asta waits, rests, and parties until they arrive. It transitions into a banquet, where Asta gets drunk for the first time and bonds with the Ryuzen Seven. After being introduced to a deity that looks and sounds like Charmy Pappitson, Asta goes to the hot springs to take a bath.

However, he runs into Yami Ichika here, with both becoming deeply embarrassed at the situation before Asta runs off. He apologizes to Ichika the next day, but she responds by saying that he’ll “take responsibility for that” as the rest of the Ryuzen Seven show up. The Ryuzen and Asta decide to spend their last few days together training as Black Clover chapter 353 ends by reminding viewers that there are only 3 days until Judgment Day.

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Why Mereleona getting a potential love interest is a refreshing development

If there is any character in the series who has broken gender norms, it’s undoubtedly Mereoleona Vermillion. She’s regarded as one of the strongest fighters, if not the strongest overall, in the Clover Kingdom. This skill translates well to the battlefield as well, where she’s constantly performing incredible feats which highlight her remarkable strength.

While this characterization of her up to Black Clover chapter 353 has been excellent and made her the fan-favorite character she is, Mereoleona isn’t exactly a rounded character. For example, Charlotte Roselei has been shown to be both an incredibly strong and capable fighter, as well as a woman who still has emotions such as love and regret.

While showing a more feminine side to Mereoleona Vermillion isn’t necessary to make her a good character, it’s arguably needed to show that she’s a fully flushed out personality. Although the merits of shoehorning a love interest for her in the final arc can be debated, it nevertheless provides an avenue to deepen her character further.

This is especially true considering that, as of Black Clover chapter 353, Mereoleona has essentially never shown a traditionally feminine side to her personality. Arguably the closest she came was discussing Noelle Silva’s mother, Acier, and her combative career with Noelle herself. However, the context of this was predominantly a superior speaking to their junior, rather than a woman-to-woman or mother-to-daughter context.

As a result, introducing her to and setting Yosuga up as her love interest would allow fans to see a more emotional and feminine side of her. As aforementioned, this is absolutely not necessary to make her a great character, with Mereoleona already being a fan-favorite.

However, such an introduction would allow new facets of her character and personality to be explored, deepening and making her character much more memorable resultantly.

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