Black Clover: Why Yuno is loved by mana, explained

Since the very first episode of Black Clover, one of the biggest distinctions between Asta and Yuno has been their affinity for mana. Whereas Yuno is said to be “loved by mana” due to having an abundance of it, Asta is seemingly hated by this magical power source due to having none of it.

Thankfully, the series later gives a direct and clear explanation as to why Asta doesn’t have any mana of his own to use. However, while Black Clover does provide a similar explanation for why Yuno is loved by mana, it’s much more implicit and isn’t clearly spelled out for viewers.

Follow along as this article breaks down why Yuno is loved by mana in Black Clover.

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Yuno’s heritage, both physical and spiritual, are reasons why he is loved by mana in Black Clover

Why Yuno is loved by mana

At the start of Black Clover, Yuno and Asta are introduced as orphans who have absolutely no clues as to who their families are or where they come from. For Asta, this is entirely true, but Yuno is actually given a small clue in the form of the Magic Stone necklace he’s seen wearing throughout the series.

However, nothing is said of Yuno’s heritage until the Elf Reincarnation arc, where (as the title implies) the spirits of deceased Elves from centuries prior begin reincarnating. The spirits begin inhabiting and taking over their current-day counterparts, with Yuno being one of them. However, he’s able to resist it and chooses to fight the Elves rather than join them.

Eventually, it’s revealed that the Elf who tried reincarnating into Yuno was the son of the Elf Licht (the true Licht) and human Tetia. Since the child was killed before birth, no name was ever given to it, but several Elves recognize the mana as being reminiscent of both Licht and Tetia’s. Being the reincarnation of their unborn Elf child is the spiritual reason why Yuno is loved by mana.

The other reason is revealed shortly thereafter and stems from Yuno’s physical lineage rather than his spiritual one. Fans eventually learn that Yuno’s last name is Grinberryall and that he is part of the former ruling family of the Spade Kingdom. The Dark Triad were the ones who overthrew and killed most of the Grinberryall family in order to seize power.

Thus, it’s revealed that Yuno is a prince of the Spade Kingdom, thanks to the Grinberryall’s historic rule of the nation. As is always said in the series, nobles are typically more apt at magic and beloved by mana than typical commoners. Obviously, this proved true for Yuno as well, who has magnificent reserves of mana and impressive skills with magic.

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In summation

These two facts combine to explain why Yuno is “loved by mana” in Black Clover. Being born into a noble family already gives him an edge in terms of his mana reserves and aptitude for magic. However, it’s his spiritual lineage that truly blesses him, essentially making his mana half-Elven (Elves have a higher natural affinity for mana than humans).

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