In the world of Black Clover, Asta is considered a little strange, between his loud explosive, temperament and his ability to use Anti-Magic. Not only that, but he intends on becoming a Magic Emperor despite his lack of magical ability. Still, he vows to overcome his obvious and reach his goal. So, does he have what it takes to achieve it? Let's take a look at Asta's unique skills, abilities and weaknesses to determine if he has a fighting chance.
Asta Doesn't Have Mana
Asta's body doesn't produce any mana, resulting in a lack of magical ability. While he's not able to cast spells, this hindrance isn't actually a problem. In fact, it allows him to wield Anti Magic without hindrances. Because of his lack of mana, he doesn't suffer the side effect of having his energy drained when he wields any Anti Magic weapons. Because of this, he's able to nullify any magic attacks aimed his way. This also allows him to be undetected by mana sensors, and he's essentially immune to the underworld's life-draining substance. He can also combine his Anti Magic with Gauche's Mirror Magic to create new combo attacks.
Asta Has Enhanced Physical Abilities
On top of being able to use Anti Magic weapons, Asta has enhanced strength, speed, durability and instinct. He's able to do a thousand single-handed pushups, punch holes through rocks, withstand multiple attacks that would knock most people to the ground and detect his enemies' movements with enough precision to defend himself. His strength was even further enhanced by the Witch Queen's Blood Magic. This has helped him tremendously with wielding the various swords housed within his grimoire.
Asta's An Expert Swordsman
What's the point of having a sword if you don't know how to use it, let alone a whole grimoire's worth? Initially, Asta wasn't very skilled, but receiving training from Fanzell Kruger, Asta has refined his form over time. He uses different styles of swords, each infused with Anti Magic, giving him an extra edge in fights against magic users. His original sword had an unusual shape, making it difficult to use.
Asta Can Use Ki
By learning how to master Ki, Asta is able to enhance his intuition to the point he can detect unseen attacks and defend against them. Originating from Captain Yami's homeland, Ki allows a person to rely on a "sixth sense" to detect movement. This is especially useful for sensing things that don't use mana. Asta can also use his Ki to determine how much Anti Magic is circulating through his body. Ki relies on natural energy rather than mana, so Anti Magic doesn't affect Asta's ability to use it. This has proven time and time again to be one of the most useful abilities for non-mana users in Black Clover.
Asta's Possessed By A Demon
Because Asta owns a five-leaf clover grimoire, he has bonded with a devil that is the source of his Anti Magic abilities. To harness the Anti Magic abilities, Asta literally gave his right arm as part of a contract with the devil. The drawback is he's only allowed 50 seconds to use this increased power. The more power he uses, the more his appearance turns devil-like. His right arm turns black, he sprouts a black wing from his shoulder, his canine tooth elongates, and his right eye turns red with a slit-pupil. This deal is what also allows Asta to coat his swords with Anti Magic and bind them to his grimoire.
Since Black Clover's story is still unfolding, there's plenty of room for Asta to hone these powers and even learn new ones. It'll be interesting to see how he uses his Anti Magic in different situations and if he can learn to manipulate it in all new ways. He could learn a new projectile attack, or he could learn to combine his Anti Magic with another person's magic attacks like he's done with Gauche. There are so many ways Asta can grow his abilities that the sky's the limit. With his can-do attitude, he can definitely find new, creative ways to use his devil-given powers once given the chance. He might just have a chance at achieving his dream despite his lack of mana.
