Why Black Clover Volume 36's Upcoming Chapter Features Only 28 Pages: The Announcement Revealed

After nearly four months off the shelves, Black Clover manga is set to return in December 2023, much to the delight of fans who have been eagerly awaiting its comeback. However, there is some disappointment among fans as the upcoming chapter is reported to only have 28 pages. Written and illustrated by Yuki Tabata, Black Clover is a popular Japanese manga series that first appeared in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump in February 2015. After the release of chapter 368, the manga took a break from its weekly serialization and will now continue in the quarterly Jump GIGA magazine.

The upcoming Black Clover manga's low page count could be the result of volume 36

Ryuya Ryudo as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

The Black Bulls as depicted in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

Following this announcement, there has been widespread disappointment among fans regarding the upcoming chapter's low page count, especially after waiting for over four months. Many had anticipated a chapter with around 50 to 60 pages. The biggest concern for fans is whether all future chapters will have similarly few pages.

Some fans began speculating that the low page count might only be a temporary issue for the upcoming chapter. They pointed out that the remaining chapters to be included in the new volume had significantly fewer pages, making it challenging to compile them for volume 36 of the series.

With 28 pages dedicated to the upcoming chapter, the manga will have enough content to be compiled into a complete volume. The previous chapters collectively add up to around 140 pages. In addition to the new chapter, the volume will also include an estimated 20-25 pages of advertisements and bonus illustrations, as is customary. This will ensure that the series has the appropriate page count for the next manga volume.

Not every fan bought into the theory, thinking that most were simply trying to come to terms with the bad news. However, Shueisha's recent announcement validated the theory.

Black Clover volume 36 is scheduled for release on February 2, 2023. Since the next issue of Jump GIGA magazine is not coming out until later, it has been confirmed that the new chapter set to be released in December 2023 was the missing piece needed to complete volume 36 of the series. As a result, fans can anticipate that future chapters of the Black Clover manga will likely have a longer page count. However, this cannot be confirmed until the publisher or the manga creator, Yuki Tabata, makes an announcement. If it does get confirmed, fans can expect a chapter page count of 50–60 pages, starting from Black Clover chapter 370.

Editor's P/S

As an enthusiastic fan of Black Clover, I was thrilled to hear about the upcoming release of Volume 36. However, my excitement was tempered when I learned that the upcoming chapter will only have 28 pages. After waiting for four long months, I was hoping for a longer chapter that would advance the story significantly. The announcement of the low page count has left me feeling disappointed and concerned about the future of the series.

I understand that there may be valid reasons for the shorter chapter, such as the need to compile the remaining chapters into a complete volume. However, I can't help but feel that the fans are being shortchanged. Black Clover is a popular and successful series, and I believe that the fans deserve to get a longer chapter after such a long wait. I hope that future chapters will have a more substantial page count and that the series will continue to deliver the exciting and action-packed story that we have come to love.