Mashle: Magic and Muscles

"It's One Punch Man goes to Hogwarts, nothing more and nothing less..." says Meon, and he's right. When he said this about the manga about half a year ago, I thought this was just the thing for me. Unlike Meon, I love Harry Potter books even after having read them last in 2020, and I still love the series, although I am aware of its many shortcomings. I also fondly remember Saitama from One Punch Man and its style of humor. Simply put, if you like two main ingredients in a dish, you will surely love the whole meal, right? Well, not necessarily... My surprise was great when, already in the first episode, I didn't find Mashle funny at all. Yes, it was exactly as I had imagined the series; it was like Saitama going to Hogwarts, and most of the jokes were delivered exactly as you would expect. I often anticipated the punchline, and instead of being happy about it, it ruined all the fun. This is probably part of the biggest problem I have with the series, which Meon described like this: "The series lacks its own identity; it's just Saitama at Hogwarts." What saves Mashle: Magic and Muscle for me - the reason why I give it 5.5/10 and still want to watch the second season, are the fights. They are not particularly original, and you can quickly figure out many ways in which Mashle can defeat his opponents without magic, but watching them is usually very satisfying. The creators can build up these fights and create an overall atmosphere around them so that I always get to the point where I start rooting for the hero and enjoy every blow he delivers to the opponent because I feel it's well-deserved. The story also intrigued me a bit despite being relatively simple and fairly predictable. I still keep thinking that it might surprise me with something someday, somewhere. So, in the end, I don't feel the urge to make a YouTube video entitled "Listening to Meon ruined Mashle: Magic and Muscle for me," this review is enough for me to admit that he was right, but fortunately, he hasn't killed my interest in the show yet..." (30/06/2023)

If you were a fan of the first season, this one will likely hit the same notes for you. On the other hand, if the first season didn't quite grab you, this second one won't do much to change your mind. There's a faction of viewers out there who claim Mashle is the pinnacle of comedy, citing the opening of the second season as a musical masterpiece. Humor, much like musical taste, is incredibly subjective. That's why I'd prefer it if die-hard fans of Mashle didn't try to make me laugh, explain a joke, or play their favorite songs for me. I seem to be in the minority here because I didn't find Mashle's humor to be the least bit funny. This season failed to elicit even a chuckle from me — not once. Many jokes fell flat, feeling awkward and out of sync with my sense of humor. Some moments, like when Mashle's friends turned into kids or certain parts of the last episode, made me cringe so hard it felt like a part of me was quietly dying. The attempt at humor severely dampened my interest, and honestly, I'm not sure if I'll stick around for another season. The opening song, which received praise from many, didn't resonate with me (although I loved the previous songs from Creepy Nuts in Call of the Night). It felt repetitive and uninspiring, so I ended up skipping it — it just wasn't my style. Additionally, the insertion of hip-hop as background music for various scenes didn't sit well with me and clashed with the epic, symphonic fantasy motifs. Moving on to the story and fights, this season left me underwhelmed. While the plot was straightforward and some questions were answered, the resolutions felt simplistic and often clichéd (cue the "Luke, I am your father!" moment). I missed the light-hearted and inventive ways Mashle navigated the lack of magic in the first season. Here, it seemed like the solution was always to do things with bigger force, with Mashle bulldozing through obstacles. The physical and magical fights also lacked the impact and execution I enjoyed in the first season. Perhaps my standards have shifted due to newer anime, but what Mashle presented felt average at best. In conclusion, "Mashle: Braindead" simply didn't resonate with me and entertained me even less than the first season. It just goes to show that this anime isn't my cup of tea and it feels like much of what made the series unique has been exhausted. With that said, if the first and second seasons didn't impress me, it's unlikely the next one will, so I'll leave it to the die-hard fans. I give this season a 4.5/10. (30/03/2024)