Magical Anime Series Is The Perfect Harry Potter Parody

The plot is the complete opposite of Harry Potter. Instead of someone finding out, they are one of the rare few magicians in a world of normal people, the main character, Mash, is the only person, not a magician.

That doesn’t make him weak, though. Mash is the strongest person around, having trained his muscles to the limit. It gives him an advantage over many of his peers.

Due to some rather unfortunate scenarios, Mash ends up in a magic school and has to beat out all the competition and be the best. Mashle: Magic and Muscles fully embraces its comedic nature. While there are some serious and dramatic moments, most of the time, the show aims to make you laugh.

Mashle Seasons 1 and 2 both have good reviews on My Anime List. Season 1 has a 7.60, while Season 2 has an impressive 8.13. Though the plot is rather lackluster and derails fairly often, it’s a great show for those who want to have a good time.

The show doesn’t hesitate to make sure you know exactly what movie series it’s parodying. The houses, outfits, and teachers all hint heavily at Harry Potter.

If you don’t get the hint from that, Duelo, basically Quidditch, throws the information right in your face. Speaking of faces, every character has a mark that shows their strength on their face, just like our beloved main character in Harry Potter.

Add in a sorting hat that’s actually a unicorn, and there will be a discussion about the importance of wands and their materials. Anyone who’s watched the original wizard movies will quickly realize what Mashle is going for.

Though the show is clearly a parody, it’s not done in a bad way. It takes a lot of the things fans often think about and brings them to life. After all, sure, a wizard could use magic to pour himself a cup of tea, but why? Or, why not just hit someone when they are working on setting up a complicated incantation instead of responding with another spell?

The parody is cleverly done, making what it’s trying to do obvious without harming the original fans. With all the small touches placed into every episode, it’s clear that the creators of Mashle loved Harry Potter just as much as many of the fans do.

In addition to pulling in fans of dark witch academia, Mashle, and One-Punch Man are often enjoyed by the same audiences. After all, they both involve men who live in a ridiculous world and rely on muscles more than brains.

Season two of Mashle: Magic and Muscles is airing now. Both Season 1 and Season 2 are available on Crunchyroll for premium members.