This is a world of magic where magic is used for everything. But deep in the forest exists a young man who spends his time training and bulking up. He can't use magic, but he enjoys a peaceful life with his father. But one day, his life is put in danger! Will his muscular body protect him from the magic users who are out to get him? Powerfully trained muscles crush magic as this abnormal magical fantasy begins!

Manga Name: Mashle: Magic and Muscles (マッシュル, Masshuru)

Author: Hajime Kōmoto

Genre: Comedy / Action / Fantasy / Shounen

Story

Set in a magic world, Mash Burnedead is a young man who was born without magic. In order to live a peaceful life with his adoptive grandfather, he needs to become a Divine Visionary (神覚者, Shinkakusha), a title given to exceptional students from the Easton Magic Academy. Mash goes to the magic school, despite not having any magic, and must survive by only relying on his muscles.

Characters

Some of the characters that we have seen so far include; a classic shounen protagonist, a kind and fatherly figure and other regular shounen side characters. The series also has a strong female lead character, a character named ‘Grimm’ who is a direct reference to the main character of ‘Red Riding Hood’ is actually a lot more experienced and stronger than the protagonist.

Notable Characters

Mash Burnedead (マッシュ・バーンデッド, Masshu Bāndeddo)
A young man born without magic, but makes up for it with physical ability and his strange ways to defy logic. He loves cream puffs and is often seen eating them. He is very blunt and deadpan but is kind and selfless to his friends.
Finn Ames (フィン・エイムズ, Fin Eimuzu)
Mash's roommate in the academy. He usually plays the straight man to the other characters' antics. His older brother is Rayne Ames, a current Divine Visionary. His personal magic allows him to swap places of people.
Lance Crown (ランス・クラウン, Ransu Kuraun)
Mash's rival. After his sister caught a disease that would take away her magic, he vowed to become a Divine Visionary so she would not be killed by the law of the country. He has a sister complex. His personal magic allows him to manipulate gravity.
Dot Barret (ドット・バレット, Dōto Baretto)
Mash's self-proclaimed rival. He is hot-blooded and easy to irritate but is a good person. His personal magic allows him to create explosions.
Lemon Irvine (レモン・アーヴィン, Remon Āvin)
Mash's self-proclaimed fiancé. She is soft-spoken and somewhat kooky.

World

The world of ‘Mashle: Magic & Muscle’ seems to be at least half a parody of the Harry Potter world with its own twists. The World is full of magic and magical things, juxtaposing the main characters inability to use magic.

Art

Mashle 1

Mashle 2

Mashle 3

Mashle 4

This is where the manga falls short in many ways, although the manga has a very modern art style incorporating both digital and traditional methods, the character designs are subpar and unattractive. The backgrounds are sometimes very detailed but the character designs are not so unique.

Conclusion

As one of the funniest manga's that we have recently read, Mashle has a bit of the charm of Mob Psycho and One Punch man alike. The gags that come from Mashle simply muscling himself through different obstacles he faces both throws you off and makes you laugh. Paired with a bit of nostalgia for Harry Potter fans with tons of references to the book and the movies, you're definitely in for a treat. The series falls short in terms of character design and art, but the story is sometimes amusing enough to distract you from how badly the characters are drawn and the uninspiring panel designs.

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