10 Best Anime Like ‘Mashle’
Mashle Season 2 recently ended, but anime fans all around the world already want more!
Mashle: Magic and Muscles follows the story of Mash Burnedead, the only non-magical person in a magical world where one’s worth is dictated by their magical power and skills. As he becomes a student at the renowned Easton Magic Academy, he must earn his place and become a Division Visionary with his strength alone.
Season three has yet to be announced, but it is highly likely one will come soon. If you’re one of the people anticipating A-1 Pictures to announce Mashle‘s renewal, then try checking out these anime series to make the wait more bearable.
1. Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto
Released in 2012, Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto follows the life of Sakamoto, a high school student considered flawless by his peers. Renowned for his coolness by his peers, Sakamoto tends to find himself pranked by jealous male students in his school. Though they try to make Sakamoto look like a fool, this genius always ends up the victor and somehow looks even cooler at the end of it!
Similar to Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto, Mash often finds himself tested by other students in his school. Despite not having any magical ability, Mash manages to outperform his classmates in sports, classes, and battle, which has led many to consider Mash their rival. However, when they challenge him, they soon discover just how strong Mash is—literally.
2. The Daily Life of the Immortal King
Okay, The Daily Life of the Immortal King is technically a donghua (Chinese animation), but it’s so good that it has to be added to the list. Forgive me, please. Anyway, the series follows Wang Ling, an invincible being who has vanquished powerful demons but tries to blend in with the people. As his body turns 16 years old, he must face a whole new challenge: high school.
Wang Ling and Mash have their differences, but they have one major similarity: They are both strong as hell. While Mash tries to hide the fact that he has no powers, Wang Ling is trying to hide the fact that he is an all-powerful being. Can they do it?
3. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K
With 120 episodes, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K is one of the best shows if the wait for Mashle season 3 becomes agonizingly long. The anime follows the life of Kusuo Saiki, a student with psychic abilities who tries to hide his special powers from his peers. Throughout the show, Saiki finds himself in relatively normal scenarios but uses his powers in the most random ways to get rid of any hardships.
Saiki and Mashe have similar temperaments; both are largely stoic, serious, and can’t tell when something is a joke. Both also have major secrets they want to remain under wraps, but as things become more complicated, the harder it is to keep them hush-hush.
4. Black Clover
With four seasons and a smash-hit movie, Black Clover should definitely be on your must-watch list. The story follows Asta, a young teen born into the world with no magical ability. Despite his lack of mana, Asta is bestowed a grimoire that allows him to utilize anti-magic. With his weapon and physical strength, Asta joins the Black Bulls Magic Knight squad in the hopes of becoming the next Wizard King.
Though Asta and Mash’s personalities differ greatly, with Asta being loud, hyper, and energetic and Mash being largely stoic and expressionless, they are similar in the sense that they are non-magical beings in a world where everyone has some magical ability. They are both seen pursuing their dreams despite their lack of magic and beating anyone who comes their way.
5. One-Punch Man
If you ask someone for an anime like Mashle, the likely answer you’ll receive is One-Punch Man. It’s not hard to see why; both anime series have expressionless main characters who are renowned for their superhuman strength and who join organizations with specific goals in mind. If that premise is what drew you to Mashle, then you’ll no doubt love One-Punch Man.
One-Punch Man follows Saitama, a superhero who trained so hard that he can beat any enemy with a single punch. Though he has trained to be super strong, he has grown bored of his battles due to how easy they are. As he meets cyborg Genos, he begins a new life as a hero as a member of the Hero Association, where he battles even bigger foes.
6. Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-Kun
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-Kun follows the life of young teen Iruma Suzuki. After being adopted by the demon Sullivan, Iruma is enrolled in the Babyls School for Demons. As the only human student in the school, Iruma must keep his identity hidden at the risk of being eaten if found out.
Both Mash and Iruma harbor major secrets—secrets that, if revealed, could cost them their lives. Because of their secrets, they’ve developed other skills to survive: for Mash, it’s his super strength, and for Iruma, it’s his agility and adaptability. However, that doesn’t stop them from befriending other people and even acting a little gullible. They are both characters that you can’t help but love, despite how naive they act.
7. Bungo Stray Dogs
Okay, I’ll admit it. Bungo Stray Dogs do get significantly darker than Mashle. However, the sudden comedic breaks in the series remind me heavily of how funny the former can be even during battle scenes, so it just felt right to include it!
Bungo Stray Dogs follows Atsushi Nakajima. After “saving” Osamu Dazai from drowning in the river, he discovers he has the supernatural ability to turn into a white tiger in the moonlight. As he was kicked out of the orphanage he lived in, Atsushi started working at the Armed Detective Agency, which solves crimes that were deemed too dangerous for police to handle. The catch? All members (well, almost all) have their own unique gift.
8. My Hero Academia
In a world where everyone has a power (also known as a Quirk), Izuku Midoriya (also known as Deku) is born Quirk-less. One day, he meets his role model and the world’s greatest hero, All Might. After learning his secret, Deku inherits his Quirk, “One For All.” Though clumsy with his new power, Izuku Midoriya is accepted into the U.A. High School, where he learns how to be a Hero.
Both Midoriya and Mash are outliers in their worlds; after all, they are the ones born without powers. The biggest difference is that Midoriya ultimately does get powers and learns how to use them, while Mash must pursue his goals with the strength of his body alone. However, they are still similar in that sense—after all, Midoriya’s powers are a glamorized form of super strength!
9. Mob Psycho 100
If you are a fan of both Mashle and The Disastrous Life of Saiki K, then you need to watch Mob Psycho 100. The story follows Shigeo Kageyama, who is nicknamed Mob. Though he may appear normal, he actually has a major secret: He is an esper with monumental psychic abilities. Wanting to live a normal life like his peers, Mob decided to work as an assistant to self-proclaimed spirit medium Arataka Reigen in the hopes of learning how to control his powers.
The biggest similarities between the two series are Mob and Mash as characters. Though both largely stoic, they are fiercely loyal to their friends and will go to great lengths to protect them, even at the risk of exposing their secret. They are also rather air-headed at times, not noticing how big the situation is until they are in the thick of it.
10. The Misfit of Demon King Academy
The Misfit of Demon King Academy follows the story of Anos Voldigoad, a demon king who sacrificed his own life for peace to flourish. After being reincarnated 2,000 years later, Anos has found the world he once ruled in worse conditions than he had hoped; lower-class hybrid demons are discriminated against by pureblood demons, and magic as a whole has gone downhill. Now technically a hybrid himself, Anos resolves to earn his demon king title back. The only problem? He has to graduate from the Demon King Academy first.
Looking for an overpowered MC like Mash? Then you might want to check out The Misfit of Demon King Academy. While Mash is strong due to his resolve and training, Anos is strong due to his innate magical abilities. With his own magic and the help of his new-found friendships, will he be successful in reclaiming the throne and ruling over the kingdom once more?
(featured image: Bones Inc., A-1 Pictures)
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