Mashle: Shinkakusha Kouho Senbatsu Shiken-hen

Season 2 of Mashle was quite disappointing, even though it didn't differ from the first season that much. That is the problem though. Mashle is supposed to be a parody of fantasy tropes and specifically Harry Potter but it fell into the trap most parodies fall into. Instead of actively making fun of the tropes in fantasy media, it exaggerates them as an excuse for the lazy writing.

The writing itself is very simple which isn't a problem as long as there is something else keeping the story interesting. Watching Mash come up with crazy methods to beat his opponents was hilarious in season 1, but ... now it's already been 24 episodes of the same repeating formula. The formula has also gotten more simplistic from the first season, where the motivations of characters played an important role. Now the characters have been reduced to generic anime trope characters.

Lemon is the love interest, Dot is the generic hothead and Finn is the cowardly self insert and voice of reason. As a parody, having generic characters and then subverting the viewers expectations is fine, but it feels like these characters get barely any time to develop or show how they parody the tropes. Instead of parodying generic characters, Mashle simply repeats those tropes with no added flavor.

All in all the story is extremely generic and is filled with tropes. The fight scenes are great, but a little repetitive. As a parody anime Mashle repeated the same mistakes as others and has turned into what it set out to parody in the first place.

Mashle Season 2 - We are making non-stop bangers to the Divine Visionary with this one!

"Yeah...boy...

Cheating, gifted, rough techniques, wanted,
Contraindications, prohibitions, clearly a blind spot,
Violation, different dimension, it's totally out-of-this-world,
Impossible game; I never signed up for this with my name...
Ay, my rivals are all telling me,
Wow, my rivals are all telling me,
... Error struck, pure luck, never gonna admit,
Seriously? You're doing all of this...all brawn?"

In the vein of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump catalogue, mangaka Hajime Komoto's Mashle: Magic and Muscles is one of those Shonen series that does decently well since its beginnings from January 2020 to its eventual end in July 2023, and don't expect this to be in the same standing as say, Koyoharu Gotouge's Kimetsu no Yaiba a.k.a Demon Slayer. With the manga reaching a total of over 5 million copies before entering Season 1 last Spring, both Aniplex and Shueisha were betting on the show to bring the manga sensation to the small screen...and yet, it failed to do so with abysmal profit that the anime is not pushing manga sales (over 5 to 6 million from April to November) alongside a few hundred BD/DVD sales. Plus, a lukewarm reception over in the West, where people are not buying the conception of a "One Punch Man meets Harry Potter" parody show that'll do wonders, it's just not feasible enough.

That is, until the next chapter of Mashle arrives...the Shinkakusha Kouho Senbatsu Shiken-hen a.k.a The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc, and that's where the anime blew up into insanity of the hopes to revive dead sales and viewership, to the max. And in all cases, it really succeeds on that forefront. Seriously? You're doing all of this...all muscularity?

"It's brawn, it's brawn, yeah yeah yeah yeah...
Bling, Bang Bang, Bling Bang Bang Born,
Bling, Bang Bang, Bling Bang Bang Born."

With Season 2 covering from the continuation of Volume 5 to the beginning of Volume 9 of the manga, the Magia Lupus arc of House Lang's elite group led by its House leader Abel Walker having been dealt with by Mash (that stands for Mob, Asta, Saitama, Harry Potter) and Co., from which victory is celebrated and cream puffs in full attendance. Mash Burnedead must now set his sights and Brawn on continuing towards his main objective at the Hogwarts-imitation of Easton Magic Academy: to become a Divine Visionary, to save his old Gramps Regro from getting killed by the hands of corrupt police officer Brad Coleman. Mash's Bling has a Bang Bang, but hasn't truly manifested into a Bling Bang Bang Born yet.

"Before I show them my true ability,
My enemies run away without using their capability.
Raising the bar makes me vеry happy,
Cause I'm outstanding, absolutely at No. 1.
As always, I upgrade mysеlf every day... (Bling, bling, bling)
Don’t need anyone’s support cause I'm icier than your ice. (Icy)"

However, the Icy road to become a Divine Visionary is never easy, especially in a magic-stressed academy like Easton. Headmaster Dumbledore...erm, Wahlberg Baigan may have acknowledged Mash after his decimation on Magia Lupus, but the hurdle is just around the corner: the Divine Visionaries who are the best of the best of Easton Magic Academy, right behind Wahlberg himself.

They are:
- Ryoh Grantz, the Light Cane and captain of the Magic Security Forces. He is very conceited, one who shines attention on himself being the most handsome man and the greatest magic user. In truth however, he is incredibly skilled, kind and supportive towards citizens and anyone he deems "hot stuff", like Mash. His personal magic allows him to manipulate incredibly fast and powerful beams of light, which can slice through anything.
- Orter Mádl, the Desert Cane and a member of the Magical Power Administration. The elder brother of Wirth Mádl, the third Fang of Lang's Magia Lupus, he is a cruel and ruthless person, often willing to resort to extreme measures to maintain the current world order, setting his targets on Mash. His personal magic allows him to manipulate sand, granting him incredible versatility in both offense and defense.
- Kaldo Gehenna, the Flame Cane and head of the Magic Talent Administration. The man may look cheerful on the outside, but don't mistake it for kindness, for he's harsh and cunning, yet has a fondness for honey and adds ludicrous amounts to anything he eats, even sashimi. His personal magic allows him to manipulate fire, and he wields a sword enchanted with black flames that eternally burn anything the blade touches.
- Renatus Revol, the Immortal Cane and a member of the Magical Cemetery Administration. A lazy, whiny, and forgetful man, but is considered incredibly powerful even amongst the Visionaries, with his personal magic allowing him to summon undead body parts and renders him immortal. He's also able to regenerate from any possible injury.
- Tsurara Halestone, the Ice Cane and a member of the Magic Research Administration. A timid, clumsy, and always cold girl, her personal magic allows her to freeze anything, though she resents it and wishes her magic were something warm instead.
- Agito Tyrone, the Dragon Cane and a member of the Magical Creatures Administration. A rather quiet and emotional young man, he believes that life itself is inherently selfish, sinful, and painful, and suffers from an existential crisis as a result. His personal magic allows him to control his pet dragon and transform it into a larger form.
- Sophina Biblia, the Knowledge Cane and a member of the Forbidden Magical Texts Administration. She is calm, polite, and logical, with her personal magic that allows her to manipulate the words, and consequently, the actions of her targets.

Given the magnitude of the Divine Visionaries, one would easily crumble at the sight of just one person, let alone the entire team of 7 authoritarian figures. This, however, does not faze Mash, even in the slightest on his way to become part of them, which breaks the group's taboo of having someone without magic becoming a Divine Visionary.

"Might seem useless at first, but still, I'm very happy.
I’m crazed...my crew is fed up,
Blessed with great family and friends. (Happy)
I'm illegally invincible, so guys, let me be in charge. (Bang, Bang, bang...)
You won't find them in any textbooks or drill books,
My words are a curse with truly BAD looks. LISTEN:"

Sure, Mash and Co. are still great friends, but in the road towards the Divine Visionary exam, it's not exactly going to be a walk in the park. Pitting against each other and prominent characters that Mash has to deal with in the classic Shonen tournament-arc style, every single one of the candidates, be it friend or foe, Mash must put them down in order to rise up and be the No. 1 worthy candidate of all.

Above all, the two candidates of which Mash faces the strongest and BADDEST resistance during the test: Orca House's Margarette Macaron and Carpaccio Luo-Yang. The former being the House prefect and a double-liner, Macaron has two sides of appearance: a presentation as a tall buff man with a buzzcut, or the true form of a petite girl with wavy hair through metamorphosis when battling against Mash. She is obsessed with tartar sauce and strong opponents, believing that "boredom is death", with personal magic allowing her to manipulate sound. The latter, like Mash and Co., is a first-year student with the precedence from a Divine Visionary's Master Cane that grants him the inability to feel pain as the damage is absorbed by a goddess statue, which is then transferred to his enemies. Combined together, Carpaccio can inflict damage on himself without sustaining any pain or injury to damage his opponents off-guard.

If that danger's not apparent enough, then the "Big BAD Wolves" group of Innocent Zero will come to rock Mash's world the same, for someone who is seeking to become the ultimate human being. That, and its revelations in relation to Mash, will be kept secret (just for the review). So if you want to know, get back into Mashle, there's no better time than this to be reinvigorated back to the series. LISTEN:

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, just answer me:
Who's the best? I'm the best! Oh yeah~~~
I’m gonna go with just brawn
To the next, to the top of the world!"

With the same staff team over at A-1 Pictures, Mashle hits peak popularity in Volume 7 of the manga, which is exactly where the anime is at right now. And needless to say, Season 2 is so much greater than Season 1 with better production and much improved animation, considering that the same studio helms both this and the much-hyped adaptation of the King of all Korean Manhwas, Solo Leveling. To see the studio finally paying montage to their credibility, A-1 Pictures has amplified their positions this Winter, most certainly...to the next, to the Ichi'ban Ue.

"Now singin'
Bling Bang Bang, Bling Bang Bang, Bling Bang Bang Born (Now singin')
Bling Bang Bang, Bling Bang Bang, Bling Bang Bang Born (Now singin')
Bling Bang Bang, Bling Bang Bang, Bling Bang Bang Born
To the next, to the top of the world!"

It's a no brainer to say that the hip-hop rap group Creepy Nuts has done it again, but this time, on a global scale of popularity unprecedented in the history of anime. Next to YOASOBI's "Idol" for Oshi no Ko, Mashle's 2nd OP song "Bling Bang Bang Born" is more than just Jersey club track music and the feeling of Mash without magic in a magical world, fighting against a dark magical organization. The rap duo of R-Shitei and DJ Matsunaga personally finding Mash's predicament relatable to their careers, and created a mega hell of a banger song that has inflicted the entire world by storm. It's Japanese rap music at its finest, made by rap champions, for the current time millennia where social media (i.e. TikTok) is very much relevant nowadays, dancing to the comical chorus in groups through viral dance challenges, no matter the different languages. You cannot go one second without hearing the song blasting throughout Japan, which finally brings the name of Creepy Nuts to worldwide fame sensation and recognition. After Yokafushi no Uta a.k.a Call of the Night's OST of both "Daten" and "Yokafushi no Uta", "Bling Bang Bang Born" is without a hinge of a doubt, Creepy Nuts's standout masterpiece song of all time.

While not as impressive, Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku's ED song "Tokyo's Way!" is still a funky song that I initially was skeptical of its song quality from the beginning. But as time passes, I can acknowledge that it's a good ED, alongside the pseudo-real life depiction of Mash and Co., as well as the other characters driving in slick cars, while Mash pushes a car with all his muscle might. This is truly Mashle at its comedic finest.

All in all, Mashle's sequel season is a much-needed improvement from its premiere season last Spring, and it DESPERATELY needs that to elevate the source material to greater heights, which in my opinion, does the work and much more. I'm hoping that the sales will pick up and warrant for Season 3 and beyond, since we're already almost halfway through the complete adaptation of the series.

But for now...let us finish the review with the refrain to sing this:
"Ey-day, just staying the way I am, extremely flex~
Ey-day, no one in this world can interrupt me! (Don't test)
Ey-day, just staying the way I am, extremely flex~
Ey-day, no one in this world can interrupt me! (Don't test)"

*squeaky (naughty) bed noises to the beat*

*blows candle flame*

Good ol Mashle.

Good in the sense of what this anime is. It's as if we're caring on from the previous season, without missing a step. Making sure that it hasn't missed a beat, as certain second season shows can do that. Have a great start, but then fall off in the second season. Thankfully, Mashle isn't that by any of the stretch, and continues to be a good mix of seriousness, but also having some weird, and goofy moments to boot. As if it's the second coming Gintama. Which it no directly is, but if you've watched Gintama, you'll get the idea with it's semi ... serious nature, but throwing in silly and goofy moments throughout. Which sure, may make the serious moments less impactful, but who doesn't love good ol goofy fun?

Story and characters: 8
The story picks up from where we left off, and goes in with it's usual Mashle style. Setting up an engaging conflict, that should be treated with the up most respect. But because of the character reactions, it looks weird, and silly to boot. Like there is a part in it's third episode, which I won't spoil, which captures this in a nutshell. Which further reflects the new characters to the story. Which I can bet as the show rolls on more, they'll stand on their own two feet, and we'll like them for their own reasons too.

Art and sound: 8
To touch on the art and sound of the second season. There isn't really anything I could really say, that I haven't said in the first season review of it.It's got a great polish, and looks as good as it did in the first season. Can't put a foot wrong with it, and you can tell there is a level of care, and love on both ends for this show. it's a blast, and I'm sure all will love it for both of these reasons alone.

Mashle fans will be pleased that the show has returned with a bang, and if new people like it, I'd recommend checking out season 1 first, then come back to here. You're going to enjoy it from start to finish. While it's not a standout, but what it is, is good action fun.

Mashle started better in the first 12 episodes than it ends after the other 12. It's a decent show that can go both ways later, but this half of the season feels lacking in pace, humor and anything to keep me occupied while watching the show.
Sure, there were some fights, the main secret got out of the box now and there was set up for the antagonist and the meta plot.
However it doesn't feel all that impressive at this point.
Mashle felt fun when MC was fooling around with his fake magic, but now they don't really bother anymore with that and it starts feeling one ... punch man without everything that made one punch man good. The story takes itself too seriously for the overall level absurdity and I would prefer it be more chill.
It took me like 4 days going back and forth at it to finish these 12 episodes and it was borderline passable for me.

I hope they pick up the pace next season, otherwise I will probably drop it at this rate. Gimmick can't keep me for too long.

A-1 Pictures has already started the year with a bang. They're bringing us Mashle and Solo Leveling and they both have amazing animations! I'm really loving this second season of Mashle much more than the first, it's incredibly fun. The opening is a banger and the ending is crazy stylish.

Animation/Art - The character designs in Mashle S2 are still as beautiful and impeccable as in the first season. Producing a busy anime with this high level of detail in the characters is a lot of work, which is definitely worth praising. Congratulations to Mashle's production team.

Overall rating - If you're looking for a light show ... with a good story, a great soundtrack and characters that make you laugh a lot I highly recommend you watch this series.

Mashle is the perfect example of those typical type of shows that we say, turn your brain off and just watch it. However even if you just want to watch something for the sake of watching something. There is hardly anything to find that is less entertaining than this.

The story is basic and repetitive. Perhaps if you liked Harry Potter you can give this a chance, because its basically HP and One Punch Man combined. Unfortunately we haven’t seen anything special or unexpected and probably never will. Although it had a promising potential, I just can’t see any signs after watching two seasons that they’ll ... try to even take this a little bit more seriously in the future. Therefore expecting to see something meaningful and interesting after this season is pushing it.

I keep hearing that regardless of how mundane its premise is, it has a decent animation at least.

Let me be clear and honest about this, the animation is trash. Respectfully, this is below the standards of any mainstream media, not even considering that we are already in 2024, but Im sure you can find anime from the year before 2010 that has significantly better animation qualities than this.

Not just the luck of animation what is present, but the artistry of the characters, landscapes and even the backgrounds depiction is really mildly done.

I also have to mention the FPS (frame per second) which is incredibly low as well. Except a few fight scenes where we can see 12-15 fps at best, but for the most part we staring at a pretty low 3-6 fps which is pretty bad.

For comparison anime like this usually rocks between 12-24 FPS. Only crazy studios like Ufotable and Kyoto Animation just for a two examples had produced episodes that were reached 45 FPS or even more. Still, in Mashle’s case it feels like a drag to watch. Not as bad as Majo to Yajuu, but new animes really struggle with production quality, or maybe they just don’t care as much..

(Maybe, it is due to the fact that consumers standards are dropping significantly). As for a lot of people this is going to be the norm standard, no wonder Frieren is “masterpiece”.

Overall, I can’t recommend Mashl to anyone, although it seems everyone is pretty much liking it.. It certainly had a vibrant opening which made use of in some parties recently. Other than that, what is really missing from the new gen anime is the faint trace of real passion and magic, which Mashle has none.

Thank you for reading!

This show just fell off a cliff.

Reiterating from my previous review, this show is a face-slapping type one. The main character, who seemingly has no talent or is completely outclassed by his arrogant, talented, and genius opponents somehow subverts expectations by beating them anyways. No matter the OP magic or talent that these genius people have, Mash will always find a way to destroy them with just brute force strength. No less also using complete out of the box methods which adds to the comedic absurdity of the show. To illustrate an example, Mash forms a tennis racket out of his wand and does a ... serve to hit his opponent who is wielding OP magic which makes him invulnerable to pain and beats him.

The problem is that the show got way too serious, the fights became way too boring, and characters were always a weak point in this show. Lets go by them one by one.

First off is the story. Sorry, I'm here to watch Mash pretend to be a magician while using muscles to destroy his competition in a comedic manner. Instead we get some BS arc about Mash needing to become a divine visionary (which is fine in it by itself), but the problem lies in the fact that it's all so very serious. He does it to stand up for poeple who aren't born with magical talent, and he also does it to prove himself useful in the fight against Innocent Zero (An evil organization I can't care less about). Clearly the show isn't even trying to be serious despite the theme seemingly being so. For example, Mash is the only known documented unmagical person in the show. Curious how there aren't any people that lack magic used as slaves or something to support political tension or anything. Nope, the theme is just pulled out of the authors ass to create plot. That also includes lack of political intrigue, where people are using Mash as a pawn piece for their little power games, but instead it's just devolved into the headmaster helping him out. Who the hell cares? So despite there being a seemingly serious plotline, I can't really think it anymore than some comedic show anyways. Characters similarly are there for mere comedic purposes, but more on that later.

Fights are also just way too boring. Part of the fun of Mashle was Mash pretending to be a magic user. Now that the cat's out of the bag, the fights become way more lackluster. This also comes as a problem due to the complete lack of creativity in the fights and environments. There's obviously tournament arcs or battle matches to be fought, but they're so tame compared to actual fun battle shows like Bobobobo or something. The matches have too much of a simple theme and rules. For example, one of the matches in this season is where you have to collect keys from seemingly immortal phantoms. You'd think this would create situations where people would camp exits to snatch keys from people who have ingenious methods, but the show doesn't even bother with that. Secondly, the character abilities themselves are super boring. While people in the first season had kind of interesting or unique abilities, like dragging people underwater to their own subworld, this season just features generic OP superpower magic that Mash beats. Going back to the tennis racket example fight, that is a fight that Mash should have never won. The person he fought against has the ability to reflect pain and receive none of it, so if he just decapitates his head he would win instantly. Obviously for comedic purposes this isn't what happened. The whole point of the show is that Mash overpowers his opponents in funny ways, but he just wins due to plot armor at this point. The point of the show is that Mash overpowers his opponents due to his own ingenious ideas or powers, but instead it's just his opponents acting stupid. None of the fights are interesting because it's just his opponents acting completely stupid rather than Mash acting smart. Fights are also very boring because they feature boring magic. There's no fun magic that gets shown, it's just generic super OP powers like moving at the speed of sound.

Finally, the characters are a complete joke. The friends that Mash hangs around with are all so one dimensional. A random lovestruck girl, the coward tsukommi, and the obnoxiously annoying boke. Despite the show forcing a interactions with Mash and his friends, it's all extremely unfunny it's all just the same tropey jokes being pulled over and over again. Again, the only fun part of season 1 was the face-slapping bit, so the comedic interactions that the author attempts are just all so useless. The antagonists and enemies are even more of a joke. They're even more boring and lack any presence. One of the enemies is an obvious villian type character where he treats humans like trash and thinks anyone born without talent is useless. Wasn't that the same exact personality of Abel Walker, the person that Mash beat last season? It's all so repetitive and generic. These enemies that Mash face have no personality, and they repeat the same pattern of having OP magic and getting beat by Mash before turning a new leaf.

To illustrate the complete lack of good characters or fights, lets look at Frieren. There's a magical examination arc in that show as well, but the contrast is stark. In Frieren, despite very little screen time, each character isn't just a generic archetype. They work together with each other, have unique magical abelites that puts as having different advantages and disadvantages in battle. The environment vastly changes the fight as their magic interacts with them. Even the theme of the challenges are really being used to their full limits, with teams using their magic and surroundings to their full ability to fulfill the tasks given. Because there are some team challenges, characters are forced to work together which also brings character development and also more interesting fights. The fights make a lot of logical sense since you've been exposed to the history of how battle between magicians has evolved. People use more physical attribute magic compared to pure magical forces because of the advanced defensive system that's been developed, for example.

The only good thing about this show got ruined, and all of the other aspects of this show are completely outclassed.

BIG EDIT .

I had been misinformed that the show was only 23 episodes instead of 24 - so I actually missed the last episode. I previously rated this a 6, but it is definitely almost an 8. Mashle is a very light-hearted, comedic show. It is self aware about it's tropes (at least most of the time) and plays along with them. I believe this show is a great watch for those that don't want something serious but still want an underdog/revenge type show. My biggest concern is how they rushed the final arc - it didn't feel conclusive at all, but then again, this ... isn't a show that's trying to be known for it's incredible plot.

Will stay tuned for season 3.

My conclusion / review is going to be simple -

If you liked the first season, you're in for a treat with Season 2! The action scenes got even cooler, and the opening song by "Creepy Nuts" is a real banger. So, if Season 1 is your cup of tea, then Season 2 is a no-brainer.

Now, if Season 1 wasn't your thing, maybe give Season 2 a pass.

I won't dive into all the boring details like genre and synopsis – you can find that stuff on the website. I loved Season 1, and I'm still enjoying Season 2. Trust me, I'm sticking around for ... all the future "MASHLE" seasons!

Catch you on the binge-watch train! [Skyler]

Mashle: Shinkakusha Kouho Senbatsu Shiken-hen/ mashle second season.
Overview
The Mashle season 1 was good in terms of its quirky comedy harry potty style, however it is not the same as season 2. its whole entire premise just became increasingly different in many ways. The story is the same and continued from season 1 of course but I feel it’s gotten a lot better in terms of characters and art style. The comedy has gone up a notch and the seriousness has improved greatly too. I absolutely love how the funny parts really catch me off guard, not just in season 1 but a lot ... more in season 2 because it is not the same copy and paste jokes or scenes like most other animes do.
Story 6/10
I do like the story but with most comedy type animes they really do sacrifice development in the story telling parts which they could introduce sooner or maybe a little later just to show how powerful the main character really is, or we get some more background of a character nevertheless so far I think the way its heading they will hopefully have a climax at the end of the show which is exciting to see or we get a third season to follow afterwards.
Art style 9/10
Not sure what it is but ever since they added more characters to the anime, I feel they really captured every aspect of creating a well-designed character. The art style has gone up a lot, the opening song is so wacky and all over the place its funny I love it. The colorfulness and scenes are good now.
Sounds 8/10
I love the opening song I will put the sounds up there for sure just for that alone. I do think the audio in the anime is good in terms of atmosphere is just fantastic too. I love everything with the music and just the comedy sounds… cough the recent episode got me in stitches with the cleverly sound uses they had for some of the characters….
Character 10/10
They really made these characters jump out more and show how serious these characters are and their importance to the anime itself, but I feel they are lacking in showing them participate in tournaments how strong they are or how effective they are in the story. They rather just add them to look powerful, and show a powerful appearance, which is fine too, I guess.
Enjoyment 8/10
This anime is hilarious to watch I love how funny it is and can’t get enough how the opening song, the main characters, and you know what? I love how the rest of the others add that spark of funny into it as well they are all comedians, the voice actors.
I cannot wait to see the ending or another season of this anime. it’s just got suspense and just a lot of hilarious parts I can’t shake when it seems it started getting serious, but it hasn’t …. I hope it continues for another season!
Happy watching fellow anime watchers.

If you've seen Season 1, you know how silly and crazy this anime can be. Season 2 adds on even more silliness and craziness and does it arguably better than S1.

Let's start off with the music. I mean, the opening is the #1 hit song on the global charts on YouTube and has been for a few weeks now. The opening is that great. I hope it doesn't die down now that the season is done.

Now, onto the show. S1 was more about Mash getting the requirements to go do the divine visionary trials. This season is about him doing the trials along with his ... friends, as well as facing judgment now that more people know he doesn't have any powers, though I think his superior physical abilities can be an exception. Ultimately, though, this show focuses more on the comedic side of things like breaking the 4th wall, random gags at times, etc. But it also has the aspect of wanting Mash to just prove the haters wrong. That his strength more than qualifies him to exist in the same world as them. Then, you also got a little twist near the end of this season that adds on to Mash's backstory, so have fun with that.

Overall: The show is great. Love it, and can't wait for S3.

I found myself somewhat enjoying this anime, although the comedy didn't always hit the mark for me. While certain episodes managed to elicit more laughter, showcasing a better execution of humor, the inconsistency in comedic delivery meant that the overall amusement was uneven. The series does a commendable job of poking fun at common shonen tropes, which adds an interesting layer for viewers familiar with the genre. However, this aspect alone wasn't enough to fully captivate my interest or significantly enhance my viewing experience. Taking everything into consideration, I would rate it a 6 out of 10

The uniqueness of the story varies; while it ... employs some familiar tropes that might feel predictable to seasoned viewers of the genre, I found enjoyment in the familiarity and execution typical of this setup, indicating a preference for this genre. The art style, with its distinct flair, complements the narrative well, capturing the essence and atmosphere of the story effectively, which enhances the overall viewing experience.

Characters in this series are developed with a balance of strengths and flaws, making them relatable and multidimensional. However, there are moments when characters might seem to lean too heavily into being overly strong, smart, or, conversely, lack common sense, which could detract from their believability. Their reactions to various situations and events generally feel authentic, though there are instances where responses might come across as exaggerated or overly dramatized for effect.

Even if my personal enjoyment was mixed, I believe this series has the potential to appeal to a wider audience, particularly those who appreciate this genre or are looking for characters with a blend of commendable traits and human imperfections. The way it plays with common tropes and its art style could be drawing points for many, while others might find certain predictabilities or character archetypes less appealing.

The first season of this anime was fine; for many, it was great, and I understand why. But honestly, it wasn't quite my cup of tea from the start. Still, I rated the first season 6 out of 10 as decent, slightly above average. However, the second season... Well, the creator tried to make everything bigger, more epic, with abilities becoming increasingly nonsensical, and they kept using the same formula for everything. As a result, for me, it’s a much worse experience in every aspect. The first season perfectly balanced fantasy and parody, but in the second season, it simply doesn’t work. The abilities are ... absurdly overpowered, and the main character only stands a chance against them either by luck, due to the opponent's stupidity, or simply because the ability was designed in such a way that only the main hero can defeat it. This last point isn't bad per se, but it would make sense for the story finale, not as a common occurrence. The jokes are weaker, and the anime tries to be all badass and edgy, but then throws in a cheap joke. While in the first season, it worked in perfect harmony, here it just feels dumb, and the elements end up undermining each other. In a short amount of time, we get a bunch of new characters, but none of them are more interesting than the completely ordinary characters from the first season, who barely get any screen time in the second season, which is a shame. What definitely lifts the anime is the catchy opening, no doubt about that, with fine animation and background music. But for me, the story, humor, and balance are a disaster.

The opening was the only thing that saved this show to be honest. This season just became repetitive real quick. The new characters being forgettable did not help as well. Problem occurs/enemy appears , a sticky situation ensues.... CREAM PUFF. POW POW PUNCH.... over and over and over. I genuinely liked the anime the first season and thought that this had good potential as it reminded me of One Punch Man in terms of entertainment. But cmon.... felt like the show did not try at all to level up and showcase more to the audience. I honestly thought of dropping this show at one point ... but continued through because I liked the first season. No suspense. Every character was super annoying other than 1 or 2 of the main characters.

The story is very pointedly not over even as this anime adaptation coasts to a pausing point. The Divine Visionary exams haven't even properly wrapped yet, so how Mash finishes that remains to be seen. I already enjoyed Mashle, but this season was such a clear, immediate improvement on the first that I'd gladly take another season to see where else they could go. The fact that there's an obvious arc for a full story with an ending they can (eventually) reach makes an even stronger case to continue it with that objective. Here's hoping that Mashle doesn't spend too much time taking a break ... from working out, and can come back with another set of reps soon.

Mashle: Shinkakusha Kouho Senbatsu Shiken-hen

Another example of how a good comedy doesn't need a serious or real plot.

Magic and Muscles was one of the most creative series you can find and definitely something many would have wished for. We have a world very similar to Harry Potter, a silly and super strong protagonist and perfectly spiced macabre silly humour.

That was the recipe for success, nothing more. The writer should have kept exactly what we had in the first season. The pacing was decent, the story was amusing and everything had a well-built joke at the end. Instead in the second season they had ... to build up a shounen and give 2 episodes long fights for the enemies.

Not only that, the pacing was disastrous. The scenes dragged on forever, especially the final fight. It was just mediocre, that's all there was to it. In particular, the plot and sequence was extremely clichéd and there was hardly any humour.

Magic and Muscles was an anime that I could watch 4 episodes a day. It ended with me needing 4 weeks to finish the second season, it was so disappointing and boring. And that can really break your heart after the successful first season.

My personal opinion 3

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

The second season of Mashle: Magic and Muscles - The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc continues to make haphazard use of parody to mask its uninspired writing. The line between satire and imitation is thin. Moreover, this repetitive approach requires the comedy to land without exception. In this case, predictable storytelling, nonsensical solutions, and eccentric personalities are less humorous and more a lack of sincerity and substance in the narrative. Furthermore, none of the obstacles presented, whether various trials, minor antagonists, or Innocent Zero, had weight. And unfortunately, the animation ranged widely from short, well-animated scenes to still, panned frames. Though the soundtrack still slaps!

Mashle's second season is a blast from start to finish. It may not be a groundbreaking masterpiece, but it delivers on its promise of good action fun. The show's consistency and commitment to its unique blend of tones make it a joy to watch.

For both Mashle enthusiasts and newcomers, I recommend giving the first season a watch before diving into this one. The return of Mashle is met with a bang, offering an entertaining ride filled with laughter, action, and a touch of the peculiar.

In a nutshell, if you're seeking a lighthearted series with a solid story, a fantastic soundtrack, and characters that'll leave you ... in stitches, Mashle: Second Season is a must-watch.

This second season continues the adventure of Mash and his troop of generic followers, with not many changes as far as jokes (incredibly repetitive and basic: boring at this point), the creativity well dried like midway through season 1 and it shows. The writing is sort of like a parody of a lot of things, but since it is subpar it comes off as ripping off many concepts from things like Harry Potter and One punch man without absorbing anything worthwhile.

Anything that made me want to watch another season evaporated long ago, this season is just a collection of challenges and fights with very low ... quality animation (looks ok if you watch in 2x speed, which you should do if you want to watch this piece of garbage), the story is so mind-numbingly bad that it feels hard to even pay attention to it, it is basic, generic, formulaic, predictable, monotonous, dull... I can go on.

The pacing is atrocious, one of the worst things about this anime, since all of the criticisms above could've been sort of alleviated through avoiding the incredibly long monologues and explanations... The writer likes to tell, not show, so everything drags on for a long time, even fights are constantly interrupted by boring explanations about motivations, origins, etc... But somehow we never get interesting explanations about the nature of magic, why every family seems to have their own unique magic, why the magic facial lines are so unique for everyone, how did the world came to be so eugenicist, how is the world shaped, what cultures and economic classes there are, etc...

This season introduces some new terribly written characters like Margarette Macaron... First off, what's that name? Sounds like a brainrot meme, may as well just call him Capuchina Ballerina and be done with it. His magic lines are very off the norm, they're musical notes, they're ugly and seem contradictory to the nature of all other facial lines shown up to this point, but we can't really tell since the writer doesn't like explaining much, other than people's backgrounds. His magic is musical also, poor choice, everything here seems to be a force of nature incarnate: fire, lightning, gravity, illusions (light?), wind, transmogrification... Even the ones shown later like time and space manipulation fit the theme better.

Mashle is a fitting name, since this is a mish mash of poorly conceived (or stolen) concepts without a solid grasp of writing, character development, pacing, animating, etc... The sound is basic also but the intro is catchy, it's actually what originally brought me to this crappy anime. I knew this season was gonna be a raging heap of shit when I saw Tralalero Tralala, or whatever his name is, pop up with a f*ing treble clef (𝄞) in his androgynous face.

In the second season of mashle the story mostly strays away from being a Harry Potter parody and starts doing its own thing. Whether this is a good or bad thing is up to you.

The main storyline in the anime is quite interesting still. The world as a whole resists Mash's existence and he has to contend with all kinds of different people, ranging from powerful to peasant, demanding his execution. The discussions that take place around whether Mash should be allowed to live are often genuinely interesting but it is also cringe when his friends stand up for him because of how little ... of a personality they have. The fights are also still neat but they are not frequent enough, don't feature mash enough and suffer from characters narrating every single action that happened, often saying the same thing in multiple different ways, which drags out fights and makes them boring. In lots of fights Mash isn't even present all that much because of the excessive narration and fights ending quickly after he appears.

The excessive narration makes it feel like the anime treats you like a recently lobotomised person, unable to understand the most simple concepts who needs to be handheld throughout the entire fight. They then further insult your intelligence by listing off some incorrect animal trivia that can be proven wrong using a quick google search and repeat the words "noblesse oblige" around 50 times like a toddler that just learned a new word. The most outlandish claim in the anime was that Mash was only able to dodge an attack at the speed of sound because he was touching a wall and sound travels through solids faster than it does through air. This would be a smart way to explain him dodging the attack were it not for the fact that Mash could literally see his opponent and since light travels around 50000x as fast as sound does through a solid, this entire explanation is nothing short of bullshit. Basically, don't think too deeply about anything that this anime says if you do watch it.

The characters are still extremely one-dimensional and the humor isn't good. A guy saying the word bamboo over and over is what I'd expect from a tv-show made for six year olds. The one-dimensional characters are also problematic when there's supposed to be emotional speeches about why Mash should be allowed to live and instead it's just the character whose only trait is being in love with Mash saying something cringy.

The animation was good and the anime looked nice. The opening a banger and the music in the anime was good too.

Overall this anime can be fun. If you enjoyed the previous season and liked the characters then you can enjoy this season too. Personally however the humor just wasn't funny to me and the story and sparse fights that did involve mash couldn't make up for the useless narration and cringe or incorrect moments.