YMMV / Mashle: Magic and Muscles

• Anvilicious: This show is extremely not subtle about the message that one’s worth as a human is not determined by how strong they are or what they can bring to society, and that it is the responsibility of the strong to protect the weak. The comically evil villains will dramatically monologue about how the weak don’t deserve to live and how the strong inherently deserve to make the rules and oppress the weak simply because they are strong, and it is better for the human species overall. Our main character is almost killed because it’s thought that his inability to use magic is bad for the species overall. He spends the entire series showing that he is strong even without magic—shooting down these evil monologue as utter nonsense and not even giving them the time of day. His mentor proudly proclaims multiple times that he is good because he embodies the truth that the strong must protect the weak. Although Tropes Are Tools is in play as this creates a sense of Catharsis Factor at seeing utterly deplorable people gets whats coming to them in the most comical and humiliating ways.
• Awesome Music:
  • "Knock Out" by Okazaki Taiiku, the opening theme for the first season, is a rockin' tune celebrating Mash's ability to be a hero despite the fact that his MP is effectively zero.
  • "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by rap duo Creepy Nuts is the opening for The Divine Visionary Selection Arc and serves as a slightly lower key anthem for Mash's assertions of his right to be himself. The song itself is such an Ear Worm that there are tons of videos of people doing Mash's dance from the chorus, even the voice actors themselves.
  • The score "Serious Steel" is a fitting power-up theme song that sets the stage for Mash to perform an awesome feat.
  • "Creampuff Funk", the closing song for the first season, is a fun upbeat number.
  • "Tokyo's Way", the closing song for the second season, is a rap beat that brings Mash and his friends to Tokyo.
• Catharsis Factor: In a world where not only Muggles but even magic-users are abused and bullied by corrupt bastards with authority, seeing Mash humiliate and beat them through his own sheer strength and nothing else is immensely satisfying.
• Cliché Storm: Naturally as a parody to Shōnen works, the manga does have many used tropes. It's part of its charm.
• Friendly Fandoms: Unsurprisingly, there is an overlap between fans of Mashle and Harry Potter given that the former is an Affectionate Parody of the latter. Some fans even declared that Mashle portrayed the Magical Society way better than Harry Potter.
• Just Here for Godzilla:
  • Some of the viewers come just to see how a magic-less protagonist can make his way around a world of magical hazards.
  • The series' sales completely spiked due to people wanting to check it out because of the opening '"Bling-Bang-Bang-Born".
• Periphery Demographic: Though a shonen manga, a significant part of Mashle readers are adult women (often affectionately called "Mashle Moms").
• Spiritual Successor: To One-Punch Man and Black Clover, both featuring super-strong outsider heroes who join a organization with members who utilize some kind of superpower (the former involves superhumans rather than magicians).
• They Copied It, So It Sucks!: While it's not a majority, some people complain that Mashle borrows heavily from ONE's library of work (One-Punch Man, Mob Psycho 100) and other shonen manga, to the point of it being thought of as a rip-off. However, many others don't mind it and are still able to enjoy the story.

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