REVIEW: ‘Mashle: Magic And Muscles’ Episode 11 — “Mash Burnedead And The Survival of the Fittest”

With no one left in his way but Abel, Mash prepares to finish the battle against the Magia Lupis once and for all. But as the confrontation plays out, there may be more to this fight than simply magic vs muscle in Mashle: Magic And Muscles Episode 11.

This week’s episode delivers on what ultimately boils down to an extended fight sequence. Most notable Abel, his agenda, and the motives that created it being fleshed out. A running monologue from Abel throughout the fight concerns these elements of his character. While nothing changes about his core Darwinian focus of the fittest ruling over everyone else, it does push some of his ideas further, deepening the depths of villainy the character represents. His plans for the world strike close to home for Mash, giving the young man even greater determination to give his all to defeat this opponent.

The element of Mashle: Magic And Muscles Episode 11 and its exploration of its villain that surprised me came with the revelation of what set Abel on this path in the first place. The tragedy that befell the young man that made him come to view humanity as a resource to be exploited is well handled and delivers a new element to the character. As viewers, we’re able to realize that this revelation doesn’t excuse any of Abel’s actions, but Mash’s is more susceptible to it. Mash’s willingness to deem anyone with the slightest excuse as “not that bad” is as eye-rolling now as it has been in the past.

The mixture of good exposition and a weak reaction to it provides a mixed secondary focus for this episode. The core of the story and the battle land in a similar space. The strong side of this imbalanced episode is the visual design. Some of Abel’s doll conjuring/transformation/manipulation spells are excellently visualized. The jarring movements and overall design of many of the opponents give the sequence a recurring, horror atmosphere. The various monstrosities feel like true threats, at least until Mash gets his hands on them.

Like every battle the star has taken part in, the confrontation in Mashle: Magic And Muscles Episode 11 is one-sided. This steals any sort of tension from the moment, but unlike many previous fights, the animation comes through to help bolster the encounter, allowing visual excitement to replace any sort of stakes the battle could’ve had. Mash’s many triumphs are a foregone conclusion, but he has never looked more impressive dispatching minions than he does here. A few key moments truly knock it out of the park thanks to the art driving home the biggest hits throughout the fight.

Sprinkled throughout the hits and exposition is a decent amount of the show’s humor. I appreciated where and when they laced these elements in, never coming too close to the episode’s heavier shots, even though some of the laughs fail to land.

All in all, Mashle: Magic And Muscles Episode 11 is one of the best entries of the show so far. Strong animation, coupled with some decent reveals combine to deliver an episode that manages to rise above the series’ persistent shortcomings. If it can continue to deliver like this the upcoming finale may yet bring a satisfying end to the season.

Mashle: Magic And Muscles Episode 11 is streaming on Crunchyroll.