REVIEW: ‘Mashle: Magic and Muscles’ Episode 18 — “Mash Burnedead And You Look, You Lose Your Life”

With the Divine Visionary Exam in full swing, Mash Burnedead (Chiaki Kobayashi) and his friends are in a fight for their lives. But with a moment of downtime between exams, hopefully, they’ll be able to prepare for what comes next in Mashle: Magic and Muscles Episode 18.

This episode opens with some insight into Margarette Marcon. We get to see how Macron stacks up against some of the other students participating in the Exam. The scene does a good job of re-establishing the character’s arrogance. As he squares off against a pair of aspiring mages, his disdain for them practically oozes off the screen. The brief clash that sees Macron overwhelm his foes brings this portion of the exam to a close, as one team becomes fully eliminated from the event.

Once the teams return to the arena, Mashle Episode 18 spends the middle portion of its narrative oscillating between establishing peril and reveling in the idiocy of its cast. We get a couple of different sequences with supporting cast members as the danger presented by Macron is explored. The character’s ruthlessness and power are repeatedly driven home. With how easily Mash rolls over most foes, it’s understandable why the series would feel like it needs to drive home a threat for the viewer to accept it might be credible.

Undercutting these attempts to build tension are the series’ stars. We see both Mash and Lemon giving interview-style monologues about their motivations for what they do. However, it revealed that they are talking to a wall. Mash just randomly started talking for no reason, and Lemon decided to follow suit. These moments that go nowhere are followed up by more absurd antics that the series desperately tries to make funny by directly calling out how absurd they are. It’s like the series isn’t sure the viewer will be able to tell what is ridiculous for its cast to do at this point. Rather than risk it, it will clue you in.

The wacky proceedings are interrupted when the head of the Magic Talent Administration approaches Mash. He wishes to challenge Mash to a test. If he succeeds, he can skip the next part of the Visionary Exam. Mash agrees to a game of You Look, You Lose.

The contest is the highlight of Mashle Episode 18. The game’s unique premise creates some interesting elements for the viewer to enjoy. Mash puts some impressive acts of dexterity on display that require a sense of coordination rather than simply raw power. The sequence is also paced out well. The challenges presented are allowed to go on just long enough to build up to an interesting finale. While Mash doesn’t manage to succeed at the test, his tester is willing to call it a draw due to outside interference. So he’s no better or worse than he was before.

While it’s nice to see Mash fail at something, the circumstances surrounding the shortfall and the lack of repercussions make it feel more like a meta moment than anything else. Like the series knows Mash will never stumble when it matters, so it lets him once when it doesn’t. Just so no one can say Mash never fell short.

From here, Mashle Episode 18 returns to the arena for the next stage of the exams. Now, participants are being paired up to duel. First up, Mash and Macron. The opening showdown between the pair is the episode’s closest attempt at successful comedy. Mash asks for a pause to eat one of his trademark cream puffs for energy before the fight. Macron applauds the idea, wishing to consume some fish and tartar sauce. Spinning the expected shonen prefight smack talk into a snack fest has a moment of novel humor. However, the moment goes much too hard, as Macron starts obsessively dunking his fish in the most annoying manner possible. There was almost genuine humor here. Almost.

The fight’s opening moments deliver the physics-defying feats of strength and speed the show has made its bread and butter. Macron’s initial magical attacks are handled skillfully by Mash. Even when it looks like he might be on the ropes, the episode goes out of its way to showcase how it was never a threat. Lest the illusion of Mash’s invulnerability be broken. Macron is also able to shrug off the first of Mash’s physical attacks, separating him from previous enemies who would crumple at the hero’s touch.

Despite its mixed bag of tones and narrative elements, Mashle Episode 18 manages to get the story to the next big boss fight. Hopefully, the ensuing battle will be worth the journey.

Mashle: Magic and Muscles Season 2 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.