10 best anime like Mashle: Magic and Muscles

My Hero Academia, One Punch Man, and Demon Slayer
My Hero Academia, One Punch Man, and Demon Slayer (Image via Bones, Madhouse, and Ufotable)

Mashle: Magic and Muscles is a popular manga and anime series that follows Mash Burnedead, a boy born without magic in a world where magic is everything. Mash has trained his body to physical perfection, allowing him to take on formidable magic users with just his strength. The series is known for its over-the-top action, quirky characters, and blend of magic and martial arts.

Fans of Mashle: Magic and Muscles might enjoy other anime and manga that feature strong male leads, crazy fight scenes, magic combined with physicality, and light-hearted comedy. This list covers ten of the best anime recommendations for something similar to Mashle: Magic and Muscles.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion and is not ranked in any particular order.


10 must-watch anime for fans of Mashle: Magic and Muscles

1. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (Image via J.C.Staff)
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (Image via J.C.Staff)

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. follows the daily activities of the powerful psychic, Kusuo Saiki. He strives to keep his abilities hidden from those around him but often finds himself unable to avoid getting pulled into crazy situations. Like Mash from Mashle: Magic and Muscles, Saiki possesses extraordinary abilities that he prefers to keep secret in order to live a quiet life.

The comedy in The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. comes from Saiki constantly having to use his psychic powers to get himself out of troublesome scenarios while trying not to draw attention. Fans of Mashle: Magic and Muscles can enjoy watching Saiki hilariously solve problems just as Mash does with his great strength.


2. My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia (Image via Bones)
My Hero Academia (Image via Bones)

In many ways, My Hero Academia mirrors Mashle: Magic and Muscles's setting - a world where most people have superpowers. The main character, Izuku Midoriya, initially lacks these powers but gains them from All Might, the greatest hero.

Determined to become a superhero, Midoriya enrolls in a high school for heroes in training. Despite his late start with his newly acquired powers, he must get creative in how he keeps up with his powerful classmates.

Like Mash discovering innovative ways to match mighty magic with his physical strength, Midoriya utilizes his intelligence, agility, and courage to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with others gifted with incredible quirk abilities. My Hero Academia delivers thrilling action and laughs as Midoriya realizes what it truly means to be a hero.


3. Mob Psycho 100

Mob Psycho 100 (Image via Bones)
Mob Psycho 100 (Image via Bones)

For another overpowered protagonist keeping his skills under wraps, check out Mob Psycho 100. Shigeo Kageyama, nicknamed Mob for lacking personality, is an extremely powerful psychic. Wanting to live a regular life, Mob tries to avoid using his abilities out in the open. But supernatural events and eccentric people keep finding a way into his everyday activities.

Like Mash, Mob possesses an immense reserve of power housed in an unassuming exterior. When push comes to shove, both unveil spectacular displays as they unleash everything they've got. With great animation and captivating characters, Mob Psycho 100 is not to be missed for fans of powerful protagonists holding back until explosive moments.


4. Baki the Grappler

Baki the Grappler (Image via Group TAC)
Baki the Grappler (Image via Group TAC)

For a grittier anime centered on hand-to-hand battles like in Mashle: Magic and Muscles, look no further than Baki the Grappler. Following a training arc similar to Mash’s path to gaining muscle and skill, Baki Hanma seeks to become the strongest fighter in the world. He constantly challenges dangerous underground martial artists, pushes his body to insane limits, and gets wrapped up in violent conflicts.

Baki makes use of his sheer physical ability gained from relentless conditioning since childhood to try to achieve his dream. Baki the Grappler features intense fights as Baki squares off against muscle-bound combatants in no-holds-barred brawls. Viewers wanting more of Mash’s gritty physical feats would love Baki.


5. Spy x Family

Spy x Family (Image via CloverWorks)
Spy x Family (Image via CloverWorks)

At first glance, Spy x Family's master spy, Twilight, doesn’t seem to share much in common with Mash. But both hide something about their true selves as they attempt to navigate daily life in secrecy. Twilight takes on the guise of a family man to better spy on his targets, while also hiding his profession.

Like Mash passing himself off as magicless, Twilight juggles multiple identities unbeknownst to those around him. This light-hearted comedy features plenty of action and laughs as Twilight forms bonds with an assassin and a psychic in his fabricated family. Fans wanting another secret-keeping character like Mash should catch Spy x Family.


6. Demon Slayer

Demon Slayer (Image via Ufotable)
Demon Slayer (Image via Ufotable)

Set in a fantasy world filled with mystical powers, Demon Slayer has clear parallels with Mashle: Magic and Muscles. When Tanjiro Kamado’s family is attacked by demons, he sets out on a quest to find a way to turn his sister – now a demon – human again. This marks the beginning of his journey to becoming a skilled demon slayer.

Like Mash entering the magic world, Tanjiro must quickly learn the ways of demon slayers to stand a chance against supernatural foes. Tanjiro trains hard to develop skills to neutralize the overpowered demons’ abilities. Demon Slayer delivers spectacular fight animation and imaginative powers, much like Mashle: Magic and Muscles's magic-fueled battles.


7. Black Clover

Black Clover (Image via Studio Pierrot)
Black Clover (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Black Clover centers around a world of magic just like Mashle: Magic and Muscles's premise. In Black Clover, Asta was born without any magical power but dreams of becoming the Magic Emperor. He compensates through physical training and wields an anti-magic sword that nullifies others' magic, rather than granting him magical capabilities.

Asta's determination and loud presence in battles echo Mash’s rambunctiousness when fighting powerful magic enemies. While Asta's anti-magic is different from Mash's physical prowess, he creatively confronts foes in unique ways. Black Clover provides magic action and laughs, much like Mashle: Magic and Muscles.


8. Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest

Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest (Image via White Fox)
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest (Image via White Fox)

Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest follows Koduka Hajime as he is suddenly transported to an alternate magical world. After being betrayed and left for dead in a dangerous dungeon, Hajime finds himself bonding with a magical being. This grants him overwhelming power he can use physically without magic, similar to Mash.

What Hajime lacks in fighting skill, he makes up for in raw physical strength that can crush powerful magical beasts. Like Mash entering the magic world as an underdog, Hajime suddenly becomes the most influential figure around. The series delivers lots of action mixed with comedy, much like Mashle: Magic and Muscles.


9. Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo

Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (Image via Toei Animation)
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (Image via Toei Animation)

For an even wackier anime recommendation, don’t miss Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo. Viewers are thrust into a futuristic world ruled by the Margarita Empire, which outlaws hair. Rebel Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo fights the hair-hunting regime with his powerful "Hanage Shinken" (Fist of the Nose Hair) techniques.

Bobobo-bo mirrors Mash with his ridiculous physical techniques that seem no match for foes wielding magic powers. But through sheer absurdity and tenacity, Bobobo-bo overpowers enemies with explosive attacks like Mash defeating formidable magic wielders. The non-stop ridiculous action and visual gags make this a must-see for Mashle: Magic and Muscles fans.


10. One-Punch Man

One-Punch Man (Image via Madhouse)
One-Punch Man (Image via Madhouse)

No list of overpowered protagonists would be complete without One-Punch Man. Saitama undergoes an intense training regimen that removes his hair but gives him strength that no enemy can match. With the ability to defeat any foe with a single punch, Saitama becomes bored being invincible in a world filled with monsters and villains.

Saitama displays the same exaggerated physical strength Mash achieves through his muscles. Almost too strong for any enemy to pose a threat, Saitama barrels through challenges just as Mash does against magic rivals. Viewers who can’t get enough of displays of extreme power and strength would love One-Punch Man.


Final Thoughts

These 10 anime all capture elements present in the popular magic-martial arts series Mashle: Magic and Muscles. Whether viewers enjoy an ordinary man thrown into a world of magic, excessive displays of physical strength, or hilariously exaggerated action, this list has enticing recommendations.

From psychics like Mob and Saiki keeping insane power hidden, to Tanjiro and Hajime gaining supernatural abilities without magic, fans have plenty to choose from. And outrageous protagonists like Bo-bobo, Baki, and Saitama provide even more over-the-top feats of strength, reminiscent of Mash.

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