Kara Dennison
January 6, 2024 
Last year, Mashle: Magic & Muscles wrapped its manga run. And this season, the anime adaptation will be returning to continue its adaptation. Manga readers are already aware of how Mash’s epic story concluded… but there’s more! Because today, as part of the first Weekly Shonen Jump of the year, we got a one-shot by series creator Hajime Kamoto.
If you’re not caught up and don’t want spoilers for the series’s bulked-up finale, you might want to skip this. (Or, better yet, catch up to the manga on the Shonen Jump app!) But if you’re a loyal reader, here’s what you can look forward to in this single-chapter exclusive:
A New Struggle
The main character of our return to Mashle isn’t technically Mash Burnedead himself. It’s Tranzle, a grade-school single-liner who can’t seem to wrap his head around magic. He’s very good at turning things into clothespins, but that’s about it. Worse still, he’s the grandson of Wahlberg, the super-powerful headmaster of Easton Magic Academy. Understandably, Tranzle is extremely frustrated and ready to quit magic.
To light a fire under Tranzle, he’s taken to Easton to see skilled magic users at work. It’s been a year since the end of the series, so word of certain students’ bravery has gotten around… though not everyone believes it.
Markless Mash
Readers and watchers of Mashle will remember that Mash, in order to masquerade as a magic user, bore a fake line on his face. A year on, though, that’s no longer the case. His secret is out, and for those who weren’t hiding in the bathroom during the manga’s epic final battle, he’s inarguably a hero. With his existence now approved by the world at large, it makes sense that he’d no longer need to masquerade behind his faux single line.
That said, that’s pretty much the only thing that’s changed about Mash. He’s still a lovable meathead, he still adores creampuffs, and his muscles are still absolutely ridiculous. And, for better or for worse, Mash is the one leaving a major impression on Tranzle.
Magical Trials
The return of Mashle doesn’t bring with it a new enemy. Rather, we see students testing their magical might by taming gryphons and levitating boulders. While the intent is for Tranzle to see what wonders he can one day accomplish with magic, he gets a very different lesson. Because, of course, Mash is once again navigating these trials in his own unique way.
All that said, Tranzle does learn some valuable lessons, and the upshot is really sweet. It’s a solid reminder that our weaknesses can be our strengths, and that everyone has something to offer. It just might not be what the world initially expects of you.
Read the Mashle: Magic & Muscles one-shot on the VIZ Manga website!
