Bling-bang-bang-born! A sequel for popular anime series Mashle: Magic and Muscles has been green-lit, following the recent conclusion of Season 2. The update comes by the way of a teaser trailer, which promises more parody comedy and fantasy action to come, although exact details are vague.
It’s unclear when the follow-up will release and if it would debut as an animated feature or a brand-new season. The second season ended with several cliffhangers after the main villain was revealed, so the upcoming project is expected to pick up from there.
Adapted from the original manga by Hajime Komoto, the first season of Mashle: Magic and Muscles hails from animation studio A-1 Pictures (Solo Leveling) and premiered in Japan in April 2023. The show received a second season on 6 January this year, with its opening theme song, “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” by Japanese hip-hop duo Creepy Nuts becoming an instant viral hit. It peaked at number eight on the Billboard Global 200 and topped the charts in Japan for 16 non-consecutive weeks, trailing behind the 22-week streak of Yoasobi’s “Idol”.
Shueisha describes the manga as such:
“This is a world of magic where magic is used for everything. But deep in the forest exists a young man who spends his time training and bulking up. He can’t use magic, but he enjoys a peaceful life with his father. But one day, his life is put in danger! Will his muscular body protect him from the magic users who are out to get him? Powerfully trained muscles crush magic as this abnormal magical fantasy begins!“
The voice cast for the anime includes Chiaki Kobayashi (Hell’s Paradise, Moriaty the Patriot) as Mash Burnedead, Reiji Kawashima (To Your Eternity) as Finn Ames, Kaito Ishikawa (Haikyu!!, One-Punch Man) as Lance Crown, Takuya Eguchi (Spy x Family, Blue Lock) as Dot Barrett, and Reina Ueda (Solo Leveling, Chainsaw Man) as Lemon Irvine.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Jake Su
