This week’s Mashle can be best described as ‘out of the frying pan, into the fire’
Story & Art: Hajime Komoto
Translation: Nova Skipper
Lettering: Eve Grandt
What They Say:
Mash and friends celebrate their victory over the Magia Lupus, but an even greater threat is lurking in Easton Magic Academy. Abel wasn’t the one pulling the strings after all – an evil organization called Innocent Zero takes the spotlight as the new main enemy.
The Review
Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Mash’s skull-busting piledriver knocks us into a flashback scene to start this week’s chapter. We learn that Abel’s hate for the poor and weak stems from his mother’s death. Abel’s mother was a saintly woman – despite being cut from noble clothe, she treated all people equally. But the jealousy of those less fortunate than her lead to her murder. Abel’s passionate disdain for the lower class is his response to that unfortunate circumstance.
But Mash’s judgment is unclouded by vengeful sentiments or metaphysical dilemmas – he beat Abel fair and square, so it’s only right that he releases the students under his control. However, Mash holds no disdain for Abel; in fact, he’s reassured by the fact that Abel was fighting for his mother’s sake. Don’t let Mash’s innocent nature fool you – his wits are extremely sharp, making him an excellent judge of character. Abel doesn’t admit it, but I think Mash’s empathy won him over, if only a little bit.
With all the students saved and Abel’s visionary coins in tow, Mash and friends dance around the room in a blissful celebration. But it’s too early for our heroes to clock out – evil is still afoot in Easton. Rayne confronts Lance somewhere within the school, skipping the introductions and going straight for the kill. Turns out it wasn’t Lance at all, but someone masquerading as him.
Rayne explains that the disguised enemy is a member of Innocent Zero – a dark magic organization working in the shadows of society. The IZ member says they’re looking for something important within the school. They used Abel as a guinea pig to find it, but he came up short. Now IZ plans on killing Abel for failing to complete his mission.
In Summary:
Poor Mash barely had any time to bask in his victory. The Magia Lupus arc comes to an end, but we’re immediately faced with a new villain organization in the form of Innocent Zero. The new baddie is headed straight for Abel and the others – what kind of powerful magic will he unleash on the students?
Grade: B
Source: Shonen Jump app, Manga Plus app
