Mashle: Magic and Muscles manga and anime series is becoming the ultimate choice of fans for jumping into magical content. Regarded as a direct parody of J.K. Rowling’s smash-hit Harry Potter saga, it tells the story of a young boy named Mash Burnedead, who lacks magic but is, nonetheless, the strongest person around in a world full of wizards and witches.
While the similarity is striking, Mashle: Magic and Muscles seems to not only be a parodic version of Harry Potter, but has ostensibly even brought about quite a lot of things that fans desperately wanted to see from Rowling’s saga in the most subtle way, but couldn’t. Just like how the anime took a dig at Rowling’s transphobia by introducing a canonically trans character in the fan-favorite series!
Mashle: Magic and Muscles Gives Fans What They Wanted From Harry Potter
Initially, when Mashle: Magic and Muscles (written by Mangaka Hajime Kōmoto and directed by Tomoya Tanaka) came out, anime fans were enjoying it just as a Harry Potter parody. However, since then, a lot has developed in the fans’ feelings towards it, including a sense of appreciation for correcting and bringing to life some things that were much expected from the Harry Potter universe.
One of these very things that fans desperately wanted to see in the books and the film series was the inclusion of the trans community in the Wizarding World as well. While J.K. Rowling never stepped forward to fulfill this one wish of fans, the creators of the manga/anime took it upon themselves to introduce it as yet another dig at the author.
As was recently pointed out by a fan (@Divinenega) on X, the Mashle anime introduced a canonically trans character into the saga. This happens when Dot Barett asks Margarette Macaron how they figured it out, and Macaron responds by saying, “Just a woman’s hunch.” This led to Barett thinking, “So they have a woman’s heart. I was wondering about that the whole time.”
This is by far the best dunk on Rowling that Mashle could ever do pic.twitter.com/Kc0IpISW0G
— Jetzero Infinity @ Snobby Black Weeb ✊🏿✊✊🏾 (@Divinenega) March 2, 2024
For those who may not know, Margarette Macaron is a nonbinary third-year student at Easton Magic Academy, who normally appears as a tall person with a masculine physique but as they transform into their true magical form after unleashing their magical power, they are revealed in a more feminine and petite appearance.
While non-Harry Potter fans may not understand the relevance and importance of this, even the canonical introduction of a trans character in the Wizarding World means a lot to the Potterheads. Even more so because the award-winning author J.K. Rowling has been quite openly transphobic when it comes to this matter.
More than once, Rowling has taken to her social media handles @jk_rowling on X to share her unabridged and unapologetic take on the trans community, irrespective of how brutal it may be. This is why multiple Harry Potter fans were nothing short of rejoicing as Mashle: Magic and Muscles undid this shortcoming at the end of J.K. Rowling.
Fans React to Mashle: Magic and Muscles Fulfilling Potterheads’ Wishes
Ever since Mashle: Magic and Muscles took that perfect and best-by-far dig on J.K. Rowling through this one act, fans are going crazy while expressing just how happy they are with the way the Harry Potter parody anime introduced a trans character in the most subtle way possible. Taking to X, here’s what they are saying:
I also heard Mashle has a good trans character so ha! No one ever needs Rowling again lol
— TomHC (@TomHChamp) April 25, 2021
Mashle having a trans/enby character that is actually really strong and capable and the story is like "oh hey good for them" making the silly gag comedy about a muscular guy who likes cream puffs more progressive than JkJk
— @classyspartan.bsky.social (@MangaMan9000) March 2, 2024
You joke but I wonder if one of the characters in Mashle possibly being trans was a potshot at Rowling
— Jetzero Infinity @ Snobby Black Weeb ✊🏿✊✊🏾 (@Divinenega) September 5, 2021
Every page of Mashle: Magic and Muscles feels like it’s @ ing JK Rowling and I love it pic.twitter.com/unxahqovTN
— cheese shaped jerry (@hmvcollins) January 30, 2020
So cool that Mashle has Trans Representation
— SunnyFuckdUp (@twerpserotonin) March 3, 2024
They're canonically nb so that's cool
Also just a sick ass character
— Athephxam (@Maphteah93) March 2, 2024
*Me reading Mashle*
"This is cool and all, the reclamation of Harry Potter by fans through enjoying parodies and such but this Author probably isn't aware of the controversy around the author and is a big fan of jk."
*author introduces and confirms cool non binary character* pic.twitter.com/moSOiKuNXR— James 🏴 (bronybyexception) (@CobaltQuill) March 3, 2024
Not predicting any forthcoming, but if the series of events continues to go this way, then perhaps Mashle: Magic and Muscles just might end up becoming fans’ new favorite wizarding world story over J.K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter!
You can stream Mashle: Magic and Muscles on Crunchyroll.
