Skip to main content

Mashle: Magic and Muscles

Your right to live is determined by whether you have magical abilities, denoted by a marking on your face. Mash, a boy without any magical abilities, lives a quiet life with his father, away from people. However, the authorities learn of his lack of magical ability and give him a choice: be persecuted, or become a Divine Visionary. He must rely on his superhuman strength to accomplish this.¹

Alcohol

This show contains alcohol.² The Scriptures are clear in their forbiddance of wine.

"Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright." (Proverbs 23:31)

If we are not to even look upon wine, why would we find it acceptable to put an anime before ourselves that has alcohol in it? Where is the consistency? God would forbid the viewing of alcohol, yet, supposedly, anime is just fine?

Magic and The Mark of the Beast

Does it not seem weird to you that people are being killed merely for not having the mark of magic on their faces? I understand that the mark of the beast is in the forehead or the hand, but the parallels are astounding. A world where if you aren't sinning by using witchcraft, you are killed.

"[9] And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, [10] The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: [11] And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name." (Revelation 14:9-11)

The Bible consistently tells us that witchcraft is a sin. Rebellion, a sin that caused Saul to be put out of kingship, is compared to witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23). Here is just a short list of verses that call magic a sin: Exodus 22:18, Deuteronomy 18:10-12, 2 Kings 9:22, and Galatians 5:20. When Scripture is so clear, why would a Christian feel it's alright to contradict Him in watching what He hates?

Violence

Additionally, Crunchyroll tells us that there is violence in the anime.³ Violence is not what God has called us to.

"[52] And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. [53] And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. [54] And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? [55] But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. [56] For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village." (Luke 9:52-56)

Obviously, self-defense is okay, but needless violence, simply for the sake of it, is not right. John the Baptist commanded the Roman soldiers to do violence to no man (Luke 3:14). One of the reasons God was going to destroy the earth was because it was "filled with violence" (Genesis 6:11).

Conclusion 

Can't you see? This show is in opposition to biblical morality and is not for the believers to consume. When one decides to watch these things even after being made aware of the evil in and behind them, they are ignoring clear Scripture. Heed the Bible today!


Sources:
1. "Mashle." MyAnimeListmyanimelist.net/anime/52211/Mashle. Accessed 9 June 2025.
2. "Parents' Guide to Mashle: Magic and Muscles." Common Sense Mediacommonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/mashle-magic-and-muscles. Accessed 9 June 2025.
3. MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES. Crunchyroll, crunchyroll.com/series/GDKHZEP8W/mashle-magic-and-muscles. Accessed 30 May 2025.

Popular posts from this blog

Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence

For this anime, it was hard to pin anything down. Not because there aren't things in it, but because neither IMDb nor Common Sense Media have anything written about its contents. I had watched this show soon after it was released (yes, I used to watch anime) so most of what I say is based upon my memory, but I tried to find sources for accuracy. Ecumenical Christianity This show has many crosses throughout. Lawrence (the pastor) and Cecilia (the saint) run the church right outside their town. Due to the usage of "pastor" and "saint," the crosses, and the church looking like the average old-time Baptist church, many have claimed the anime as a "Christian anime." The term "pastor" is mostly associated with non-denominational and Baptist groups while calling someone a "saint" (in an unbiblical sense) tends to be Catholic and Orthodox. Additionally, the way the "church" in this world is, it is somewhat of an ecclesiastical hi...

Are There "Christian Anime"?

Are there "Christian anime"? Many anime-watching believers would affirm that there are. But what constitutes a "Christian anime"? What is the criterion by which we determine if something is Christian or not (e.g., anime, movies, video games)? Now, the term "Christian anime" is used, based on my personal experience, by a YouTuber Christian Anime Podcast , and those who listen to him. Whenever he says "Christian anime," what he means by that is an anime that contains Christian values. Thus, an anime may be full of idolatry, violence, and even severe immodesty, yet if it "teaches something" like forgiveness, it is called Christian. However, I would like to bring the Scriptures into this. What does the Bible say makes something Christian? What Does it Mean to be Christian? I find it appropriate to look at the first mention of Christians (by this term) in Scripture. In Acts 11, the believers at Antioch were called Christians for the first ti...

Beneath the Tangles Exposed

Within Christianity, there will always be those who compromise their biblical standards upon the altar of pleasure and entertainment. Just as this has been a struggle in the past, it is still a struggle for thousands of Christians worldwide. The creation of anime-supporting "Christian" media just adds fuel to the fire, hastening the destruction of the world under the pretense of "evangelism." On this note, I recently came across a Christian × anime group named Beneath The Tangles . This group supports anime, claiming one can "see God himself" through anime.¹ Their stated mission is: "Beneath the Tangles bridges the divide between anime fans and the Christian church by developing anime-related content and discussing anime and Christianity as expressed through anime, manga, and light novels; ministering to and loving Christian anime fans; and demonstrating faith by modeling Christ through interaction with our readers and followers."² They seek to p...