The following content discusses events from episode 1 of Mashle: Magic and Muscle and My One-Hit Kill Sister, both streaming on Crunchyroll.While a colossal selection of truly potent shonen heroes has been introduced to the anime community over the years, none are quite like Saitama, who is infamous for his invincibility and One Punch wins. And even though a few contenders also possess remarkable strength, more often than not, they need to squeeze in a few blows to dominate the enemy.
That is, until now! Both Maya Ikusaba from My One-Hit Kill Sister and Mash Burnedead from Mashle: Magic and Muscles can easily incapacitate the enemy with just a single hit and are unofficially challenging Saitama for the One-Hit Wonder throne.
Mash Burnedead (Mashle: Magic and Muscles)
The similarities between Mash and Saitama are seemingly endless (besides perhaps the glaringly obvious full head of hair; shots fired!) Both boys have apparently gained their superior strength through hard work and dedication to an extensive exercise routine; even if Saitama's strength boils down to a broken limiter, it is unlikely that he lied about his 100-set gyming mission. Mash would rather be eating cream puffs than pumping iron, but he wants to make his father proud and is unaware of his need to overcompensate for his lack of magical prowess.
After years of dedicated weight training, Mash's physical strength becomes so incredible that it is presumed to be fueled by a supernatural enhancement (aka Muscle Magic.) His power output is so mind-boggling that he appears to have surpassed the natural order and encroached on the superhuman territory to join the notorious One Punch Man. The concept of holding back evades Mash (in most situations, not just combat) as he is evidently oblivious to how potent he can be. With just his bare hands, the strapping young lad dominates Brad Coleman, the high-level expert magician with a certain Percival Graves (Fantastic Beasts) aura about him, whilst making quick work of his minions.
"Nalcom Pas," a spell that would've taken out a full-grown dragon, barely tickles Mash, whereas dealing with the "Diagorus" upgrade is child's play (quite literally!) And even though Mash's extensive training only aims to improve his defensive capabilities, the boy's ignorant yet ingenious strategies and creative weapon wielding make him an unpredictable, formidable force. Saitama also possesses an equivalent improvised weaponry skillset, proving that he too has some brains in amongst all that brawn.
Maya Ikusaba (My One-Hit Kill Sister)
Isekai death scenes generally all meld into one another, depicting either a tragic or hilarious demise taking a rather unexceptional, formulaic approach. Maya's last moments, however, are quite memorable, as she is surely the first hero in Isekai history to bash her head into a wall repeatedly, intent on hopefully following her brother into the "other world" (and having no idea how to return home again!) Fortunately, this self-sacrifice rewards Maya with unimaginable power levels, so extensive that her skill points are literally off the charts. So, while Asahi's Chuunibyou instincts immediately kick in as he believes himself to be the true hero in this adventure, he is forced to rely on his big sis to get the job done.
Maya's cheat-class stats essentially make her a Maple 2.0 (Bofuri), as every single skillset parameter is leveled up to the max, including Luck, Magic, Durability, and the like. Eliminating ogres, wyverns, and other monstrosities without breaking a sweat is no challenge for this overprotective sister! It's safe to say that if Maya revealed her true powers to the Adventure Guild, she would qualify for the top-ranking God Class in a heartbeat.
While Saitama has a handful of supernatural capabilities at his disposal, more often than not, he relies on pure physical strength to get the job done. And although Maya arguably matches Saitiama in strength (and both heroes have limited combat training experience), Maya also has a whole arsenal of Sister Magic in her arsenal, granting her more versatility on the battlefield. Similarly, Saitama isn't winning any Genius Of The Year Awards and, regardless of her supposedly high Wisdom points, Maya regularly prioritizes Asahi's protection over strategic and calculated reactions, throwing common sense right out the window.
Mash Vs Maya
Being both strong and simpleminded seems to be a common thread among these three heroes, as the jock factor gets exploited to the extreme. One could presume that Maya's undeniable waifu factor would guarantee her a top spot in terms of popularity, what with all that incredible fanservice potential. Maya would also join the rather short list of beloved, overpowered female Isekai protagonists, a feat well worth celebrating!
However, Maya's excessively perverted brother complex has put many viewers off, as the overwhelming incest element is impossible to ignore. So all the effort exerted to raise Maya to Saitama's level of awesomeness is wasted purely because of the considerably cringeworthy content. Furthermore, Mash can easily gather all the Harry Potter enthusiasts into his fandom, as Mashle: Magic and Muscles' multiple references to this iconic franchise are unmistakable. The magic-deficient youngster is also amenable, well-mannered, and appears not to possess a perverted bone in his body, elevating his respectability well above the lustful Maya's.