The Ultimate Magicians!
- Episodes : 12
- Genre : Action, Comedy, Magic, Romance, Fantasy
- Airing Date : April 2019 – June 2019
- Producers : Silver Link
Contains Spoilers
Kenja no Mago (Wise Man’s Grandchild) Introduction and Story
The first thing you need to know is that Kenja no Mago is indeed an isekai anime. A salaryman unexpectedly dies and is reborn into another world. Like many isekai animes, it’s a world full of magic. The great Sage Merlin happens to find this unnamed salaryman who was reincarnated as a baby. Merlin names him Shin Wolford and takes him home to raise him as his own grandson. Shin soaks up everything he and his makeshift family teaches him, including enchanting and sword fighting.
Seems like your typical isekai anime, right? *Wrong* What this anime also doesn’t tell you is that it’s a parody. Unlike Isekai Quartet where you *know* that it’s a parody, Kenja no Mago expertly disguises it as a serious anime that follows all of the usual tropes of a self-insert AU fanfiction. Shin Wolford becomes 15 and an adult in the eyes of the world but suddenly, everyone’s hyper-aware that he’s way too powerful and doesn’t have enough common knowledge of the world. So what do they decide to do? Send him to school, of course! While at school, Shin easily makes the top of his class, falls for a girl named Sizilien, fights demonoids, and gets into all sorts of situations due to being a bit too oblivious. Evil looms, and it’s up to Shin to deal with it as the seemingly most powerful mage currently out there aside from Merlin.
1. You Like Anime About Magic.
We at Honey’s love anything to do with magic and other universes. Kenja no Mago hits both of these points with Shin showing off a tremendous amount of power and blowing everyone else’s socks off—sometimes literally. The way Shin views magic very obviously comes from his knowledge from his previous world as it’s so incredibly different from everyone else’s. For instance, there aren’t any embarrassing cants or incantations that he does before using spells.
2. It’s One Huge Parody.
Shin’s adoptive grandfather is *the* Sage Merlin, he calls the King of Earlshide “Uncle Dis,” he was trained by one of the best swordsmen and mages in the Earlshide Kingdom, has insane magic ability and sword skills, and falls in love with one of the first girls his age he ever meets. Not enough for you? He’s so overpowered people want to learn *from* him, they’re simultaneously amazed and scared of his power, and he’s already defeated countless demons.
3. The Story Is Super Cute.
The story isn’t supposed to be taken seriously, like the anime Overlord, but it’s still wonderfully done, if not a bit fast-paced. Shin learns how to make friends, gets engaged to Sizilien, and trains all of his classmates so they’re beefed up enough to form what he calls the “Ultimate Magicians.” Kenja no Mago really is an anime you don’t have to think too hard about and can easily enjoy.
1. It’s TOO Much of a Parody.
One of the major downsides of Kenja no Mago being such a heavy parody is that many people either don’t realize it’s a parody or easily get fed up with it. Some people may like all of the jokes and jabs and tropes, but if you’re not into that, you probably won’t like watching Kenja no Mago.
2. It’s Dumbed Down.
Usually, when a character gets thrown into another universe, like in Log Horizon or Re:Zero, they try to figure out the mechanics of that world and explain it to the viewers. Kenja no Mago, on the other hand, doesn’t do that and simply writes it off. Shin will occasionally mutter things about “combining hydrogen with such and such” but everyone else doesn’t understand what he’s talking about, so it’s swept under the rug with a, “Oh, never mind.”
3. It’s a Bit Fan Service-y.
Kenja no Mago has tons of cute boys and girls doing silly things in addition to playing with magic. The girls grab each other’s boobs to compare sizes in the outdoor baths and have some revealing wardrobe choices. The boys are definitely cute, but aside from August, they mostly serve as comedic relief. Shin, of course, is the cutest and clearly stands out among the rest.
Final Thoughts
Kenja no Mago is definitely worth a full watch through, even if the pace is a bit wonky with parts speeding up in various places. If you go into it with the mindset that it’s one huge parody and should be taken with a grain of salt, we think you’ll enjoy it. However, if you want a true isekai and something that’s more fleshed out, it’s probably not the anime for you. Kenja no Mago is a different kind of parody isekai anime and one that’s sure to cause some rifts between people who love it and hate it. But as we say, you’ve gotta give it a go before you know!
If you haven’t watched Kenja no Mago, do you think you’ll give it a shot or pass? If you’ve already finished it, what did you think? Does it live up to being called an over-the-top parody isekai anime? Let’s know your thoughts on Kenja no Mago below!
Author: Jessica
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