Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei

[Ryllharu]

Alt Titles: Mahouka, The irregular at magic high school, Mahōka Kōkō no Rettōsei




Description:
The series revolves around a world where magic has become technologically systematized. Magic users have become known as “magic technicians,” and attend magic high schools and universities in order to nurture their skills. Depending on their skill, technicians are divided into two groups: the low achievers and the high achievers. Buoyed by her practical skills, Shiba Miyuki (Hayami Saori) arrives as the freshman group’s top student, while her brother Shiba Tatsuya (Nakamura Yuuichi), who lacks the ability to use magic, is designated as a low achiever. This is the story of two siblings beginning the next stage of their lives.
[courtesy of Zephyr at RandomC]

AniDB | ANN | MAL

Episodes: 26

Mahouka - 01: HorribleSubs




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Miyuki's oddly psychotic relationship with her brother was of course the highlight of this episode. Even before the kitchen scene, just the way she asked if he was dating the other two girls set off yandere flags left and right. Tatsuya is nice to her, but it was also good that he recognizes that her reactions to him are a bit...off.

It's also a bonus that Tatsuya's superiority has so far, less been defined by him being good at lots of things, but mostly being perceptive and analytical. It gives a concrete reason for why he comes off as a know it all to others.

I also like the idea that application of minimal magic, from either from not going all out or a lack of capability, can make up for it like if you strike in the right place or in the right time while an opponent it activating, as with Erika or the ninja monk (and either Tatsuya or the disciplinary committee girl).

One thing I couldn't quite figure out is why some of the girls have regular uniforms, and others have that lacy gauze with what is pretty easy to presume presume are their ability type added. Both reserve and elites had both varities. Boys uniforms have no such obvious distinction.


I don't know why the other elites keep harassing her, it's like they're douchebags trying to pick her up on the street (or beach, or chose your anime setting)...except it's boys and girls. I almost get why they'd be all irritated that she was hanging out with Weeds for lunch (they are elitist douchebags), but they get super offended that she's talking to her own brother, and getting pissed off that they'd go home together, which isn't an inconvenience for her or anything because they live in the same house.


Will definitely keep watching.

Disappointed shinta didn't make this thread first, making me work and all.

[David75]

I have a feeling Tatsuya is actually far superior in magical skills than everyone around that school, and the president seems to think the same.
It's like if he's in a kind of undercover mission where he needs to be a weed so that he flys under everyone's radar and or he gets some contacts he could not get with an elite undercover. It might also be that megane girl is in a similar situation for another party.

Regarding the brocon, my guess is that we'll learn Tatsuya ins't her blod relative.
I usually do not like the brocon theme, but for some reason it felt genuine/strong and deep and left me with wanting to know more.

I hope to be kept untentained with that show.

[Archangel]

Holy crap they skipped every single explanation of the various phenomenons in the episode, they're deliberately trying to be as cryptic as possible. And they're trying so hard to pass Tatsuya off as the silent cool type...

Maybe i'm being hasty and they'll come back later for the explanations but i wasn't a fan of this first episode

[Kraco]

Miyuki's oddly psychotic relationship with her brother was of course the highlight of this episode. Even before the kitchen scene, just the way she asked if he was dating the other two girls set off yandere flags left and right. Tatsuya is nice to her, but it was also good that he recognizes that her reactions to him are a bit...off.

Regarding the brocon, my guess is that we'll learn Tatsuya ins't her blod relative.
I usually do not like the brocon theme, but for some reason it felt genuine/strong and deep and left me with wanting to know more.

While I was looking forward to that relationship and also enjoyed what this episode presented, I'm also highly worried since it does look like Miyuki loves her brother in ways a sister should not. Perhaps she's not a blood sister, but I actually hope she is and Tatsuya will manage to keep his distance while still remaining a supportive and cool big brother. I'd like to watch them have a good non-incestous brother-sister relationship that would serve the story. But if it never gets worse than this, I think I'll enjoy their interaction just fine.

This looks like a promising show. The main character being strong right from the beginning is always good, and I don't mind if he has a reason he can't go around flaunting his power as it looks like he still won't be a fool who would let others walk over him because of that. Instead he does what he needs to do but prefers intelligent diplomacy and manipulation since he clearly has the wits and maturity for it, compared to some of the other characters we have seen.

[Xelbair]

Holy crap they skipped every single explanation of the various phenomenons in the episode, they're deliberately trying to be as cryptic as possible. And they're trying so hard to pass Tatsuya off as the silent cool type...

Maybe i'm being hasty and they'll come back later for the explanations but i wasn't a fan of this first episode

there were few 5min eps that explained all that stuff if i recall right.
special ep 1
special ep 2
special ep 3

i haven't seen them tbh - I've just started 1st one and it seemed like explanation of the magic system.
As i have read the novels, i shall refrain from posting in this thread(as you hate ppl who draw any parallels between past events of animated series to the novel - because 'spoilers'... from past)

[shinta|hikari]

I was surprised they showed flashback scenes at the very beginning. I guess they wanted to hook viewers in by showing what is in store for the future.

[Kraco]

I was surprised they showed flashback scenes at the very beginning. I guess they wanted to hook viewers in by showing what is in store for the future.

How do flashbacks tell you anything about what's in store for the future? Flashbacks tell about the past.

[shinta|hikari]

Flashbacks of the past from the characters show what we are going to be seeing in the show in the future.

Their past, our future.

[Ryllharu]

Unless action taken in the present changes the future, using lessons from the past!


...I'll see myself out.


But seriously shinta, fewer "hints" please.

[shinta|hikari]

That wasn't really a hint, it was in the intro (not OP) of the episode, which evidently means that it will be part of the show.

I'm honestly trying to be as careful as I can.

EDIT:

Erika and Leo were really a good contrast to Tatsuya and Miyuki. The siblings actually look and act too mature for their age, while the other two act like grade schoolers.

The action looked really good so far, not just the animation, but also the direction. I hope they keep this up for 26 episodes.

The boob sway really distracted me. I hope we get less of that in the future.

[Kraco]

I'm still not sure what you were saying. Didn't the stuff in the intro happen before the present time in the show? I thought that's what the dude is hiding and that's why the sister loves him so much. So, how would it tell us anything about the future?

[shinta|hikari]

Not their future. Our (audience) future. It tells us what we will be seeing in the coming episodes, assuming those flashbacks are expanded on and explained.

[Ryllharu]

Like I said, hints. You're basically telling us we'll see more of exactly that scene. For all we anime-only viewers know knew, that could have been the last time the pair do something so extreme.

Let's try to avoid turning this into SAO Thread Redux, I'm liking this so far.

[shinta|hikari]

Got it. I'm just trying to advertise it a bit for people who might get turned off by the generic high school vibe the first episode had. I will avoid commenting on future events or speculation from other posters moving forward. There should be plenty to post on even if I exclude that anyway.

EDIT: Just watched the extras, and I believe they are a must watch in order to fully appreciate the world this story happens in. I like how they made extras like these instead of completely omitting details like in SAO.

[MasterOfMoogles]

The main character seems very much like a Gary Stu.

[Ryllharu]

Normally I would agree, and I may agree later.

However, what I see that keeps him away from being a Gary Stu is that his success at everything seems mostly due to his analytical prowess, like I mentioned in the first post. It's one skill that makes it look like he's good at everything else.

He quickly sizes up others and acts or counters accordingly. Like when he makes a mental note to keep his distance from the big-boob glasses girl, because she can figure him out.

[Kraco]

Episode 2 - HS







-- - - - - - - -- --





This feels like it could be the best show for me this season. There wasn't a single moment during this second episode I'd have found objectionable, let alone annoying. It simply worked well. Sure, some things are quite textbook, like the vice-president spurning Tatsuya, but to counter that I thought the (first) student council meeting otherwise was exceptionally good. I still don't quite get the relationship between Tatsuya and Miyuki, and thus it's hard to deduce why Tatsuya goes to such lengths to watch over her, instead of trying to make her more independent, especially considering he has tried to avoid drawing attention to himself. Honestly, Miyuki doesn't seem like a person who would break down the moment she would need to spend a day without his company. I guess he might have somewhat strong emotions, after all, despite his expressionlessness and general demeanor. Like I said before, I hope there won't be any incest plots in this story, but for now I enjoyed greatly his joke as well and how it affected everybody else in the room. When I watched him console Miyuki before the fight, I was kind of reminded of Byakuya and Rukia, that is, a lost case hoping his sister to become a wholesome and happy person.

The fight nicely amazed the whole student council and made them realise they are dealing with a badass, not just somebody they might be able to use.

[Archangel]

This feels like it could be the best show for me this season

Omg i know right the mc is just so dreamy and powerful!! /kraco the fangirl

Not to be repetitive but again they keep skipping any sort of explanation on how any of this stuff actually works, i'm assuming so they have more time to have Tatsuya be as kakooi as possible. I don't like the term but "tryhard" really seems to fit when describing the direction they're trying to take here, but i guess from Kraco's reaction it's working just as they wanted it to.

[shinta|hikari]

Do we still have the mini episodes that explain stuff?

[fireheart]

I still don't quite get the relationship between Tatsuya and Miyuki, and thus it's hard to deduce why Tatsuya goes to such lengths to watch over her, instead of trying to make her more independent, especially considering he has tried to avoid drawing attention to himself.

No idea but judging from the intro something really bad happened to Miyuki in the past so that might be the reason why Tatsuya looks after her so much.

I'm kinda curious about the things the intro seem to hint at, judging by the part with Erika and pieces of the story so far it seems there'll be some kind of conflict between the different courses and that they're going to battle each other out over the discrimination. Though it seems weird when there's a democratic system in place in the school, then again why is there such open discrimination despite this system.

Weirdest thing so far is that family doesn't seem to matter judging by how people react to the two siblings. Really who cares if you acknowledge her brother or not, it's not like it's going to change the fact that he is her brother and family, which should mean she belongs with him as family and not with a bunch of strangers. Yet the guy takes pride in his family name as if family means something... though I suppose it's overplayed for dramatic effect.