English Dub Review: Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor “Just the Slightest Bit of Motivation”

Teach me, oh Muscle Wizard. Teach me to cast “Fist”.

Spoilers Below

Another day, another botched lesson in the class of Glenn Radars. He nails a book to the board and says it’s self-study time again. Rumia asks him for a hand in understanding how to translate a set of runes, and Sistine berates him. He probably couldn’t translate it, even if he cared. Then, he posits a question: “What good does magic do?” Sistine launches into a diatribe about how it helps them to understand the fundamental forces of the univ-blah-blah-blah. But what can you use it for? While many other fields of study have practical applications for the betterment of mankind, can Sistine think of something magic actively does? No. But Glenn can. Killing. Magic is great at killing, better than any weapon. Magic’s sole use so far is parlor tricks and creating death and misery. And making scary faces. Sistene flips out and slaps him, and the class is over.

Whilst ruminating at twilight about his baleful situation, Glenn spots Rumia working for a magic circle in one of the labs. He goes to investigate. Her circle isn’t working, but it isn’t because she has the runes wrong. He pours more mercury in the lines of the circle and tells her to try again without skipping any steps. The spell lights up with magical glows and sparkles. It’s just a parlor trick, but her joy at seeing it work reminds him of his own as a child. They walk home together and chat. She reveals her reasons for studying magic. When she was exiled from her home, she was attacked by some evil mages. Another mage stepped in and saved her life. This showed her that magic could be used for good, as well as evil, and she wanted to guide the world to use it for good. But, before she could guide anyone in the use of magic, she’d better learn how to do it himself. This sparks some remembrance in him, but he discards it. Her price for her story? He needs to apologize to Sistine.

The next day, the class is shocked. He makes good on his promise and bows low in apology. Not saying he was wrong, but that he went too far in making his point. Apology out of the way, he announces to the class that they are all idiots. They are spending all of their time repeating the spells and information as anyone else, but never delving into the real depths of mana manipulation. He begins with the spell that he failed with the day before, Shock Bolt. he begins to show how changing the way the spell is said causes all sorts of strange and useful variations. He even breaks it down by performing the spell with a single word that isn’t in the original incantation. His explanation is this: The magic incantations are just mnemonics used to command the forces that your mind and body already wield. Using this, you can do anything. You just have to understand the real basics. For that, you might as well just…

…Throw away the book. From there, his lectures gain real traction with the students, so much so that students from other classes are attending. He’s gone from the most hated substitute teacher to the most loved professor. Celica beams with pride. She had taught him herself, and she knew he would be good at this. Even Sistine has to admit, he’s a great teacher when he actually tries. He’s still an idiot. Rumia plays devil’s advocate: Sistine didn’t like her when she first arrived, but now they’re best friends.

Not long after, Glenn is running to class, late yet again. He comes under attack by a mysterious man with a poignant tattoo on his arm. Two thugs intrude on his classroom, declaring Radars dead and looking for Rumia. After a bit of a shakedown, Rumia gives herself up. One of the thugs takes her away. But, what is so important about Rumia? The little refugee wasn’t just some poor waif of a dying country. She was the poor PRINCESS of a dying country.  Obviously, whatever they have planned for her has lasting political implications, and since these thugs seem to be a part of some black-ops order, it won’t be a good ending if they keep a hold of her. Speaking of “Bad End”, Sistine is on the brink of facing her own, as the other thug has taken her away to break her spirit through molestation, humiliation, and rape. Just as he’s about to get going, Radars walks in.

Nope, not a zombie. That guy who attacked him in the streets failed hard and is now tied up naked in the streets. The thug decides he’s going to use military attack magic to kill Glenn. Every spell breaks before it casts. Radars explain, holding up a tarot card of The Fool. This card is bound to his own brand of original magic, “Fool’s World”, an anti-magic field centered on the holder of the card. No spells will work on him. Of course, none of his own magic will work while it’s active. The thug scoffs. What kind of mage would make a spell that keeps him from casting spells himself? Radars is a failure of a wizard. Well, there is one last spell that Glenn can cast while Fool’s World is active. What ho! Muscle Wizard, what do you cast?

Glenn lays a royal beatdown on the guy. The thug is shocked. This fighting style is that of the Imperial Army! He saves the girl, and the day, but is he going to be in time to save Rumia? Tune in next time, on Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor!

Yeah, this episode hit my nerd buttons. I love the kind of stuff where they get into the treknobabble of the setting, and this one doesn’t disappoint. It seems to be similar in metaphysics to Butcher’s Dresden Files, only a bit more advanced, and in a fantasy setting. Sure, this series is slathered with a heaping layer of fanservice for the sake of fanservice, but this episode promises more, and I am looking forward to it. This series does have some good animation, especially when you’re dealing with the spells and such during the more action-y end half. The art is solid throughout, and I’ve got to see who’s behind this… Liden Films? I’m probably going to get a ton of flak for this, but I don’t recognize any of the anime made by Liden. Granted, they’re getting funded by the giant that is Kadokawa. I’m impressed by this visually, as it is on par with some of the great modern classics. The voice acting is great. Funimation has a great cast that already knows each other. It seems like miss Monica Rial is getting typecast, though, as the unassuming little blonde who is far more than she seems. I’m not complaining. She’s good at the role. I give this episode a score of eight magic circles out of ten.