Sartaj Singh
‘The Misfit of Demon King Academy,’ or ‘Maō Gakuin no Futekigōsha,’ is an anime that revels in the charisma and swagger of its protagonist, who is an unstoppable force and an immovable object unto himself — the one and only: Anos Voldigoad. He is a demon lord who sacrificed himself to create peace between the human and demon realms. He reincarnates himself into the present age two millennia later and enrolls at the titular academy, only to be unpleasantly surprised at discovering an imposter’s name noted in history as the Demon King. To make matters worse, demon society has become incredibly classist, with Anos and other students from commoner parents being considered inferior to the ones of noble birth.
As Anos begins to recreate his legend from scratch, he discovers a deep-rooted conspiracy that endangers the peace he fought an entire lifetime to create. Made by studio Silver Link, ‘The Misfit of Demon King Academy’ finds its comedy, mystery, and intricate world-building resting comfortably on the Atlas-like shoulders of its obscenely powerful and all-knowing main character. While the saga of Anos remains incomparable, here are some other anime like ‘The Misfit of Demon King Academy’ that leverage similar storytelling methods to create an enthralling experience.
10. The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy (2023)
Undead King Leonis Death Magnus looks upon the ruins of his armies with fear, an emotion he hasn’t felt in centuries. What is he to do when six gilded heroes and their legions have decimated all the dark lords and only he remains? Simple; he will wait. Leonis seals himself deep underground and awakens a millennium later, with all his enemies buried in the sands of time. However, all is not as he expected. He has the body of a 10-year-old boy and finds that human civilization has progressed into a prosperous world of technological advancement and magic.
Leonis is taken in by an unsuspecting girl, Riselia Ray Crystalia, and enrolls with her at the Excalibur Academy. As the former dark lord sets about re-creating his army to take over the world, he also jumps through hoops at the academy while hiding his true power and nature. Crafted by studio Passione, ‘Seiken Gakuin no Makentsukai’ has a similar premise to ‘The Misfit of Demon King Academy,’ with the interesting difference of the dark lord hiding his powers and retaining plans of world domination, despite being more of a softie than Anos.
9. The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody (2022)
Demon Lord Varvatos reincarnates thousands of years into the future due to being so powerful and feared that he could never make friends. Upon his rebirth, much like Anos, Varvatos discovers that the magic in the current era is much weaker than it was and that his absence has caused some serious imbalances in the world. However, his life’s mission of making friends still remains a challenge, thanks to his underdeveloped social skills. From Silver Link studio, ‘Shijou Saikyou no Daimaou, Murabito A ni Tensei suru’ will likely appeal to fans of ‘The Misfit of Demon King Academy’ with a comedic spin on its premise, and plenty of moments for its overpowered protagonist to shine.
8. The Strongest Sage with the Weakest Crest (2022)
Made by Studio J.C. Staff, ‘Shikkakumon no Saikyou Kenja’ follows Mathias, a prodigy born into a family with the weakest magical crest. One’s status and power in this world are determined by their crests, and Mathias faces ridicule and judgment as he enrolls in the magical academy. However, in his first sparring match against one of the most powerful students in the school, he wins easily.
Surprise, surprise, he is actually an ancient sage who manually reincarnated thousands of years later to break through a barrier capping his overwhelming power. Much like with Anos, Mathias is wrongly judged for his low birth by those born with better magical crests. Both protagonists are sages at heart and understand their magic like an art form, which allows for glorious displays of power.
7. Welcome to Demon-School, Iruma-kun (2019-2023)
Created by BN Pictures, ‘Mairimashita! Iruma-kun’ introduces us to Iruma Suzuki, a kind-hearted and unsuspecting human boy who finds himself enrolled in a demon school after his parents sell his soul to a demon. Despite his initial fear, Sullivan, the demon who takes him, seems to just want to take care of him as a grandson. At the demon school, Iruna must keep a low profile lest his secret identity of being a human is discovered.
However, as Sullivan turns out to be the school’s headmaster, he is immediately targeted by ambitious demons who think of him as a prospective demon king. Iruma’s comedic escapades at the demon school create a refreshing and fun-loving narrative for fans of ‘The Misfit of Demon King Academy’ to enjoy.
6. World Trigger (2014-)
One day, rifts begin to appear on Earth, and giant monsters called neighbors crawl out of them to terrorize cities. The Border Defense Agency is established to counter the threat, and its members use powerful weapons called triggers to neutralize neighbors. The students training at the Border Defense Agency are joined by Yuuma Kuga, a boy of unknown origin who turns out to be a neighbor in human form. Toei Animation’s ‘World Trigger’ will appeal to those who liked ‘The Misfit of Demon King Academy’ for its enigmatic nature and a protagonist whose powers present an interesting mystery.
5. The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World (2023)
Legendary exorcist Haruyoshi Kuga is betrayed and has to resort to a reincarnation spell to save himself from the brink of death. He is reborn in a medieval European fantasy setting where everyone uses magic instead of the curse energy he specializes in. Haruyoshi vows to hide his power and only seek happiness in this life as he enrolls in a magic academy. However, with an ominous conspiracy unfolding on its campus, Haruyoshi is forced to unleash his deadly curses once again. Made by Studio Blanc, ‘Saikyou Onmyouji no Isekai Tenseiki’ will intrigue enthusiasts of ‘The Misfit of Demon King Academy’ with its clash of a traditional fantasy world with Haruyoshi’s curse system and terrifying monsters of eastern folklore.
4. Qi Refining for 3000 Years (2022-2023)
Also known as ‘Lian Qi Lianle 3000 Nian,’ the Chinese anime is developed by Foch Films and revolves around the charming Bai Qiuran, a cultivator who has been refining qi for three thousand years but is unable to break out of the Qi Refining Realm. He resides in the mountains as a protector of his sect but leaves for the human world when an ancient tablet offers a solution for his limbo. Despite being at the very bottom cultivation level, Bai is considered a peer by even those in the Great Realm due to his wisdom, good nature, and an overwhelming reservoir of qi.
As he reunites with old allies and discovers nefarious plots, the show takes us on a grand adventure filled with lovable characters, vibrant battles, and impeccable comedic timing. Similar to Anos, Bai is an overpowered protagonist with victories that feel earned through his vast experience and a mastery of his craft.
3. The Daily Life of the Immortal King (2020-)
A creation of Haoliners Animation League, ‘The Daily Life of the Immortal King,’ or ‘Xian Wang de Richang Shenghuo,’ follows the extraordinary yet mundane life of Wang Ling, a simple high school student who possesses immense power as an immortal cultivator. Despite his unparalleled strength, Wang Ling desires nothing more than a peaceful and ordinary existence. However, his quiet life at the magic school is constantly interrupted by various challenges, including nosy classmates, an unexpected love interest, and encounters with other cultivators.
As Wang Ling miserably fails at hiding his powers, he inadvertently attracts attention from powerful beings seeking to test his abilities. With his laid-back demeanor and unmatched prowess, Wang Ling will appeal to fans of ‘The Misfit of Demon King Academy’ as we follow him on a riveting journey that leads to a surprisingly wholesome character arc.
2. Mashle: Magic and Muscles (2023-)
Created by A-1 Pictures, ‘Mashle: Magic and Muscles’ transports us to a magical world akin to ‘Harry Potter’ on steroids, where a muscle-bound protagonist lands wicked right hooks on the faces of pompous mages. Mash was brought up in secret by his father as he possessed no magic, a trait that would lead to a death sentence if he were discovered. To prepare Mash for the unforgiving world, his father introduces him to weight training, leading him to amass an ungodly amount of brute strength by his teenage years.
However, through unavoidable circumstances, Mash is forced to join not-Hogwarts and has to become the top student if he is to keep his life and bring some much-needed change to the world. Featuring battles that are hilarious and badass at the same time, ‘Mashle: Magic and Muscles’ goes beautifully over the top in its displays of raw strength. With a protagonist who seems to have the world working against him and a magical academy inclined towards a classist mindset, fans of ‘The Misfit of Demon King Academy’ will find plenty of common ground with those of ‘Mashle: Magic and Muscles.’
1. The Eminence in Shadow (2022-2023)
In his life on Earth, Cid Kagenou trains to become the strongest being alive but is hindered by the pesky laws of physics. After a sudden death, he is reborn in a fantastical world of magic and begins his training anew. Amassing incredible power and studying various possible techniques, Cid harbors grandiose ambitions of becoming the most mysterious and unassailable force that the world has ever seen. He gathers followers who hang on to his every word and makes up wild tales of a secret organization called the Cult of Diablos that is pulling the strings behind the world’s governments. Bewilderingly, his machinations turn out to be the reality, and they form the group, Shadow Garden, to fight the cult across the continent.
‘The Misfit of Demon King Academy’ derives much of its entertainment value from a main character heartily drinking from the well of edgy power fantasy. Cid Kagenou walks right up to that well and dives straight in without a moment’s hesitation. Crafted by Nexus, ‘Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute!’ lets an all-powerful sociopath loose on an intricately constructed fantasy world in a glorious celebration of teen angst.
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