Magic systems bring the most out of an anime. The best ones come in a variety of forms: some highlight individualism, some focus on a larger system and the pieces that make it up, and others reflect the series’ themes themselves.
The term “magic system” can apply to a litany of concepts. Some anime series are straightforward with their language, referring to their characters as “mages” and “sorcerers,” but that doesn’t mean series without that verbiage can’t count as having magic systems. At its core, a magic system is a series of rules given to the extraordinary abilities characters within an anime can use, and that’s it.
That Time I Was Reincarnated as a Slime Has a Wonderfully Weird Power System
That Time I Was Reincarnated as a Slime has a magic system based on skills. Each skill comes with a series of sub-skills, giving a user an array of abilities. Skills can evolve into Unique skills, and eventually, Ultimate skills, or skills strong enough to shape reality.
Rimuru’s strongest skill is Raphael, a skill that allows him to gain a thorough understanding of reality itself. It’s entertaining watching Rimuru use his skills, and even more entertaining to watch them grow. There’s no telling how strong the slime will become; at this rate, there won’t be anyone in That Time I Was Reincarnated as a Slime who can stop him.
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy’s Power System Fits Makoto Perfectly
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy is a ridiculous series with an equally ridiculous character. Misumi Makoto becomes one of the strongest characters in the series almost entirely by accident, and his use of the magic system is incredibly unique. When Makoto truly taps into his own powers, he disappears from the world, transcending reality entirely.
He has so much power that he has to use a series of rings to suppress his own abilities, and only uses them when he wants to destroy everything in his immediate vicinity. The magic system in Tsukimichi is fairly mysterious, but it’s that enigmatic nature that makes it so entertaining.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s Cursed Energy Is as Brutal as the Series Itself
In Jujutsu Kaisen, Cursed Energy comes from negative emotions. It’s what makes up the physical forms of Cursed Spirits and gives Jujutsu Sorcerers the fuel to power their abilities. It’s an inherently dark and malicious energy that is a mirror to the series itself.
Jujutsu Kaisen is filled with mirrors. Gojo’s Infinity doesn’t allow anyone to touch him, reflective of his standing as the strongest and the fact that nobody is near him in power. Hakari’s Cursed Energy feels like a bat with nails on it, reflective of his gruff, independent attitude. Each character’s Cursed Technique is a sliver of who they really are.
Black Clover’s Magic System Is Reflective of Its Characters
Black Clover is all about effort. It’s about transcending limits time and time again, and no characters are better examples of that than Asta and Yami. Yami is the perfect example of the series’ magic system, as he’s constantly unlocking new spells when he and his allies need them most.
Asta is another great example of the series’ magic system as well, albeit in the inverse. He doesn’t have magic, but that doesn’t mean that he’s not capable of unlocking new abilities constantly with his anti-magic. Both Asta and Yami are living embodiments of trying, failing, and trying again, and that’s a perfect representation of Black Clover as a whole.
One Piece’s Devil Fruits Deserve More Credit
One Piece’s magic system deserves more credit. It feels weird calling Haki and Devil Fruits magical, but they are. Haki is a measure of a person’s will, and the stronger the will, the stronger their output of Haki. Devil Fruits are also reflective of the characters that use them, and there isn’t a Devil Fruit user whose abilities don’t fit their personalities well.
Luffy’s goal is to be free in every sense of the word. His awakened Devil Fruit gives him that power, allowing him to change the nature of reality in an instant. He can turn glass tubes into elastic, bounce like rubber on hard surfaces, and even flatten his enemies like pizza.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Features a Prodigy
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is one of the best isekai series ever. Rudeus Greyrat is a prodigy when it comes to magic. In a world of incantations and complicated set-ups, Rudeus can launch ridiculously powerful spells without a thought.
In his new life, Rudeus is incredibly talented. He has two amazing wives, is a genius at the magic university he attends, and even has a rare Demon Eye that allows him to see into the future. It makes sense that he’d have a natural affinity for magic.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Has a Magic System That Has Regressed
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End might be the only anime in which magic use has regressed over time. Frieren has taught Fern to rely on a single spell, Zoltraak, as she’s confident that it’s enough to handle the problems of the current era.
In almost every other anime series, magic evolves over time. Fern has proven that a single, basic spell is more than enough, as she’s defeated some of the strongest Demons around with it. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is a beautifully simple series, and it makes sense that both Frieren and Fern are simple in their magic use as well.
Lord of Mysteries’ Pathway System Is Beyond Deep
Lord of Mysteries’ magic system is so well-written that fans can get lost in it. It’s easily the deepest, most profound magic system in isekai, and it looks like it’ll only get better as the series expands it. Lord of Mysteries features Beyonders, humans who have consumed magical potions and begun their journeys down Pathways.
Each Pathway leads to divinity, and it’s nearly impossible to get there. Each Pathway consists of nine Sequences, and each sequence gives its Beyonder a myriad of powers and abilities. Watching Klein learn more about his Pathway is one of the best reasons to watch Lord of Mysteries, and, so far, he’s only gotten to the eighth Sequence of the Fool Pathway.
The best magic systems in anime are reflective of their series’ themes. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, one of the best anime series of all time, is about sacrifice. The series starts with Edward and Alphonse Elric attempting to use Human Transmutation to bring back their deceased mother, but this is not allowed by the Law of Equivalent Exchange, which governs all use of alchemy, so Ed and Al lose parts of their body as punishment.
It makes sense: Ed and Al tried to transcend the limits of humanity by circumventing death. In return, they lost part of their physical humanity. It’s a heavy lesson that the boys learned early, and by the end of the series, they understand exactly what it means for things to be fair and equal.
Hunter x Hunter’s Nen Is the Best Magic System in Anime
Hunter x Hunter does plenty of things right: it has some of the most interesting characters in anime, an incredibly gripping story, and a series of villains that always keep viewers on their toes. And one thing it’s always praised for is its Nen system, as it’s easily the best magic system in anime.
Nen is an equal balance of complex and straightforward. It allows for virtually any ability to show up in the series, no matter how creative or complicated, while also ensuring every power has its limits and drawbacks, and that every fight is primarily a battle of strategy. The various Nen categories, aura management, Nen beasts, Nen curses, and the various non-combat applications of Nen add even more depth to the system.
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