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Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor
Episode 4

by Theron Martin,

How would you rate episode 4 of
Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor ?
Community score: 4.2

On the whole, the fourth episode of Bastard Magic Instructor is still on a decided uptick from where the series started. However, it regresses in one way: it introduces the single most obnoxious character I've seen yet this season.

That character would be Pervy Count, the dapper academy magic instructor who is doing the attacking in the mental defense part of the magic contest that the episode focuses on. He actually has a proper name, but doesn't deserve to be remembered any other way with his inappropriate comments and lecherous tongue-wagging. At least everyone else present is also offended by him, so it isn't like the series is saying that his character is tolerable, but I'm saddened to think that someone actually thought his antics would be funny. (Now, if the staff was trying to make him disgusting, then they absolutely succeeded at that.)

The episode is genuinely funny in other places, however. In fact, that's where the series shows the most improvement in this episode. What passed for attempts at humor in the first episode were tired, dull, and uninspired jokes, and the events of the second and third episodes left little room for humor. Some of that is still true for this episode, such as Glenn's lamenting about his food budget, but the way Sisti keeps inadvertently sabotaging Glenn due to her newfound faith in him and regard for his abilities is good for at least a few snickers. The irony that winning accolades from someone who once despised him is boxing him into being a better person than he actually has ambition to be is delicious, as is that Glenn's keen insight at judging the strengths of his students is self-sabotaging his desire to be lazy, since it's only increasing the expectations that his students have for him

I'm also appreciative that the series is not taking the painstaking approach to setting up and carrying out the magical contest, like so many other magic school titles do. I inwardly groaned when I heard that this next arc was going in that direction, but it introduces the contest, shows the preparation for it (partly by resorting to a training montage), and runs through the first several events in a single episode, although only taking time to show the magic defense contest in full helps considerably. The first appearance of a couple characters who are featured prominently in the opener and a report received by Queen Alicia's protector suggest that there's going to be trouble to spice things up before the contest is over, but at least things are progressing quicker than normal.

There's also a surprising amount of potential in where the story is going. The flashback that suggests Rumia has encountered Glenn before provided an interesting but not wholly unexpected twist, albeit not one with especially deep story implications. What does, however, is the appearance of Queen Alicia at the magic contest. She clearly has deep regrets about having to give her daughter up for dead three years earlier, and Rumia clearly has conflicted feelings about it too; her comment about how Sisti's parents are hers as far as she's concerned are telling, as is her noticing that the queen isn't openly wearing the pendant matching hers. That's an entirely logical play, as someone observant enough might make a connection, but there's definitely an emotional cost. The title for the next episode suggests that there is going to be a reckoning between the two, and how the series handles that will be its next big quality test.

For now, though, the series is flowing along pretty well. Quality control is consistent in the artistry, and the series is (surprisingly) not wallowing in fan service despite the school uniform design. While it still isn't – and probably will never be – a good series, I'm bumping its grade up a little on the basis of overall improvements.

Rating: B

Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.


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