The last thing our MC remembers from his previous life is that he went out to get a drink. Now inhabiting the 12-year-old body of Liam Hamilton, he doesn’t have long to reflect on what happened that night—he must learn about his new way of life quickly, and he’s probably right to think that it would go more smoothly if he stayed quiet about the whole reincarnation thing. Before long, the new Liam finds out that people in this world can learn magic. This immediately excites him, and his ambitions aren’t quelled even when he’s told that magical talent is rare. Instead, he gets right to practicing, and it turns out his potential for learning magic is exceptional, even for magicians. Liam isn’t just playing around with magic, though. He uses his abilities to earn his independence. As expected, his exploits don’t go unnoticed, and throughout the first two episodes, all sorts of people wish to see what he’s capable of. Will he be able to avoid family conflict and become a master magician, and will he continue to refrain from abusing his powers?

The character design is up to standard, and I think the magic/action scenes are well-animated. However, what truly brings these first episodes of I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin to life are the soundtrack and voice acting. I always love to hear Takehito Koyasu and Saori Hayami in any anime series, and in addition to them, there are some other notable seiyuu in the cast as well. I’m not a big isekai fan, but I found myself enjoying these two episodes a lot. The excitement of the main character is infectious, and it’s relatable because the magic system feels very rewarding. The anime succeeds in making me look forward to what spells he’ll learn next. On the negative side, I’d only say there is quite a bit of wish fulfillment and low conflict so far, but that’s not very surprising for the genre, and I didn’t mind it so much. Other than that, I’m wondering if the anime can stay this engaging as we move past the beginning toward the first real conflict. As far as I can tell, the cliffhanger at the end of episode two seems promising because the first conflict is hinted to be more than just about magical power itself. My main worry is that there are indications that we’ll see harem elements continuing going forward, which I’m not into. But if the anime manages to stay solid, then I wouldn’t mind following Liam’s journey. If you’re an isekai fan, I highly recommend giving this anime a try!

I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic is streaming on Crunchyroll.