is a Japanese light novel series written by Takeru Uchida and illustrated by Nardack. The series began as a web novel series on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website in 2012. It was then acquired by Shufunotomo beginning in 2013; fifteen volumes have been published as of October 2021. A manga adaptation by Karin Suzuragi began serialization in Kadokawa Shoten's Monthly Shōnen Ace magazine in December 2016, with fifteen tankōbon volumes released so far. An anime television series adaptation by Encourage Films aired from July to September 2019. In October 2019, Crunchyroll started showing the dubbed version.
Plot
Taichi Nishimura and Rin Azuma are two ordinary high school students who also happen to be childhood friends. On the way to school, a magic circle appears beneath their feet, and Taichi and Rin both get mysteriously transported to another world called Altianutz. While trying to grasp their current situation, they get attacked by a vicious monster. Luckily, a group of adventurers comes to their aid and rescues them. After arriving at a nearby town, they decide to enroll as adventurers themselves. While enrolling, they discover that they possess incredibly powerful magic and physical prowess. Thus, their adventure begins as the most powerful "cheat magicians". However, as Taichi is forced to discover, his presence in Altia was willed by a mysterious woman who wishes to use his power to control the fate of this world.
Characters
Main characters
A 15-year-old high school student and role-playing game fan blessed with good reflexes but lacking ambition. He is able to keep a clear head in a crisis situation, and is very optimistic and kind, even to the point of self-sacrifice. When he is displaced into Altia, he gains tremendous magical abilities (his magical capacity level is measured at 120,000, his magical power level at 40,000), ranking him as a natural (and very rare) Unique Magician who can directly tap into the elemental magical forces (as opposed to a normal Magician, who has to chant an incantation in order to make use of them). His specialty magic is being a Summoner who can directly call upon elemental spirits - in his case, Aerial - and their powers. Because of his power level giving him such a distinct advantage over most opponents, he considers himself a "cheat" Magician; hence the series' name.
Taichi's agemate, schoolmate and childhood friend, who has long been harboring a crush on him. She is a very smart girl and has black hair (auburn in the manga and anime) which she keeps tied in a ponytail. After being displaced into Altia, she also gains high-ranking magical powers and becomes a rare Quad Magician (capacity 37,000, power 5,000) with the ability to use all of the basic four elemental forces Earth, Fire, Wind and Water. Although her overall magical capability is lower than Taichi's, she is able to apply her knowledge in physics to her magical manifestations, making her very versatile.
A female master Triple Magician (capacity 43,000, power 6,000) capable of using Fire, Water, and Wind. She is known by the title "Mage of Fallen Leaves" (落葉の魔術師; Rakuyō no majutsushi). She becomes Taichi and Rin's mentor after discovering their extraordinary magical powers.
An Elf and a former apprentice of Lemia, she is a Dual Magician (capacity 30,500, power 3,800) capable of using the magical elements Fire and Earth. She is known under the title" Golden Swordswoman" for her skill with the blade. Impressed with Rin's abilities, the two girls become fast friends. / / /
The Queen of Wind spirits who becomes bonded to Taichi. Originally she introduces herself as a simple Wind spirit named Aerial, but as Taichi's power rises, she finally evolves into her true identity.
Kingdom of Eristein
The king of Eristein, and an old acquaintance of Lemia. Due to his cosmopolitan plans to share Eristein's magical talents with the other neighboring realms, he has been challenged by traditionalist hardliners, like his brother Duke Dortesheim, who wish to preserve their country's superiority in magical prowess. In order to quell the looming civil war, he ordered the summoning of a being from another world who wields greater power than any other Magician in Altia - an individual who happens to be Taichi.
King Gilmar's daughter and the second royal princess of Eristein. A Unique Magician capable of manipulating time and space, it was she who summoned Taichi - and, by accident, Rin - to her world upon her father's order.