Pactio (Negima)
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This is a description regarding the system of magic known as the pactio (Latin pactiō, the action of making a pactum "agreement") in the manga/anime series Negima!: Magister Negi Magi. This section will go into the set-up of the pactio in the manga as well as the variation known as the neo-pactio used in the second series Negima!?, as well as explain the various pactio abilities of the characters in this series, concentrating on the thirty-one girls in Negi's class.
[edit] Pactio Basics
The pactio system, which is commonly used among Western Mages, has two components comprising it: The Magister Magi and the Minister Magi (or Magistra Magi and Ministra Magi if female). Magister is the original Latin form of "master", and minister is Latin for "servant"; magi is the plural form of magus "magician", since you need both a Magister and a Minister to form a pactio of Magi. The traditional purpose to this system is to give the Magister a kind of support during battle. Normally, the Ministra's duty is to protect the Magister with physical abilities and his/her artifact, while the Magister is given time and space to cast offensive and defensive spells. One might compare the Ministra like infantry, while the Magister is like the long-range artillery. The Magister fighting alongside the ministra with combat spells and physical attacks is another version of this system. In this case, the Magister is also referred to as a Combat Mage or Magic Swordsman. Negi had decided to be the latter.
The pactio enables the magician casting the spell, the Magister, to transfer some of his/her magic power to the other person involved in the pactio, the Ministra, improving the Ministra's natural capabilities, by an average of ten times their normal capacity, according to Chamo. Another advantage included in having a pactio is the ability for the Ministra to summon a "magic artifact". Each magic artifact reflects the Ministra summoning it, and as such, the vast majority of magic artifacts will be quite different. In the case of Nodoka, she received a magic picture diary, which reflects her title as a librarian. With Haruna, she received a magic quill and sketchbook, which ties in with her personality as an artist. As Chamo stated, there is no real way of determining just what kind of artifact is given to each new Ministra, but one can assume that the artifact will reflect an aspect of the Ministra's personality.
When a pactio is established, a card is created as proof of the contract. Copies can be made (the Magister keeps hold over the originals), and these cards allow for telepathic communication between the Magister and Ministra. It also allows the Magister to summon the Ministra at any time. This ability has so far been shown twice in the manga series, when Negi called Asuna, (much to her horror since she was taking a bath at the time), and when he summoned Setsuna.
If the Ministra should be left to his/her own wits, he/she can use the copy of the pactio card to borrow magical energy from the Magister, or to summon his/her artifacts. To summon forth the artifact, the Ministra invokes the phrase "Adeat", meaning to "bring forth" in Latin. This causes the copy card to transform into the artifact. To return the artifact to its card form, the phrase "Abeat" is used. The Magister can also make the artifact to appear by using the Master Copy.
Due to the importance the Western Mages places on having the Ministra Magi, it should come as no surprise that there is a spell designed specifically for forming partnerships. Kissing usually forms the pactio, also known as "contract". The Del Rey version omitted the fact that the pactio can be done in more ways than just kissing. The "blood swap" scenario made by Del Rey is actually a fallacy in translation, but it can be considered as a possible way to make a pactio.
If the Magister in a pactio dies, then the pactio can be considered as cancelled or invalid. The Ministra would no longer have mystically-boosted abilities nor an artifact, because logically the source of his/her powers is gone. It was stated in the English-version manga that Mana is no longer magically empowered nor is able to summon her artifact, because her previous Magister is deceased. However, this also implies that Mana is free to form a new pactio with another Mage if she so chooses. Furthermore, it is also revealed that Albireo has several dead pactios and one active one with Negi's father.
It should be noted that there are also at least three "levels" of contracts: "Mistake", "Temporary", and "Permanent".
[edit] Mistake Pactio
The weakest level, the Mistake Pactio cards, tend to be badly drawn and are extremely specific, providing little real information. The titles given are blunt and not very flattering. They are also known as Botched Cards. Mistake Pactio cards in turn allow for little to no magical effects - there is the possibility of empowering the Ministra with magic much like a normal pactio card, but requiring a great deal of magic power for the Magister. For Asuna, Negi had to utilize a large amount of his own personal energy to power her up. In Konoka's case, the Mistake Pactio card awakened the magical potential within her. Mistake Pactio cards, as implied by the name, are formed via mistakes in the pactio ceremony's completion, such as an improper kiss, blood swap, or other mishaps.
In the manga, Negi has made Mistake Pactios with Asuna, Konoka, Ayaka, Ku Fei, Makie, and Fuka and Fumika Narutaki. Asuna and Konoka's came from only giving Negi a kiss on the cheek, while the others were made when the girls in question kissed magic copies of Negi during the "Kiss Negi" game on the Kyoto trip. Fuka and Fumika both kissed a copy at the same time, and got a single card featuring both of them. A Mistake Pactio card was also made for Nodoka during the game that took place during the Kyoto. However, the origin of Nodoka's Mistake Pactio card is still a mystery, since the Negi clone that tried to kiss Nodoka was knocked out by Yue before he could make the kiss. It is currently unknown if the Mistake Pactio cards of these girls has granted them any power at all.
[edit] Temporary Pactio
Temporary Pactio, as the name indicates, are equivalent to Permanent Pactio in many ways, but only last until a permanent contract is formed. They are also known as Probationary Contracts. From what has been indicated, a Magister can have an infinite amount of Temporary Contracts, but the number of Permanent Contracts depends on the power of the mage in question (most mages can only form one permanent contract). Furthermore, it has been said that the mage has to be a certain age to form a Permanent Pactio (Chamo explained to Negi that since he's still a kid, he can't make one). Presumably, it is also impossible to form a Temporary Contract once a Permanent Contract has been formed. Temporary Pactio cards are written almost entirely in Latin - including the name of the Ministra. Information provided on the Temporary Pactio cards includes the name of the Ministra, the Ministra's specialization, astrology sign (by planet), virtue, direction, and color. In the girls' case, the card also provides their seat number in class. Another point to note is the possibility that a Ministra could make a pactio with more than one Magister, or make a Pactio with their own Ministra. Konoka had later decided to study magic after the Kyoto field trip, and expressed the desire to have Setsuna as her partner, although they both already made a pactio with Negi (they nearly do a pactio together, but are interrupted by Asuna).
Whenever Chamo draws up a circle and a proper Temporary Pactio is made, he receives a brokerage fee of 50,000 Ermine Dollars, which explains his desire for Negi to make as many contracts as possible. Mistake and Temporary Pactio have considerable leeway as to how they are formed. In these cases, they can be made without the consent, and sometimes knowledge, of those involved. Due to this fact, Negi is very cautious about making contracts, considering that some girls in his class have expressed a desire to get a card, without knowing about the truth behind it. He frequently states that he does not want others to get involved with the danger in dealing with magic, demons and such.
In Negi's case, he has seven contracts at present, none of which he had planned on making. Two of his Temporary Pactio, Asuna and Setsuna, were done because of necessity; one (Konoka) was made to save his life; one (Nodoka) was done due to Chamo's schemes. Two more were done when Haruna and Konoka pushed him together with Yue; with Haruna taking advantage of the situation immediately afterwards; and the latest with Chisame, when she attempted to kiss him while he was still unconscious, but he woke up. It is possible that more will be made during the course of the series.
In the manga, Negi has Temporary Pactio with Asuna, Nodoka, Setsuna, Konoka, Yue, Haruna, and Chisame. In the first anime series, he makes Temporary Pactio with the entire class.
[edit] Permanent Pactio
Permanent Pactio are currently shrouded in mystery -- a possible permanent contract card may have appeared though nothing was truly revealed about it. It can be said there is a great possibility the Magister who initiated said contract died. As for any specifics on the card design, effects, and the completion of a contract, it is still completely unknown. It has been stated however, that if the Magister is deceased then the contract becomes invalid. Furthermore, the card itself is wiped clean of most of its details and titles. According to Negi in Volume 2, a Permanent Pactio often leads to a non-platonic relationship between the partners, although this may not always be the case. Negi did admit that many partners wind up marrying each other, and through a series of misunderstandings and wild gossip, several of the girls believe that Negi's quest to find a partner means finding a lover.
[edit] Process and Other Facts
The process for both Mistake and Temporary Pactios is as follows:
- A mediator for the contract (usually Chamo) draws up a magic circle.
- Both participants of the contract must be within the circle. Normally, the circle is only meant for two people at a time, but Chamo once drew a circle large enough to surround an inn during the Kyoto field trip.
- A ritual or vow is made to seal the contract, normally a kiss on the lips between the two involved, or blood exchanging, for those who are uncomfortable with such things. It is at this point that a mistake causes a Botched Card to be formed.
- A Pactio Card is magically drawn up to signify the completion of the process. The Mage keeps this Master Copy, but a Copy Card can be created for the partner to use.
- Several other characters have Pactio cards not connected by Negi, both in and outside the class. Mana holds one dead card, signifying a contract with a previous mage no longer living. Similarly, Alberio holds several cards, one Pactio with a currently living mage (Nagi) and several dead ones. Misora has one card as well, but hers is still active with her master Cocone.
- A person is able to be ministra magi for several different mages, but whether or not this applies to a permanent contract is not yet known.
[edit] Negima! - Anime Pactio vs. Manga Pactio
In the controversial ending of the original "Negima!" anime, Negi must make Pactio with all thirty-one girls to stop an immense threat. At the time of the airing of this episode, only four girls had Pactio with Negi in the manga (Asuna, Nodoka, Setsuna, Konoka), while one had a Pactio minus Negi (Mana) and eleven other girls had official cards introduced by Akamatsu without a Pactio. (Sakurako, Chisame, Makie, Satomi, Ayaka, Evangeline, Fuka/Fumika, Kazumi, Ako, Yue) The anime chose to interpret the powers of the unmade Pactio of the existing cards their own way, while creating fifteen other cards to give powers and abilities for the remaining girls. At the time, it was unknown whether the anime producers had created the abilities originally intended for the non-Pactio girls by Akamatsu.
However, since the end of the first anime, further revelations show that these Pactio are not as intended. Two of the girls previously given official Pactio cards have since made Pactio in the manga (Yue and Chisame) and have been given different abilities than the ones interpreted in the anime version of their Pactio abilities. Another of the students (Misora) has also revealed a temporary Pactio through another mage that is completely different from her anime power: while the anime Pactio emphasizes her connection with a sect of nuns, the manga one gives her an ability connected to her running skills. Furthermore, Haruna Saotome, who did not have an official Akamatsu card and only received a card and power in the anime ending, has also made a Pactio in the manga, giving her a different set of abilities and even a different costume than what was depicted prior. (even though she still does not have an official card drawn by the mangaka) These confirm that the anime and the manga Pactio, as they are revealed, will not be the exact same either in ability or appearance.
Note: the official Pactio cards released were promotional cards tied to various Negima media merchandise both early in the manga run as well as during the first anime series. In particular, a run of twelve CDs featuring the girls in one of various groups as known in the manga had one card each. While four girls had the CD and the card to themselves (Asuna, Konoka, Chisame, Ayaka), one (or in one case, two) members of the eight group CDs got the card. For example, a CD for the Library Club (Nodoka, Yue, Haruna) used Nodoka for their Pactio representative (though she had a Pactio already in the manga at the time), while the Culture Club group (Kazumi, Chizuru, Natsumi, Zazie) had an official Kazumi Pactio, even though no one from that group has a card in the manga at that time or now.
[edit] Neo-Pactio Cards
The anime series Negima!?, an alternate interpretation of the Negima manga, has a similar but slightly different style of Pactio. Known as Neo-Pactio, it follows the similar rules applied in the Akamatsu manga, with some differences.
[edit] Contracts
A contract is created between a mage and a potential Pactio, usually through a kiss. Chamo is once again the mediator, but this time, he doesn't have to draw up a magic circle with a piece of chalk. Instead, he simply summons it up. As in the manga, Chamo is eager for Negi to make as many Pactios as possible as each nets him 50,000 Ermine Dollars.
Upon creation, 3 card types are created for Pactio Invokation:
- Suka: Similar to the botched card, this card ends up turning the Magistra into a super deformed character in an animal costume, where they can do little or nothing to assist the mage. In many cases, the animal they become expresses a certain attribute or connection regarding that student. This form also mentally regresses the Magistra into a child for the duration of the transformation.
- Cosplay: The Magistra gains a special costume and ability for assistance. While not the most powerful of cards, there are skill advantages in this transformation.
- Armor: Equated to the Temporary Pactio of the manga, the Magistra gains a special costume and weapon or ability that enhances them and allows for battle.
Within the first thirteen episodes, nine girls made contracts with Negi, six of whom had Pactio in the manga already (Asuna, Nodoka, Setsuna, Konoka, Yue, Haruna) and three without them (Fuuka, Fumika, Kaede). However in episode fourteen, the situation presented itself where twenty of the other classmates had to make a contract in order to free Negi from a precarious situation. At the time, Evangeline reasoned that she and Chachamaru did not Pactio due to their inhuman natures. (one being a vampire, the other an android) However, both did eventually Pactio towards the end of the series: Evangeline to be saved from a posession, and Chachamaru merely to complete Negi's collection.
[edit] Pactio Usage
The mage invokes the Pactio when needed from his Magistra. During invokation, the mage draws one of the 3 Pactio cards from the Magistra. The card is randomly drawn, but usually he has two out of three chances of drawing something that assists him in battle.
The process for activating the pactio is as follows:
- Negi must invoke the pactio with an incantation.
- The partner or partners in question must be within close proximity with him. In the case of one partner, she begins to levitate before him while a globe appears, normally around the abdominal area, (in Chao's case, the globe encircles her in the form of a steamed bun).
- Negi reaches within the globe, and pulls out the contract card. This is purely a random selection, in which a Suka, Cosplay or Armor card is selected.
- Once selected, the partner will take on the appearance and powers of the image shown on the card.
- It is within the realm of possibility that a mistake in the process can cause Negi to select the Suka card, such as in the case of Ku Fei, when she accidentally kicked his hand.
When summoning multiple pactios, the mage can simultaneously invoke a summon in one incantation. Likewise, cards are also drawn simultaneously. However. the probability for drawing the one of three cards for each pactio summon is independent of each other. Thus, a combination of card types is possible. This is shown in the ninth episode where out of 6 characters; Negi draws 3 cosplay cards and 3 suka cards.
By the time Negi has pactios with his entire class, he uses the class register in order to determine which student has the best abilities for certain tasks. In addition, he can use telepathy to transmit a message. In the case of Sayo, she was chosen to 'possess' a wall in order to retrieve an object which was embedded inside it.
While the Neo-Pactio drawn is always luck of the draw, it only lasts as long as the Magistra has energy (usually seen as food in their stomach) to power their ability. As a result, the duration of each card, (Armor, Cosplay and Suka), varies from person to person. Predicatably, the Magistra is usually very hungry afterwards. Likewise, a meal is shown to be suffient enough to restore that energy. Furthermore, in some cases, extreme emotional duress can cause the Magistra to use up her energy quickly. In the case of Nodoka, she immediately reverted back to her normal form when she became nervous at not being able to find the answer, despite using her Armor Card.
[edit] Card Levels
While the Suka, Cosplay and Armor cards each have different abilities for each girl, they assigned a different "power level" as depicted on each card. Power levels for all three cards can be found around the bottom right hand side of each card. It is raised in the case of armor cards. The power levels for each form vary so that one girl may be more powerful or useful in one form over another.
For example, a potential card for Makie's Cosplay form levels as a "50" in power, compared to a "30" for Asuna. On the other hand, Asuna's Armor form has a level of "90" compared to Makie, who has a "70". While these power levels show some sense in hierarchy in this anime and the manga, there are some anomalies that could show possible potential: the "Suka" form for Chizuru ranks at a maximum of "5", comparable to major fighters in the series such as Mana and Ku Fei. While this may or may not mean anything in regards to the buxom, good-natured female, it could be a hint for other things.
Statistics revealed in the final episode further emphasize that the statistics of a Neo-Pactio transformation changes from card to card, with some Cosplay cards being even more powerful than Armor cards. Chisame's Cosplay form in particular is seen as completely maxed in statistics, yet she may have lower statistics and potential in other forms due to her Suka card possessing a "4" in rank.
Besides making Negi and the student partners, the power of the Pactio protects them from the influence of the Star Crystal. Thus, they are immune to mind-control. However, they are still vulnerable to altered-realities. Similarly, the power of the cards allow all of the girls to loan Negi their power; this is best demonstrated in the final battle against the main posesee of the Star Crystal. (As an added note, all of the girls in this world were represented by their Armor Card except for Zazie, who was represented by her Suka card.)[1]
In episodes beyond the fourteenth, very few students had Pactio abilities activated, with four girls outside the original quartet gaining an individual activation (Sayo, Ayaka, Ku Fei, and Lingshen). However, there were two cases of mass Pactio activation occurring:
- An incident in episode 19 turns the 29 Contracted females into their childish Suka forms, which they remain for the remainder of the episode.
- In the final episode, Negi gives the class a day in one of their Pactio forms as a thank-you present for all they did. Three girls (Asuna, Konoka, Nodoka) are turned into Suka forms, five (Misa, Madoka, Sakurako, Chizuru, Natsumi) into Armor forms, and the rest into their Cosplay forms.
By the end of the series, only six girls have had all three of their Neo-Pactio forms activated: Asuna, Konoka, Nodoka, Setsuna, Ayaka and Chao.
Note: Although they will not get Pactio, the Negima!? anime has suggested Suka forms for three of the remaining main characters:[2]
- Negi: Mouse
- Nekane: Sheep
- Anya: Calico Cat
[edit] 3-A Pactio
[edit] Sayo Aisaka
- Manga: None.
- Negima!: A slow-moving blue hitodama (fireball[3]).
- Negima!? (An interesting point about the Provisional Contract in Episode 14, was that Sayo became visible to her classmates without the use of cameras and such. Most likely it was due to the added power of the pactio).
- Suka: A floating spirit
- Cosplay: Dressed in a kimono, Sayo becomes a "solid" being and has the ability to "possess" solid objects. Then, the possessed object becames "fluid", which allows another person to "reach through" the possessed object (although Sayo is very ticklish when this happens). She also has magic plates she can throw as projectiles. The duration in which her powers last is in question since she is a ghost and does not need to eat (unless she wants to).[4]
- Armor: An angel with a halo and wings
[edit] Yuna Akashi
- Manga: None
- Negima!: Her pactio items are basketballs and a pair of shoes allowing her to jump very high.[3]
- Negima!?
[edit] Kazumi Asakura
- Manga: Although she does not have a Pactio, she does have a card that appears to tie to her photography hobby. She has been promised a Provisional Pactio eventually, but the contract has yet to be created.
- Negima!: Her artifact is a scope camera that allows her to record, capture, and focus in on anything, as well as display information about whatever it is focussing on (such as the ideal moment to fire a gun through Negi's wind barrier).[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Domestic Canary
- Cosplay: Dressed like a field reporter with a long-scope camera and a pair of jeans with one pant leg completely torn. The camera is her main artifact, but its effect was not shown.[5]
- Armor: Dressed in a short black dress with a long white overcoat, the text of her card mysteriousy states "Photographic Tools", which have not been revealed at this time.[6]
[edit] Yue Ayase
- Manga: Orbis Sensualium Pictus: Her artifact is a set consisting of a cloak, book, witch's hat, and a broom. Their abilities are gradually being revealed, with the book appearing to be a beginner's manual for casting spells. Chamo mentions that she has the same Beginner Mage Set that Negi also had. This implies that her equipment is essentially the same as those given to mages in training. At first, her artifact does not offer any immediate firepower, but its potential is starting to prove useful. In fact, what was first thought of as only a beginner's manual actually has a wide array of general information on various magical topics, like an encyclopedia. It is able to display this information in the form of illusionary pages, like holograms. Even more amazing, is that the book is also linked with Mahou.net and updates continuously. It will answer any question Yue asks that pertain to magic. Simply put, Yue now has the equivalent of a magical library branch in one book. She was able to discern Asuna's magic cancellation ability to be among the most powerful, simply by looking it up. Furthermore, she was able to learn the spell needed to amplify Asuna's power. Yue also keeps a practice wand and is already able to cast a few simple spells with it. As for the broom, its purpose has not been shown as of yet, though readers have speculated that it is used like Negi uses his staff, (ie: spell-casting and transport).
- Negima!: Yue uses the broom to cast thunder spells on the enemies.[3] (comparatively, the broom in the manga only casts spells Yue has learned)
- Negima!?
- Suka: Owl
- Cosplay: Maid with a broom and a holster with several of her "strange drinks" by her side, each of which has a special magic ability. She experimented with these concoctions on Nodoka in her Suka form. [5]
- Armor: Appears to be similar to her manga Pactio, particularly through her witch's costume.
[edit] Ako Izumi
- Manga: Although she does not have a Pactio, she does have a card that appears to tie to her nursing abilities.
- Negima!: Her pactio weapon is a huge injection needle complete with a catgirl nurse outfit.[3]
- Negima!?
[edit] Akira Okochi
- Manga: None
- Negima!: Her pactio attack is "water thrust".[3]
- Negima!?
[edit] Misa Kakizaki
- Manga: None
- Negima!: Dressed in her cheerleader outfits and is able to empower the others with cheers. In Satsuki's case, she was able to make her go faster to feed a huge crowd of demons.[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Goat
- Cosplay:
- Armor: Lily-Yarn Needle: A school uniform with a weapon similar to one of the heroines of Sukeban Deka. She throws the needle as a projectile.[5]
[edit] Asuna Kagurazaka
- Manga: Ensis Exorcizans: A giant fan, called a harisen, that can exorcize demons with a single swipe. It is a rather powerful artifact. On the pactio card, it is depicted as a giant sword. Why it manifested as a harisen (giant fan) is not certain, though fans have speculated that it is the incomplete form of the sword version. Asuna's sword seems to manifest in times of great emotion, at one point it becomes a sword when she believes Negi is in a near-death situation, at another point a blinding anger does the trick. There is no indication of why this happens but extreme emotions has, to this point, been the deciding factor when Asuna summons the harisen or sword. An important point to note is that the harisen has little to no effect against opponents that possess no magic, such as robots and non-magical beings, (though if it has any substantial effect against Chachamaru is subject to debate, since she is a robot that is magically-empowered). The same cannot be said for the sword version, since it has been shown to cleave through rock. Most recently, Asuna was able to counter multiple magical attacks with the sword version, just with a single swipe. Furthermore, she is starting to gain control over the more powerful version of her artifact, making it appear at will.
- Negima!: Same as manga, although her artifact's sword form is not seen
- Negima!?
[edit] Misora Kasuga
- Manga: A pair of sneakers that gives her superhuman speed and agility. Their combat potential is limited as Misora states that she can only run away with them. Although she does have a Pactio, it is not with Negi. It's suggested that the pactio may be with Cocone, however.
- Negima!: Her weapon is an Iron Cross allowing her to commune with God and use His powers, such as bringing lightning down on enemies.[3]
- Negima!?
[edit] Chachamaru Karakuri
- Manga: Although she does not have an official card, she is the Ministra Magi for Evangeline.
- Negima!: A new costume with magical laser cannons.[3]
- Negima!?
[edit] Madoka Kugimiya
- Manga: None
- Negima!: Dressed in her cheerleader outfits and is able to empower the others with cheers. In Satsuki's case, she was able to make her go faster to feed a huge crowd of demons.[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Panther
- Cosplay: She is dressed like a gang member complete with a giant ball and chain on her leg and an immense wooden mallet by her side.
- Armor: A school uniform with a yo-yo, as used by the main heroines of Sukeban Deka. She uses the yo-yo as her weapon.[5]
[edit] Ku Fei
- Manga: Mistake Pactio
- Negima!: Magical tonfa that emit waves of energy when used[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Tiger (During her first attempt to activate her Pactio, she accidentally kicks Negi's hand, just as he was about to pull out a card, causing him to choose wrong.)[9]
- Cosplay: Becomes a drunken fist master wearing a yellow robe and with a sake-filled gourd.[5]
- Armor: God's Dwell Cloth: She appears to be equipped with a magic outfit to assist her in battle.
[edit] Konoka Konoe
- Manga: Flabellum Euri and Flabellum Australe: The entire outfit she wears on her card, including the fans, is her artifact, in which has been revealed to heal any injuries within three minutes. She has also been training herself with simple incantations to heal minor scrapes and cuts. In chapter 150, Konoka heals a boy's knee with just her practice wand.
- Negima!: Presumably the same as the manga, though her power was never shown.
- Negima!?
[edit] Haruna Saotome
- Manga: Imperium Graphices: Her artifact is also a set. Hers consists of a sketchbook, inkwell, and quill, as well as a hat and apron. As in the anime, whatever she draws becomes real. She has been experimenting with her artifact, making small doodles of aliens, cats and Tama-chan from Love Hina. According to Chamo, the artifact is used for easy summoning of low-level Golems. The number of images she can bring to life and the size she can make them is yet unknown. Currently, she was able to make lifelike copies of herself and several of the other girls in order to fool the magic teachers who were after them. It was shown that the images begin to degrade after a short while. She was also able to conjure up a giant armored warrior and dozens of Chamo duplicates. Apparently, she can make any of her images come to life at any time, and does not have to draw them on the spot. (Unlike the other girls who have official Pactios, she is the only one who does not have an official card at this time)
- Negima!: A magic marker that allows her to bring any image she draws to life.[3] (comparatively, this Pactio works by drawing in mid-air, while her actual Pactio can only be used with her magic sketchbook)
- Negima!?
- Suka: Penguin
- Cosplay: She uses a magic sketchbook. Objects drawn on the sketchbook become animated and move out of the paper.[12]
- Armor: Popup Doodle: Dressed in a special outfit (long pink shirt, blue boots, skirt and beret) and equipped with a magic pen, she appears to use similar abilities to her manga version.
[edit] Setsuna Sakurazaki
- Manga: Sica Shishikushiro: A complementary shoto, or, wakizashi, is Setsuna's pactio item. In addition to being an extra blade, it is able to multiply into 16 copies and attack the target like a swarm of wasps. It is also useful in very close-quarters, whereby her long-sword would be a hindrance.
- Negima!: Similar to her manga version
- Negima!?
[edit] Makie Sasaki
- Manga: While she unofficially has a Pactio card by Akamatsu, she has only received a mistake card in continuity.
- Negima!: A magic ribbon that she can wield like a whip[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Monkey (She has a heart for a belly in this form, similar to Playful Heart Monkey of the Care Bears)
- Cosplay: Dressed in a magical girl outfit while wielding a wand and a hula-hoop (her magical powers were not revealed).[5]
- Armor: No Longer Human: Though in a gymnastic outfit and equipped with a ribbon, the meaning behind her card remains unknown.
[edit] Sakurako Shiina
- Manga: Although she does not have a Pactio, she does have a card that appears to tie to her cheerleading
- Negima!: Dressed in her cheerleader outfits and is able to empower the others with cheers. In Satsuki's case, she was able to make her go faster to feed a huge crowd of demons.[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Dog
- Cosplay:
- Armor: Brilliant Invocation: A school uniform with attack marbles, like a heroine of Sukeban Deka. She throws the marbles as projectiles. The meaning of her attack name is unknown.[5]
[edit] Mana Tatsumiya
- Manga: She originally had an artifact (a pair of pistols) from her previous contract with a mage, but since her partner is now deceased, she is no longer able to call forth her item, nor is given any additional magic support, (as stated in the English version of the manga). The guns she carries are not considered as her artifacts, but may be replicas of the original magic items.
- Negima!: A rifle that fires magic bullets[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Bear
- Cosplay: Similar to her former manga Pactio card, she attacks with two SIG SAUER P228 wearing a sports jacket and long pants.[5]
- Armor: Unfallable xxx: Dressed in a long dress and wielding one of her long rifles
[edit] Chao Lingshen
- Manga: None, most likely due to the fact that she had just recently returned to her future time.
- Negima!: A pair of Chinese War Fans. Their powers were not shown[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Panda
- Cosplay: Dressed in a Chinese waitress garb and wielding several platters of nikuman in various flavors (as well as a nikuman in her mouth).[5]
- Armor: Koushu Tessen: Dressed in a battle outfit similar to Chun Li, she uses powerful martial arts attacks and a metal tessen similar in use to Asuna's harisen.[13]
[edit] Kaede Nagase
- Manga: None
- Negima!: A HUGE shuriken. Its power was not shown.[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Kappa
- Cosplay: She is dressed in the mountainous outfit of the tengu, complete with a special tengu mask and leaf for blowing wind. In this form, she can transform into anything she can think of (for example, she imagines herself as a frog to save the Narutaki twins when they get in danger).[14]
- Armor: Ninja outfit with a huge scroll
[edit] Chizuru Naba
- Manga: None
- Negima!: Her artifact in the anime is a group of magic spheres from a swirling constellation around her that explode[3]
- Negima!?
[edit] Fuuka Narutaki
- Manga: Mistake Pactio with Fumika (They both kissed a copy of Negi at the same time) While she unofficially has a Pactio card by Akamatsu, she has only received a mistake card in continuity.
- Negima!: Dressed in a ninja outfit and are able to do the shadow doppelganger technique alongside Fumika. The number of copies they can make is unknown.[3]
- Negima!?
[edit] Fumika Narutaki
- Manga: Mistake Pactio with Fuka (They both kissed a copy of Negi at the same time) While she unofficially has a Pactio card by Akamatsu, she has only received a mistake card in continuity.
- Negima!: Dressed in a ninja outfit and are able to do the shadow doppelganger technique alongside Fuuka. The number of copies they can make is unknown.[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Bumblebee
- Cosplay: A Western detective (akin to Sherlock Holmes) with a magnifying glass and a bubble pipe. The magnifying glass gives her a look into an object's future.[14]
- Armor: A ninja with a scroll
[edit] Satomi Hakase
- Manga: During the battle between Negi and Chao, Satomi made a provisional contract with Chao in order to help her to reveal magic to the world. However, by the time Chao was defeated by Negi, she was able to complete the incantation for the Forced Recognition Magic, though the spell was changed with Chao's loss into an enchantment to remove hatred from the world for a day. Whether or not the contract is still active is in question, but it is most likely invalid since Chao returned to the future. Logically, Satomi's partner hasn't even been born yet. While Hakase unofficially has a Pactio card by Akamatsu, she has not made one with Negi in continuity.
- Negima!: Mechanical arms that deliver a punch called a 'Plasma Punch.'[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Axolotl
- Cosplay: Mad scientist outfit, complete with a satchel by her side and a beaker with a strange liquid. The satchel allows her to carry her experiments inside, no matter how large they are compared to the small size of the bag.[5]
- Armor: Similar to her original Pactio card, but with the mechanical arms on a backpack instead of out in front
[edit] Chisame Hasegawa
- Manga: Electrium Reguno: Her artifact is a heart-topped staff, similar to a weapon used by magical girls. The staff allows for several magical properties when used. For starters, it allows for her to attack opponents with a powerful magical attack when used properly. Secondly, when in conjunction with her laptop PC, it allows her and anyone within her vicinity to enter cyberspace, upon which she can internally hack into systems using her computer knowledge to put a stop to any opponent. However, their physical bodies remain in the real word in a kind of trance-like state. Most likely, it is their astral forms which enters cyberspace. Additionally, Chisame is supported by seven virtual 'electronic spirits,' which are seen as talking, long-tailed mice. They wanted Chisame to give them names, but she didn't want to be bothered with such a task and left their names up to Makie. Their names are as follows: Kincha, Hanpe, Konnya, Chikuwafu, Negi, Daiko, and Shirataki. They aid Chisame in her battle with Chachamaru in cyberspace by downloading data, and watching out for any kind of viral attacks. And finally, the staff has the ability to allow Chisame to change her costume form instantaneously similar to her Chiu alter-ego. When her costume is not changed, she can be transformed from use of her pactio into a costume similar to the one on her card. (which was the very first costume Chiu wore in this series). In cyberspace, all characters can change costumes and initiate attacks and defenses.
- Negima!: She becomes her Net Idol alter ego with magical powers. Her glasses became a power staff[3] (Comparatively, Chisame's staff appears to be the main artifact for transformation in the manga, while her glasses remain as she deems fit.)
- Negima!?
- Suka: Fox (because of the transformation abilities of foxes in Japanese culture, Chisame can become Chiu in this form)[2]
- Cosplay: Transforms to Chiu similar to part of her manga Pactio ability. She wears a VR helmet on her head and flies around on a CD while in this form, allowing her access to the virtual web world.[5]
- Armor: Possibly similar to manga Temporary Pactio, connected to her hacking abilities.
[edit] Evangeline A.K. McDowell
- Manga: Although she does not have a Pactio, she does have a card that appears to tie to her vampiric powers
- Negima!: She gets a dark costume and her full powers are unsealed[3]
- Negima!?
[edit] Nodoka Miyazaki
- Manga: Diarium Ejus: Nodoka gained a picture diary that can read the inner thoughts of people, and prints those thoughts into words and images. This is very useful in a variety of situations, including combat and information gathering, (especially for interrogations, though Nodoka is reluctant to forcibly read the inner thoughts of others - she always apologizes afterwards). This artifact is considered to be very powerful and its potential for misuse is considerable. However, the reason why Nodoka received the book may be due to the fact that her innocent personality prevents her from abusing it. There are two drawbacks to take note. First, is that in order to read the thoughts of a person, she needs to know his/her name and second, the person's mind that the she wishes to read has to be within a 5-point radius of her. Its range might be further now, since Nodoka was able to read Yue's mind when she went chasing after her in the lower levels at Library Island. If she does not use the diary or not call a name, it will read her mind automatically by default, much to her embarrassment.
-
- As a note, Nodoka does not have to meet a person to read their mind. In volume 9, chapter 74, Nodoka uses her book to read the mind of Sayo Aisaka, seat number one and resident ghost of class 3-A. Since Nodoka had never actually met Sayo we can say that she just needs to know the name of who she is contacting, or at the very least, just need to know what they look like (which is possible in Sayo's case since her photo is in the class register).
- The images that appear in her diary are usually simplistic with very poor details. Evangeline even commented that the pictures were not very realistic. Whether this is a property of the artifact or based on Nodoka's perceptions is unclear, but these depictions have led to some misunderstandings, (such as the case of Aizaka Sayo, in which the bad drawings depicted her as some kind of blood-thirsty spirit).
- The fact that Nodoka was unable to use the book to read the minds of some robots that Negi and his crew confronted during the third day of the School Festival suggests that the book's mind-reading abilities can only be used on non-artificial beings (either living or ghosts). Whether it can work on artificial beings powered by magic like Chachamaru or Chachazero is unknown.
- While she is reading the book, Nodoka becomes unaware of anything happening in her surroundings (when she was reading Negi's thoughts during the fight with Kotaro at the Shinto gates, she was completely oblivious to the fact that said battle was occuring directly behind her). This could be due to her being so engrossed in what is occuring in the book, she forgets about everything else.
- When in use, the book levitates and turns its own pages as the thoughts of the target person are read. Normally, the pages are blank until the thoughts of the target person are read and displayed. Closing the book automatically stops the mind-reading process. Nodoka can also edit the words and images that appear, as if she were using a word processor. So far, it has been shown that she can delete text and images in the book, simply by pointing with her index finger and using the proper incantation, (Deletus). The total amount of information that can be stored is unknown, though Nodoka has been using her artifact to record her own thoughts like a regular diary. It is possible that the book has other abilities that have yet to be shown, as Nodoka continues to learn about magic and her artifact.
- When it comes to the origins of the Diarium Ejus, the following passage appears (in Japanese) as part of the instructions on how to use the book (as seen in volume 5, chapter 38):
This book was created in 1459, the masterpiece of (blocked) Shantoto. Its purpose was to act as an aid to (blocked) and his magi, and can also be used as an art (blocked) in the hands of one who would abuse the power.
- Negima!: Similar to her manga version
- Negima!?
- Suka: Seal
- Cosplay: Similar abilities to her manga version, but with a pair of glasses[15]
- Armor: Thought Reading Diary: She has four encyclopedias hovering around her, with the books' abilities being a combination of the Diarium Ejus (the ability to read other people's minds and predict their movements in battle) and Yue's Pactio item in the manga (the ability to look up information on, among other things, magic-related topics). She wears a robe and a bunny backpack in this form.[11]
[edit] Natsumi Murakami
- Manga: None
- Negima!: Dressed in a sports outfit, (with a blonde wig, and bigger breasts), she drives in a magic motorcycle. (which Negi worried of since she may still be underage). Apparently, this ties in with her being part of the Drama Club.[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Hamster
- Cosplay: Dressed in pirate attire with a cutlass by her side.
- Armor: Becomes a domestic magical girl with a robe and a magic rug beater and feather duster.[5]
[edit] Ayaka Yukihiro
- Manga: While she unofficially has a Pactio card by Akamatsu, she has only received a mistake card in continuity.
- Negima!?: A formal dress with flowers. While she throws the petals at the demons, they have no affect. Then again, since flowers always seem to appear around her when Negi is concerned, (with or without a Pactio), this could just be part of her usual personality and not her real power.[3]
- Negima!?
[edit] Satsuki Yotsuba
- Manga: None
- Negima!: The entire Chao Bao Zi stall she works at in the manga is her artifact, which enables her to feed dozens of demons at a time until they disappear[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Squirrel
- Cosplay: Dressed like a china doll, she sits in a giant wok with a small tea cup in one hand and a giant magic wand in another. Her hat has a koala head on it (a reference to a bit in the manga in which a koala appears in the background when she tells a group of customers at Chao's restaurant to stop fighting).[5]
- Armor: Dressed completely in her chef outfit with pots as her weapons
[edit] Zazie Rainyday
- Manga: None
- Negima!: Magical cards that can slice up demons[3]
- Negima!?
- Suka: Squid
- Cosplay: A fairy-like performance outfit with four juggling clubs. When she uses her acrobatic ability, she can create fireworks surrounding her.[5]
- Armor: Performance outfit, complete with top-hat, tails and cane
[edit] Non-Class 3-A with Pactio
- Mei (Favor Purgandi)- Her item is a broom. Not much information has been given about what this broom does; though Mei uses it the way Negi uses his staff, (in chapter 156, she is seen flying with it). It may be similar to the broom that Yue has. One possible power of the broom is to completely disarm opponents with a stroke, but it is uncertain whether this is due to the broom, or Mei's own magical prowess.
- Albireo (To Fyuron To Biographicon) - His item is a bookmark along with a spiraling archive of books. It gives Albireo the power to transform into any person that he recorded in one of the many books that he has spiraling around him. The artifact lacks its usefulness for Albireo as he can only keep his transformed appearance for a few minutes, if the being he wishes to emulate is stronger than him. Add to that the fact that most people are weaker than Albireo himself, he does not need to turn himself into them. Another ability of Albireo's artifact is that it can, for a full 10 minutes, make him become the emulated being completely (thoughts, emotion, personality, etc.), but the price to pay for this ability is quite high. The book that has the records of the then-copied being would lose all of its power after that time ran out, and that it would turn into nothing more than a simple biography. Furthermore, Albireo will only have the memories of that person up to the point in which the biography was written. When he was emulating Nagi Springfield, he did not know that the real Nagi had met up with Negi six years before the present time.
- Albireo has in his possession more than one copy of his own pactio card, showing that Albireo has been a ministra magi and performed contracts with multiple mages.
- Much like the girls in the class, who have their seat numbers on their pactio cards, Albireo happens to have a Roman numeral MI (for 1,001) in the upper left and lower right corners of his pactio card. He has recently confirmed that this Pactio is with Nagi Springfield, the Thousand Master. Since it is currently active, the contract also proves that Negi's father is still alive.
[edit] References
- ^ Negima!? anime; episode 24.
- ^ a b Negima!? anime; episode 19.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Mahou Sensei Negima! anime; episode 26.
- ^ Negima!? anime; episode 15.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Negima!? anime; episode 26.; Negi released this form for this student only in the final episode.
- ^ Negima!? anime; episode 14.
- ^ Negima!? anime; episode 4.
- ^ Negima!? anime; episode 3.
- ^ Negima!? anime; episode 17.
- ^ a b Negima!? anime; episode 25.
- ^ a b c Negima!? anime; episode 6.
- ^ Negima!? anime; episode 12.
- ^ Negima!? anime; episode 22.
- ^ a b c Negima!? anime; episode 10.
- ^ Negima!? anime; episode 5.
- ^ Negima!? anime; episode 16.
Negima! |
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Series: Negima!: Magister Negi Magi | Negima!? |
Characters: Negi Springfield | Students 1–15 | Students 16–31 | Other characters |
Other: Episode list | Magic | Items and artifacts | Music | Pactios | Shinmei-Ryū |