| Negima! Magister Negi Magi | |
Cover of Negima! Magister Negi Magi as published by Kodansha |
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| 魔法 先生 ネギま! (Mahō Sensei Negima!) |
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| Genre | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Ken Akamatsu |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher |
Del Rey (2003-2010), Kodansha Comics USA (2011 onward) |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Magazine |
| Original run | February 26, 2003 – ongoing |
| Volumes | 36 |
| Original video animation | |
| Mahō Sensei Negima! Introduction Film | |
| Directed by | Hiroshi Nishikiori |
| Studio | Xebec |
| Released | August 25, 2004 – March 24, 2005 |
| Episodes | 3 |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Nagisa Miyazaki |
| Music by | Shinkichi Mitsumune |
| Studio | Xebec |
| Licensed by | Funimation Entertainment |
| Network | TV Tokyo |
| English network | FUNimation Channel Animax |
| Original run | January 6, 2005 – June 29, 2005 |
| Episodes | 26 |
| Original video animation | |
| Mahō Sensei Negima! : Spring (Haru) | |
| Directed by | Akiyuki Shinbo |
| Music by | Kei Haneoka |
| Studio | Shaft |
| Licensed by | Funimation Entertainment |
| Released | October 25, 2006 |
| Runtime | 25 minutes |
| Original video animation | |
| Mahō Sensei Negima! : Summer (Natsu) | |
| Directed by | Akiyuki Shinbo |
| Studio | Shaft |
| Licensed by | Funimation Entertainment |
| Released | November 22, 2006 |
| Runtime | 28 minutes |
| TV drama | |
| Magister Negi Magi Mahō Sensei Negima! | |
| Directed by | Ryu Kaneda |
| Studio | Starchild |
| Network | TV Tokyo |
| Original run | October 4, 2007 – March 27, 2008 |
| Episodes | 26 |
| Original video animation | |
| Mahō Sensei Negima! : Shiroki Tsubasa Ala Alba | |
| Directed by | Akiyuki Shinbo |
| Studio | Shaft Studio Pastoral |
| Released | August 17, 2008 – February 17, 2009 |
| Episodes | 3 |
| Original video animation | |
| Mahō Sensei Negima! : Mō Hitotsu no Sekai | |
| Directed by | Akiyuki Shinbo |
| Studio | Studio Pastoral Shaft |
| Released | September 17, 2009 – November 17, 2010 |
| Episodes | 5 |
| Related | |
Negima! Magister Negi Magi, known in Japan as Magical Teacher Negima! (魔法 先生 ネギま! Mahō Sensei Negima!) is a manga and anime series by Ken Akamatsu (known for his best selling title Love Hina). The manga is currently being published by Kodansha and serialized in Shōnen Magazine in Japan. Del Rey Manga published the English translated version in the United States and Canada prior to Kodansha establishing a U.S. division.[1] The series is licensed for English-language distribution in the United Kingdom by Tanoshimi.
The anime, produced by Xebec, aired in the first half of 2005 and is being released in the US by Funimation Entertainment. Additionally, two OVAs have been released, produced by Shaft and GANSIS, who had produced an alternate retelling of the series, Negima!?. The third set of OVAs, called Mahō Sensei Negima!: Shiroki Tsubasa Ala Alba was bundled with Mahō Sensei Negima! volume 23, 24 and 25 and spanned from chapter 176 to 183 of the original manga.[2] The fourth set of OVAs, covering the Journey to Magic World arc, was bundled with the original manga starting with volume 27 on September 17, 2009.[3] An animated theatrical movie feature called "Mahō Sensei Negima! Anime Final" was released in Japanese theaters on August 27, 2011 as a double-bill with Hayate the Combat Butler! Heaven Is a Place on Earth.[4][5] The movie concludes Journey to Magic World arc.
Contents |
Negi Springfield is a ten-year-old wizard from Wales, who dreams of becoming a Magister Magi (Approximate Latin translation: "Master of Magic" or "Master Mage"), a special wizard who uses his powers to help normal people, using covers such as working for NGOs.
Negi's reason for becoming a Magister Magi is to find his father, Nagi Springfield, the legendary mage also known as the "Thousand Master", who is believed to be dead.
After graduating from the Merdiana Magic Academy in Wales, Negi is given a duty as a cover in the real world, and training, before he actually becomes a Magister Magi. That duty is to become an English teacher at Mahora Academy in Japan. The task will not be easy, however, as Negi will become a teacher to a Middle School class of 31 older girls, each very special in her own way. The series details his time and adventures in Japan as he gains acceptance and respect from his students, helps them in their problems, and faces magical threats from inside and outside Mahora Academy. Although each of the girls has her own back story and personality, Negi's main relationship is with Asuna Kagurazaka, his student and roommate, who dislikes him initially but later accepts him as a friend and becomes his partner, helping find clues about his father and his life.
The series, while initially appearing to be another romantic comedy work featuring numerous bishōjo characters like Love Hina, has progressed into a mix of shōnen action, fantasy, horror, romance and comedy. Akamatsu stated that he specifically wanted to do something "different" than Love Hina. Negi himself is prepubescent, and many of his scenes with Asuna are specific subversions of the "awkward romantic scene" tendency of harem manga, quickly diffused and only played for laughs. In addition, many of the girls are able to fawn over him in a childish sense without any romantic expectations from the reader.
In keeping with this style, Negi himself is seen as a contrast to Love Hina's Keitaro and other typical male leads of manga. He is hardworking, capable, and treated kindly, but due to his appearance and age (well below most of his students), he feels completely non-threatening and finds it difficult to be taken seriously as a teacher; many of his students treat him as a cute little kid, if not a playmate (or plaything).
The pactio (Latin for "Contract") system in the series enables the magician casting the spell, the Magister Magi, to transfer some of his/her magic power to the other person involved in the pactio, the Minister Magi, improving the Ministra's natural capabilities, and providing a magical barrier against physical attacks.[6] The Minister also receives a special magical item called "Artifact", which reflects the Minister's abilities and personality. The Minister, in turn, has to protect the Magister from any dangers and assist him/her in any way possible. Since most Western Mages are vulnerable while chanting spells, a Minister primary duty is to protect the mage in combat situations.[7] Although it is not necessary that the Magister and Minister are of different sexes, its by far the most common setup, and usually pactio partners end up marrying each other.[7][8]
When a pactio is established, a card (Charta Ministralis) is created as proof of the contract, depicting the Minister with his Artifact, surrounded by several magic signs and a "title" related to his/her personality. The Magister keeps the original card with him/herself, though copies can be made for the Minister.[9] The card allows the Magister to communicate telepathically with his/her Minister (By touching the card to one's forehead and chanting Telephatia) and summon him/her across great distances,[10] within a limit of 10 km.[11] Additionally, the card may be used by the Minister to summon his Artifact, with the word "Adeat" (Latin for "Let it come forth"),[9] and to store different costumes "within" it, for later use.
While there are many ways to form a pactio, the most common is having both participants enter a magic circle and share a mouth-to-mouth kiss. Any mishaps result in a "Mistake Pactio", which only grants a badly drawn card. If one of the participant's does not want to commit to a life-long partnership, or is too young to make a "Permanent Pactio", a "Probationary Pactio" is created. Probationary pactio work like a permanent ones, except that there's a time limit to the activation of the contract and the contract can be broken at will. Permanent Pactio, on the other hand are life-long, always active, and the number of contracts is limited by the Magisters power.[12]
As of now, the main character Negi Springfield has formed eighteen pactios. In order, they are Asuna Kagurazaka, Nodoka Miyazaki, Setsuna Sakurazaki, Konoka Konoe, Yue Ayase, Haruna Saotome, Chisame Hasegawa, Kazumi Asakura, Kaede Nagase, Theodora, Ku Fei, Chachamaru Karakuri, Shiori (real name Luna), Ako Izumi, Yūna Akashi, Makie Sasaki, Ayaka Yukihiro, and Chizuru Naba.
Negima includes a wide array of characters, including the 31 students from Class 2-A (later 3-A). Like many classes, Negi's students consist of a wide array of smart students, academically challenged, athletes, and cheerleaders. Furthermore, the class also includes several martial artists, a ninja, a vampire, a robot, a ghost, at least one half-demon, a web idol, and even a time traveling Martian. Nearly all the students are associated with various school clubs or sports teams. Many of these girls are eventually drawn into Negi's world of magic or have long been involved with the magic world. Through interaction, Negi learns about his students in depth. Some students also sometimes get the opportunity to make a probationary "contract" with Negi which will make them a partner and give them additional powers.
In addition to the class, more characters are introduced and become Negi's problem beyond the classroom. These characters come from magic schools, demons, and other sorts of chaos.
Before the beginning of the series, three OVAs were produced for the sole purpose of introducing the characters. The first two were released on DVD bundled with two drama CDs, with the third being sold separately. It is unknown if these will ever be released outside of Japan. (Spring OVA and Summer OVA have been released on Microsoft Zune Marketplace.)
The first OVA is a re-enactment of the first chapter, where Negi first learns of his job as a teacher and is introduced to the students of Mahora Academy 2-A. It ends with profiles of the Baka Rangers (Asuna, Makie, Yue, Ku Fei and Kaede) as well as Ayaka. Asuna is the only girl in the class that does not have romantic feelings for Negi.
The second OVA is a re-enactment of the "love potion" incident of chapter 2, with profiles at the end of Nodoka, Konoka, the cheerleaders (Misa, Madoka, Sakurako) as well as Kazumi.
The third OVA is a re-enactment of chapter 13: Negi's Mahora tour with the Narutaki twins. The tour shows Negi to several of the students (Yuna, Akira, Chao, Satsuki, Satomi, Chizuru, Natsumi, Zazie) as well as others that he ends up missing (Sayo, Evangeline, Chachamaru, Chisame, Misora, Ako). After being chewed out by Haruna for completely skipping her, a final scene introduces Setsuna and Mana, keeping watch from something on campus.
The anime began airing in Japan on January 6, 2005 and ended June 29, 2005. The anime follows the story of the manga to a certain degree but also creates its own reasons for certain events happening - most of which take place towards the end of the series - which differ from the original story, as the situations addressed had yet to occur in the source material. These differences between the manga and anime are extraordinary, and most events in the manga never occur in the anime, again due in part to the manga being incomplete during the series' production. At one time it aired as part of the Funimation programming block on CoLours TV.[13]
In order to bring a true ending to the series, starting approximately halfway through episode 22 and continuing until the end of the series, original work was created for the series.
Due to protests against the animation in Mahōu Sensei Negima!, the DVD release has been revised from the TV version. Various episodes have redrawn characters, expressions, scenes, and even a few episodes have been redrawn completely. The redraws are minor, and fix errors like in episode 16 Makie has six fingers in a scene. Funimation used this version for their English release of the series.
Two OVAs directed by Akiyuki Shinbo and produced by Shaft have been released, a Spring OVA and a Summer OVA. Both OVA's were released on DVD in English dub on October 14, 2008.
The Spring OVA called Negima!? Haru was shown to a private audience in Japan in April 2006 and was released for the public in DVD on October 25, 2006. It is based on the trip to the Southern Islands in volume 7 of the manga. The story is about how Negi makes up to Asuna after saying to Asuna that she should not mind his business.
The Summer (Natsu) OVA was also shown to a private audience in September 2006, and the DVD was released on November 22, 2006. The beginning is about Nodoka and Yue practicing casting a spell. While training, Yue convinces Nodoka that they cast a spell of the red string of fate on Nodoka. A spell which shows them who her future partner will be. One end connects to Nodoka and the other end connects to Negi. Unfortunately, this spell is not a fate connection, but just a tie-up. The rest of the OVA are about how Nodoka and Negi spend the rest of the day trying to take their bath while their hands are tied together. The bath house depicted in this OVA is a parody of the one depicted in Spirited Away although the "creatures" are working on treadmills.
Both OVAs see various changes in hair and eye color of some of the students, most notably Asuna now having both of her eyes being the same color, changes that are also used for Negima!?
A second series was announced on May 9, 2006 by Shaft and directed by Akiyuki Shinbo, the director of Pani Poni Dash! and Tsukuyomi -Moon Phase-. It started airing in Japan on October 4, 2006. Negima!? is an alternate story with different character designs and an all new storyline, albeit with the same characters. The show also focuses more towards breaking the fourth wall, action, and comedy, and less on the original series' fanservice.
A third set of OVAs (officially an "OAD" or "Original Animation Disc" as these are limited edition OVA releases that are only sold exclusively with the purchase of a specific manga volume in Japan) called Magical Teacher Negima! ~The White Wing~ (魔法先生ネギま!〜白き翼 ALA ALBA〜 Mahō Sensei Negima! ~Shiroki Tsubasa Ala Alba~) was announced by Ken Akamatsu on his website days after the end of the live-action adaptation's airing.[14] Production was handled by Shaft in cooperation with Studio Pastoral and the entire cast from Negima!? reprised their roles. The new OVAs cover chapters 176 to 183, and are shown in three parts:
Just like previous Negima adaptations by Shaft, Akiyuki Shinbo served as the director, together with the same staff as his previous works.[2]
From the Negi no Ochakai event that was held on May 2008, Ken Akamatsu mentioned that if pre-orders for the first of the OADs exceed 50,000 the staff would consider a film adaptation, and if it exceeded 100,000 views, the staff would consider a third animated series. The counter on the official website reached 82,581 before the first OAD was released.[15] The total sales of three volumes was 245,000 copies.[3]
A fourth set of OADs was announced in the Mahō Sensei Negima: Ala Alba event held on February 11, 2009.[3] The series is officially titled Magical Teacher Negima! ~Another World~ (魔法先生ネギま！もうひとつの世界 Mahō Sensei Negima: Mō Hitotsu no Sekai).[16] This OAD series, covering the Journey to Magic World arc, was exclusively bundled with the manga starting with volume 27. The first episode, adapting chapters 184 through 188, was released on September 17, 2009; the second, which adapts chapters 189 through 192, was released on December 17, 2009. The third, covering chapters 193-204, was released on May 17, 2010, the fourth on August 17, 2010 and the fifth was released on November 17, 2010.[17] Just like the previous OAD adaption, this series is produced by Shaft in cooperation with Studio Pastoral.[16]
Akamatsu Ken announced in his web diary that they can now initiate "the project" freely because the number of the pre-orders of the new OAD Mahou Sensei Negima! Mō Hitotsu no Sekai was large enough. He said he could not explicitly disclose what "the project" is from now since the sales data turned Akamatsu's personal desire into a real project. He had been saying that the final chapter of the OAD series will be released as a movie if the sales are successful.
Weekly Shounen Magazine announced a "full-length" anime that would be premiered in 2011 and used the term "Negima Saga Final".
On May 17, 2011 the official site opened with the new title "Mahō Sensei Negima: Anime Final" and was released in Japanese theaters on August 27, 2011 as a double-bill with Hayate the Combat Butler! Heaven Is a Place on Earth. The movie will conclude Journey to Magic World arc.
A CD will be released on August 24, 2011 featuring the theme songs of the movie along with the off vocal versions.
Early in the production of the manga, Akamatsu began using CG background elements, for things such as crowds, buildings, and some objects. Many buildings are drawn from real-life structures all over the world, such as the Brooklyn Bridge and the Belfast City Hall. These are rendered in 3D, then characters are drawn in and around them for the panels. Many of these models are detailed in the appendix in the back of the books.
In the US and Canada, the manga was licensed and published in English by Del Rey Manga for the first 28 volumes. New volumes will be published by Kodansha Comics USA and distributed through Random House Publisher Services. Publishers in other countries and languages include Tong Li Comics in Hong Kong and Taiwan, Chuang Yi in Singapore, Play Press Publishing (formerly) and Star Comics (current) in Italy, Pika Édition in France, Egmont Manga & Anime in Germany, Schibsted Forlag in Norway, Glénat in Spain, Editora JBC in Brazil, Tanoshimi in the UK, Algoritam in Croatia,
In Indonesia, The manga has been licensed and released up to volume 26 by Level Comics a division of Elex Media Komputindo, under the title "Magister Negi Magi".
In Malaysia, the Malay version of the Negima books, named 'Magic Teacher! Ahli Magik Negi Magi', are retranslations of the Chinese edition. Evidence shows the names of the characters in Chinese style, such as Asuna as Shenlao Asuna and Konoka as Munai Xiang. Instead of printing "Ken Akamatsu" as the author, the name "Chesong Jian" is used – actually a Mandarin translation of Akamatsu's name in kanji. The characters' names were corrected in volume 15.
While looking for clues about his missing father Nagi, Negi Springfield becomes the English and homeroom teacher for Mahora Academy Class 2A (later 3A). It does not take much time for him to become acquainted to most his new students including his room mates Asuna Kagurazaka and Konoka Konoe. Negi faces his first real challenge in his student Evangeline A.K. McDowell who is actually an immortal vampiress and one of his father's enemies. To help Negi confront Eva, Asuna agrees to become his temporary partner by performing a "Pactio", a kind of magical contract sealed with a kiss.
After dealing with Evangeline, Negi takes the class on a trip to Kyoto while searching for more information on his father' whereabouts but is forced to fight against Eastern mages aiming to kidnap Konoka with the help of other students who also become his partners including Nodoka Miyazaki, Konoka's childhood friend Setsuna Sakurazaki, and lastly with Konoka herself. The arc also introduces Fate Averruncus, another mage who looks to be around Negi's age but proves himself to be far stronger than him. Seeing his own weakness after the events in Kyoto, Negi begins to train with several students in order to become stronger while Kotaro Inugami, one of the foes he confronted there unexpectedly reappears and finds himself a family with Negi's students Natsumi and Chizuru. Kotaro also joins Negi against Wilheim, an old evil from the past who just like Fate Averruncus, seems to be a pawn of an even stronger enemy.
During Mahora's cultural festival, Negi manages to partake in many simultaneous events thanks to his student Chao Lingshen's latest invention, the time machine Casseopeia. One of the events he participate is the "Mahora Martial Arts Tournament" where he confronts a series of stronger enemies including a former member of "Ala Rubra" (Crimson Wing), a legendary brigade led by his father. After the tournament, Negi takes part in more activities at the festival until Chao makes her move as she reveals herself as a time-traveler who chaims she must change the present to avert a great catastrophe in the future. Despite that, Negi and his allies confront her and manage to stop her ambitions. After giving up on changing the present by herself, Chao bids farewell to her classmates before returning to her own time.
With the festival finally over, Negi decides to set for the Mundus Magicus (Magic World) to look for his father. His partners decide to accompany him and together, they form their own brigade, the Ala Alba (White Wing). They are joined by Negi's childhood friend Anya and accidentally by other students who are oblivious to his secret. As they arrive, the team is ambushed by a group of mysterious enemies led by Fate Averruncus, leaving Negi and his group defeated and scattered across Mundus Magicus. After meeting Jack Rakan, another member of Ala Rubra, Negi decides train to get stronger and specializes in Dark Magic, just like Evangeline. Meanwhile, Negi's lost companions start to learn the ropes of their new environment and eventually reunited with him.
During another clash with Fate and his companions, Asuna is captured by the enemy and held captive along with Anya, with a body double is posing as the real one. Later he has an encounter with Kurt Gödel, a former member of Ala Rubra who reveals to him the story of his parents including how his mother was unjustly tried and sentenced to death before being saved by Nagi at the brink of her execution. He also learns that the Magic World is actually a magically created, inhabitable version of Mars, and just like the world itself, the majority of its inhabitants are created by magic. During another clash with Fate, Negi also learns that the main objective of his group "Cosmo Entelecheia" is to make use of Asuna's secret powers to erase the magically created inhabitants of Mundus Magicus and transfer the rest of its population to Earth before it eventually collapses.
By joining forces with the various armies of the Magic World, the members of Ala Alba storm Cosmo Entelecheia's stronghold where Asuna and Anya are being held captive to stop their plans. During the confront between both forces, a magic gate is opened to Earth just above Mahora having Negi's remaining students who stayed behind along the Academy's faculty members also joining the fight. Having succeeded to rescue Asuna and convince Fate to accept a plan he devised to save the people of the Magic World without the need of any sacrifices, Negi discovers that the true leader of Cosmo Entelecheia is no other than his father Nagi who vanishes before asking his son to look for him and destroy him once and for all.
After being celebrated as heroes for stopping Cosmo Entelecheia, Negi and his friends return to the Academy, but instead of resuming his duties as a teacher, Negi leaves Fate as his substitute and with the help of some of his students he starts working on his ambitious plan to terraform Mars for the people of the decaying Magic World to relocate there.
Negima! was involved in a controversy surrounding the censorship of the English-translated manga in North America, typical of Akamatsu's penchant for fanservice and risqué humor. Fans fell upon initial rumors of potential edits by Del Rey, and upon receiving news of this, immediately began fighting against the changes. The compromise reached was to release the book uncensored but shrink-wrapped, which some collectors feel can cause damage to the books.[18] Since Volume 14, the books have been released without the shrink-wrap.
Del Rey's releases contained fully translated versions of the omake(s) found in the Japanese versions (which include character sketches, fan art, and information about spells and related concepts), as well as various notes about Japanese culture and other things of interest not found in the original omake(s).
In 2010, all Kodansha manga licenced in the U.S. was transferred from Del Rey, to the new "Kodansha Comics" imprint, under Random House publishing. It was announced that they would decide which series to continue translating on a title-by-title basis. On December 10, 2010, it was announced that Negima would continue English releases starting in May 2011.
A live-action series of Mahō Sensei Negima!, distinguished from the manga, first TV anime (Negima!, having an exclamation mark) and the second TV anime (Negima!?, having the equivalent of an interrobang) by having two exclamation marks joined at the dot (or, Negima!!).[19][20] The cast of all of the 31 girls was released on July 2007,[21] while it is announced later that actress Yukina Kashiwa would play Negi,[22] Hiroshi would portray Takamichi T. Takahata, former AV star Nao Oikawa as Shizuna Minamoto, and Gajirō Satō as the school dean.[23] It started in TV Tokyo's late-night timeslot on October 3, 2007 and ran for 25 episodes. The 26th announced episode was a DVD exclusive.
Like Negima!?, the live-action series has an entirely different storyline from the manga and the first anime series.
Note: This list pertains only to the theme songs from the first Negima! animation series.
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