Mahou Sensei Negima

That's not very hard to accomplish though.

That said, Asuna is at this point the only one who could get a passing mention in UQ Holder, provided someone like Chahca, Mana, or Zazie don't show up.

She still won't have a face though.

edited 17th Aug '14 1:21:07 PM by SkormSnow-Strider

The Sayo episode is one of the only things I actually remember about the anime.

Good point about the Sayo episode.

Also, the SHAFT anime is at least amusing despite not following the manga's plot.

Which anime is this? Honestly, seeing SOMETHING done with Sayo would be a huge plus.

Chacha(either) is probably the most noticeable absence in UQ holder. Of all the people you would expect to show up, it's probably them.

The Xebec anime, despite it's faults, has a good Sayo episode. And it actually references the idea that she was close to Konoemon when she was alive that Akamatsu was thinking of including in the manga.

I would actually go so far as to say that the XEBEC anime has the best version of Sayo's introduction. Both the original manga and the SHAFT anime play it up for shits and giggles, but XEBEC not only goes the drama/mystery route, but does a really damn good job at it, giving Sayo a very tragic reason for her death and strongly developing the bond between her and Asakura. I remember some stuff from Negima's ending hinting at XEBEC Sayo's background being canon, which was a good move on Akamatsu's part.

Apart from Sayo, it also made Asakura look good when her conscience kicked in.

Agreed on all that.

Oh boy, Chisame's voice is perfect in her episode.

Hum… it's true that the animation style noticeably changes from episode 15 on… the animation itself doesn't improve that much, but the pacing definitely does and the episodes are certainly more pleasant to watch. Even the voice acting seems to get a bit better, somehow.

Well, there sure are some weird things, like aqua-Chacha or placing the "kiss Negi contest" in a haunted house (where the fake Negis appear even without Shikigami, because reasons —'.`— ). Though admittedly, using blackmail to force Chisame to cooperate is a very Kazumi-ish move.

I'm finally starting to like Yue's voice − it helps that she starts to show a bit more emotion in that episode. Maybe Kuwatani needed time to "tune her instrument" and get the right tone − and now that I think about it was a bit the same when she voiced Erika… I don't hate Kazumi's voice either, although it does sound a bit forced at times…

Sadly, the second ending song is less good than the first (they didn't even bother to change the images…)

Sayo's episode is probably close (it's ep 18 or 19?). But still, with only 10 episodes to go, this anime still hasn't covered much…

edited 18th Aug '14 1:27:48 PM by Lyendith

19. And it goes into a filler ending pretty soon.

… It really was a surprisingly good episode on all aspects. Other than Kazumi, it also showed Eva's grumpy good side at the end. And it makes you like Sayo more too − there's something both sad and endearing to her continuing to smile and appreciate small bits of happiness despite not even knowing why she's here.

Now the cause of her death is still left a bit vague… did she get blown away by the wind or something?

I maintain that she never died at all. She was a schoolgirl who became like the Lifemaker and can survive corporeal destruction while her spirit lives on.

Okay, not really, but it's difficult to say why she's considered dead and the Lifemaker is alive.

I don't remember the episode explicitly stating it, but I believe it was implied that she became deathly ill. Staying up all night outside during a big thunderstorm will do that to you.

Weren't there bombers flying? I figured she got caught in that.

Yeah. This was during World War II. I thought that it was implied that she was a casualty.

edited 19th Aug '14 8:12:14 AM by Sereg

Pearl Harbour only happened in late 1941 though. I don't think there were any bombers flying over Japan in 1940. Let alone during a storm…

I'm not sure the story stuck to the timeline that faithfully. And I'm pretty sure I remember bombers during the church scene, though I could be mistaking it for some other story.

Episode 23……

I…… err……

Huh… ò.Ô I wondered what all that melancholy in episode 22 was for but, err, that sure is unexpected. They were strangely good episodes, as if to apologize for covering the Kyoto arc in 2 mediocre ones… though they would have probably been even better if they hadn't come completely out of nowhere.

edited 20th Aug '14 1:35:04 PM by Lyendith

Yeah, that happened.

You know, this is making me miss Negima The Abridged Series. It was really funny and it's bee too long since we last had an episode.

EDIT: There's an episode 8 and 9!? How did I not know this!? Good bye!

EDIT: Oh, I'd seen them already and just forgotten. Still fun to see them again though.

edited 20th Aug '14 2:45:44 PM by Sereg

… you know, a while ago I thought I would remember Chao as the awesome antagonist of a great arc. Now I will remember her as "Chao Time-Travel Delivery Service". Will instantly fix any sad ending for red-haired magic-repelling girls!

Episode 24 was good, although I mildly appreciate that they turned Yue into a jerk. Episode 25 has some cute scenes with Nagi and lil' Asuna, but it already has quite a few problems. Episode 26 has so much stupidity, plotholes and general nonsense crammed in 20 minutes that I can't quite sum it up in one post.

It might sound strange, but I wish they had gone for this kind of plotline earlier (I mean, Asuna making having her days numbered and stuff) to actually, you know, develop it. À la FMA 2003 or something.

As a side note, making Eva's feelings towards Negi more romantic (at least in the implications) felt awkward…

edited 20th Aug '14 3:18:39 PM by Lyendith

Episode 26 has so much stupidity, plotholes and general nonsense crammed in 20 minutes that I can't quite sum it up in one post.

And it still was bett— less worse than the manga ending. Lame as the final battle was, at least we got to see it.

Eeh, dunno. Sometimes it's better to just have nothing rather than… that. And even that ending leaves the Nagi plot thread hanging.

Other than that, I wanted to watch the first Ala Alba OVA but I was so dazzled by Eva and Ayaka's blondess I couldn't see anything on the screen. —'.`— More seriously, it's quite gorgeous. And the characters have regained their real hair! So I can ignore the fact that it leaves a whole chunk of the story completely unadapted in the middle… it's a bit as if the Brotherhood anime had started with the Briggs arc for FMA…

Also, Kotarō's voice is baffling.

edited 21st Aug '14 10:33:36 AM by Lyendith

Not as baffling as Adult Negi talking with Child Negi's voice. Ugh.

Sometimes it's better to just have nothing

This isn't one of those cases, though. I want payoff for my fucking nine years of expectations, dammit.

I think that the SHAFT anime is better than the XEBEC one overall, despite the story being vastly different and the (perhaps because of) the increased wackiness.