Fate's girl posse pulls out all the stops and still gets completely curbstomped by Rakan. More or less as expected, really.
Having the girls all be orphans of the war or some other violence does make them (and Fate) much more sympathetic, explains their sorta-creepy devotion to Fate, and sets them up as Not So Different. I like it.
As for the ball:
- Negi x Asuna: still ew.
- Kotarou x Natsumi: very cute
- Nodoka x Craig: sorta cute, prefer her with Negi
- Tosaka x Ako: ... really?
- Godel: DANCE, PUPPETS, DANCE!
edited 9th Aug '09 12:20:47 AM by Neep
You've lost. You're the Bomb Squad after the bomb's gone off. I'm the blast ongoing.
Pat. St. of Archive Binge
The dance instantly becomes 200% better when you play Por Una Cabeza
over it.
"And now on Come Dancing,the couple all the way from Japan,Negi Springfield and Asuna Kagurazaki!"
I found myself not minding Craig/Nodoka. He wouldn't do her wrong,I know that.
I can't decide whether it's just a ham-fisted Pet the Dog or purely for fun that Fate offhandedly mentions his War Orphans S. A. scheme.
Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.Hmm... just got caught up on Mahou Sensei Negima (did an Archive Binge to get myself back up to speed, and good bloody hell, the panty shots. I think I'm scarred for life now >.<). I actually interpreted the 'we're on Mars/Mars becomes habitable in 100 years' as the Mundus Magicus ending up losing its dimensional half-step, thus insta-terraforming the planet, pretty much (boy, wouldn't you just love to see the look on some hapless NASA tech's face when they check the feed for the Mars Rover and get that?)
I'm on the fence as to the whole Jack dies/Jack doesn't die. On the one hand, manga has a longstanding tradition of 'snuff the wise old mentor' to force 'growth' in whoever the current Kid Hero is, but on the other hand... eh, put me down as expecting Jack Rakan to get petrified, then turn up forty chapters later, yawning and stretching and commenting on what a good nap he'd had >.>
Highly Visible Ninja EDIT- as a random aside, am I the only one who thinks there would be some kind of explosion if Rakan and Kamina ever shook hands?
edited 9th Aug '09 7:11:04 AM by TeChameleon
Yeah, I didn't really expect Fate's Lovely Posse to be any significant challenge to Rackan.
Interesting revelation that Fate apparently makes a habit of rescuing war orphans and sending them to school or allowing them to follow him and yet still considers himself a villain, a tool of his boss. It seems like a combination of Even Evil Has Standards and Fate feeling You Can't Fight Fate (somewhat ironically). And now it seems that Fate and Rackan are ready to throw down for reals.
As for the ball, I'm with Neep that Negi/Asuna is kind of Ew, now that we know she's his aunt. And Kotarou/Natsumi are very cute together; Craig/Nodoka, I'm not sure about, but like Ack Sed said, he'll do right by her. I am, however, very disappointed that we didn't get to see Setsuna and Konoka dancing together. Maybe next chapter.
I'm not sure what side Godel is on, if any, but he's definitely planning something major.
"I actually interpreted the 'we're on Mars/Mars becomes habitable in 100 years' as the Mundus Magicus ending up losing its dimensional half-step, thus insta-terraforming the planet, pretty much (boy, wouldn't you just love to see the look on some hapless NASA tech's face when they check the feed for the Mars Rover and get that?"
"Um...sssiiiirrrr? I, uh, think that, er, you ought to take a look at this..."
edited 9th Aug '09 9:24:00 AM by Jack Inqu
From Jack Inqu:
edited 10th Aug '09 6:24:39 AM by Medinoc
"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."I have a strong suspicion that the translators spelled Asuna's real name wrong, since there's no hint nor mention that she could be Negi's aunt, except for the shared name.
Either that, or something will happen proving she's not related to him.
I mean, seriously, it looks like Akamatsu's already Cleaning Up Romantic Loose Ends with Nodoka and Craig, who, like her, has a hard time admitting his feelings.
edited 10th Aug '09 7:27:32 AM by Sloth Bait
If you want someone witty, someone plain, someone strange, someone normal, someone who's all of these things and the above... Just look in a mirror.Regarding Asuna's fake name, I sense a hint of Dead Guy Junior in it...
"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."I hadn't thought about it like that. Fate did use a different style font when he said, "I'm a villain," and he has said that he intends to save the souls of deserving, or something like that.
But if he truly does see himself as a good guy and assuming his goal is to destroy the magical world, or something on a similar scale, why would he bother to rescue war orphans? When you destroy a world, you can't really pick and choose which parts and people survive. Either I'm missing something, which is a distinct possibility, or we don't have all the information about what Fate is trying to accomplish.
Or both.
Maybe. Craig definitely has feelings for Nodoka, but Nodoka seems to regard Craig as only a friend. I'm also slightly concerned about the fact that Craig and his group got their invitations so suddenly. I'm worried that Godel and/or Fate has something sinister planned and not everyone will survive.
BTW, does anyone else think that Godel might end up being Setsuna's opponent? They use the same sword style, and Setsuna has her shiny new pactio card that's just begging for a test run...
edited 10th Aug '09 1:15:08 PM by Jack Inqu
Sloth Bait, both Arika and Asuna are princesses of the same royal family. Both have Boat Lights. However Asuna had her physical aging delayed for some reason, she could be a lot older than Arika, even generations older. Or not. But we can be sure that they are related in some degree.
Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. — George S. PattonI'm not entirely sure what to feel about the Negi/Asuna thing at the ball considering the real Asuna is still very much missing, especially since Fate appears to be done with her for now. So technically this is Negi/Shiori?
I like that Akamatsu included a random panel with Mei Sakura and what's-her-name, as well as Misora. I get the feeling that the role they'll play might be something like non-lethal cannon fodder.
Random shot in the dark: Setsuna and Godel team up, although each fight for their own reasons, to take down Face–Heel Turn Asuna.
edited 10th Aug '09 1:52:01 PM by dkellis
I have a question about the manga volumes, because in the work page the arcs seem to be off by one: Are the volumes the same everywhere?
On my French version, volumes 16 to 19 contain chapters 140 to 177. If it's the same for other versions, I'll tweak the arc list a bit.
"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."Eh, call me back when Evangeline shows up again. The dread lolita of whup-your-ass will rise again, and play a key role in the unfolding of upcoming events.
Five bucks or a really good smoothie says that she played a part in setting the events of this story in action. Specifically, some decision she made in the past made her The Man Behind the Man, directly or not.
an heroic gesture would do the world goodedited 12th Aug '09 8:18:18 PM by RadicalTaoist
Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.I have to admit that there's a certain vibe between Mei and Takane that may not be strictly professional.
Speaking of pairings, for some reason I keep thinking that it would be interesting to have a pairing of Evangeline and Albireo.
If you'll be my Pactio, I can be your long lost pal. I can call you Kitty, and Kitty when you call me you can call me Al.
Pat. St. of Archive Binge
Now that you mention it,I can see it happening. Quick! To the Fic Cave!
edited 13th Aug '09 7:54:01 AM by AckSed
Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.
Pat. St. of Archive Binge
edited 13th Aug '09 1:52:50 PM by AckSed
Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.
Pat. St. of Archive Binge
It's either that or a Three-section Staff
. Could possibly be both.
So that would bring the total up to ten pactios, correct?
Few questions for you guys to ponder:
1. With Ken Akamatsu saying that the series is just over halfway done, how many pactios is poor(?) Negi going to end up with when it's all said and done?
I'm going to say high teens to low twenties.
2. Which girls do you think he won't make a pactio with?
Evangeline: She doesn't help in the fights (usually) and she's hugely powerful already, so she doesn't need one. Unless she decides she wants one just because.
Natsumi: She may end up with a pactio, but I don't think it will be with Negi...
Chao: She's related to Negi. Of course, that's no guarantee.
Misora: She already has a pactio. Also, her group may not allow to make pactios with mages outside of it.
Ako: After the whole Nagi/Negi ordeal, I don't think she's going to want to jump right back in by kissing Negi.
3. Who do you think will make a pactio with him next?
Any of the non-pactio'd girls of Ala Alba are the most likely suspects, and I'll go with Chachamaru as part of her continuing character development.
edited 14th Aug '09 1:41:38 PM by Jack Inqu

Just a point to address a point made half a page earlier. Someone said that there would be an Averruncus of Earth and Mars and what not. That's most likely not the case as the Kanji used for Earth there is the kanji for Earth Element, not as in the planet earth. If you go back to Chapter 233 (or so, I'm too lazy to check). Each of the members of Ala Rubra is fighting a different elemental themed opponent.
edited 7th Aug '09 12:12:52 PM by SStorm