Friday, October 21, 2011

Negima! Magister Negi Magi Volume 8

VOL. 8
063 – (Secret) Tower for Two
They can do it another hundred times and it still wouldn't get old
At first I thought it was another typical chapter where nothing much happens, but it was better than I had initially expected. I liked the part where it was explained how Negi’s daily worked, I liked the idea of fitting two days into one (although, it creates a paradox of how much Negi ages, two days or only one?).

064 – After That Magic-Teacher!
Fist of power!

Continuing on with the previous chapter, the class members start to learn magic too, which shouldn't really surprise me. Anyway, Kotarou had appeared at the end of the last chapter, and I thought his aim to was fight Negi again, turns out he was here to warn him of an approaching danger, it’s getting interesting yet again.

065 – My Very Own Superhero
\
Nodoka's going to get a shock when she turns around to find Evangeline right beside her...

We learn about Negi’s past, and it’s something new, not just the scene of the night where the Thousand Master appears in front of Negi like I thought. Even though it was a flashback, it was really interesting and I was hooked into the chapter. The exchange between Negi and Nodoka was pretty funny (and love how Chachazero only ever thinks of killing or people dying), a good chapter that ended too quick.

066 – The Truth of That Snowy Day

This scene is hilarious, everyone's so emotional...

Finishing off the flashback story of Negi’s past, we arrive at the very familiar scene where Negi meets his father in the night. Not too bad, and it was funny when the flashback was over and everyone had listened in (complete with tears in their eyes), typical, but funny. Skipping back to the real world, Kotarou forgets his purpose of arriving here, which is stupid, and now that I think about it, the mysterious shadow at the end of chapter 64 looks like one of the monsters in these two chapters.

067 – Rub-a-Dub-Dub, There’s Slime in the Tub
Made from shadows...

Whenever a title like this one appears, I’m a bit wary on the chapter plot. This one isn’t too bad, carrying on from the mysterious blob like things appearing in the previous few chapters, they form into three, strangely familiar, shapes. Don't know their intentions just yet, but it wasn't a “waste of my time” chapter.

068 – It Was a Dark and Stormy Visitor
Chop!  (why...?)

Things move at a faster pace, but nothing is revealed yet. A fight ensues between Kotarou and a mysterious (not to mention strong) old guy. This chapter ends with Negi and Kotarou teaming up heading towards a fight, I guess the good bit’s in the next chapter.

069 – The Attack Begins! Negi and Kotaro
We finally see them clearly, seriously, they remind me of other characters in this manga

Don't know why Asuna gets all surprised at what she’s wearing, thought she would have gotten used to it or expected it by now… The fight was okay, but it was just that, a fight, however, at least Negi’s training is paying off, he’s more powerful and less useless now.

070 – A Reason to Fight
fighting a demon now (*sigh*)

Turns out the old man was a demon (and using Asuna’s magic nullification powers to his advantage), I can forgive Negi for being subdued by the demon since it is really powerful. I liked how the chapter turned out, it was frustrating when things were still kept in suspense but not that some of it is out, it was enjoyable.

071 – Negi’s Choice
Axe of Thunder!

The battle ends, not really that exciting or worth it. This story arcs feels bloated anyway, it takes so long for it to take off, but what actually happens isn’t worth the hype and tension built up. We never got to find out what the demon’s intention was when he came to fight Negi.

Overall
So powerful... so mysterious

A mediocre chapter, I liked the arc where we learnt the daily regime of Negi, but the demon part afterwards was so so. It wasn't bad per se, I wouldn't say it’s great though. I wished the pacing is faster.

----------------------------------------------------

Credits: due to it being faster and more efficient I just took these pictures from scans online instead of scanning the tankobons themselves. These were scanned by the group "Meow"
Blogger Widget