Wakaranai

This was another great chapter! Ken’s on a roll now, once again he’s put together a chapter that I have nothing to complain about. Although my stubborn concerns about the time he’s left the real Asuna’s story hanging without revisiting it at all, and the fact that the recent focus on Negi and his father’s past have sidelined the rest of his vast cast. This centralization on Negi has taken its toll on the characterization of some of the girls (such as Nodoka’s apparent lack of angst over her friend’s memory wipe – which betrays the profoundness of the friendship that we’ve seen in the past), and has also wounded the tone of the manga. Although I *really* love the epic story behind Negima, I also really love the cute girls and ecchi appeal that it originally kicked off with. The moe characters have really captured my heart, so Ken Akamatsu should be careful to maintain all the elements that were behind the ascent of this manga to popularity, because I know I’m not the only one. Don’t forget the nudity and the youthful , maiden love stories! Every so often you just have to yearn for the days when you could discuss Asuna wearing bear panties rather than the master-plan of a corrupt senate. Well, I’ll hold on until this recent rush of plot development stops for a breather, as this latest rush of exposition and history has been a lot of fun in its own way, and it’d be a shame to cut things off too early because right now it really feels like we’re on the brink of everything clicking together and making sense.

Unlike the last handful of chapters, we happily got to visit four different ‘scenes’ this episode. Rather than being stuck solely with Godel, Negi and his chosen accomplices, we also got to see the reactions of the other girls at the ball, as they watched on through a weird Sayo-chan ghost-video-feed. I thought the logic behind her ability to transmit video like that felt a bit silly (because it makes her and other ghosts absurdly useful), but it was a good excuse to catch up with the girls. A bit of femininity to balance Negi’s manly predicament! Ku-fei was cute letting on at her inability to work out the plot of what they just watched. Paru, however, was as sharp as always, explaining the story online to everyone in a clear and concise fashion. Speaking of sharp, Yue finally got to do what she does best – being perceptive and wielding her powers of analysis. I really like the fact that she drew a conclusion from the flashback reel that others didn’t – the significance of Negi in terms of the royal bloodline – which stretches all the way back to the first mage – the daughter of the ‘creator’. A lot of people have been complaining about Negi’s ability to blast ahead of other characters who’ve spent their lives training, surpassing them with a hero-tier power level at the young age of 10. If you consider that he is a descendant of this revered bloodline, (not to mention the benefactor of the unstoppable Thousand Master’s genes), then this makes a lot more sense.

We don’t really know her origins, potential, or purpose yet, but Asuna’s role as the Twilight Imperial Princess is now an undeniably factor in this saga’s story. I’m really intrigued by this side of the story now. I’m especially curious to know exactly who sealed Asuna’s memories, enabling her to live an ‘ordinary’ life, and to see just how having her memories returned by Fate will change her. How will Asuna feel knowing she’s linked to the fall of Ostia and maybe even the potential destruction of the magic world? What I really love though is, looking back, you can really get a sense of all the hints and allusion Ken Akamatsu threw into even the earliest of chapters. Back then, when Asuna’s “amazing” magic-cancelling abilities were mentioned, or the vague suggestions that she might be some kind of princess, I doubt many of us could have foreseen just how significant those points would ultimately become. The way in which this story has evolved is truly impressive. I really liked fake-Asuna’s reaction to the revelation that she’s the Twilight Imperial Princess. Actually, on the subject of Asuna, due to her reduced role lately I’ve really been missing her. I guess I never really appreciated what her hard-headed, stubborn and strong-willed attitude bought to the table until it was gone.

On the manly front, we also FINALLY got a glimpse of the showdown between Rakan and Fate, which has clearly been a clash of titans – between two of the most powerful warrior who ever lived. Rakan seems to be holding his own, but Fate has no confidently proclaimed that his ultimate victory is assured. And that he’s now about to defeat the undefeatable, unsurpassable JACK RAKAN. I’ve heard people mention that Rakan is getting death flags here. Personally, I have a lot faith in the brokenness of JACK RAKAN, and I’ll believe Fate when I see it. I doubt Jack will be killed (this is Negima, after all), but even if he is humiliatingly crushed I will shed a tear.

Although it didn’t nearly have the wow-factor or dramatic impact of last chapter, this chapter gets my seal of approval for advancing things on a number of fronts and really consolidating the story so far. Because this chapter took so long to get scanlated (again), the preview pics have actually been out for chapter 271 for a while. The next chapter looks like it has some big revelations in store as it follows through on the Rakan/Fate battle, including an appearance by the not-so-dead Mage of the Beginning. More and more, it looks like the great tale than Ala Rubra faced was never really resolved at all and has now cycled back around to Negi and his own crew to tackle.