Negima! — A New OAD (OVA) Series — The Magic World

There’s been talk of a new Negima! anime series for a few weeks now with most of the assumption being that it would be a 3rd TV series. However, with word spreading that the new Negima! series is going to be in fact another OAD series (OAD being the term used for OVA’s that are sold along with a manga tankoubon) spanning four episodes and covering the Magic World arc, warning klaxons suddenly start going off in my head.

Don’t get me wrong, the first two episodes of Mahou Sensei Negima! ~ Shiroki Tsubasa~ ALA ALBA have been pretty good and pretty faithful (a few tiny things dropped here and there). No doubt when I finally get to watch the 3rd episode, I’ll be OK with it as well (though I do hear that a chapter won’t be covered in that episode). Still, those following the current manga chapters of Negima! (and chapter 242 will be published next week) know that the Magic World arc is pretty long and hasn’t even concluded yet. As such, I can’t see how this arc would squeeze down into four episodes. I’d much prefer the Mahora Festival arc to be animated. Heck, go back one more and properly animate the Kyoto arc, where Kotaro is introduced. That would rock.

Its too early to get worked up one way or the other, but I kinda wish this was either longer or that we were getting a full TV series. I hope that instead of trying to do the whole Magic World arc, they just cover the chapters of the arrival in Wales (hopefully that was not part of ALA ALBA), the arrival in the Magic World with its fight, and the subsequent journey of Negi and Chachamaru to find the others. If they try to squeeze it all in, a fair amount will have to be dropped and that will be a crying shame. We’ll see what happens.