March 12th, 2009 
AstroNerdBoy Negima! Manga Vol 27 (Ch 244) SPOILERS
魔法先生 ネギま！Volume 27 Chapter 244 (manga)
Mahou Sensei Negima! Manga Chapter 244
Summary/Synopsis:
Negi and Kotaro are being owned in the arena but Negi tries to counter attack. Jack explains the weaknesses in Negi’s new technique, which he does admit is impressive for Negi to learn. In addition, Jack tells Negi that this new technique gives itself away to Jack, almost as if Negi called Jack, told Jack he would punch him, then hung up. So Jack has time to defend against the attack, which he does. Jack uses the Eternal Negi Fever attack which blasts Negi but Negi activated Asuna’s artifact to deflect some of the energy. However, Jack is behind Negi and puts him down. Everyone is stunned and Shiori-Asuna challenges Negi to get up. As Jack and Kagetarou discuss how serious things got for a moment there with both Negi and Kotaro’s early success, Negi thinks of how it might be impossible for him to catch people like Asuna, Eva, or even Nagi.
Ako sees Negi down and thinks of Negi’s promise. In a flashback from two days earlier, Tosaka confronts “Nagi” about really being the wanted criminal Negi. He even produces evidence showing Negi transforming and while this kind of magic impresses Tosaka, Tosaka has blackmail in mind. Tosaka is stunned to learn that Negi’s true form is actually the kid one. Since Tosaka knows that even the girls with Negi are wanted, he wants Negi to become his slave, thus giving him control over the son of the Thousand Master.
Ako has overheard all this and just as Negi is about to give into Tosaka’s demands, Ako interrupts, spilling a pot of curry on Tosaka. Tosaka tells Negi he has a day to decide. In the bath, Ako cries at the truth that the Nagi-san she fell in love with is actually Negi-kun. Akira finds Ako in the bath is is about to tell her the truth about Negi-Nagi but Ako reveals she already knows and hugs Akira. Akira apologizes and Ako understands.
Thoughts/Review:
I laughed out loud when Jack described Negi’s “telephoning” the new technique. On the serious side, Jack used the moment to teach Negi a lesson in addition to schooling him with an actual beating. Pointing out the new technique’s weaknesses in a situation that is not life-or-death will give Negi something to draw from when facing Fate down the road.
The count is on for Negi to lose. Traditional hero moments would dictate that the hero gets up against all odds and makes a comeback. I really hope that doesn’t happen because that’s an old storytelling format. That said, IF Akamatsu-sensei does do this, I hope he makes it in such a way that feels fresh.
Here are some things to consider as Negi is being counted out. For starters, there’s the Tosaka issue. I can’t believe that Negi was about to again make himself a slave of another person in some misguided attempt to protect the people he cares about. As a slave, he can no longer protect them but despite the near disaster with Fate where Fate would have bound Negi and made him powerless, Negi again somehow thinks that this is the best strategy. Thankfully, Ako interrupted.
Anyway, what we don’t know is what Negi ultimately decided. I can’t imagine Negi submitting to Tosaka in the end, especially since I get the impression that Ako and Negi will speak again (though I could be wrong). Also, Negi was not wearing a slave collar yet though if Negi did submit to Tosaka, the deal may have been to wait until after the match was over. I looked back at chapter 240 to see if there is any clue on what might have happened. I can’t see anything beyond Negi giving Tosaka a look.
So that raises the obvious question, “What ultimately happened?” I said I can’t see Negi ultimately submitting but if that’s true, then how did Negi get away with things for two days? Did Negi avoid everything by training? We do know he and Kotaro emerged to continue their matches before returning to training and Tosaka would very likely have nailed Negi there. Maybe Negi countered Tosaka by pointing out how much Tosaka could lose by having harbored a wanted criminal and even making money off him when Tosaka knew the truth about Negi. I’d be interested to hear some thoughts on this.
The other thing to consider is that if the fight ends next chapter, does Tosaka do something to end it? Does Fate make his move (I’m leaning against that at the moment)? Does Jack win and Negi hopefully learns some valuable lessons? Frankly, I think the later is the resolution with the highest chances of coming out but we’ll see how things go.
As to the Ako story, I have never disliked her as a character. In fact, I’ve liked her well enough and this resolution to her unfortunate love of someone who’s not real is showing that she’s pretty strong. I don’t think she’s putting up a front as she watches the match. She’s had her cry and maybe even said something else to Negi about things. Frankly, I think it will be Ako who keeps Negi from making another mistake dealing with Tosaka but even if she isn’t, she’s still a fine character. I really do wish that Akamatsu-sensei would flesh her out even more, explaining how she got that scar but we may never get that answer.
Shiori-Asuna’s support of Negi in the fight is something that Asuna would really do — challenge Negi to get up. That is such a scary ability she has to emulate another person, though as we’ve seen, it isn’t 100% perfect. I do look forward to seeing how that story thread is resolved.
I’m really looking forward to seeing things wrapped up next chapter and a move forward to the next phase of the Magic World arc.
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Well, having read the spoilers, I was quite sure Rakan was beating Negi not due to being stronger/faster,(although he is stronger) but by somehow reading his moves and having more experience under his belt.
With regards to how he was reading Negi’s moves, I did have a bit of a hunch that something was giving it away, like what Takahata had done during the MahoraFest Budokai when he pointed out to Negi that shundou “entry” once done cannot be aborted and the “exit” is fixed already (you cannot change it midway, or redirect the IM). So Raisoku shundou, though a bit different has the same (more or less) principles as the basic shundou.
Some people from other spoiler threads for this chapter say it wasn’t good, but really, I actually appreciate the explanation here as to how Rakan was reading Negi’s moves rather than be left in the dark about that (that is, just have Rakan beat Negi up like nothing and just assume that he is better than Negi just because he’s just that incredible). It at least gives credit to Rakan (and Negi’s opinion of him being smarter than he makes himself appear to be).
Of course there is also Ako’s part in the chapter and Tosaka’s scheming (which, since this chapter brought to light has also made me anticipate 245 even more…is this perhaps the “second story” that will begin in that chapter?)
It’s sad though that Kotaro barely even showed up in this chapter, but it can’t be helped since it’s pretty much about him anyway…
@Anon
Basic IM have that weakness. But if you master it enough, entry/exit cannot be sense. Ground Contractor doesn’t have that weakness, for some reason. And Kaede is consider the best among the group who can do it. And Negi has shown Ground Contractor-like IM before, or so Chao said.
Actually, Negi was changing the direction and velocity straight up in chapter 242. Using Raisoku shundou at point-blank and evading Jack, who is like well beyond supersonic, attacks. He bends and curve, using the wind to determine how the path of the lightning.
It’s not that Negi can’t change after using Raisoku shundou, but more like he can’t keep up mentally, neuron pulse not firing fast enough, so he can’t react in time if Jack predicts and determine where he will appear. At least that’s what I’m getting from what Jack said.
I don’t know how this will turn out, seriously. Too hard to guess. A good thing, actually. Win or lose? What of the bounty and Tosaka? Fate and Shiori Asuna?
I’m betting something will happen to Shiori Asuna. Something major…
@Anon
Basic IM have that weakness. But if you master it enough, entry/exit cannot be sense. Ground Contractor doesn’t have that weakness, for some reason. And Kaede is consider the best among the group who can do it. And Negi has shown Ground Contractor-like IM before, or so Chao said.
Actually, Negi was changing the direction and velocity straight up in chapter 242. Using Raisoku shundou at point-blank and evading Jack, who is well beyond supersonic, attacks. He bends and curve, using the his wind magic to determine how the path of the lightning.
It’s not that Negi can’t change after using Raisoku shundou, but more like he can’t keep up mentally. His neuron pulse not firing fast enough, so he can’t react in time if Jack predicts and determine where he will appear. At least that’s what I’m getting from what Jack said.
I don’t know how this will turn out. Too hard to guess. A good thing, in a way. Win or lose? What of the bounty and Tosaka? Fate and Shiori Asuna?
I’m betting something will happen to Shiori Asuna. Something major…
I also like the little aside comment that Rakan had fought some sort of ultimate lightning being as well. Yet another point showing how much experience Rakan has had.
I’m also glad that the usage of the lightning is actually proper for once. Most other stories that involve some sort of lightning control makes it out to be fully controllable like some sort of long ranged spear. Here, the way lightning could potentially (pun not intended) be diverted is nice.
For the evidence to be destroyed, it would probably take a crowd of people, who would be eager to see ‘Nagi’, to run over Tosaka and that vid recording if Negi returns from the match.
It’s a good thing that Rakan “fought the ultimate spirit of lightning in the noctus labyrinthus dungeon”. lol.
I’m really starting to wonder how many of Rakan’s blackboard power calculations are accurate, and how many he just picked random numbers for to get points across. On the original version, Kagetarou had strength at around 700. I realize that Kotaro isn’t as strong as Negi, but I sincerely doubt he’s let his rival surpass him so ridiculously, so he still should have had no problem with Kagetarou.
As for Tosaka’s attempt at putting Negi on a leash… I’m going to guess that Ako damages his evidence somehow simply because that’s what I thought she was doing with the curry at first, and I like the idea. It might be completely wrong, but I still like it.
If Negi does make a comeback, there’d better be a really good reason for it that goes beyond ‘I’m not going to let my students down.’ At some point, having willpower alone is not enough, and I think Negi’s beyond that point.
It’s still not over. Remember Akamatsu-sensei still hasn’t mentioned what Negi was doing in Eva’s scroll.
I’m betting something will happen to Shiori Asuna. Something major…
Yeah, I think that’s a safe bet. ^_^
Ninotachi said: I’m also glad that the usage of the lightning is actually proper for once. Most other stories that involve some sort of lightning control makes it out to be fully controllable like some sort of long ranged spear. Here, the way lightning could potentially (pun not intended) be diverted is nice.
That is a nice touch, isn’t it? Score one for Akamatsu-sensei on this front. ^_^
Philip said: For the evidence to be destroyed, it would probably take a crowd of people, who would be eager to see ‘Nagi’, to run over Tosaka and that vid recording if Negi returns from the match.
Oooo. There’s an idea of how Negi slips through Tosaka’s hands.
Cynical-Gamer said: It’s a good thing that Rakan “fought the ultimate spirit of lightning in the noctus labyrinthus dungeon”. lol.
*lol* Yeah, it is a good thing. ^_~ However, while that may come off sounding a bit cliched, considering that Jack is at least 50, it doesn’t sound as contrived to me.
@Merc — Jack may have been guessing on Kagetarou’s strength because he comes off much stronger. That said, I do think that Negi has passed Kotaro by a great amount. In chapter 236, Kotaro didn’t even need to lift a finger because Negi had grown so strong so quickly, he didn’t need Kotaro’s assistance.
Now, I do think that Kotaro will get stronger to be sure but in my mind, he’ll always lag behind Negi from here on out. The difference is that I can’t see this getting Kotaro depressed or discouraged.
Anon said: It’s still not over. Remember Akamatsu-sensei still hasn’t mentioned what Negi was doing in Eva’s scroll.
That’s true and that may yet come into play — an ace in the hole if you will. ^_^
I think Negi and Tosaka just never speak after Ako interrupted them. But I am worried about it… We’ll see NEXT CHAPTER. Negi will lose I think.
Does knowing the leaders of all the nations in the magic world count for anything when being wanted?
Does knowing the leaders of all the nations in the magic world count for anything when being wanted?
I would think that in the end, it should. And now that I think of it, maybe Fate learned that all three leaders were training Negi. That might put him in a bad mood because it could thwart his plans, to include getting Negi and company off the wanted list.
O_O’s at spoilers for 245
They were posted at AAS thread…
Ako seems a “little” bold here