September 18th, 2009 
AstroNerdBoy 魔法先生 ネギま！Volume 29 Chapter 264 (manga)
Mahou Sensei Negima! Manga Chapter 264
Negima! Manga Vol 29 Ch 264 Review
SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
Eva walks with her Chachamaru-type ‘droid (who’s also carrying Chachazero) and complains about the summer heat as well as having to visit Al when she runs into Eishun, who has also been summoned by Al. Eishun picks up a fruit desert to bring with them and arriving at Al’s residence under the library, Eva wants to know why Al summoned them since it is obviously more than to have a cup of tea. Al states that he has information to pass to both of them as it seems that Negi will be learning the secrets of the Magic World soon enough.
On Mars/Magic World, Gödel’s boy servant tells Negi that the governor will see him and three companions of his choosing. Shiori-Asuna offers to go but Negi has her stay and be guarded by Setsuna. He chooses Nodoka, Asakura (who brings the Sayo-doll with her), and Chisame as his companions. Chisame can’t understand why she would be chosen so Negi tells her it is because she’s given him such good advice. He gives a final word to Kotaro and Ku Fei before going to Gödel’s chamber.
Inside, instead of a room, they find themselves in an illusionary setting of the English village Negi lived in as a child from six years ago when it was attacked. Negi asks how Gödel has such imagery. Gödel’s answer is is a question asking Negi to consider how Gödel could have such a record of the attack. Gödel states that the setting was chosen considering the nature of their discussion. As they witness a four-year old Negi running past them, Gödel challenges Negi on what he wants to hear — the secrets of the Magic World, the goals of an evil society, facts about his mother, or the location of his father.
Chisame realizes that Gödel has control of the situation as Gödel continues to goad Negi by showing the imagery of young Negi reacting to the attack, citing that the one thing that has spurred Negi on from the time he was four until now is to get revenge on the enemy that would do this. Negi remembers what Graf Hermann told him on how Negi learned a very powerful spell in order to get revenge.
Chisame and Nodoka tries to warn Negi not to fall for Gödel’s bait as Gödel continues, stating that Negi’s true enemy could be Fate, demons (mazoku), or even the Mage of the Beginning. Gödel says that it would be simple if one of them were the true enemy but life is not that simple. As such, Gödel reveals that Negi’s true enemy is the Senate of Megalomesembria, which includes Gödel. Gödel continues, stating that Negi must have suspected but is cut off when Negi issues a powerful uppercut punch.
Thoughts/Review: Always place a truth in a lie.
That’s the thought I’ve had ever since Gödel was introduced and that thought rang in my head throughout his exposition to Negi.
Recall, if you will, the Biblical story of the fall of man. God laid down one law to Adam and Eve — do not eat of the fruit from the one tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden. The punishment for even touching said tree was death and implied instant death. The Serpent told Eve that she wouldn’t die because he knew the truth — the “death” spoken of would not be an instant physical death but rather an immediate spiritual death followed by an eventual physical death. The Serpent also knew the results of eating of said fruit. So in that regard, the Serpent planted a truth within the lie he told which Eve then believed.
From the start, Gödel has had an objective when it comes to Negi. The true nature of that objective is not clear to me (though if I’m right about Negi and Nagi being the same person, it could be to force the “sleeping” Nagi personality to awaken so that he can be dealt with once and for all) but in order to get what he wants, Gödel appears to be planting truths within the web of lies he’s weaving for Negi. So I don’t doubt that the Senate might be behind the attack on Negi’s village but the question remains, “Why?”
Also, with Negi punching Gödel (much the same way that Nagi punched the Mage of the Beginning years earlier), will we go into a fight or will Gödel take that because it is leading Negi to “the dark side” (if you will)?
It is interesting that Gödel allowed Negi to bring in three companions. He also let them use their artifacts so Asakura is recording everything. Gödel might well want this all recorded so that his goals are furthered by the others seeing what transpired. Gödel also may well want Nodoka to see the “truth” in his mind so that his overall lie gets missed. Chisame, who’s not using her artifact, is an unknown factor though I suspect that since technology and magic are merged on the Magic World (as they are on Earth), Gödel would have been prepared for her to interface with computers if she decided to do so and again further his objective.
The wild card here is Sayo. It is very possible that Gödel doesn’t know Sayo is a ghost and so doesn’t know that she can go from the golem body Paru made her to the doll Asakura is carrying. I suspect that should things REALLY go south, she would be used to get word to the rest of Ala Alba.
Of note to me is Gödel’s pointing out that simple is not how life often goes. I mention this because it is natural for everyone (myself included) to assume that the simplest explanations must be the correct one — a variation of Occam’s razor. Over time, I began to see that Akamatsu-sensei had his story well planned out, not to the tiniest detail, but in terms of the overall framework. As such, he’s able to drop clues from the first chapter regarding the special nature of Asuna (which is why Del Rey REALLY needs to retranslate volume 1 from scratch and re-release it). Occam’s razor would state that the reason Negi failed to erase Asuna’s memory was because he is a kid and just didn’t have the spell mastered. We know that is not the case now. Occam’s razor would use the same excuse for why Negi’s ability to fly with his staff failed when Asuna got on it.
I mention this because despite everything, I still think Negi and Nagi are the same person. Occam’s razor would say that Negi is the product of a sexual union between Nagi and Arika. Akamatsu-sensei tends to not go the route suggested by Occam’s razor but uses that principle to distract readers for a time from clearly seeing where he’s taking the story. As such, Nagi and Arika can be the “father” and “mother” of Negi and still have Nagi be Negi by being figurative parents instead of literal parents (such as Chao and Hakuse being considered to be the parents of Chachamaru as her creator). We’ll see if I’m right or not. ^_~
Another thing I find interesting is Al summoning Eishun and Eva to tell them information they didn’t know. For some time now, I’ve suspected that Al is under the same curse that Eva is, only Al’s is MUCH more restrictive. I believe that Nagi did this to Al before disappearing in order to protect Al (no one seems to have known that Al was alive and hidden under the library, guarded by a dragon, for the last ten years) and to make sure Al was there to deliver a message to Nagi’s unborn son (in addition to whatever else Al may be needed to do). If Al is privy to Nagi’s plans, then it would be even more paramount to keep Al hidden in order to protect the plan. Al does appear to know something if he’s going to reveal information to Eva and Eishun.
This brings me to a side issue — it is very difficult to place Eva with the Ala Rubra group and I’m wondering why Akamatsu-sensei has done so. We know she was with them for a time and that she loved Nagi, but Eva’s time with them is shrouded in mystery that I would love to get a few more answers about.
With it being summer still in Japan, it appears that Akamatsu-sensei is paving the way for Negi and company to return prior to the start of the next school term. This assumes, of course, that when Al summoned Eva and Eishun, Negi is having his meeting with Gödel.
One other thing — only Chachazero could get away with addressing Eva as “Babaa” — old hag/bitch. *lol*
Well, I ended up talking a lot more than I had intended but this chapter really brought it out of me. *lol* I’m looking forward to seeing where we go from here.
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“The punishment for even touching said tree was death and implied instant death.”
Interesting how you’ve made the same mistake Eve did in thinking that there was a problem with touching the tree. The rule was not to eat of it only and Eve somehow added the extra bits ^^;;
In any case, cliffhanger yet again TT
I really hate this whole Negi being Nagi thing you have going there. That would be the last thing I’d want to see. If Negi was Nagi, how exactly would the story progress once he found out? How would his students react to him being an actual adult?
I think godel is trying to make it so that negi will overthrow the senate himself, as well as take control of mm. sorry for bad english.
@PB — They will react the same way they reacted when (1) they learned he was a mage and (2) they learned that “Nagi-sama” was actually Negi.
@CR — Well, I was looking at the passage with Eve talking with the Serpent so…^_^;
I’m almost certainly in a tiny minority, but I still think Godel is going to wind up being an ally a la Eva, albeit more evil and less trustworthy. He was still talking when Negi hit him, which suggests that things are not as simple as Negi seems to have decided.
When talking about the war America started with Iraq, I don’t say “they” even though I was among the millions of Americans who marched in protest before it started, and would have done almost anything to prevent it. I say that “we” started the war, even though I’m neither George Bush nor an American Senator.
As a Megawhateverthehell Senator, Godel would have no choice but to say that he is part of the group responsible. But if he’s not one of the ones that are truly responsible, he wouldn’t expect Negi to hear that as “Ha ha ha it was me!” and flip out.
Possibilities: He wants to use Negi as part of a plan to overthrow the Senate, paving the way for Godel to take control. He sees Negi/Asuna as the potential future heirs to a throne, and wants to gain their trust. He knows that war is imminent, and wants to use Negi as part of a plan to root out the ones who have been pulling the strings.
All of those are pure conjecture, mind you. But I think they’re just as possible as “Godel is evil incarnate”, maybe moreso.
Anyone else wondering how Rakan’s “massive dump” is going, and whether the conversation will get interrupted by the fight breaking out of the pocket dimension?
And there’s 3) where the girls stop holding back at wining him over, and that includes Asuna, since he’s not a kid anymore. And when I say “stop holding back” I refer to the few that were still doing it (ex: Asuna, Ku Fei, Eva, Takane, Chisame, Emily etc).
Also, by “stop holding back”, this is the kind of thing I had in mind:
http://www.onemanga.com/Mahou_Sensei_Negima!/137/07/
http://www.onemanga.com/Mahou_Sensei_Negima!/137/18/
http://www.onemanga.com/Mahou_Sensei_Negima!/9/12/
hehehe.But it may also turn oth like this:
http://www.onemanga.com/Mahou_Sensei_Negima!/231/04/
http://www.onemanga.com/Mahou_Sensei_Negima!/231/10/
lol
On the time issue, I too am wondering what is going on as going from Asuna’s apparant age (at least 25) if anything time should be slower in the magic world not faster as the case appears to be if the Eva/Eishun/Al scene is not set before current events.
There is also the issue that Eishun looks remarkably laid back for a person whose daughter is missing. This makes me wonder if word has not reached them of events at the Gateport.
If this is the case and the breaking of the connection has caused an acceleration of time in the magic world then it is possible that Mana and Takamichi’s arrival was nothing to do with the attack but rather them arriving from a different gate on Earth with the original aim of meeting up with Negi’s group and Jack Rakan and their late arrival due to the acceleration of time in the magic world.
While a good set up chapter I have a worry that given what happened the last time Godel appeared if Akamatsu will cut back to the fate-Rakan fight for a couple of chapters before moving on with the Negi/Godel confrontation.
outside the meeting, everyone else in AA could be targeted if things do go south.
Interesting. I can’t say I have a theory myself yet.
@ANB: I’d have to completely disagree with you on that. Depending on how old Nagi was before he turned himself into Negi, and if he reverts to his original body, it would be like Misa’s reverse hikaru genji plan happening right then. At the very least, the story would go back to being Love Hina-style after the action-dust settled, with a very romantic (or downer, considering Nagi’s idiocy) ending.
Is it just me, or does Godel sound exactly like a game show announcer. HE HAS NO INDOOR VOICE, sums everything up to a, b, c, or d, and never lets anyone speak till he’s done or punched.
Also, Sayo is adorable on the last page.
i just have a few things to say
1. it was kanoko who remenber the thing that Graf Hermann say not negi
2. negi is no nagi, that would ruin the story, if this where true, even dough i love the negima serios i would seriously stop reading it
So what your describing is, Godel is like the serpent, trying to lure Negi into doing a sinful action. I have to say, this is really starting to get interesting. This must be what Chao was trying to prevent. I just hope his three friends, including Nodoka, find a way to help Negi, and prevent the future from becoming a living hell.
Oh, dear God. After Good Boy’s post, I got Paula Abdul stuck in my head singing “He’s a cold-hearted snake, don’t look into his eyes… uh-oh, he’s been telling lies.”
So now I have to try to infect other people with this earworm, of course. (^_~)
I have the same opinion than Arimareiji.
I don’t know how work the U.S. senate, but like I said on several forum, in Japan (and France and probably a lot of other countries as well) senators are elected for 6 years, and not at the same time, it’s half of the senate every 3 years.
If the MM Senate is the same, then at last half (and probably the whole senate) of the members changed (except those who were elected again of course) since that snowing day.
At the very least, it doesn’t seem like Riccardo know about it.
So:
either Riccardo was elected after this, and the fact that the senate did this wasn’t recorded anywhere or
Riccardo was part of the senate at this time too, but isn’t aware of what happened back then (so it would mean that it wasn’t the whole senate which acted, but only a part of it).
And remember, he started his politician career less than twenty years ago. Before this, he was nothing, no one knew him.
Becoming a MM senator in less than 14 years is not a little feat.
So I really doubt that he managed to do it say… in less than 10 years. Even for someone as good as him. So either he managed to become one a few years before that snowing day, or he managed to become senator only after.
Either way, you can see that the probability that Goedel wasn’t part of this plan is far from being little.
It looks like this guy is really good at getting info (maybe thanks to his “telepathy hijacking” ability?) so he may have discovered it after becoming senator.
Also, I’d like to say something about the way goedel is speaking.
When he’s saying “we” or “us”, he’s not using the ‘normal way” (well, it’s a pretty standard way to say it, but you’ll see what I mean) to say it.
He’s using 我々. Which is a way to say us when you’re talking about a specific group of people who are all part of something (and you’re part of the group, too).
Like, us, as [insert any name of country, village, city here]’s inhabitants, elected this guy to be our leader.
Or us, the japanese, want this or have done that in the past.
This isn’t a “us” which could refer to “you and your friends”.
Organization, city, village, senate, and so on, is OK. So in case such like, this, the probability that “us” could only refer to “the majority of us” (and him not being part of the majority)is also far from little.
(sorry for the double post, just remembered that I wanted to say something else about Goedel :p )
Also, remember the first encounter between Negi and Goedel.
When he wounded asuna, he was really surprised, he didn’t it would wound her, and said something like “since it’s a shallow wound, no worries”
Not only that, but when they escaped, in the mist, Goedel saw clearly Setsuna. But he didn’t do anything to her and let her go.
no matter how I look at it, he doesn’t seem like a bad guy to me.
More like, someone that want negi to think he is a bad guy, because of some unknown reason.
@Zefyris: Please pardon my really bad Japanese, but is it accurate to say it this way?
1) watashi-tachi, one way of saying “we,” takes the word watashi (“me”) and adds the plural counter tachi to mean something like “me and the people associated with me”
2) wareware, the word Godel used, could mean something like “these people, which happens to include me”
Thank you for pointing this out, by the way. (^_^)
You all have to admit that your opinions are just that: opinions. It’s interesting to see viewpoints et al, but until Ken shows us, it’s just guesswork~
~thenightsshadow
What thenightsshadow said, it was probably the smartest thing anyone has said on the net.
Just noticed that words are missing in my previous posts, like the fact that the sentences “And remember, he started his politician career less than twenty years ago” and after are no longer about Riccardo, but about Goedel -_-“.
@arimareiji: well,
yes for watashitachi (and other like oretachi…)
For wareware, it’s basically either speaking on behalf of a specific group or speaking as part of this specific group.
So a soldier will say “wareware” to talk about his army (including himself and without making any differences between him and the other soldiers).
A president of some company will also say wareware if talking about the company’s employees (including him, again, without any differences between him and the others).
Idem for someone being part of an organization.
This is really a “us” or a “we”. This is just that it isn’t used for every kind of group.
And in the result of this, it is often used for really large group (like the senate here), this will often result in saying “we did this” while in fact, not everyone in the group did it. Just a part of the group, either on behalf of the whole group, or because the majority of the group agreed with it, and so on.
So about something which was decided by the senate (for example with 60% yes and 40% no), if you’re a senator, you will say “we decided this” and will use wareware.
It doesn’t mean you voted yes. it doesn’t mean you voted no either.
Just that you’re part of this specific group, which happen to have decided this.
Sorry, it’s difficult to explain for me, especially in English, I hope this is more understandable now.