February 25th, 2010 
AstroNerdBoy 魔法先生 ネギま！Volume 31 Chapter 280 (manga)
Mahou Sensei Negima! Manga Chapter 280
SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
Nodoka learns the dark mage’s name is Dynamis and she pays the price with a blow that knocks her across the room. She remembers her days with the treasure hunters and their advice on how to use her artifact to determine an enemy’s weakness. As such, she’s able to avoid Dynamis’s attack and get to the key-staff. She asks the function of the staff and pulls from Dynamis’s mind the ability to defend herself. She then asks how to use the staff to escape and again retrieves the information from Dynamis’s mind to teleport herself and Asakura to safety, leaving Dynamis to truly understand why the Diarium Ejus is such a feared artifact.
Elsewhere, Kaede arrives too late to save Tosaka from “death” but takes out the entity who caused it. Akira and Ako mourn the passing of Tosaka when Nodoka and Asakura arrive. Nodoka starts to explain when Dynamis teleports in and has Nodoka by the neck, retrieving the staff from her. Dynamis destroys the mini Diarium Ejus that Nodoka has and is about to kill Nodoka when Setsuna arrives and removes Dynamis’s hand. Setsuna presses forward her attack (Shinmeiryuu Ougi: Zantetsusen) and activates her pactio artifact with Konoka, drawing on Konoka’s vast magical reserves to begin a massive attack (Tsurugi no Kami: Takemikazuchi). Dynamis retreats but promises that there next meeting will come soon.
With the loss of so many friends from the Magic World, Natsumi wants to return to Japan to which Kaede agrees is their best course of action since their enemy apparently has orders not to kill humans. Kaede is reflecting on getting Anya and the badge problem when Yuuna objects to their fleeing. Nodoka sides with Yuuna, saying that she believes it is possible to bring back all of the slain if they can get their hands on the Great Grand Master Key (English term used in the manga).
Thoughts/Review:
Nodoka.
I have to say that while I certainly enjoyed the speculation on how Nodoka might have some offensive capability, I think that Akamatsu-sensei’s way is best. For starters, it keeps Nodoka in character as a sweet girl who’s not a mage or a fighter, but rather someone intelligent who loves to read. As such, I love how she reads her opponent, then uses that knowledge to her advantage. She clearly shows Dynamis why she and her artifact is to be feared as it can draw out all kinds of information (for which there is apparently no defense) and then she can use that information to either fight or flee as the case may be.
After the schooling Nodoka gave Dynamis (though to be fair, Nodoka got schooled herself), I was thinking about Negi’s battle harem (Ala Alba). Nodoka, Yue, Sayo, and Asakura clearly belong in the Intel wing of Ala Alba. Sayo and Asakura are scouts and I’d pair them with Chachamaru since they’ve worked well together and she could protect them (with proper equipment, Sayo could also lend a hand in fighting). Yue would be someone who’d have to stay at Negi’s side to provide him with information and to help with strategy (to say nothing of her own growing fighting ability).
Nodoka is someone I’d pair up with Kaede. I believe Nodoka has to be within a certain distance of her target to read their thoughts. Kaede would be the logical choice to safely get Nodoka to the target, then see to Nodoka’s safety during tough situations (and if Nodoka has thought feeds, she’d obviously be able to assist as needed).
Just my rambling thoughts.
Anyway, Nodoka’s own growth being on a different track from Yue’s is a good thing as I see it. It keeps the manga from falling into the pitfall of having a ton of ultra-powerful warriors by giving the team a balance of warriors, intel folks, and even a healer. Nodoka takes on an additional role of troop rallier, which I rather enjoy.
Setsuna’s arrival allowed us to get a glimpse of her new artifact and its potential. No doubt, we’ll see its return down the road. I would love to see Setsuna be able to use both of her artifacts, but we’ll see how Akamatsu-sensei plays out the pactio system.
Nice to see Anya given a “shout out” if you will. Kaede’s thoughts also remind the audience that she doesn’t know Asuna is a fraud. Since everyone seems to be gathering at the backup spot, I guess Negi will soon arrive as well, at which point the push to rescue Anya and Asuna should get underway. I’d guess that the other non-Ala Alba members (Takahata, Mana, Misora, etc.) and Yue will end up gathering as well.
Another good chapter to be sure, but I do hope we can make some progress in the next several weeks on (1) unmasking Shiori-Asuna and (2) finding Anya and Asuna before finally (3) fixing the MW and restoring its population.
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wow that was the best chapter by far
xd
lol
just love Nodoka so much
I actually thought Nodoka dodged the attack on the first page. I didn’t see her getting hit or anything…
Nodoka looks Epic! I lol’d at Konaka’s ~myon myon magic power~ thing! ^^
Epic chapter
Libraian-chan FTW!
But dear lord That is one HUGE sword you got there setsuna
imagine if she could combine the two (dear lord 16 of those? overkill)
another great chapter
So… what’s going to happen now? Another retreat? I can’t see how Akamatsu will have them safe now, seeing they are all wanted and everything. I can’t wait for the next chapter. We need to see Yue go berserk.
To me this chapter was not about Nodoka but about 2 things dynamis said “to the eternal garden, to cosmo entelecheia” this made me think about 2 questions, what is the Eternal Garden, who or what really is Cosmo Entelecheia.
As for what the Eternal Garden is i think it is another plain somewhat like Magic world but to be considered more on the lines of heaven or the underworld but also able to be accessed even if u do not die.
Now as for Cosmo Entelecheia, as we know this is the name of Fates group, although i believe there is more to this as how dynamis refers to the eternal garden i think CE is actually a God and the ruler of Eternal Garden as there might not be one “life maker” but many on many different plains and this man or god is the one who makes them. As if there’s a magic world on mars, why could there not also be one on Earth? So this is what this chapter made me think even though this is just a theory its what popped into my head after reading this chapter.
Sorry ANB but i dont think nodoka is part of intel group because if you remenber when they discuss about Mundus Magicus is Mars. Negi called Paru, Chisame, Asakura, Chachamaru (i think if Yue have memory she would be called too).
@Philip — Something sent her flying across the room. I suppose it could have been her, but it seemed like a smack with her then “putting on the brakes.”
@Alex — A strategic regrouping would appear to be in order.
@Nick — Yeah, there are a lot of questions still to be answered.
@Anon — I consider Nodoka part of the Intel group because she’s not a fighter and her artifact is used for gathering Intel. That’s why she was chosen to go with Negi to meet Kurt.
As always, fantastic review ANB. I always enjoy reading your manga reviews.
NODOKA! Wow. This arc finally developed so many characters I wanted to get to know more. Like Nodoka, Yue, and CHISAME! Sorry. Fanboi part of me can’t resist the whole battle harem breaking up into smaller, albeit strategic, group to fight a bigger group for the same objective.
@Blueballoon — I had thought they’d stay in smaller groups for a while, but it appears Akamatsu-sensei is pressing forward, which is fine with me too since I’m more than ready for the real Asuna to be found. I’m REALLY hoping we get to see more there but we’ll see.
Still, the stuff with Nodoka here is good stuff. ^_^
I was so happy when this chapter came because it shows that SOMEONE actually noticed there were two Ala Alba badges in Fate’s hideout.
Thank you, Kaede.
It does seem that Nodoka will be the key to this battle. Considering how she’s lost her mini-Diarium, they’ll likely meet up at the ball with most of the others. Considering how she has at least basic knowledge of how to use those Master Keys, that’ll probably the big thing for the fight, maybe using the Master Keys to mess with Negi’s ME or something.
About the keys – we’ve seen that there are multiple copies of them, which suggests that they are Master or Grand Master Keys. The basic idea for the key system here is that the Grand Master Keys can unlock whatever the Master Key’s can, and the Great Grand Master Key can unlock the Grand Master Key’s locks.
When you substitute “unlock” with “manipulate Mundus Magicus” you can see what Nodoka’s getting at. The blahblahblah key can undo all the things the blahblah keys did.
This in turn suggests the Great Grand Master Key has not been brought into play yet, which leads me to think either the mysterious kid of KE has it, or the Lifemaker will make a surprise appearance.
And for some interesting trivia, Mars has nearly the same tilt of axis that Earth has, so the keys are supposed to have the globe tilted like that. Yay for details!
@orion — I was glad that Anya and the extra badge got a mention as well.
BTW, interesting trivia indeed about the axis tilt. I hadn’t known that. ^_^