魔法先生 ネギま！Volume 33 Chapter 303 (manga)
Mahou Sensei Negima! Manga Chapter 303
Negima! Manga Vol 33 Ch 303 Review

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Group 2 continues to where Kotaro has been briefed that Anya and the real Asuna are being held. As they approach their destination, Fate comes from that direction. With Natsumi’s artifact still in place, effectively making them completely invisible, Fate begins walking past, apparently unaware of anyone being there. As Kotaro remembers having worked with Fate before, he decides that this would make the perfect ambush to take out Fate for good. Sayo keeps a tight grip on Kotaro’s arm to prevent him from doing anything rash as Kotaro’s actions have the others in the group very afraid.

Kotaro imagines attacking Fate to behead him, only to fail and be beheaded himself. Realizing he could not defeat Fate, Kotaro does nothing as Fate continues down the long passageway. Asakura wonders if Fate noticed Kotaro, something Kotaro doesn’t think happened since Fate would have turned them to stone.

Meanwhile with Negi’s group, Setsuna fiercely battles Tsukuyomi, landing a punishing blow. Tsukuyomi is excited by this and reveals that one of her swords is in fact the legendary Youtou Hina sword. Setsuna recalls being shown the sword as a child during an instruction period (apparently taught by AOYOMA Tsuruko) and taught that the sword nearly wiped out the Shinmeiryuu swordsmen. Further, Setsuna remembers the warning that if a novice were to draw the blade, they would be possessed.

As the darkness begins covering Tsukuyomi, Setsuna notices her ki being taken. When Setsuna asks if Tsukuyomi is doing this for power, Tsukuyomi responds that it is not for power but so that she can savor Setsuna more completely.

Thoughts/Review: Only two major items on the docket this chapter, which was quite short.

First, I rather liked Kotaro’s brief flashback to when he worked with Fate during the Kyoto arc. The one new piece from his complete flashback sequence is that Fate visited Kotaro in jail, which I assume was just before Graf Herrman was apparently summoned by Fate. That reminded me that there are a few, small, unanswered questions about that in my mind.

Anyway, Kotaro’s ability to recognize his weakness compared to Fate and thus restrain himself from doing what he desperately wanted to do shows just how far Kotaro has come as a character. Despite his older teen appearance, he’s still ~10-years old or so.

Now, question is, what will they find when they arrive at the place where Anya and Asuna supposedly are being kept? If Fate is coming from that location, then it would seem that he’s done what he set out to do.

On the Setsuna vs. Tsukuyomi rematch, I liked how Setsuna was so determined to take out Tsukuyomi and just beat her. Of course, it isn’t enough which lead to the old surprise reveal about cursed Youtou Hina sword (well, a few folks guessed earlier that this was the second sword Tsukuyomi was holding). The sword, which was first shown in Love Hina, is a pretty cool additional tie-in to that manga for us fans of both Love Hina and Negima! Akamatsu-sensei taking things one step further and bringing Tsuruko was the icing on the cake. ^_^

For those who haven’t read Love Hina, Tsuruko ran the dojo where the Shinmeiryuu arts are taught. Tsuruko’s skills with the blade are incredible though Youtou Hina did take her down in one of the Love Hina stories. Her younger sister Motoko was able to defeat the sword and reseal the evil spirit that resides inside it. After that, Motoko was given the sword because she alone would be able to safely use it.

This being the case, the question on many people’s mind is when and how did Tsukuyomi get the sword? Motoko would not have willingly parted with it, meaning that Tsukuyomi had to have stolen it at some point. There’s an outside chance that Akamatsu-sensei may reveal that bit of information and thus we may get a Motoko cameo, which would be the cameo I’ve wanted the most. ^_^

Still, Tsukuyomi having Youtou Hina explains how her personality became so dark and sexually perverted.

So, a good if short chapter. With the standard break now over for Akamatsu-sensei, I’m guessing that the next chapter will get us into volume 34.