September 6th, 2011 
AstroNerdBoy 魔法先生 ネギま！Volume 30
Negima! Manga Volume 30 Review
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For detailed chapter summaries of Negima! Volume 30 with chapter reviews, look below.
- Chapter 268
- Chapter 269
- Chapter 270
- Chapter 271
- Chapter 272
- Chapter 273
- Chapter 274
- Chapter 275
- Chapter 276
Highlights from the volume (*SPOILERS*):
- The conclusion of the Arika and Nagi romance, culminating in the proposal.
- Negi learning this story and other elements about the Magic World.
- Eva learning this story and other elements about the Magic World.
- Fate’s fight with Jack coming to a conclusion.
- Negi reaching a decision and revealing he knew things about the Magic World that he shouldn’t know.
- CE’s attack on the Magic World.
- Mana’s return to the scene.
One of the things confirmed without a doubt was the nature of the non-human lifeforms living on the Magic World — they are mere illusions, akin to something like Artificial Intelligent Star Trek holograms of different levels, depending on the species (weather humanoid or animal).
The interesting thing that the supposed death of Arika goes is that while the official story is that she died, the government knew that she didn’t die. Therefore, a reason for them (or even CE) to pursue Ala Rubra remains, even if not through official means.
While Nagi has often been the type to act first and think later, this volume showed that in fact Nagi had matured somewhat in that he allowed his beloved Arika to suffer in prison for TWO YEARS while he and Ala Rubra went around the world and saved people. There’s no doubt in my mind that Nagi wanted to jump in there with guns blazing to save her, but he knew that this would be the worst option and would prevent him from saving the world. So, he has to allow Arika to suffer so that he can save her in such a way that allowed the government to pretend they’d killed her.
One thing that no one speaks of is how Akamatsu-sensei basically gets away with a big one here by having Nagi rescue Arika at the bottom of a ravine filled with monsters and where magic cannot be used. So, in reality, there’s no way for Nagi to have caught Arika and they both should have been killed on impact. Akamatsu-sensei does show Arika somehow breaking her bonds as she went off the plank but there’s no indication that she used magic to slow her decent (and why would she when she’s expecting to die anyway and be torn to shreds by monsters?) so how’d Nagi catch her, much less escape?
Well, the story is a romantic one so that Akamatsu-sensei pulls it off and I think most of us just let the moment slide with a “well, Nagi somehow did it” and that’s that. A good writer can do that. ^_^
I have been asked why I think the Mage of the Beginning is in fact Amateru. Well, this volume contains the roots of that belief. Chapter 270 establishes that Amateru is the woman in the stature with the male warrior, the establisher of the pactio system, and the female wizard of fairy tales of the Magic World. So, as the first queen of Ostia and the founder of the very special Royal Magic, in my mind, it seemed like she could in fact be the Mage of the Beginning, but it really came together for me much later. At that time, I also thought that maybe Zecht is the warrior of legend to go with the wizard of legend. We’ll see if I’m right or not.
While it will be a while before we get the final volumes of the Magic World arc, I am looking forward to reading the arc as a whole and studying story flow.
On the Kodansha side of things, there are NO extra images showing the limited edition artwork, which has different covers, both front and back. Granted, I don’t NEED to see the more ecchi artwork, but come on Kodansha. Is it that tough to give American audiences a little more bang for their buck?
The lengthy “How and Why of Negima!” is included and that’s awesome. These came from the original Japanese tankoubon but unfortunately, there were no denotation to point out the questions that were originally submitted to Akamatsu-sensei in English. I wish that had been done to show English speaking audiences that Akamatsu-sensei does answer questions posed to him in English. It makes him that much cooler, in my opinion.
Translator notes are here and those are always a welcome addition. ^_^
There are a few name spelling problems. In the extras, Kotaru’s name is spelled “Kotar” and in the chapter itself, Amateru’s name is spelled “Ametar.” Someone had a thing against the letter “u” apparently. ^_^;;;
So, the Magic World arc continues with more interesting developments. Volume 31 will be out later this month and its nice getting volumes rather quickly after the long drought. I’m looking forward to scoring it.
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Oh, thats right this was the volume in which Ken-Sensei answered my question which was in English (it was the first time he did it right).
I don’t know Japanese (yet), that why i sent my questions in English, I didn’t believe it would get accepted (maybe the reason it got selected was because of the country i am from, which i mentioned in my e-mail).
But accidentally my real name got sent with my e-mail, it was present in the Japanese version, is it the same in the English version as well (did my real name get on it as well).
I realized something just now. I remember how i was thinking of time skips, like Akamatsu did at the end of Negima. But then it struck me – He did an EARLIER time skip in that manga, when Keitaro goes to America. In that section, focus shifted to the other people and specifically a new character, Kanoka, as a rival for Naru. the circumstances are slightly different but I think that’s what Akamatsu is doing here, with Fate being the “new rival” and Negi’s working on the Magic World transfer as the “trip” to a foreign land, putting Negi out of the picture temporarily. AAUUUUUGH!!!
But accidentally my real name got sent with my e-mail, it was present in the Japanese version, is it the same in the English version as well (did my real name get on it as well).
No names are displayed for the questions.
In that section, focus shifted to the other people and specifically a new character, Kanoka, as a rival for Naru. the circumstances are slightly different but I think that’s what Akamatsu is doing here, with Fate being the “new rival” and Negi’s working on the Magic World transfer as the “trip” to a foreign land, putting Negi out of the picture temporarily. AAUUUUUGH!!!
I hope you are wrong. That volume of Love Hina is unreadable to me to this day. Supposedly, it only came about because Akamatsu-sensei was requested to not end the very popular manga and having Keitaro’s step-sister enter the picture was the solution he came up with to prolong it.
If Fate basically takes over Negi’s role in the manga, I’m not really going to care for that, at least not as things stand now. I’m not interested in how Pinocchio (Fate) learns about humanity and the trials along the way. Of course, Akamatsu-sensei could make that journey a comedic one, which would make it go down easier.
We’ll see how the next few chapters play out, but I get a feeling we may have parallel stories with Fate and class on one hand and Negi, Asuna, and maybe a few other on the other.
Well, I sorta expected Fate to become “friends” with Negi and co. Never tought he would be defeated in the magic world arc. We will see how it plays out.
Time skips would inevitable be used, we all knew it.
Think of all the things that are set up and need a resolution by the final chapter of the manga without making everyone a god mode sue. (the villagers who turned to stone come to mind, and Graf Hermann said Konoka would be able to heal them in a couple of years if she became much more powerfull).
Also, saving the magic world would take 10 years so yeah, unless KA would go for the record of longest manga ever, time skips are something that are bound to happen a couple of times.
PS: On a totaly different note, anyone care to take a gues at the diameter from the largest column from Eva’s first resort? (Into 3D modeling and trying to recreate it ;-).)
As for how Nagi caught Arika, keep in mind that people can get pretty superhuman even without- Ku Fei’s only gained Chi powers recently, all that superhuman fighting she did in, say, the Kyoto arc? Purely a result of Insane Training Powers.
So even sans magic, Nagi’s not *completely* helpless, just greatly reduced.
Think of all the things that are set up and need a resolution by the final chapter of the manga without making everyone a god mode sue. (the villagers who turned to stone come to mind, and Graf Hermann said Konoka would be able to heal them in a couple of years if she became much more powerfull).
True.
Also, saving the magic world would take 10 years so yeah, unless KA would go for the record of longest manga ever, time skips are something that are bound to happen a couple of times.
It would not be cool to have him skip that far ahead so quickly. I’m hoping the current volume will be filled with side stories to give us a break from anything heavy for now.
PS: On a totaly different note, anyone care to take a gues at the diameter from the largest column from Eva’s first resort? (Into 3D modeling and trying to recreate it ;-).)
Can’t help there. ^_^;;;
As for how Nagi caught Arika, keep in mind that people can get pretty superhuman even without- Ku Fei’s only gained Chi powers recently, all that superhuman fighting she did in, say, the Kyoto arc? Purely a result of Insane Training Powers.
So even sans magic, Nagi’s not *completely* helpless, just greatly reduced.
Well, I think that is the element Akamatsu-sensei is relying on to help people suspend their disbelief.
Check the inside cover. It should have the same outline as the Japan’s LE manga.
Sorry, I meant Love Hina. But yes, I hope i’m wrong too. It twould be terribly droll. The only good thing that came out of the Keitaro is in America arc was Love Rankings. ONLY THING
Check the inside cover. It should have the same outline as the Japan’s LE manga.
I think that’s because it was the same as the front-cover art for the tankoubon (the front cover we get is actually the dust cover front).
Sorry, I meant Love Hina. But yes, I hope i’m wrong too. It twould be terribly droll. The only good thing that came out of the Keitaro is in America arc was Love Rankings. ONLY THING
Well, there was that and Keitaro’s new look. ^_~
Although it’s hinted very strongly, the fact that most of the Magic World residents are illusions wasn’t definitely confirmed yet at this point. My brother who only follows the English volumes still hasn’t picked up on it.