February 3rd, 2012 
AstroNerdBoy The French website Manga News has broken the news that Negima! will be ending in three chapters! And, they have an image from Negima! chapter 352 to prove it. (I think these may be the guys that have put out spoiler images since I know some French folks had early access to the manga, somehow.)
Apparently, Akamatsu-sensei is taking two weeks off (meaning it will be the end of February that the manga picks back up) to prepare for this.
Naturally, I am in shock. To be honest, I had figured that Negima! probably had one more big arc in it before ending. Also, I was pretty sure that for marketing purposes, Akamatsu-sensei would have the entire class form a pactio with Negi, thus allowing for the selling of more pactio cards. I guess I now know why volume 37 LE is going to have the ENTIRE class pactio cards. ^_^;
With the story so full of unanswered questions (Ako’s scar, Negi’s father, what happened to Arika, Eva’s time with Ala Rubra, and of course the ultimate resolution to the fate of the Magic World on Mars to name a few), it seems impossible that Akamatsu-sensei would just end things like this. Certainly, three chapters, no matter how long, would not seem to be enough to answer everything.
So, is this REALLY the end?
Well, it is very possible, though I suspect that this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Negima!, at least in terms of Negi, Eva, and a few other characters. Assuming Akamatsu-sensei isn’t done for good, I suspect that he’ll take a long break from the rigors of a weekly, shounen manga series. As someone who’s the same age as Akamatsu-sensei, I can tell you that things I used to have no problem doing in my 20’s are a lot more difficult in my 40’s (such as going without much sleep for days on end). So, I figure Akamatsu-sensei takes an extended break from manga, goes on a well deserved vacation with the wife, and works on his J-Comi project more.
After some time, I believe Negima! will come back, but as a new title. There are a number of ways Akamatsu-sensei could go.
- Negima! High School Years — In this line, we’d have Negi’s battle harem in high school while Negi does his thing attempting to find his father and ultimately resolve the Magic World issue.
- Negima! Magic World — This could be a manga that had more of a focus on restoring the Magic World, with a focus on Yue attending school there and becoming a Magister Magi herself, as well as Negi’s efforts. The rest of the Mahora girls might get cameos here and there.
- Negima! 100-years Later — Many folks had speculated that Akamatsu-sensei would do a 100-year leap since Asuna is being sealed for 100-years. I discounted this theory because under such a scenario, the Negima! manga would be a completely different manga. However, assuming Akamatsu-sensei returns to drawing manga and picks the Negima! story back up, I can see him doing a new manga in the future, giving it a more sci-fi edge. He could have Chao back, as well as Asuna (whether with or without her “faux” persona), Eva, Chachamaru (in a new body), and Chachazero. He could also have Mana (half-mazoku), Kotaro (half-youkai), Setsuna (half-youkai), Zazie (full mazoku), and Sayo (ghost, assuming she hasn’t “moved on”) return.
Of course, we’ll have to wait and see how the final three chapters go. It may well be that he writes three, long chapters that resolves everything and he walks away from the series forever. That would be sad to me since Negima! is my favorite manga, but I’ll understand if Akamatsu-sensei needs to get away and have a less stressful life.
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Damn, I’m crying on the inside.
Ditto.
say what you want, negima isnt going to come back, and akamatsu sensei just ruin the whole manga for me, if he ever do any other manga i wont read it.
Such bad words, Drake/Deathevn.
Lol, this is totally Deatheven, stop being a negative nelly, it is pissing us off.
I understand the feelings. I can’t say that I’d never do another manga from Akamatsu-sensei as CLAMP gouged out my eyes twice and I still came back for more. *_*
As you said there are a lot of unanswered questions in the story left to answer which can’t be completed in just 3 chapters. I would really like to know why Ken-Sensei decided to finish the story without answering those questions.
Well it would be nice if Ken-Sensei does something like Negima!: Chronicles which would focus on the things he had left out. He could release it as an monthly issue as well (something i think he could easily handle after doing so many weekly releases).
Negima going monthly with 40/pag. chapters after a reajuu time skip it´s not that bad…
see ya
mr.poneis
>Negima going monthly with 40/pag. chapters after a reajuu time skip it´s not that bad..
Is that confirmed or speculation? I haven’t checked yet.
Maybe the joke is that Negi won’t be a teacher, which means that it won’t be Mahou Sensei Negima, but something else?
Negi Tendency?
Negi Crusaders?
Negi is Unbreakable?
Golden Negi?
Stone Negi?
Steel Negi Run?
The possibilities are endless.
I see what you did there.
Or, the joke could just be on us. ^_^;;;
He could plan on solving more unanswered questions through OVAs
I think I saw somewhere that after the movie came out, there were no more animes planned.
*sniff*
When I read this I went NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO out loud, for real 🙁
Anyway, here’s hoping we get Mahou Sensei Negima Z 😉
Only MUCH longer than say School Rumble Z was. ^_~
somehow, im relieved i never read or watched this series.
You right.
*lol* Well, it was REALLY good while it lasted. I’m not holding my breath, but the end game may be OK.
I’m gonna end up feeling really empty inside if there’s no second series…preferably something like your third guess. If these really are the final chapters, there’s no possible way the end can be anything other than a huge disappointment.
Something I forgot to mention. It’s 4 more chapters, not three, since 352 isn’t out yet.
Yeah, you are right. Three AFTER 352, which should be out Wednesday.
It said 2012 is the end of the world. Proven.
*LOL* Good one.
Something tells me that there’s definitely going to be a sequel.
The sheer amount of plot holes forces it- unless it goes the path that i fear.
With the remaining three chapters, we’ll have three immensely long chapters, but each chapter will come after a Timeskip.
For instance:
353: High School Years, Final Graduation.
354: Negi Confronts his father, discovers all of the backstory.
355: One Hundred Years Later.
Now, up-and-coming writers like myself use this technique when we want to finish up a series quickly and without too much mess.
Akamatsu might do the same thing.
We can only hope not.
Well, 353 is already 100-years in the future (as is 352), but is it part of CE-world or not is what’s in my mind.
all the time spent in reading, this manga wanst worth it
I won’t go that far. It was a great manga, which is why this sudden end is like a punch in the face, gut, and balls all at once.
What, it’s ending already? This is an outrage! What about the master of the gravekeepers? She hasn’t take the hood off and show her face.
Yep. So many unanswered questions.
A sad day indeed.
Here’s to hoping Ken will write a sequel.
Sorry I haven’t responded to comments. Some things came up unexpectedly. *_* I’ll try again when I’m back at work. Must sleep now. ^_^;
My prediction: …finally the Magic World has got a wonderful guardian pair, two undie mage: Eva and Negi. And they are fighting with themself forever as yin-yang.
sorry to say it but the chances of a sequel, are closer to 0.
I’ve rapidly gone to this camp, but it isn’t 0 yet so…
I don’t regret buying this manga for a second. It will still always be one of my favourite series, even with an unsatisfactory ending.
But I am so, so disappointed.
Exactly. I probably will go ahead and get Volume 37LE despite the import costs, just to get all the pactio cards.
And fans thought Akamatsu was trolling them before. heh. Well, this is…a odd development. Here’s to hoping that there is a follow up series. If not, there goes potential in a interesting story.
Zazie NEVER got her Intro chapter!
Actually, she did at the end of the MW arc.
News from HongKong… Asuna come back 150 years later and Negi is death on 2065.-.-
150 years? Wow. She has her memories, and I knew it was in the future, but I didn’t know it was 150 years.
I wish that Negima! will come back too… Is one of my favorite series…
I really don’t want it to end just like that…
Will everyone know that Asuna isn’t here in chapter 352?
Considering 352 is a massive time skip, I don’t know how her absence was handled.
I wish the series would continue up to 400-600 chapters however with negi at a final boss level. It would seem impossible to continue the series unless there are more demons like him which would be much more possible in 100 years later (in the story). If that would be the case then I would like to see negi’s demon form (like the time he conquered the ME.
So Negi’s death in the year 2065 is true in chapter 352? Poor Asuna, she even made Negi promise that he would see her when she’s unsealed. So Negi isn’t really immortal like Eva?
Even Eva *could* be killed, just not easily. Negi wasn’t fully immortal, but could be killed even if he didn’t die normally.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…………..
I was REALLY hoping that there would be one final arc that explains everything………
*SOB*
Yeah…I hear ya.
Negi’s harem, pfft.
There should be a Konosetsu spinoff instead. Magister Konoka Magi, with her wife, Secchan, fighting baddies and taking names.
That’d be something cool ^_^
We’ll see. The preview includes Chao, which means that all bets are very literally off when the viewer is shown “hints” from the future. Anyone up for more time travel escapades?
I’m thinking that would be a possibility, especially IF a sequel comes forward.
I wonder if Asuna is going to go back in time to save negi (I was thing she was going to go back in time anyways).
I’m thinking that would be a possibility, especially IF a sequel comes forward.
Urgh I was terrified after seeing the class roster that all the subplots had been resolved off-screen but even I didn’t even contemplate this. I mean some things I could understand but Zazie not even getting an arc! Didn’t Akamatsu say in a Q&A or something that Zazie would be involved in the last arc and Cocone would have some sort of story…? Am i the only who feels like the class roster was a bit off slap in the face?
People are driven insane by the abrupt ending. But look at the Naruto manga series. I wonder how long that will last until people rip their guts out. It could have been shorter (like Love Hina was), imo. Just because a great series has ended does not mean a great series will not come again.
Yes, I have been quite loyal with the mangaka god (Akamatsu) for an extended period of time – since the inception of Negima until now, I have acquired a copy of each volume of his old series (AI ga tomaranai/AI Love You) in the US (the special chapter I have seen online), Love Hina (Both Tokyopop and the Kodansha remake; again, the special chapter, I have seen online), and all 32 US volumes of Negima, and even read Istudatte My Santa. Even though the anime was sub-par (Honestly, the manga was a lot better), I also watched Love Hina, Mahou Sensei Negima, and Negima!?, Isudatte My Santa, as well as retrieve the Love Hina light novels and saw the NegiPa online (Negima Party Book).
My guess is that it will take another year for the next series to start, from the time that Negima exits and akamatsu-sensei enters transition mode. Assuming that disease will not strike and destroy the last three chapters, I will say that Negima has gone out with a big bang (and not a whimper).
However, my critique on the manga was that there were way too many questions that came out of the manga, so there was a lot of volumes that needed to cover the question. Basically, Akamatsu overworked himself. In three chapters, covering up the question of why the twilight princess did not come out, and the millions of other questions that are imposed can be tough. Overall, I give Negima a 3.8/5 unless things change soon.
WTF Arika’s story is an arc all on it’s OWN how’s Ken gonna resolve that??????.
I don’t believe this! It’s been ages due to the business of life and I find that Negima is about to end?! NO! Marathon-ing Negima last chapters. Kudos to astro for keeping up with the series till the very last.