March 5th, 2014 
AstroNerdBoy ユーキューホルダー! Manga Review
UQ Holder Chapter 25
SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
Touta pulls up short on killing Kaito, then with extreme effort, he contains the Magia Erebea effects and begins to return to normal. Kaito is disappointed since he wanted to be killed here, but Touta is enraged by this attitude and packs Magia Erebea up with a massive punch to the ground. With Touta exhausted and Kaito having his Chi wiped out due to Touta’s Magia Erebea, Kaito concedes, though Touta wants to punch him.
Kaito grabs Touta, then leaps up the side of a nearby, multi-story apartment building. On the roof, Kaito produces a barrel and whereby he challenges Touta to shundo battle of arm wrestling if Touta is still intent on fighting. Nagumo and Karin arrive, so Kaito tells Nagumo to not interfere. Nagumo can’t believe the Magia Erebea is gone. Karin tells Nagumo that she may have to alter her opinion of Touta based on this, but Nagumo think that this situation is exactly what he wants.
A flip of a coin starts the arm wresting match, where Kati seems to have won, but Touta’s hand hasn’t yet touched the barrel. Kaito realizes that Touta has caught him again, and that the core of Touta’s strength isn’t Magia Erebea, but himself. Touta is still angry by Kaito’s wanting to die in the slums, and in his anger, he ‘takes a hold of the world’ with shundo and slams Kaito’s hand into the roof of the building, seriously damaging it.
Thoughts/Review:
*Yawn!* Sorry, is it over yet?
*sigh*
Akamatsu-sensei had such an epic chapter last week, more so for Negima fans for obvious reasons. So, as expected, Touta gains control over Magia Erebea through sheer willpower, something Negi couldn’t even do, then masters Touta’s on shundo techniques to defeat him. Mind you, Touta learned them when? A day ago in terms of the story?
Then Akamatsu-sensei made me roll my eyes somewhat at Karin’s remark about changing her opinion of Touta, even if slightly. I expect Karin to start wanting to bear Touta’s child at some point down the road, and more.
“I was Yukihime-sama’s maid, but now I’ll be Touta-sama’s exclusive maid! Order me, Goshujin-sama! I’m a naughty maid and need some Magia Erebea punishment!”
Well, Touta can do anything and everything by either seeing it once, or through sheer willpower. For his next trick, he’ll one-up Bob McKenzie from the movie Strange Brew, and piss out all the fires in the slum, ’cause he’s Touta and by George, he can do anything, dagnabit!
In fact, let’s dedicate the “Lumberjack Song” from Monty Python to Touta. ^_^
*lol* I kill me sometimes. ^_~
Although Touta made me want to wretch in this chapter (’cause he still won’t learn a dang thing since he can win by being stupid), I have a new theory I’d like to propose on Touta’s use of Magia Erebea. As Negima fans know, ME was a “power-up cheat” technique created by Eva. Negi not only learned it, but mastered it as well, apparently surpassing anything Eva ever did with the technique.
Now, since all Touta has to do to learn a technique is to just see it in action, and since he appears to have had some kind of relationship with Negi in the past (whether as his grandfather, or as a grandfatherly figure to Touta remains to be seen), then if Touta observed Negi using ME in the past, then he should be able to use it on that basis alone. After all, as seen in this chapter, he’s already well surpassed what Negi had ever done with the shundo technique, and that after only seeing it done, getting minor training on it, then outstripping a shundo master.
Touta has a track record of doing this kind of thing, so in my mind, if he’s always observing something, almost instantly becoming proficient in that something, then mastering that something shortly thereafter, then why not add ME to the list of things he saw once, thought it was cool, then mimicked this technique?
Anyway, Akamatsu-sensei isn’t giving Touta any likability brownie points with me. Trying to artificially force the issue with tears and such only makes me roll my eyes and go, “Whatever. Can we get a REAL Dragonball Z player in the house, please?” Or has Touta already surpassed them at this point? (I’ve never watched/read Dragonball Z so I honestly don’t know.)
For those of you who take an opposing view, that’s cool with me. We’ve had some interesting discussions about Touta and will likely do so again. After all, I’m still reading the manga, aren’t I? ^_~
Oh, one more thing — Crunchyroll, you need to learn how to properly do the two-page spread stuff. *_* It is amazing how scanlators get this simple thing right. I’m not just talking about putting the two-page artwork together properly. For this chapter, the 2-page spread was not even in the same display window because of the way things broke down page-wise. *_*
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Yes, Astro. A boooooring chap., even more so after last week.
P.S. Wait, did Kaito actually see the Earth?! What the hell?
I think that’s supposed to be figurative, but who can tell for sure. ^_^;
Any thoughts on how similar this is to Negi’s arm wrestling battle with Ku Fei?
Oh yeah, I’d forgotten about that. I don’t remember Ku Fei doing any shundo stuff, but the whole “being grounded” part of shundo wasn’t a requirement in Negima.
Still, on a power level, I guess the two arm wrestling matches were similar.
[…] Here are some SPOILERS w/ predictions (no images yet) from the upcoming UQ Holder chapter 25, courtesy of the gracious Hata. (My review of UQ Holder chapter 25 should come out Wednesday.) […]
Not a fan of shounen fighting manga cliches, are ya Astro? I guess I’m kind of used to it after some 15-plus years of the stuff, first with Dragon Ball in the 90s and all the way to current series like Bleach. I think this is what Akamatsu had always wanted to make. He was kinda forced to make Negima another Love Hina-like harem series, but it gradually evolved into the action series he always wanted it to be. Now he gets to do that from the start. The thing is, Touta is more like traditional blockheaded protagonists like Goku (when he was a kid, anyway) and Naruto (which I can’t believe is already going on 15 years), which is a far cry from Negi, who ironically was more mature in many ways. Touta still has growing up to do just like Goku and Naruto, but I think it’ll happen in due time. We’re only the second volume, and this series will probably keep running until 2020 (Negima ran for nine years), so there’s plenty of time for character development.
At the rate this magna is going, I honestly wonder how it can actually sustain itself on the power levels and cliche’s we’re already getting. Sure, we can rehash the same plot threads over and over (We already saw the ME mastery and amnesia angle in Negima anyway!), but how long can you keep a series going like that? The side characters have potential, but Kuro is Setsuna 2.0 and Karin is already warming up to the COOLEST CHARACTER EVER that dwarfs everything else going on.
Kuroumaru certainly has similarities to Setsuna, but there are just enough differences to make Kuroumaru interesting to me.
Karin is certainly the most interesting character in the manga to date. ^_^
Heh! Well, to be fair, I haven’t read too many shounen fighting mangas. Inuyasha, Negima!, and Fairy Tail are the only ones I can think of. On the anime side, I did watch Yu Yu Hakushou.
Yeah, Negi’s more mature nature as well as his foundation of being a genius made his progress interesting and acceptable. With Touta, things seem to happen just because the main character needs it to happen to win.
Still, I’m not quitting the manga. There are other interesting elements in UQ Holder.
I quit reading this a long time ago.
whys then you come here? Just to annoy the fans? If you do not like this manga does not beds but certainly not just non-plus forums and blogs that talk about!
If I do not like a style of music, for example, I will not go on forums that talk about this style of music fans and say ‘it sucks that you listen! ”
I hate trolls like you. And do not quote me astro example, he continued to read the manga (and it is he who gives us the spoils ^ ^), it is just frustrated with scriptwriting turn the manga (what I am in total with désacord him but … ^ ^). Brief your situation is not at all the same!
I come here because I like to read Astronerdboy’s comments. I think this is a poor manga and I have a right to express my opinion. It is called “freedom of speech,” but perhaps you are not familiar with the concept. If you are not familiar with it then maybe you should go play the dictator elsewhere. This is Astronerdboy’s blog, not yours. Further, Astronerdboy’s final comment on this episode was to give us “The Lumberjack Song.” This is a dead-on accurate comment, and does not constitute an endorsement of this episode.
Ok, I speak otherwise.
You have properties on the right to express yourself . But … what your comment has he served you ? What it brings to the discussion at hand create tension from some fans of the manga in question ( proof commenceons we already lol ) ?
What mangas do you like? Perhaps among this I do not like some well know that it would come not even to the idea of coming to a subject who speaks of this manga just to say ” is zero ! ” If I did not you’d be a little upset ?
Is precisely because I respect the tastes and affinities of chacuns with such or such works ( if I were a dictator I would try to make you all took that love t that I do not appreciate comments like yours. You do not like a story ? Made like me, just avoid talking about it, especially to fans to not trigger sterile quarrels ! ( like ours lol .) This is a simple board .
Unless you try to convince people to stop reading the manga? (this would also very dictatorial lol)
I demende it because this kind of troll exist , the kind that does everything to annoy fans of a work and convaincres that he alone is right. I soupceonnais you to be one of those trolls harmful if this is not the case I apologize …
And I never claimed that this blog was mine xd.^^
I have purchased and read the 8 volumes of A. I. Love You, the 14 volumes of Love Hina and the 38 volumes of Negima. This entitles me to express my opinion on Akamatsu’s work. It is my opinion from what I have read of his current work that it is a below-par effort. AstroNerdBoy’s continuing critique of this work has simply confirmed me in my opinion. Life is too short to waste on bad books when there is so much good material out there. When I made the comment that I had stopped reading it, I was plainly stating that I agreed with AstroNerdBoy’s critique of the current episode. This was my contribution to the conversation. What you are saying is that I have no right to express my opinion because it disturbs you. That is too bad. You will just have to live with it. Then you descend to personal insult. I realize that it is a common practice of people on the Internet to call someone a “troll” when that person expresses an opinion for which they do not care, but mature individuals refrain from gratuitous insults to others, especially when they are a guest on someone else’s blog. Mature individuals do not take personal offense when others do not share their preferences. I have nothing further to say on this subject.
bill : Indeed, given how if u have actually read all the works of Akamatsu far you go perfectly worthy to express your opignon . But you admit that when quequ’un wrote ” this manga is worth nothing ! ” and goes no further details can be any doubt on the pertinence of the comment ! lol
For trolls, lament break your idealism Bill but this kind of online exist and goods, they fester discussions on a subject is to laugh ( nice trolls ) by contemptible to treat the subject ( the evil trolls ) . It is therefore sometimes difficult to distinguish legitimate criticism (even negative) and a comment voluntarily polemicist . I am me wrong I’m sorry . ^ ^ And the word “troll” is not an insult , I have not called you one of ” asshole ” or ” bastard ” as I know, there were insults. ^ ^
On UQ -Holder , you know if I had not seen the OVA “mo hitotsu no sekai ” I would NEVER read Negma ( the harem side limit shota profoundly repugnant to me !) . If I had listened to my first impresson ( thank you animated version has nothing arrenge lol ) I would miss one of the best shonen ever! Maybe as good as or even better naruto !
I think you should follow the advice of Astro: ” wait.” He criticizes the chapters yes but he thinks wait
Bill may not be reading the manga, but neither are some others who are reading my reviews of the chapter. So in a sense, they may not have giving up 100% on the manga. If I start saying, “the stuff done got good,” Bill might go, “OK, I’ll take a gander and see if ANB is full of dung or not.”
Anyway, it is all good. ^_^
(continued)
I think … you shoulds follow the advice of Astro: “wait . ” He criticizes the chapters yes but he thinks wait a long time before judging the manga as a whole. He says himself ^ ^ . Do not make the mistake that many are made with negima ^ ^
Finally, the important thing is that you do not esseyais to convince others to stop reading it ( is what I thought , that’s why I thought you were a troll ^ ^) and has already very durable .
At most places your lectur pause indeed and if 3 or 4 months later you receive positive echos resume playback ( from where you were you stop évidamment ^ ^) . After all I ‘ve waited 8 years of publishing Negima interresser for myself and I consider myself today as a staunch defender of this manga ^ ^ although I am a trensfuge . Besides, even if I do not like harem I was considering buying “AI Love” and ” Love- Hina ” they take place in the same university . ^ ^
In any case I ” UQ -Holder ” satisfied me and I attands following ^ ^ I hope you can give him a second chance in a few months .
Personally I’m a little used to the characters idiots who learn quickly, as regular reader of shonen action (Bleach Ichigo was not bad in this kind also, it barely mastered the shikai he learns bankai lol) . Incidentally I have already said, but Tota resembles Nagi, he was also a little selfish idiot who broke early experts fighters (he win the tournament mahora 10 years is not nothings!). Is another reason why I do not understand the “Tota bashers”. Yet it was the perfect prototype with Nagi!
I even wonder if the base Negi should not be like that but the obligation imposed by the publisher harem would force Akamatsu-sensei to make it more seriously and intelligent.
And I thank you for your readership. ^_^
And you are welcome too. ^_^ So is Seimei, though I under stand why you’d be mad with him (I apologize if I have the gender wrong, Seimei) since he called you out. I also understand his frustrations with folks who aren’t enjoying the manga, and especially the character of Touta, as he does.
Bill wasn’t trolling, at least not that we could tell. But, he can say he doesn’t like the manga, or doesn’t like reading it. Had his comment been something abusive or the like, it would have been flushed.
I can understand your frustration at folks not liking Touta when you do like him as a character. Just remember, everyone has different tastes and try not to let those who don’t like the character or manga bother you. ^_^
The problem is not that people do not like Tota . Maybe it will surprise me either but I do not like that much (but I do not hate it either ^ ^) . The problem that people take the case of Tota as a basis for saying that the manga is poorly written . But I am not of agreements:
1 . Tota may continue to evolve in the right direction
2 . when I bed a manga for me the main character is the prism through which the story . I judge qualitée a manga not to his hero but to his university ( and I pay more attention to real characters supports and antagonnistes that I gives the hero ) .
For me the universal Akamatsu has largely proved its richness and its quality. Merely we plunge should suffice us and we should all support akamatsu -sensei all our strength! I want to know more about karin , kuromaru , hunters immortal , members of UQ – Holder, Negi , Eva , the life -maker (sensei please tell us his real name!).
But No! Instead we our fighting each other for detail (yes I ‘m going to shock but to me the heroes are not qualitée stories , especially in an extended in time as Negima . Tota university is only one of the potential hero of the world Akamatsu , it does not center !
How ironic , people despise Tota but they make a fixations on him Is not this a paradox?
if it continues like this it could harm the continuitée of work!Maybe she will even canceled one day! (this is unlikely but it could happen). At this point the fans will realize too tards their blunders! And those who wanted the suite and rejoiced (like me ^ ^) will pay for impatience and intrensigeance other!) What is pleignent t they? Sensei offers us as we wanted, the continuitée of Negima and we dare spit in the soup! This puts me OUT OF ME!
Seriously, No shonen did was much criticized in its infancy! (as far as I can remember), for example naruto has a Hero 100 times more stupid than Tota (it evolves mentalemant after 40 volumes lol) yet nobody shouting “boooouuuu! manga this sucks! What stupid hero ! It is full of errors and puts his teammates in dengers but never learn anything! mengas This is frenchement zero “. BUNCH OF HYPOCRITES !!!
I do not understand why all the world as fixed on it again the main characters are rarely those marked me the most (except Negi or natsu for example), I prefer Sasuke Naruto, Hitsugaya Ichigo, Sesshomaru Inuyasha, Hiei and Kurama Yusuke, kirua to Gon (and the list goes on!) so I do not really understand the fixation of some who consider that if you do not like their Tota, the work is zero (I know you think Astro not here ^ ^.)
I my experience, fans often have disagreements about a series or characters in a series. The (excellent) manga Hayate the Combat Butler made a joke about that one time.
I wouldn’t let it bother me. Sometimes, folks need to vent, which is why I allow such discussions here. ^_^
*lol* Well, I’m not ready to quit at this point. ^_^
Astro :
WRONG! !
Tota for me was NOT mastered the magia erebea ! He’s a just rejected her. He has done is rather similar to the way Ichigo, in Bleach (which was quoted by “shadow” ^^) pushed her gift hollow when fighting against Byakuya .
examples :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLKGCquIuRw&hd=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7y3mpogqzI
(read the description of the videos i’m not the uploader^^)
Gold hollow Ichigo is returned to the charge added later ( at the onset of arrancar ) and it is only at a terrible duel with his hollow inside ( under the tutelage of vizards ) he manages to take control of his power.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh6Am8WK9t4&hd=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne2bcFVQLtk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXoUsJfb8pQ&hd=1
For me magia – erebea try several times to capture Tota and every time is more difficult to resist him.
You should prefer what? Tota that killing everybody in the slums ? lol ^ ^
Tota and did not master the Shundo faster than Negi ! Himself learned quickly on the job and during the festival mahora ( more Tota is VERY far from raisoku – shundo !) Then again , no bad faith Astro if you like it ^ ^ )
For Tota and Karin , uh you there is a bit much imagining karin subject to Tota ( this is the irony I know ^ ^) for me their relationship is rather similar to Nagi and Arica . Would also like Nagi was exactly as Tota – ON PROPERTY but , seen in flashbacs so coincidentally power dérenge witness, HYPPOCRITES ! lol^^
Moreover, Yukihime has already implied that they would probably together at the end. They would be the strongest immortal and that even if all life on Earth disappeared THEM survive.
Otherwise chengement attitude karin does not surprise me. Even Sasuke CHENGE lmost Early opignon Naruto, maybe not as early as Karin but it certainly was not late (Volume 12 or 13 knowing that Naruto is currently in Volume 60 lol)
And then come the saying goes, opposites attract. And they are opposed ALL (their characters, the source of their immortalitée (Hand of God (with big “D”) to Karin, the strength of chaos Tota), the only thing linking them is that they are intended to survive the humanitée (and other immortals) in case of large cosmic cataclysm like causing a massive extinction. ^ ^
Why when a characters gets a little stronger quickly stirred DBZ as a scarecrow readers ! It annoys me! We are still far away!…
Touta did something Negi could not — he prevented Magia Erebea from taking him over. Negi died and was reborn due to ME. Touta, who was already immortal, decides, “You know, I don’t like this whole beast mode, even though I thought the arms were cool earlier, and so I’m going to stop it through sheer willpower.” So, ME has not mastered him, but he has mastered ME because he used it to incredible effect, then shut it down. At least, that’s how I see it. ^_~
*lol* Not at all, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Touta is the one to put out all the fires (my jokes about pissing out the fires aside).
Heh! Well, I was being facetious there, but it still amuses me to imagine this.
Well, “a little stronger” is subjective. As I’ve said, I see Touta’s leveling up to be insanely fast in how he, as an inexperienced person, overcomes well trained and battle hardened opponents with little effort. But that’s just how I see it.
Still, as I’ve said, I’m not giving up on the manga. ^_^
The problem is that the situation negi and Tota’re different!
-Negi: used magia-ereea by being gradually gnawing. When he is no longer able to control it has overwhelmed without warning.
Tota: had magia-erebea ASLEEP in him woke up without his wishes. (by the way you noted that the mutation has not made a hit with him)
Their situations ar not comparable.^^
True. They are different. But for me, Negi was an interesting character while Touta isn’t. But that’s just me. ^_^
So basically you’re a fanboy negi that does not support it either is exceeded? xd (don’t hate me my friend, e’s a joke^^)
Heh!heh!heh! You have to admit, the chapter that Negi showed up in was one of the best in the manga. ^_~
More is wrong! Negi did the same thing Tota face Kurt Godel (and do not tell me about the presence of his friends, he OF APPROACHES made by its own volontée and thus avoid killing Godel.
Well, he was never fully in control of it until he died and was reborn as an immortal. He may have stopped short of killing Kurt or hurting his friends, but he never did what Touta did by just putting Magia Erebea totally away. Rather, he did just the opposite. Negi fully embraced ME so that it became another massively powerful tool.
I just thought of something in Negima Eva (well his double in the parchment) said that magia-erebea is not a technique for humans (it was already a vampire when she invented) or Negi was human when he learned, which issues control over it. Tota was he a vampire. Is perhaps this that has help reject, would therefore perfectly logical and justified ^ ^.
There’s so much about Touta that needs clearing up, but there’s a lot about ME that we don’t know either. Hopefully, we’ll get some of those answers in the near future. ^_^
And also once again NOTHING we can affirm that Tota totally control the magia-erebea precisely what may very well be as Negi face Kurt Gödel, he may have push but it will return to the charge added later.
You have to admit that Touta forced it down through sheer willpower, something Negi never did.
No astro, I maintain what I said. Face kurt godel Negi has rejected the magia-erebea by pure volontée, no technical sealed with a spell and Eva-sama was not there to kick his ass lol.
And tards at its “death” and its “Near-Death Experience” Negi AGAIN found “MENTAL FORCE” to master the magic and make it their own.
So NO, NO and NO MORE, Tota was NOT surpass Negi, it is at the same stage as him, “contamination” and “interior struggle.” Magia erebea return for the next round and then it will be harder.
Incidentally Tota has not released any single magic spell Christian anti-vampire Kaito. Is the insistent call Ruki that motivated, as Negi when he rechercait force control magia-erebea.
Tota is not superior to Negi, is yourself and the pure “Tota-basher” who imagine that you had only seen power-ups and you had not even seen their logical Yet they are in perfect conformitée with what Negi is in Negima (I know because I read again the arc “mundus magicus” right now so … ^ ^)
In this regard, I recall Eva herself said in Negima, at the base, magia erebea is not a technique designed for humans (it was already a vampire when she created this spell). What therefore is there any wonder that Tota, a vampire, control more easily (and again, for me it did NOT master. ^ ^)
Thank god this arc is finally over. (Or is it? I sure hope so.)
Let’s hope Akamatsu shows us some more interesting characters next arc. The other UQ Holders beg to be explored.
I wonder why Akamatsu wanted to write a genre where he basically cannot succeed in any meaningful way. He’s never gonna beat Naruto or Bleach, and the current king of shonen – One Piece – is effectively unreachable. I mean UQH is not bad, far from it, but he just isn’t the ‘classic’ shonen author.
Well, let’s hope for the best.
Don’t bet on it being quite over. ^_~
If Touta had been written better, the series would be pretty good. I’ve no problem pushing elements into a more seinen level either. But as you say, we hope for the best. ^_^
False ! Really wrong!
Negima WAS a Shonen Nekketsu of goods and very successful. He was excelling in my university and was even better than Naruto or Bleach or even One-Piece just for me ^ ^
It would certainly have been more successful ( he deserved much for me ) without the first 3 or 4 volumes centered on a stupid harem (volumes taken by the animated version, it should be recalled and have unfairly soiled reputation in the minds of many fans of manga. )
You said that Akamatsu -sensei is less gifted with shonen ? You are wrong . For me it has never been so great that when he start doing shonen and decide to calm the harems .
His original plan was also to make Negima pure shonen but his publisher has constraints for commercial reasons to add to the harem.
I am very pleased with how UQ -Holder runs and I can hardly wait to read the next chapters!^ ^
When I say ‘shonen’ I basically mean ‘battle manga’ since shonen is really just a demographic. Of course Akamatsu is a shonen author, in the sense that his work is aimed at boys.
As a writer of battle manga Akamatsu is always an oddball. He veers too far from the template. Negi was always too smart to be your average battle manga hero. Just look at his fight with Rakan, and then compare him to Goku, Ichigo, Naruto, Luffy, or even Natsu. UQ Holder is closer to being a “true” battle manga than Negima, but it is already more brutal than most other battle manga out there – lots of blood and people getting stabbed/ pierced through chest left and right. In this early a stage I can’t remember any other battle manga being equally gruesome in the depiction of violence. One Piece needed some 600 chapters or so to actually KILL a relevant character, and Naruto had to get to Shippuden for things to get messy and lots of people dying. (Let’s not talk about Kubo Tite’s asspull show here.)
And when I say ‘success I mean sales. Just look at this:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-03-05/one-piece-manga-no.73-gets-4-million-print-run
Akamatsu will never, ever match those numbers. I wish UQ Holder and Akamatsu all the luck, but it’s far too atypical as a battle manga to reach that wide an audience.
I’m gonna drop out of this discussion now. Adios.
Whaaa ! Calm my friend! I did not really intend to be hurtful ! Gomen …
I understood what property you mean by Shonen and I insist Negima was a great “battle manga ” how to place worthy of fighting Naruto or Bleach in a university like AVENTAGE of our world that other shonens , characters struggling with a very ” dungeon & dragons -like” magic certe but still very close to the magic legends ours planets. Hermeticism to onmyodo through the Kabbalah , even Christianity GET TIRED its own magical tradition (with sister shakti and now Karin in UQ – Holder) , in a similar way to what is “To aru majutsu no index (or if you know this a little, the anime “11eyes”also)
Reference to spirits gods and existing entitées in the world literature ( ryumen Sukuna no Kami exist in classical Japanese literature ^ ^) and now we even different types of immortality
Even saint seiya or shaman -king does not have property also fused realism and fantaisy epic for me.
And I’m not even talking about the science fiction aspect ! ( cyborg, time travel , multiverse , almost scientific explanation of magic and now space travel I look forward to even coming from Wizards of alien races ^ ^ )
In brief that ask the people furthermore! And how not even there the ultimate shonen!^^
In addition akamatsu -sensei take care of property separate the reallity and the fiction despite strong resemblance with our university ‘s what I find very durable . It does notamant in placeant on dates that have already passed the project began in March Blue ( it seems to me that this project was made public in 2007 or 2008 according to the chronology of Negima ), or I have not heard of a space elevator at these times ^ ^ project ( probably because here has been highly publicized in the world of Negima ) .
Thus, the reallity is properly separated from the fiction allowing the university to be able to fully exploit are taking and if mélenge fabuleu of fantaisy and réallisme (going to cite historical events but a magical perspective. Thus mahora was founded during the opening of Japan in the Meiji era by a western mage.
I personally have no problem with an intelligent hero Negi as it changes the nag idiot. But I’m used to this kind of personal who learns quickly and on the job as Tota (again in Bleach Ichigo and almost EXACTLY the same even if it is stupid that moin Tota . And what about Luffy! Him , he invented techniques each fights and he has not known defeat and doubt only after 600 chaps one- piece production! )
So here is a hero of Tota Shonen so I struggle to understand some hard on him. To me, Natsu or luffy its worst ! Because their power-up does not fool consistent. Instead I believe that even if they are fast , they are consistent Tota ….
“then why not add ME to the list of things he saw once, thought it was cool, then mimicked this technique?”
An interesting idea, but if Akamatsu-sensei continues his trope-y writing style then I don’t see that happening. I assume you mean sometime from before Touta lost his memories, right? I’ll admit right off the bat that unlike the MotB case where there’s explanation directly in the story, my following theory is supported by nothing but a mind that has played TONS of JRPGs and watched TONS of chuuni style anime, the kind of stuff that Akamatsu-sensei in some shape or form always includes in his stories.
The way I see it, Touta’s situation of learning things quickly is going to resemble Asuna’s. His personality before he lost his memories was probably wholly different from what it is now. Picture this scenario: Touta’s parent’s spent his entire life training him to become strong. As powerful as the great Magister Magi Negi Springfield. They think, ‘Negi used Magia Erebea so Touta should too.” Let’s say what happened to Chao during her final fight with Negi was actually Magia Erebea. That would make it hereditary. The darkness curses all descendants. If Touta is actually related to Negi then he could have inherited it. Somewhere during his training, he could have lost control and attacked his parent’s. Now they’re dying and Touta’s slipping away. With they’re final breath they ask Eva to help. The shock of whatever she does causes his amnesia. The car accident is just the cover story. Then being raised by Eva’s awkward self and being around his friends turns him into a goof. Now he’s just instinctually remembering things.
Even if that’s not exactly what happens, which is most likely isn’t, I’m positive the parts about a different personality and him remember past experience.
Also on DBZ. I’d say the fights are slightly on par with later Dragonball, action-wise of course not meaningfully. But in terms of power level, there are characters in that universe that can blow up a planet with a finger flick.
Heh! Well, since we do have space travel in UQ Holder, then maybe we’ll get those kinds of characters here too.
Yeah. I figure that if Touta has been doing that over the past two years, he was likely doing it before the mind wipe.
As to Touta and ME, I don’t have a problem with the theory that it is hereditary (presuming he in fact descends from Negi). I thought I’d throw out another theory that no one has thought of. I’ll laugh if I end up being right. ^_~
Hopefully, we’ll get more about Touta’s past. This could help redeem the character in my eyes.
“Hopefully, we’ll get more about Touta’s past. This could help redeem the character in my eyes.”
You’re more optimistic than me in that regard. Even if he was cool back then, or if we’re given a reason to be sympathetic of him, it’ll probably just end up as, “this is the real me now, screw that guy that I used to be.”
Akamatsu-sensei’s other manga works have all been fairly interesting. A.I. Love you was weak at first, but that was because it comes off as a clone of Ah! My Goddess. Once it gets its footing, the manga becomes better. Love Hina falls off the wagon for a volume when Keitaro’s retconned step-sister is introduced. Negima! started slow, got really good, but prematurely ended. But on the whole, they were all good manga.
As such, I’m hoping UQ Holder falls into that vein, where Touta may not be that swift of a character now, but turns into something better pretty soon. ^_^
Well….. It is getting really boring… and the rebound from last week was enourmous (to the point to give me a negative feeling non proportional to this chapter isolated)
So I want to imagine another manga…
After all this overpower-ups touta will have… He gets so powerful that he doesn’t know what to do… so he smash his head against the moon and regains his memories (and maybe a bit of intelligence if there was any inside his skull), then he remembers the tragic death of his parents, explodes in rage and turns to be the most evil badass: the Mage of the Beginning… but here is the catch: he is the first one, the original, and wants to change the past so transfers his soul through time and possess the “first” MageOfBegining (who we saw on Negima) and so on. So he is the one to be defeated (The protagonist turns to be the villain, and UQ Holder magically turns to be a prequel of sorts of Negima). So who appears into the scene? Negi! (he was playing dead all along knowing the true identity of his foe after rescuing his father on the epic battle that we didn’t see on Negima. And this is the explanation Akamatsu gives us for that: Nagi had the info and that could spoil UQholder and for some reason Negi couldn’t prevent the tragedy falling upon his grandson because preventing it was equal to destroying everybody’s past/existence. So Negi&Co hijacks the manga and gives completion to the story… As the soul of touta comes back from the past without preventing all the tragedy and the distopic future (present time for touta, and for continuity issues), he succumbs to despair and wants to destroy the universe… And the epic final battle against Negi+Nagi+Eva ends on a happy end and redemption for touta. The End….
Sorry for all this bulls#it… but I want to justify the existence of touta somehow, and the lack of flying turtles.
PD: writting all this in english without a spellcheck means a lot of errors… so sorry for my poor english.
Again: why so many “Tota Bashing!” Its perfect prototype exists in Negima, is Nagi, but I know nobody massacre ^ ^!
Negi hero thinks you really badly used, the type of idiot heroes like Tota is almost a constant in Shonen, I mean, you know One-piece guy? Because Luffy is almost as Tota, it is silly (and again! Tota is smarter after me!) And wins all the time, almost without effort! His first defeat, his first challenge and his first entreinement (which lasted two years!) Took place after the death of Ace, about the 600th chapter …!
So pity stop saying that UQ-Holder is missed or Tota is a poorly constructed character after only 25 chapters! There are 100 times worse believe me! Yet One-Piece cartonne (and is a manga that I love)
Another example, Natsu from Fairy-Tail, whenever he wins his duels with a power-up out of the magician’s hat and “power of friendship!” The power-up Tota them at least have a logical-deducible (example héréditée the magia-erebea), whatever one may think!
Well… It’s just that on my personal opinion I didn’t like how the character develops on this setting. Just that. On the matter of One Piece or Fairy Tale I can’t give an opinion because I didn’t read the manga or watched the anime of neither one. But I loved Dragon Ball Z’s anime ages ago.
I don’t really want to read One Piece, but I was about to start reading FairyTale’s manga… As I didn’t like how the story is dragged in UQh I’m having a second tought on this other manga. What do you people recommend? Thanks in advance!
I’ve been blogging Fairy Tail from the first volume. Putting aside my dislike for Kodansha Comics shifting to a hybrid adaptation at volume 22 (or a little earlier), the series is what I’d call “mindless fun.” It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and Mashima-sensei pretty much writes what he wants. Sometimes, that means retconning things a bit. However, because the writing style isn’t done in a manner like Negima or even Hayate the Combat Butler (which had well thought out plots from the start). Mashima-sensei pretty much just maps out an arc and then writes it. When he’s done, he has to come up with something new.
But yeah, “mindless, action-adventure fun” is how I’d describe Fairy Tail
Well, regarding Natsu and the entire Fairy Tail manga, I give that a wide pass on a lot of stuff because it was pretty clear from the beginning that while there was general plot of some sort, the manga was just an action-adventure one with a fair amount of tongue-in-cheek humor. So Natsu is always going to be king, but Erza is pretty much going to be queen. I do admit that at times, seeing Natsu or Erza rise up again to whatever challenge can be boring, but that series doesn’t take itself too seriously, so I let it pass.
So when I critique UQ Holder, it gets less of a pass because (1) it is the canon spinoff of Negima and (2) it is supposed to be a serious tale with the occasional humor thing tossed in.
Which reminds me, I think I have a new Fairy Tail volume sitting on the shelf that I haven’t read. ^_^;;;
*lol* No problem. I liked it. ^_^
So, in the shower this morning I suddenly had an idea. So, on page 4 of this chapter Kaito says that ME is the true source of Touta’s power, right? He also says on the next page that Touta has stopped regenerating. But wait! Didn’t Touta’s regeneration come from vampirism, and not ME? So here’s my theory: Touta is a person, possibly related to Negi, possibly not, doesn’t matter. He almost dies somehow, and Evangeline cares enough to save him, because of reasons :P. How to save him? Well, through methods not yet explained, she fused his soul with ME, and as a result he became the “half-immortal” she mentioned. Then, when he was dying again she told him to drink her blood. What happened then? At that point the ME inside Touta activated, and actually absorbed the immortality of Evangeline, like when Negi absorbed Rakan’s power, giving him the abilities and weaknesses of a vampire. His immortality is not vampirism, but the ability to absorb the immortality of others. Notice however, that Touta stopped regenerating when he suppressed ME. So, the vampirism is no longer healing him. Could it be that when Touta was sealed he instinctively knew it was because he was a vampire, and so he shed that aspect of his immortality? If I’m right then Touta is no longer a vampire. He’s just a person with ME sealed inside of him. Also, on a side note, there is a difference between Touta and Negi’s battle with ME. Negi had to struggle to use ME because it was trying to fuse to his soul, and his soul was rejecting it. Touta, in my theory, already has it fused. That is why he is able to use it so easily, and it takes effort to suppress it. Alternatively, Touta might have the soul of Negi living inside of him, ala Yu-Gi-Oh, or Negi might have been split into two people, one with his soul, and one with his body and memories, which without a soul would be dead-ish, and was buried. Or, Touta might just be the (grand-)son of Negi, which could result in his soul having a form of ME inside of it.
I think that was the 3rd option (which is the small Tota-son Negi and magia erebea is hereditary (it is most likely see with Chao Linchen)) will not torture the brain for nothing lol. ^ ^
OK, that’s an interesting theory. We’ll see if it plays out.
That kinda is similar to my own thought that Touta picked up the technique before the memory wipe and is just subconsciously using it.
As to Negi being reborn within Touta (or the like), after failing on my Negi is Nagi theory way back when, I’m not going to comment. *lol*
Haha… http://i.imgur.com/kD8Qbzo.jpg
*lol*