July 30th, 2014 
AstroNerdBoy ユーキューホルダー! Manga Review
UQ Holder Chapter 44
SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
Kuroumaru and Touta are introduced as new students at Amano-Mihashira Academy. Kuroumaru can’t help but show up their classmates on the basketball court, leading Touta to caution Kuroumaru since they are supposed to be undercover.
At lunch time, Kuroumaru and Touta discover first hand the chaos of getting lunch as the throngs race to the various lunch places, with the first comers getting the best stuff. Kuroumaru and Touta are left with mystery bread products as Karin arrives with her tonkatsu bowl, leading Touta to be jealous. As the place is crowded, the foursome head to a large, outdoor staircase area where there are empty tables and chairs.
As they eat, Karin reveals that she had attended this school in the past as part of an undercover investigation she failed to solve, and that she continues to wear the uniform because Yukihime likes it. Their discussion leads to the revelation that Yukihime had also attended this school for a time. Karin states that the mission they are on now is the same one she’d been on years ago as UQ Holder believes an immortal has been committing murders for a long time. As such, they need to find the killer to make sure there aren’t more murders.
Their talk is interrupted by two “first-rate” male students who aren’t pleased to see second-rate students in their area. Further, the uniform they are wearing means they should be at the old campus area. Karin says she was unaware of such a rule, so they guys say it is a tradition, not a rule. After all, non-wielders are supposed to support wielders. Touta is irritated by this and has to be informed that the guys are talking about mages and non-mages.
Touta angrily provokes the two to show him what they can do, so Michiel issues a duel, and Touta accepts. He fires an unincanted ice magic spell at Touta as the crowds that have gathered cheer on. Touta easily breaks out of the ice to the surprise of Michiel and his friend as Touta quickly closes the distance and sends the two flying. With that, Touta taunts them for not having anything on Fate or Yukihime.
Thoughts/Review:
Heh! I seem to recall thinking that there’s no way that Akamatsu-sensei could redeem Touta for me. Well, having a couple of punk mages with their elitist attitudes might turn that around for me. *lol* Seriously, as annoyed with Touta as I have gotten at times, these two punks took it to the next level and beyond. Thus, when Touta puts a hurt on them, I rather enjoyed the moment, even though it was Touta doing it.
Still, Touta isn’t doing the group any favors. I found it amusing that after having to chastise Kuroumaru for showing up the other players on the basketball court (all without using chi) as this would draw attention to themselves, Touta is even worse. Basketball is one thing; defeating a couple of elitist mages is another.
I’m glad we got the explanation of why Karin wears the Mahora uniform. I had figured she wasn’t a current attendee, but had attended in the past. However, I was wrong about her reasons for attending as well as how long ago that attendance was.
Still, with their mission to find an immortal killer, I think it would be nice for us Negima fans if this case tied into Sayo’s murder in the 1940s. If Sayo is still around, I’d expect for her to be possessing an artificial body that has a completely different look to it.
Regarding the lunch thing, I’ve always found this to be a curious element that comes up in anime and manga where school plays a large role. In my school days, lunch was a very organized affair, and at my final school, mostly good lunches. I couldn’t imagine having to race to get something decent to eat, but having to make do with some kind of bread product, filled with something mysterious.
Speaking of food, I’m disappointed that the Japanese dishes were given English names. Several friends and I eat at different Japanese restaurants every week. The menus aren’t filled with English-translated dishes. The menus are things like katsudon, tonkatsu ramen, karage, gyoza, etc. I like seeing the Japanese dish names so that if it is something I’ve not tried, I can try it.
Anyway, I don’t know exactly what Karin got (and I haven’t seen the raw yet), but since “pork cutlet” was mentioned, it is obviously a tonkatsu dish of some kind. Hopefully, she got katsudon, which is my favorite Japanese meal. That would make her even more awesome than she already is. ^_~
So, an enjoyable chapter here as this new arc gets underway.
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That one stand remembered me strongly at the “Chao Bao Zi” and that light chubby lady at the double page (right lower half) at Satsuki Yotsuba for some reason…
Also i did wunder about a few things, now that they are in Mahora.
1; Libary Island and its underground labyrinth which was connected with Al`s place
2; Al´s place… there was in Negima a guardian dragon. What happened to him?
3; World Tree… as we all remember the (sudden) ending of Negima, we never got to know about MofB who was sealed under the World Tree… with Negi being “alive” as fate stated, i couldnt help but thinking of Nagi who was sealed as MofB form under the WT the whole time…. coincidence?
4; the mysterious murder…. small girl/guy? in Mahora? Statue simular to the Gravekeeper maybe? Cant help but it has a connection to my point 1 and 3…
As for the chapter, i do agree… Touta owning the elites will cause them huge trouble.
Chances are negi will be like his father, we know how much of a father con negi is
I’m pretty sure that is Chao Bao Zi. Not sure about the lady, but she may turn out to be a descendant of Yotsuba.
I tend to suspect that the hoodie person won’t be the murderer. But the other questions are valid.
quite an interesting chapter but Touta grabbing attention with his little duel will hinder the mission some what since they are attempting to keep a low profile.
The immortal will likely get the two first class students when they go for a typical lets beat up the brat who mocked me scenario.
Anyways it would definately be nice to see this link to sayo or to the Negima series like an event that occurred not long after negima
I agree. I rather hope it is Sayo.
[…] Here are some SPOILER images and information for the upcoming UQ Holder chapter 44, courtesy of Manga Kansou. Summary remarks by Hata and ChaosProphet. (My review of UQ Holder chapter 44 should come out Wednesday.) […]
I’m intrigued with the immortal killer, who will she/he be?
many years the inmortal has been murdering and nobody find to him/her, even Karin in another mission of the past lol
the hooded kid, I think that he/she will end up like an ally
(As Hiss13 said in the previous chapter) and it makes me to be more intrigued
Will the inmortal killer be a werewolf, a vampire, an elf? XD
About Touta, he gave a lesson a the male students,
“You got nothing on Yukihime or Fate” lol the comparasion is too much
After Touta sees the fight between Evangeline and Fate, the attack of ice the male student it is nothing
And do the screens that appeared before of the fight? lol
Once more Karin showed the intense feeling by Evangeline XD (So, she wears the uniform because Evangeline likes it)
Or even possibly something we’ve not seen before.
I didn’t get that one. Screens? ^_^;;;; (I didn’t get much sleep last night so…)
Hehe, the chapter was pretty much the previous information on the blog, but still enjoyable.
1- Touta scolding Kuromaru then beating “elites” was quite ironic. Now, if I were a serial killer in hiding… two mysterious, strong students transfer right after I killed 2 victims? I am sure I’d be able to link the dots lol I am also sure Touta will get a beating from Karin next chap. lolol Oh, but that immortal spotted those 2 since last chap! lololol
2- And speaking of Karin…I wonder what Eva thinks of her? I believe Karin’s feelings are one-sided…^^
3- Soooo…because they have magic apps (which ANYONE with money can buy), ppl think they can look down on others? Ridiculous, they are not even real mages! I mean, sure:
3.1. A good way to introduce magic in our technologic society would be using cellphone applicatives or such. It was a great advertisement;
3.1. After you get an app, you can develop it according to your own capabilities (the jerk used an uncanted spell);
3.2. Canis Niger used an “Ultimate Lightning Spell card” against Kaede and Setsuna. Both them and Mana also used Teleportation cards. These aren’t so much different from apps, I think…
…but even so… anyone can learn magic, right? Yue, who had no special talent or upraising, got several magic prizes with real effort! Making magic an “object” that can be bought by anyone…takes away a little of its “magic”, you know…? Anyway, I would like more details on how apps work…even more to see real mages…and even, even more to know who Negi had children with lol
P.S. Oh, its wednesday already! I can expect spoilers soon!^^
Oh, I forgot about this: that duel system… so nice! Really, just like a MMORPG I play!^^
He ?! They’re appli users ? I thought they’re real mages lol…
Well, Touta’s friends in the first chapter seemed no different than real mages to me… we’ll see… if those idiots don’t rely on apps to perform magic, it’ll make the story better.
Oh, and Astro, why don’t you reply me? lol
Did I miss something? ^_^;;; Sorry if I did. I do comments through a different means than from the individual articles to try to not miss anything.
Actually I think he is a real mage. At least I don’t see the reason for Karin to praise he using an unincanted spell otherwise. The first mercenary that attacks the slum uses his magic apps without any incantation. Touta’s friends on the first chapter only mention the magic name but no incantation. It does seems to me magic apps are naturally unincanted.
Negi was a master of uninchanted spells or rather delayed spells, spells you chant before hand and place on standby for deployment later.
It is a basic skills but usage of uninchanted spells are incredibly difficult to master, likewise apps are like uninchanted spells but they not as versatile as ancient spells
Unincanted spells gives the caster an advantage in combat as the caster is not in a vulnerable state (which the caster would be while performing the incantation) and the caster is not revealing what spell they are about to cast. ^_^
I agree. The term “wielder” was used, and since almost anyone can use an app, my impression is that only wielders are true mages.
“2- And speaking of Karin…I wonder what Eva thinks of her? I believe Karin’s feelings are one-sided…^^”
Maybe she thinks that Karin is very obliging to her.
Well, in the chapter 10, Evangeline said Karin when she broke the tea with the hand
“Is something wrong? That’s some heavy love there”
Maybe Evangeline knows something of the feelings of Karin XD
In the chapter, I would have seemed funny to see Evangeline in the imagination of Karin, Evangeline saying “You look good in it, I like it” with a glowing gaze, smiling and with roses around of her. XD
It is implied that Eva saved Karin centuries ago, and if that’s the case, it is obvious that Karin has never forgotten that.
It makes me wonder where Karin was years ago when Nagi put curse on Evangeline or when Evangeline was in Mahora like a student, and as Evangeline found Karin years later to become a member of UQ Holder
(Did Karin know about Chachazero?)
when someone saves another, for some reason, the person falls in love with the same person that saved him/her XD
Karin love for Eva may be similar to Eva’s love for Nagi. The first person to treat them like a normal person, show them kindness after years of being treated like a monster.
That could well be true from a story perspective.
The curse of the retcon. ^_~
I suspect that she should have, since if Eva rescued here, Eva would have had Chachazero with her.
Takahata-sensei could’t. Touta couldn’t. Chao couldn’t. Those who can’t in UQ Holer use magic apps.
Oh, you replied!^^
1- Indeed! I had forgotten some ppl can’t use magic! But I believe these to be exceptions to the rule. As for Touta, he was unfit only to apps apparently…considering his magia erebea, I think he can use real magic just fine 😉
2- Hmmm… true, Karin commended Michael’s skill… and his aide even took out a wand…just like Touta’s friends. Well, there is a chance they are real mages, for bragging so much… I’ll just wait and see.
I sometimes get behind on answering comments. My job sometimes keeps me very busy. ^_^;
Possibly, but he could be like Asuna or Takahata, who couldn’t cast spells, but could use some elements of magic (kankaho).
I don’t think you would need to incant a spell with an app, thus Karin’s remarks about the unincanted spell, combined with the remarks about “wielders” strongly suggests they are mages.
well , in Touta case i’m not sure , we need alot time to actually awakening one magic (time and hard training) if we are not the special type like Konoka,
Touta friends got tricked after all and the reason Touta didn’t able to use magic likely to trick him gives Yukihime the bracelet
Touta didn’t have the bracelet when he and his friends were given magic apps to snare and defeat Eva. They could use it, Touta couldn’t. I suspect that Touta will be like Asuna in that he can’t use magic at all.
After checking the raws, it turns out Karin’s having something called chazuke.
Not much to say about the chapter though. Touta was being Touta, Mahora was being Mahora (with male students, unbelievable!) and a prick was being a prick.
Most of the story in Mahora focused on the Mahora all-girls junior high school. But the Mahora Academy campus has many other schools of different kinds and levels as part of it. You can see Mahora male students all around the Negima manga.
Thanks. ^_^ That would explain why she had the little pot on her tray. I couldn’t figure that out, but now I understand. I’ve never had chazuke, and I’m not sure I’ve heard of it until now.
True, but I do enjoy it when a prick gets pricked. (I make a funny. *lol*)
I kind have an idea about the lunch race. While on my school it was organized (organized lines to get the food) it could be a bit confusing when there was lots of people. And if you didn’t go to buy it when lunch break starts, then it was likely the most popular food would be gone.
And looking at the Japanese raw, Karin one was おろしトンカツ茶漬け “oroshi tonkatsu chazuke”
For me, lunches my whole school life was a choice of two entrees (ie: Cheeseburger with fries and something, or Beefaroni with something or other, and a desert choice). 4th period was also the lunch period, so some classes had lunch time in the middle of them. The year I had Driver’s Ed, lunch was at the end of the period, so I was always famished by the time we were allowed to go.
I’ll have to try that sometime. ^_^
You gotta hand it to Touta. He may be an annoying blockhead just like the quintessential shounen idiot hero, but he’s not some snooty, elitist a-hole. If I was Touta I probably wouldn’t be able to resist knocking those bullies down a few pegs. I was a kid from a working-class family who was frequently bullied by preppie kids from well-to-do families, so you can probably see where I’m coming from.
Anywho, I don’t think lunch in Japanese schools is really that chaotic. I was always under the impression that it is usually quite orderly, and that meals are often eaten in class. Of course, Mahora isn’t a normal, realistic school, either.
I think they are mostly eaten in class, based on everything I’ve seen/read. However, those who don’t bring a lunch go for the battle of trying to get something decent.
What I loved about Touta getting pissed off was that it was really in character for him. The fact that the words discrimination and classification immediately reminded him of the kids in the slums and pissed him off as a result really shows that he’s at least taking the experiences he’s gone through to heart.
True, it is in character for him. Thankfully, he gets to be himself in a way that doesn’t annoy me. ^_~
Wild Michiel used 9 arrows of ice, It’s not very effective !
Touta used air pressure punch, it’s super effective !
Wild Michiel fainted!
That makes me wonder xD
If touta was to be able to use magic what would his affinity be?
Nagi was lightning
Negi was wind, lightning and darkness
Chao lingshen was fire
Touta usage of darkness was pretty much the noctis form of magia erebea or known acts of dark night that charges u with the powers of darkness
Against a weakling, Michiel would have been effective. He just underestimated Touta. ^_^
Astro, in case you didn’t see it I edited my last post in AQS with info from chapter 45. The info and a spoiler pic is on manga kansou as usual.
And thanks for this alert. Although I wasn’t able to reply to your comment at the time due to time constraints, it did alert me to the fact that there was info there. ^_^