February 17th, 2015 
AstroNerdBoy ユーキューホルダー! Manga Review
UQ Holder Chapter 69
SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
As Afro shows Touta some of the higher ranked fighters in the tournament, Touta senses a smaller figure in rags that seemingly attacks him with some kind of blades, only nothing happened. Afro noticed nothing, but Gravity Blade did sense blood lust.
Afro takes him to his junk shop and his partner Ray Chikage. Afro’s real name is apparently Laszlo. Laszlo wants to show off his apps on Touta, but Touta splits his afro. Touta agrees to go easy on him so Laszlo can show off the stuff, but it isn’t enough to overcome Touta. Laszlo’s plan is to juice Touta’s considerable skills with magic apps.
Touta doesn’t have a mana phone, so they use a prepaid phone to install the magic apps and mana gloves to perform the install. However, the gloves react to Touta and explode. Ray is having a hard time believing that Touta cannot use a magic app. Touta said that Yukihime told him magic apps were stupid, so he never bothered. Ray looked it up and discovers Touta is one of those rare people who can’t use apps.
Touta is out on a pile of junk, expressing his disappointment to Gravity Blade. The sword thinks the apps are nothing as all Touta has to do is master his chi (ki) and would not need an app. Gravity Blade thinks there’s a secret to Touta and his bloodline, so the sword says he’ll tell Touta what it is so that he can move forward.
Thoughts/Review:
Hmmmm…I’m not sure what to think about this chapter.
Will Touta actually get to the real tournament, or will the preliminaries be it?
I ask because mystery rag boy (for lack of a better term) has targeted Touta. He could be a shadow user (the “sword of darkness” being those dark blades), but those might be something else. If only Touta and Gravity Blade sensed this attack, and Touta suffered no damage, was it a real attack, an illusionary attack, or what?
My secret desire — let this be Zecht. 😉 After all, the indications are that whomever this is might be more powerful than Fate.
I really don’t care about Laszlo/Afro, and I can’t say I care about Ray either, wheelchair not withstanding. Laszlo could still be looking to score a quick buck, assuming they hang around for long. However, in this chapter, Laszlo was used to show off tougher opponents in the preliminaries and Ray was used to confirm what we already knew — Touta can’t use magic apps (and we got to see a bit on how those are installed) and that he’s not normal.
Well, I did get a chuckle out of Laszlo’s afro getting jacked up. Those afro jokes seem to be coming right out of Keroro Gunsou. I miss reading that manga.
Finally, there’s Gravity Blade promising information about Touta to Touta. Frankly, I don’t trust Akamatsu-sensei to actually follow through on this, at least not very much. It is “magically delicious” that Gravity Blade is able to produce said answers regarding our Special-K Touta. If Trix are for kids, then Touta is a box of Lucky Charms for sure. After all, after convenient level up time, it is now time for convenient plot exposition.
(OK, I’m craving a nice big bowl of cereal with extra sugar, icy cold milk. 😛 )
I’m just not feeling it. I’m just not jazzed about what I’ve read. I could be just tired and missing my main PC (which will happen this weekend at the latest). Seeing Morborgran doesn’t jazz me. The new dragon babe and cat babe don’t do anything for me, nor do any of the other characters introduced.
Well, don’t mind me. I am curious to hear what you guys think, good or bad.
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well il just wait and see. maybe gravity blade will coach touta a bit dunno how much tho. and yes let it be zecht. Mnnn cereal haha i aint had that in years
That reminds me, I keep forgetting to use the actual Japanese name of the sword that Touta uses — Kurobo.
i find that akamtatsu shows the previous strong characters as suspicous. Those 2 girls did work for fate and the negi did defeat the skull dude. This seems to be a setup to where we migth see that eva and fate set this whole thing up to test out the enemies and touta. Since if Eva just let him in there wouldnt really be much of training but her denying him and afro’s appearence make it that he trains up until he can really fight the real boss.
Those two girls were given different names, so I tend to think that they may not be Fate’s girls.
I really liked this chapter. I’m interested on the app developer duo and the A rankers. Hooded one may be the vampire boy, if theory that he isn’t an UQH member already is true. And didn’t seems like they were implying he was stronger than Fate, just that he has a very strong killing intent.
On the supposed revelation, I can also see the possibility of someone coming next chapter and interrupting the sword.
Now that I reread that, I think you are correct.
Yes, wouldn’t that just be tasty trolling too. I’m going to laugh if that does happen.
I’m having strange sense of déjà vu… Skeleton guy is obviously the demon negi defeated in his Jupiter thunderstorm induced magia erebea but those two girls…
One on the right looks like fate pactio partner and one on left looks similar to the cat girls but with pig tail and two tails and a white tip….
Yeah the space time koyomi and tamaki who fought rakan in vol 25
Morborgran was indeed the dude Negi defeated. The two girls could be relatives of Fate’s girls. We’ll see.
it would appear my statement about the nekomata was pure assumption, that akamatsu would “subtle” were mis-founded.
still the forked tail must be a rare varitionof the species, like albinism.
Possibly. We’ll see if we learn anything more about it.
For me Astro, this chapter just HUGE!
The guy hooded is classe! And in fact I think he just attacked Tota with his “intention to kill” without real magic, that leaves see the guy is VERY dengerous. And no, me I think that he is the vampire-boy.^^
The asteroid belt is inhabited! Outright! To believe that the basic project Negi (make livable Mars) went MUCH further, we suspected, of course but here is clear!
The secret in the bloodline of Tota, I can not wait but I hope we will not say he has a “uncontrollable” version of the magic cancellation and that would make as Toma Kamijo of To aru cancels automatically all that is magical in the area about him, I would find it boring.
Note, this will fortunately, probably not, otherwise he would have disintegrated kuromaru when he shook his hand at the beginning of the manga (since it is a non-human of inverse-mars).
I rather think that was similar to Asuna, he can not to use magic himself (but he can use the chi ! (and may cancel the spell that hits hit him, once mastered this power)) but he does not automatically delete the magic around him and he will NOT affecte the living magical creatures or objects (also if the case had the gravity blade would have fallen into dust from a long time lol). In short, his power function as that of Asuna, I’d rather it already, it would seem less abused for me, and manageable in terms of “gameplay”, if I may say so.
Nevertheless it gives a small clue about why the life-maker wants Tota. But uh wait I hope he is not yet a fictation about to delete the mundus-magicus (inverse-Mars) eh? The magical world is SAFE hell, I hope he has broader goals! (which is anyway not erase the magic itself huh? Reassure me? No seriously, I do not think lol. By cons, maybe he wants to “erase” the whole Solar System (Earth included ) and send all its inhabitants in the “Perfect World”?) ^^…
MMMh a French colleague has a good theorie for the anomaly of Tota :
“Kaengel (his pseudo^^) : Mana exploding at the front of Touta is over fishy. This is not a phenomenon of disappearing as we had with Asuna … A kind of overload? The thing explodes because in contact Touta magia erebea makes him something that is not very positive glove?
The power of Asuna is to make disappear all power of this type (but not the creatures). As if the phenomenon does not exist in fact, making thus almost invulnerable to any magic effect affecting directly.
In the case of Touta, the phenomenon explodes in his face. It is not at all the same thing: p
In any case if the sword tells him, that would be cool.”
Asuna simply canceled magic with a zero sum affect. Touta might be the negative to magic — anti-magic or anti-mana. ME, being a dark magic of the worst kind, might be compatible with anti-mana. But mix mana with anti-mana and BOOM!
I wouldn’t say it’s clear that Negi’s project went that much further. Afro said that the belt is like the old American frontier, meaning it could be that the belt is still too “wild” to be inhabitable.
I think he said that in the sense that one has inhabited area but where the only law is that of the strongest, as the era of the “Wild West (cowboys, desperados ect). Moreover, as by chance, the inhabitant of this area that we are presented with is dressed in cowboy, I think it is just to emphasize the parallelism^^.
Here also I look forward to see what is his fighting style. A cowboy who uses magic or ki (or even an unknow (for us, the readers, of course^^) others supernatural power) it can be great!
But it could have installations or the like on (or in) the asteroid(s). That concept is an old one in science fiction.
And that’s a good guess.
That doesn’t surprise me. Even now, there’s talk of mining asteroids and such. So somehow making an astroid’s surface habitable doesn’t seem that far out if one can do it on Mars.
Anyway, we’ll see where things go.
From the bottom of my heart, I hope your secret desire comes true.
Maybe that mystery rag boy is a sharingan user. lol.
Hairy pacman was nice ^_^
In short, I find the comedy more interesting than the serious part in this chapter.
I’ve been so out of it the last three weeks. I totally meant to say something about that. ^_^;;;
Touta has so much power that the apps explode as the scouter of Vegetta XD
About the hooded person, he could be Fate because he wants to put Touta to the test or maybe the hooded person is the same that killed the parents of Touta (The swords are the same as the flashback)
Would not Touta be more comfortable having a sheath for the sword and it ties to in the waist or in the back instead of carry in the bag all the time?
I think that the sword will tell Touta who he is in really
(Now Touta just need that the sword tells him that he is a experiment and Touta gets depressed completely)
I begin to have doubt whether Touta will win the tournament.
PS: I would like that the guy vampire be the hooded person (Well, basically, I want that the guy vampire appears for once and for all)
Good spot on the blades being the same as the flashback, I’ve been looking out for that clue but forgot to compare.
Guy vampire, we mean Vasago? But doesn’t he just work at UHQ? I would like it to be the Gravekeeper, but the shoes don’t seem like a girl. (memory of Negima is patchy)
It would be really cheap to have the sable sidestick MacGuffin explain all the secrets. It’s definitely a troll, but we can hope it’s a fabulous Colonel Sanders troll.
Unless Albireo can make a book of Touta that knows more than he remembers?
No. We’re talking about that royal vampire guy that Eva referenced by rank, but for which Akamatsu-sensei provided us a sketch to represent the person in question.
*lol* It would be a MacGuffin for sure, but an even bigger troll would be if ChaosProphet’s theory about Kurobo (Gravity Blade) getting interrupted before he can say anything.
Anti-mana. 😉 (Like anti-matter.)
If Fate wanted Touta, he would already grabbed him when he had the chance. Instead, Fate backed off to let things play out, and as a result, he got a clue about Negi (and Nagi).
The hooded figure could easily have something to do with Touta’s parent’s death. That’s why I’m hoping for Zecht.
I’ve been doubting that he’d get to the real tournament. We’ll see what happens though.
It would be a good way to introduce that character.
Magic cancel was the first thing to cross my mind as well, but I’m skeptical after thinking about it. Even completely untrained, Asuna resisted all kinds of magic. We haven’t really seen anything of the sort from Touta that I can recall. Fate’s petrification for example had no difficulty working on him.
Gah. I lost my comments. *_*
Basically, I’m starting to think that Touta might have anti-mana in him that reacts to mana in the same way anti-matter reacts to matter — explosive combination. 😀
Hmmm, maybe Tota was created, being four years old, to combat someone or something and that’s why he has anti-mana. Maybe he was created to combat the Lifemaker.
That’s possible.
What an interesting chapter!
1- So the new frontier town is the asteroid belt? lol I wonder if they are trying to change Jupiter’s moons already?
2- That demon from Canis Niger! And “nobody made him pull out all stops”? Heh, Touta will definitely make him use all six arms!
3- Wow, that pair of Fate’s old partners! And the cat girl ca of age, with 2 tails already! There is a tale about “ghost cats”, nice touch;
4- I don’t think Touta has magic cancel: 1- He didn’t pass through Eva’s barrier in the first chapter; 2- He didn’t cancel Eva’s ice rain in the baths;
5- Now for the main event of the night! The Raaaaag Booooy! Honestly I bet on the vampire “aristocrat”, the only one from the promo picture left that’s short. OR, it could actually be Eva, trying to evaluate/scare off Touta?
And now we got a promisse of answers for the next chapter! This one was so eventful, I can’t wait!^^
P.S. Honestly [2] I don’t think Zecth will ever appear. At all. Why? Because the hooded boy in the promo picture turned out to be Santa! Even though it’s clearly Zecth there. I think Ken actually changed his mind about including Zecth in the story! XDDD
P.S. What’s “Special-K”? I didn’t catch the reference.
Special-K is a kind of cereal : ) and also like a special snowflake character. Hence all the cereal jokes.
Vampire aristo is Vasago isn’t it?
Nope, it’s another one, looks like a blonde Fate. Take a look at the promo picture.
Oh, and thx for the info.^^
Not impossible, considering many of Akamatsu-sensei’s characters have similar features, and that even Yukihime is just Eva in disguise. However, Vasago has never been introduced as a number holder, and a vampire should be a number holder (because of their immortality level).
I tend to see Vasago as UQH’s administrator. He’s not in charge, but he makes sure things run smoothly.
Plus I was hungry for cereal. 😉
That has not been stated to date. I tend to suspect that he’s not the vampire character.
“4- I don’t think Touta has magic cancel: 1- He didn’t pass through Eva’s barrier in the first chapter; 2- He didn’t cancel Eva’s ice rain in the baths;”
Yeah, on reflection, I also think it is not the magic cancellation.
I think that the Tota power is the “royal magic” (the same power as Arika, which is the mother of Negi). After all we know nothing of that capacity. Maybe the Royal Magic is a very powerful magic but in return, the owner can not use normal magic (like the members of the “right hand of God” in To aru universe). Is logical since the Arika was ever use classics spells. And indeed, Tota has never canceled, even inconciente way (well, the barrier mandala but it was thanks to the blade gravity).
And I also think, as I said, that is the hooded vampire boy. Aah I know from the moment I saw it on the promotional poster that I would LOVE this character, he exuded an enormous charisma. And apparently, if indeed it, the following chapters will prove me right. ^^
ps : And before some tell me “bah then he should not have magia-Erbea because of the Royal Magic no ?!”. Bah justly YES, according to my theory the possessor of the royal magic can not use NORMAL magic spells (elemental spells, spells of exorcisms (jews, christians, bouddhists, muslims, ect), Eastern magic, magic apps ect). Magia-erebea is NOT a normal spell^^.
Magia Erebea is a similar magic to the LM’s (according to Dinamis, her lackey) > Arika’s (and therefore Touta’s) Royal Family apparently descends from the “Goddess of Creation Amaterasu” or something?
So, ME = Royal Magic?
Isn’t ME Eva’s original spell? Well, Eva is probably related to MOTB, but I don’t think ME is a Royal Magic, maybe those are at the same level instead.
I don’t even consider ME to be a spell in the traditional sense. It is a magical technique. If it were a spell, it could be incanted. All of Negi’s most power spells required incantation, though Negi masted the ability to use spells without the need to incant them just prior to using them.
But ME has to be learned, but there’s no incantation other than the one activation word, and that was more about the technique. Even Jack could not use it, and he could use anything he wanted.
You confuse the queen Amateru and the Japanese sun goddess, Amaterasu. Of course, the names look like but it is probably not the same character.
For Magia-Erebea Cold Menthol and you’ve probably both right. Indeed Magia-Erbea is an original technique invented by Eva BUT she created this spell, drawing on research in black magic of the lifemaker. Which is why Dynamis and Fate have recognized “the power of their master (the lifemaker)” by Negi.
So not the Royal magic and ME are not the same thing-but Amateru, being the daughter of lifemaker, both techniques may be connected indeed.
Let’s not forget that ME was created by Eva during a time when she wasn’t very powerful and she needed something extra in order to stay alive. She created it, but it was Negi who perfected it. Officially, only Eva and Negi were known to have used the ME technique before Touta “magically” had it.
So I tend to discount the notion that ME is royal magic.
Not sure those are the same pair. They had different names in this chapter.
He doesn’t have magic cancel. He had a negative charge reaction to mana in the way matter and anti-matter don’t mix. Thus my new theory about him having anti-mana.
Sorry. I forget about my international readership. ^_^;;;;
Special-K is a rice cereal that I quite enjoy with extra sugar and icy cold milk. I referenced several cereals in the piece.
As an aside, I went out and bought a box of Special-K and had a BIG bowl of it with extra sugar. Quite tasty. 😀
I really enjoyed Ray asking Tota what he is, its been bothering since Santa mentioned that Tota is four years olds.
Also I Iiked that this was foreshadowed since Tota was the only one of his friends who couldn’t use the magic apps in chapter one.
I’m looking forward to Tota getting to actually talk to the people from the prelimaries, their designs are pretty ‘meh’ for us Negima fans who’ve seen these type of designs before.
I hope we see more Ray, he seems pretty cool.
Now the question is, will we get the answer this week or will it be delayed? 😉
that was fate……. lols thats a earth spell, it’s called Circulus Pilorum Nigrorum.
http://negima.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Spells#Stone.2FEarth
That, or it’s Kagetarou’s descendant.
No basis for the second part, but that is a earth spell.
No, I think that he is the vampire-boy.
It might be an earth elemental spell (actually, it was more than likely an illusionary spell since no one else but Touta and Kurobo noticed it), but I don’t think it was Fate. Fate would have already grabbed Touta and wouldn’t have done whatever the assailant did in this chapter.
Well, remember that Negi had a similar experience when it came to Kagetarou so what Touta sensed was basically Killers Intent.
But I guess until we get there, we can speculate. BUT, on the off chance that it was Fate in his normal size, what would your reaction be?
btw, what other vampire boy? you mean that aristocrat when Eva was explaining about immortals and whatnot?(the guy in that long coat on the cover art for the group)
I’d be annoyed because it would make no sense to me. Fate could have grabbed Touta at any time and was going to. He ay have been thwarted, but he pretty much backed off, figuring Touta would eventually come to him at the top of the tower. So for Fate to then turn into his kid form, abandon his patience, and now attack Touta doesn’t make sense to me.
OH MY GODS! I just noticed this right! Now!
The western style guy from the asteroid belt! Is he wearing na Ala Alba Badge?!
http://www.mangabird.com/uq-holder-69-index?page=0
I missed that, but that does appear to be an Ala Alba badge.
4chan spoilers:
http://www.logsoku.com/r/wcomic/1418900719/627
As Kurobou was about to reveal something to Touta, he is attacked by that person with the strong kill intent. That person refers to Touta as “Onii-san”, which can mean older brother but also can be used by someone to refer to an older male who isn’t too old. Touta seems to be overwhelmed by the enemy, even after activating ME.
Some wild speculations by me:
If Touta was indeed made by Fate, maybe this person (call him/her X for now) is also someone made by him? Maybe Touta was considered a failure and was supposed to be disposed of while X was supposed to be promising. But then Touta actually end up being the one that worked out (being able to get ME?) and X who had yet to show results is left aside. Then X wants to kill Touta because of that.
And as always, thanks a ton. ^_^