UQ Holder Anime Coming October 2017

UQ Holder Anime Coming October 2017

The Japanese site Comic Natalie has announced that the UQ Holder anime is coming in October 2017. Here’s promo artwork from the official UQ Holder anime website.

UQ Holder Anime

Considering that Yue and Nodoka are part of Negi-MotB’s team now, they make sense to be in this promo. Elderly Ayaka has shown up (and her young self in a flashback), so she makes sense. Makie, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to make sense to be in the promo image. She only had a cameo in the flashback and a cameo when the manga started. That makes me wonder if the UQ Holder anime is going to emphasize certain Negima bits to start before going into the UQ Holder stuff. Or possibly, the Negima aspect is going to play a larger role somehow.

Based on every other anime adaptation of something Akamatsu-sensei does, I expect that the anime UQ Holder will be only loosely based on the manga with a lot of original content added. Whether that will end up being good or not remains to be seen. Oddly enough, since UQ Holder was mostly just random adventure stories for the first portion of its existence until more Negima elements were introduced, changing the story structure and such won’t bother me, unlike how Negima was changed.

I note with some amusement that after Xebec and SHAFT had their turns, it is now time for J.C. STAFF to have a go at an Akamatsu-sensei title. They’ve done stuff I’ve liked, but they’ve also had moments where they make decisions I’ve not been fond of. But we’ll see what they do here.

I do plan to watch/review the UQ Holder anime when it comes out. I’m guessing Crunchyroll will pick it up, but one never knows for sure.

So, what are your thoughts about this? Let me know in the comments.

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35 Responses to “UQ Holder Anime Coming October 2017”

  1. AstroNerdBoy says:

    Ah frack! I didn’t fix the URL. That’s what I get for cloning an old UQ Holder post. ^_^;

  2. Yue Ayase says:

    Makie sticks out like a sore thumb in that pic, considering her overall irrelevance to the plot. It could be maybe there’s two separate stories going on. The logo on the website does use the Negima 2 subtitle. It would be interesting to see if the VAs of Negi, Yue, Nodoka, Ayaka, and Eva all reprise their roles. And Makie too should she somehow have a role. Nodoka looks a bit lanky but the characters otherwise look how I figured they’d look. I love the fact that Kuro has red eyes, further enforcing their “crow” status. I’m definitely digging that design. Karin looks about how I’d expect her to look, along with Kirie. Eva seems a bit lighter in terms of hair colour, especially when put next to Ayaka. Always thought their hair colour was the same. Touta seems like… well, generic I guess but that’s just what he is, appearance wise.

    Obviously would have to see more before I draw any conclusions but the fact that it seems to be a mix of the two series is interesting. I can’t imagine they would put 5 Negima girls right there (including one with a mininal role) without some kinda flashback or otherwise storytelling of things that happened in the past. It’s not going to happen but if the anime could tie up some things that happened in Negima that we never learned of, that would nice.

    All in all I’m cautiously optimistic about this series. Akamatsu has a rather… rocky track record when it comes to animated series. I’ve always maintained that if Negima were animated properly (like the other juggernaut shonens) it would’ve been even more popular than it already was. I hope this series proves to be popular in order to jumpstart merch, maybe a video game here or there, and my ultimate dream: An animated MahoraFest.

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      All in all I’m cautiously optimistic about this series. Akamatsu has a rather… rocky track record when it comes to animated series.

      Ha!ha! True. I saw the Love Hina anime first. I liked it a lot more when I hadn’t read the manga. The anime served its purpose in getting me to seek out the manga. However, after I read the manga, I found the anime not as good because of the changes.

  3. Yuuki says:

    OK im glad that JC staff are the ones doing it but why do these adaptations always have trouble with the character designs? Specifically Touta and Yukihime look really off. The weird thing about it is that Akamatsus art is pretty simple so you’d think adapting them into animation would be simple but they always screw it up somehow. Atleast everyone other than these two look normal and it nowhere near as awful as the Negima?! Designs.

    With that said, the fact that the Negima cast is featured in the poster makes me believe that they will play a big part in the anime because I doubt they will reach the point where they appear in UQH. Maybe they will recap some Negima events for anime only watchers or show some of the stuff that happened between the end of Negima and UQH. Honestly both options excite me.

    Looking at the staff it shows that Akamatsu is doing series compostion which means that he is heavily involved with the adaptation so hopefully it doesnt stray too far from the manga like the other shows did which is my main concern from this adaptation.

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      The weird thing about it is that Akamatsus art is pretty simple so you’d think adapting them into animation would be simple but they always screw it up somehow.

      True.

      With that said, the fact that the Negima cast is featured in the poster makes me believe that they will play a big part in the anime because I doubt they will reach the point where they appear in UQH. Maybe they will recap some Negima events for anime only watchers or show some of the stuff that happened between the end of Negima and UQH. Honestly both options excite me.

      That could be. It would serve to get new fans buying Negima as well as UQ Holder.

      Looking at the staff it shows that Akamatsu is doing series compostion which means that he is heavily involved with the adaptation so hopefully it doesnt stray too far from the manga like the other shows did which is my main concern from this adaptation.

      Possibly. He owns the copyrights to all his work now. So he might craft the story. I wouldn’t expect it to follow the manga storyline that much. We’ll see though.

  4. OverMaster says:

    I imagine the appearance of the Negima characters in the promo is only bait and won’t play any actual role in the anime itself, although that could work against them, creating expectations that later won’t be satisfied.

    Still, that’s a consistent mistake from Akamatsu’s part. Just remember how many characters in the UQ first promo image we haven’t even met yet, or how many of the cast in the Negima manga opening spread ended up irrelevant. Which he’d keep stumbling on the same stone over and over is beyond me, but eh…

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      I tend to think that for the anime, we wouldn’t see characters not used. For UQ Holder, it is a different thing. There’s no timeline for Akamatsu-sensei to do whatever he wants to do. For an anime, once they commit, that’s it. And I think UQ Holder not taking off as expected caused Akamatsu-sensei to change what he was going to do with the manga, thus why we haven’t seen some of the promo characters other than cameo references.

  5. mirouw says:

    I can’t wait for the anime but I have a really big problem with this artwork… I don’t know what to think about it but I hope it will not reflect the quality of the animation. I was pretty disappointed by the Negima anime adaptations except for the OVAs which were following the plot of the manga. I hope UQ Holder anime will follow this path (but I don’t mind having some supplementary contents to enjoy more the characters). And I really hope that animation will not be like the first Negima Anime but more like the OVAs.
    Fingers crossed.

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      I can’t wait for the anime but I have a really big problem with this artwork… I don’t know what to think about it but I hope it will not reflect the quality of the animation.

      Character designs and animation are different things. J.C. Staff hasn’t been bad on animation, if I recall correctly.

  6. Mz says:

    Pls anime gods don’t let them eff this up too ?

  7. sanchi says:

    Is there any symbolism of showing Negi’s back and him way in the back, and Asuna there next to him with her sword, almost like standing guard behind Negi? Its also a big hint about Yue and Nodoka, being part of UQ and not with Negi-MotB.

    I can see the strong reference to it being a shounen anime, with Tota being the only guy (ok Kuromaru is neither for right now – but assuming his femme leaning) facing front, surrounded by all girls.

    With Tota in the middle of the pic, its confusing to figure out he’s the MC and not the ‘adult’ Eva in the front. I was disappointed that they left out Ikkyu and Santa, but they put in Makie and the younger version of class Rep Ayaka. Dana or the twins or Mizore would have been a better choice, or even better, Mana and more so Zazie who again gets the raw deal and is left out completely.

    Then again the manga has always been confusing what the UQH main story theme is all about anyway, other than the continuance of Negima, and possibly Negi.

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      Is there any symbolism of showing Negi’s back and him way in the back, and Asuna there next to him with her sword, almost like standing guard behind Negi?

      I suspect so, considering the MotB possession.

  8. magine says:

    I’m very happy that JC Staff makes the anime! (T_T)ง (Please, that this time the anime is faithful to manga and that it does not happen like in Negima)
    The pic is 100% sure how the characters will be in the anime? Touta looks like something strange, he doesn’t? Kirie has different hair colors, I don’t know what hair color she will have in the anime. Is it me or Evangeline has more breast in the anime than in the manga?
    I want to see how the opening will be, if it’s like Fairy Tail there will be spoilers everywhere. lol

    PS: I wonder if this arc (manga) the blond vampire boy is going to show up or only it will be about Cutlass.

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      The pic is 100% sure how the characters will be in the anime?

      I won’t say 100%, but there’s no reason to include Makie if she’s not going to be in it. The implication seems to be that there will be a stronger Negima element, but we’ll see.

      PS: I wonder if this arc (manga) the blond vampire boy is going to show up or only it will be about Cutlass.

      Should be interesting to find out.

      • Dargor says:

        Supposedly, Ken stated on twitter that Dana will not be appearing, so I don’t think its going to reach her arc.

        • AstroNerdBoy says:

          I kinda think they aren’t going to bother with arcs as they appeared in the manga. I think J.C. Staff will pick and choose situations, then craft their own story to fit a 12-13 episode series.

  9. sanchi says:

    Small typo error under the art pic…

    Considering that Yue and Nodoka are part of Nagi-MotB’s …

    Negi-MotB and not Nagi – though, the name could be both since it seems we see both. Too many Nagi(s)- you had just finished the Hayate update.

  10. Mattcgw says:

    I’m a savant of predictions. See this comment from 16 months ago.
    https://anime.astronerdboy.com/2015/11/uq-holder-chapter-101-manga-review.html

  11. Rob C. says:

    I’m not so enthusastic about this,. When they have to to show off the old A-3 Class just to get fan’s attention doesn’t set well with me.

    I hope this effort was all the worthwild for them. I don’t think the Negmia animes were that great either.

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      Yeah, the Negima animes sucked. The OADs were OK for what they did, but they sucked in that they just animated bits and pieces.

  12. Mattcgw says:

    So uq holder volume 10, came out. Mizore is still my favourite character and the most entertaining. The kire time stop chapter is still weird, but I’m relatively sure that it’s been edited for the better.

    Stupid cliffhanger chapter of Karin and Touta consuming the infatuation confectionary, instead of Karin’s backstory, which should’ve of been the final chapter instead.
    No context is given as to why Xingqui and Asura Tu appear at the tower.

    Also, an art error for some reason Mizore is depicted as being Kire’s height on a chapter cover page, even though the volume cover shows otherwise as does the majority of the volume.

    4/10, as a whole. 9/10 whenever a chapter has more than 6 panels involving Mizore.

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      4/10, as a whole. 9/10 whenever a chapter has more than 6 panels involving Mizore.

      Haha! Yeah, I like Mizore. She’s like a breath of fresh air even though her character is a cliched ojousama.

      I have volume 10. It is in the massive stack of manga I’ve bought but haven’t touched.

    • sanchi says:

      When Mizore does what she does, she to me is what someone would do, asking questions that anyone would ask after being a spectator watching all that was happening… basically what the heck is going on? Why did this happen? She’s not that privy to what is going on since she wasn’t there with Tota.

      Kinda what a leader/boss would ask, or someone who leads (ie like a class rep) would ask if not up to date on why things were happening. I can see the family connection to Ayaka. Like Ayaka, she has the financial (rich) ability to leverage needed items, and seems to well informed, smart, observant, and not a subservient, submissive, introverted, dumb blonde. Tota has definitely surrounded himself with very strong women, Kuromaru included.

      I am looking forward to what Cutlass does, and if Tota charms her to join UQ. If she can ever work with Kirie, those two would make a good team with time control abilities. Ilkyu could probably help her out with her own robotic limbs.

  13. dominic says:

    do not give up

  14. Rob C. says:

    The beginning of the manga hard alot more going for it than the later part where sensei essentialy got “lost” and tried to recapture the readers again with sales lagging. How’s this anime going do that? it will need to go on it’s own course to really bring up some charged interesting in otherwise good manga.

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      I think the anime will just plot its own course after the first chapter or so of the manga.

  15. Rob C. says:

    We got a name now for the anime, i picked up new name Livechart.me.

    UQ Holder! Mahou Sensei Negima! 2

  16. dominic says:

    how many Episodes will there

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      Not sure. I think 12. That’s pretty standard these days. Seems Japan doesn’t like risking more than 12 for the most part (there are exceptions to the rule, of course).

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