Negima!?

This is the second anime series that is based on the Negima! manga series by Ken Akamatsu (creator of A.I. I Love You & Love Hina). The season was directed by Akiyuki Shinbo, and the production of the series was done by the SHAFT company; who had worked on anime series such as Pani Poni Dash!, Maria Holic, and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei.

This season took a radically different turn then the first season that more closely followed the canon of the manga.

Though the reasons for Negi's trip to Japan was the same, much of the outcome was completely original. The series leaned more toward a comedy parody series. Frequently making references to other anime series, movies or video games.

The first season was titled slightly differently as, Negima! . The two seasons were not connected.

Plot

Negi Springfield is a ten year-old, boy wizard who dreams of being a great wizard like his father. The man known to the Magical World as the Thousand Master. On the day of Negi's graduation ceremony, he is given his magical certificate that will tell him his task. It declared his path was to become an English teacher to a middle school for girls, Mahora Academy, in Japan. There he runs into a wild girl, Asuna Kagurazaka, who discovers his secret identity as a wizard, and they form a pact.

In a class of thirty-one middle school girls. This young teacher is on a journey filled with test, adoring girls, vampires, evil faeries, and a strange masked man who could be his father.

Second Plot

The second series of the anime very roughly follows the original stories for the first three episodes. It told a stylized version of the battle with vampire Evangeline A..K. McDowell of Volume 3 of the manga. It was after these events that the story took a drastically original turn that would last the extent of the series twenty-six episode run.

Negi's students possessed by an evil fairy.

After episode three, the story took a turn when the Dean of Mahora Acemedy, Konoemon Konoe, was alerted that a powerful magical item, the Star Crystal, has been stolen from the Magical Academy, back in England. It is so strong it could infinitely increase the magical power of whoever would touch it. Even the Thousand Master couldn't control this object.

Soon after, a strange darkness is appearing around Mahora Academy. Along with faeries that are possessing Negi's students to attack him. If this wasn't enough trouble. The Magical Association has sent two watchmen, Motsu and Shichimi, to overlook Negi and report if he can keep his secret, and a masked stranger calling himself the Black Rose Baron is following him around. Is he a villain or an ally?

Series Differences

Several aspects of the second season of the anime added their own twists to the Negima! story. Characters were introduced that were exclusive to this series, the Star Crystal is unique to this series, a bracelet that was suppose to of been a gift for Negi from his father, the number Pactio Cards, and how the cards were used.

Series Original Characters

Shichimi & Motsu

Motsu (frog) Shichimi (cat)

The first original characters to be introduced were Shichimi and Motsu. They were the ones that reported that the Star Crystal had been stolen. They claimed that they were envoys form the Magical Academy. They took on the forms of a frog and cat that had been drawn by one of Negi's students, Haruna Saotome.

Black Rose Baron

The Black Rose Baron is the second character that was introduced to the Negima!? series. He is a mysterious and often mischievous mask stranger who follows Negi and seems to appear just in the nick of time to save the day. Negi at first believes that he is his father that has been possessed by the magic of the Star Crystal.

The character seems to be a parody of Tuxedo Mask, from Sailor Moon. He wears a mask, top hat, cape, and he throws black roses as piercing weapons.

Mr. Yamada

Mr. Yamada is a character that in introduced for only a single episode. He is the caretaker of the Library Island of Mahora Academy. He would appear dramatically and suddenly announce his own name. Only to later fall into some trap in a comical manner.

Pactio Cards & Uses

In the regular Negima! series. Negi's Partners of have a single Pactio Card. The second season anime put it's own twist of the cards and how they were activated.

The Three Cards

Left to Right: Rare, Dud, and Cosplay Cards

The activation of a Pactio remained the same from the manga, but not how the cards were used. The original manga allowed the Partner to activate the card by holding it and calling out the chant, "Adeat!".

This anime had the cards only activated by Negi's magic. He would chant the spell and draw a random card. It was more of a lottery system. he had no control over what card he would get on each draw. On the activation of the card. The Partner would then have a Sailor Moon-esque transformation. The Partners in the manga only had a single card to use that they kept with them at all times. This season had three cards; Rare (armor), Cosplay, and Dud(suka).

Cast & Voice Actors

The FUNimation casting the the series was rather different from the original Japanese run on the series. the US dub of the anime had a single voice actor take on several different roles in the large cast. The Japanese version has a different actress for each girl in Negi's class. Also, the Japanese version had Negi voiced by a female actress in a practice called a Paku-man. The US version had Negi voice by a man.

Negi & Class 3-A

Supporting Cast

Narrator

The narration of the anime for the Japanese version was voiced by Makoto Terada (寺田 誠), under his stage name of Mugihito. The English narration was performed by Chris Sabat.

Soundtrack