Negima! Magister Negi Magi: Difference between revisions
| Line 198: | Line 198: | ||
Note: This list pretains only to the theme songs from the first ''Negima!'' animation series. |
Note: This list pretains only to the theme songs from the first ''Negima!'' animation series. |
||
===Opening Theme=== |
|||
#"Happy Material" by [[Yuri Shiratori]], [[Madoka Kimura]], [[Ayana Sasagawa]], [[Natsuko Kuwatani]], [[Kotomi Yamakawa]], and [[Azumi Yamamoto]] ("Sayo Aisaka", "Yūna Akashi", "Kazumi Asakura", "Yūe Ayase", "Ako Izumi", and "Akira Ōkōchi"; ep. 1-4) |
#"Happy Material" by [[Yuri Shiratori]], [[Madoka Kimura]], [[Ayana Sasagawa]], [[Natsuko Kuwatani]], [[Kotomi Yamakawa]], and [[Azumi Yamamoto]] ("Sayo Aisaka", "Yūna Akashi", "Kazumi Asakura", "Yūe Ayase", "Ako Izumi", and "Akira Ōkōchi"; ep. 1-4) |
||
#"Happy Material" by [[Shizuka Itō]], [[Akemi Kanda]], [[Ai Bandō]], [[Akeno Watanabe]], and [[Mami Deguchi]] ("Misa Kakizaki", "Asuna Kagurasaka", "Misora Kasuga", "Chachamaru Karakuri", and "Madoka Kugimiya"; ep. 5-8) |
#"Happy Material" by [[Shizuka Itō]], [[Akemi Kanda]], [[Ai Bandō]], [[Akeno Watanabe]], and [[Mami Deguchi]] ("Misa Kakizaki", "Asuna Kagurasaka", "Misora Kasuga", "Chachamaru Karakuri", and "Madoka Kugimiya"; ep. 5-8) |
||
| Line 206: | Line 206: | ||
#"Happy Material" by [[Mamiko Noto|Mamiko Nōto]], [[Mai Aizawa]], [[Junko Minagawa]], [[Naomi Inoue]], and [[Yuka Inokuchi]] ("Nodoka Miyazaki", "Natsumi Murakami", "Ayaka Yukihiro", "Satsuki Yotsuba", and "Zazie Rainyday"; ep. 22-23, 25) |
#"Happy Material" by [[Mamiko Noto|Mamiko Nōto]], [[Mai Aizawa]], [[Junko Minagawa]], [[Naomi Inoue]], and [[Yuka Inokuchi]] ("Nodoka Miyazaki", "Natsumi Murakami", "Ayaka Yukihiro", "Satsuki Yotsuba", and "Zazie Rainyday"; ep. 22-23, 25) |
||
#"Happy Material" by the Class of 2-A (ep. 26) |
#"Happy Material" by the Class of 2-A (ep. 26) |
||
===Ending Theme=== |
|||
#''"Kagayaku Kimi e"'' by Akemi Kanda, Ai Nonaka, Mamiko Nōto, and Yū Kobayashi ("Asuna Kagurasaka", "Konoka Konoe", "Nodoka Miyazaki", "Setsuna Sakurazaki"; ep. 1-13) |
#''"Kagayaku Kimi e"'' by Akemi Kanda, Ai Nonaka, Mamiko Nōto, and Yū Kobayashi ("Asuna Kagurasaka", "Konoka Konoe", "Nodoka Miyazaki", "Setsuna Sakurazaki"; ep. 1-13) |
||
#''"Oshiete hoshii zō, Shishou"'' by Ayana Sasagawa, Natsuko Kuwatani, Akeno Watanabe, Hazuki Tanaka, and Yuki Matsuoka ("Kazumi Asakura", "Yūe Ayase", "Chachamaru Karakuri", "Kū Fei", and "Evangeline McDowell"; ep. 14-22, 24-25) |
#''"Oshiete hoshii zō, Shishou"'' by Ayana Sasagawa, Natsuko Kuwatani, Akeno Watanabe, Hazuki Tanaka, and Yuki Matsuoka ("Kazumi Asakura", "Yūe Ayase", "Chachamaru Karakuri", "Kū Fei", and "Evangeline McDowell"; ep. 14-22, 24-25) |
||
Revision as of 06:06, 10 December 2007
| Negima! Magister Negi Magi | |
| Genre | Harem, Action, Comedy, Ecchi, Supernatural, Romance |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Ken Akamatsu |
| Published by |  Kodansha |
| Anime | |
| Mahō Sensei Negima! Introduction Film | |
| Directed by | Hiroshi Nishikiori |
| Studio | XEBEC |
| Anime | |
| Mahō Sensei Negima! | |
| Directed by | Nagisa Miyazaki |
| Studio | XEBEC |
| Anime | |
| Mahō Sensei Negima! : Spring (Haru) | |
| Directed by | Akiyuki Shinbo |
| Studio | SHAFT |
| Anime | |
| Mahō Sensei Negima! : Summer (Natsu) | |
| Directed by | Akiyuki Shinbo |
| Studio | SHAFT |
| Anime | |
| MAGISTER NEGI MAGI Mahō Sensei Negima! | |
| Directed by | Ryu Kaneda |
| Studio | Starchild |
Negima!: Magister Negi Magi, known in Japan as Magical Teacher Negima! (魔法 先生 ネギま!, Mahō Sensei Negima!) is a manga and anime series by Ken Akamatsu (known for his best selling title Love Hina) that contains a large amount of fan service/ecchi scenes. The manga is currently being published by Kodansha and serialized in Shonen Magazine in Japan. Del Rey Manga is publishing the English translated version. The anime, produced by XEBEC, aired in the first half of 2005 and is being released in the US by FUNimation Entertainment. Additionally, two OVAs have been released, produced by Shaft and GANSIS, who had produced an alternate retelling of the series, Negima!?.
Overview
Negi Springfield is a ten year old wizard (NB he starts out at 9 and is 10 years old as the story goes on) from Wales who dreams of becoming a Magister Magi (Approximate Latin translation: "Mage Master"), a special wizard who uses his powers to help normal people using covers such as working for NGOs.
Negi's reason for becoming a Magister Magi is to find his father, Nagi Springfield, the legendary mage also known as the "Thousand Master" who many believe to be dead (though the name Thousand Master was cast into doubt in book 3 (Anime Episode 9) when Evangeline flashes back and he states he only mastered a few spells). Later, it is exposed that while his power or ability seem to be among the greatest in the magical world, he regularly uses an 'anchoko', or crib sheet, since he apparently does not bother to memorize the spells themselves.
After graduating from the Merdiana Magic Academy in Wales, he is given a duty as a cover in the real world, and training, before he actually becomes a Magister Magi. That duty is to become an English teacher at Mahora Academy in Japan. The task will not be easy, however, as Negi will become a teacher to a Middle School class of 31 older girls, each very special in her own way. The series details his time and adventures in Japan as he gains acceptance and respect from his students, helps them in their problems, and faces magical threats from inside and outside Mahora Academy.
His main relationship is with Asuna Kagurazaka, his student and roommate, who dislikes him initially but later accepts him as a friend and becomes his partner, helping find clues about his father and his life.
The series, while initially appearing to be another bishōjo work like Love Hina, has progressed into a mix of bishōjo, shōnen action, fantasy, horror, romance and comedy. This coupled with the initial comments of Akamatsu that he specifically wanted to do something "different" than Love Hina has fueled fan speculation. Some feel the current turn in mood for the manga reflects Akamatsu's "real" vision of the series, and the initial setup was just a ruse to placate the publishers expecting a bishōjo series.
Similarly, Love Hina took a turn for the surreal during its later run. Others point to the set up of the series making the classic "shipping" tendencies within such manga moot. Negi himself is prepubescent, and many of his scenes with Asuna are specific subversions of the "awkward romantic scene" tendency of bishōjo manga, quickly diffused and only played for laughs. In addition, many of the girls are able to fawn over him in a childish sense without any romantic expectations from the reader.
In keeping with this style, Negi himself is seen as a contrast to Love Hina's Keitaro and other typical male leads of bishōjo manga. He is hardworking, capable, and treated kindly, but due to his appearance and age (well below most of his students), he feels completely non-threatening and finds it difficult to be taken seriously as a teacher; many of his students treat him as a cute little kid, if not a playmate.
Characters
Negima includes a wide array of characters, including the 31 students from Class 2/3A. Like many classes, Negi's students consist of a wide array of smart students, academically challenged, athletes, and cheerleaders. Furthermore, the class also includes several martial artists, a ninja, a vampire, a robot, a ghost, at least one demon, a web idol, and even a time traveling martian. Nearly all the students are associated with various school clubs or sports teams. Many of these girls are eventually drawn into Negi's world of magic or have long been involved with the magic world. Through interaction, Negi learns about his students in depth.
In addition to the class, a greater array of characters reveals to become Negi's problems beyond the classroom. These characters come from magic schools, demons, and other sorts of chaos. He and his students eventually find themselves drawn into multiple conflicts and incidents in succession or simultaneously. Ultimately, Negi's magic and training connects him to his father Nagi and his courageous comrades, whom he hopes to follow in the footsteps of someday.
Anime
Introduction OVAs
Before the beginning of the series, three OVAs were produced for the sole purpose of introducing the characters. The first two were released on DVD bundled with two drama CDs, with the third being sold separately. It is unknown if these will ever be released outside of Japan.
The first OVA is a re-enactment of the first chapter, where Negi first learns of his job as a teacher and is introduced to the students of Mahora Academy 2-A. It ends with profiles of the Baka Rangers (Asuna, Makie, Yue, Ku Fei and Kaede) as well as Ayaka. Asuna is the only girl in the class that doesn't dig Negi.
The second OVA is a re-enactment of the "love potion" incident of chapter 2, with profiles at the end of Nodoka, Konoka, the cheerleaders (Misa, Madoka, Sakurako) as well as Kazumi.
The third OVA is a re-enactment of chapter 13: Negi's Mahora tour with the Narutaki twins. The tour shows Negi to several of the students (Yuna, Akira, Chao, Satsuki, Satomi, Chizuru, Natsumi, Zazie) as well as others that he ends up missing (Sayo, Evangeline, Chachamaru, Chisame, Misora, Ako). After being chewed out by Haruna for completely skipping her, a final scene introduces Setsuna and Mana, keeping watch from something on campus.
First television series
The anime began airing in Japan on January 6, 2005 and ended June 29, 2005. The anime also created its own reasons for certain events happening, which differs from the manga. It currently airs as part of the FUNimation programming block on CoLours TV.
Color changes
The conversion from manga to anime has left several characters' hair colors changed. It is thought by some fans that the color changes may reflect a need of the animators to identify characters. Among the changes are:
- Chisame (dark green instead of orange)
- Shizuna-sensei (blue-green instead of blonde)
- Misa (purple instead of light brown)
- Yuna (bright brown instead of black)
- The Narutaki twins (pink instead of orange; Fumika's hair covers are also yellow instead of white)
- Misora and Natsumi (dark brown instead of red)
It was officially noted that Misa is meant to have purple hair, as the hair color is carried on to the games and related materials. She is the only character whose hair color change was made permanent.
Storyline changes
In order to bring a true ending to the series, starting approximately halfway through episode 22 and continuing until the end of the series, original work was created for the series. The content is extremely controversial, as it involved "killing off" one of the main characters, in an otherwise light-hearted series.
Anime revisions
Due to protests against the animation in Mahōu Sensei Negima!, the DVD release has been revised from the TV version. Various episodes have redrawn characters, expressions, scenes, and even a few episodes have been redrawn completely. The redraws are minor, and fix errors like in episode 16 Makie has six fingers in a scene. Despite early rumors, there are no dialog or storyline changes. FUNimation used this version for their English release of the series.
Spring and Summer OVAs
Two OVAs directed by Akiyuki Shinbo and produced by Studio Shaft have been released, a Spring OVA and a Summer OVA.
The Spring OVA called Negima Haru! was shown to a private audience in Japan in April 2006 and was released for the public in DVD in October 25, 2006. It is based on the trip to the Southern Islands in volume 7 of the manga. The story is about how Negi makes up to Asuna after saying to Asuna that she shouldn't mind his business.
It's a running gag throughout the special in which Setsuna keeps ending up right behind Konoka when she's bent over and Setsuna gets a front row view of her backside. She continues to react to it in such a manner that might lead one to question her sexuality.
The Summer (Natsu) OVA was also shown to a private audience in September 2006, and the DVD was released in November 22, 2006. The beginning is about Nodoka and Yue practicing casting a spell. While training, Yue convinces Nodoka that they cast a spell of the red string of fate on Nodoka. A spell which shows them who her future partner will be. One end connects to Nodoka and the other end connects to Negi. Unfortunately, this spell isn’t a fate connection, but just a tie-up. The rest of the OVA is about how Nodoka and Negi spend the rest of the day trying to take their bath while their hands are tied together. The bath house depicted in this OVA is a parody to the one depicted in Spirited Away although the "creatures" are working on treadmills.
Both OVAs see various changes in hair and eye color of some of the students, changes that are also used for Negima!?
Second television series
A second series was announced on May 9, 2006 by Shaft and directed by Akiyuki Shinbo, the director of Pani Poni Dash! and Tsukuyomi - Moon Phase. It started airing in Japan on October 4, 2006. Negima!? is an alternate story with different character designs and an all new storyline, albeit with the same characters. The shows also focuses more action and comedy references and has less ecchi.
Manga
In the US and Canada, the manga is licensed and published in English by Del Rey Manga. Publishers in other countries and languages include Tong Li Comics in Hong Kong, Chuang Yi in Singapore, Play Press Publishing in Italy, Pika Édition in France, Egmont Manga & Anime in Germany, Glénat in Spain, Editora JBC in Brazil, Tanoshimi in the UK, and Level Comics (PT. Elex Media Komputindo) part of Gramedia Group in Indonesia.
In Malaysia, the Malay version of the Negima books, named 'Magic Teacher! Ahli Magik Negi Magi', are retranslations of the Chinese edition. Evidence shows the names of the characters in Chinese style, such as Asuna as Shenlao Asuna and Konoka as Munai Xiang. Instead of printing "Ken Akamatsu" as the author, the name "Chesong Jian" is used – actually a Mandarin translation of Akamatsu's name in kanji. The characters' names were corrected in volume 15.
The Manga is made up several arcs:
1. Teacher arc- Negi gets to know his students. Chapters 1-16
2. Partner Saga- Negi versus Evangeline. Chapters 17-25
3. The School Trip- The class trip to Kyoto. Chapters 25-53
4. The Wilhelm Josef von Herrmann Incident (also known as the training saga)- This includes Negi's first steps in training. A demon from Negi's past comes back to haunt him. We meet familiar faces. (this saga is just toughen Negi up for later events) Chapters 54-71
5. The School Festival (can be broken into sub-arcs) Chapters 72-162:
a. Festival Part 1. This is all festival attractions and events (as well as Negi's date and monitoring the World Tree) that occur before the tournament. Chapters 72-87 (note)
b. The Tournament. This includes the festival attractions that take place during the Tournament. Chapters 88-119
c. Festival part 2. This is all festival attractions after the tournament ends. Includes Yue and Paru's pactio, Ako's concert, the date with Takamichi, and Chisame character development. Chapters 120-131
d. Chao's Mission/The Future. This is when we discover Chao's objectives and Negi and pals are sent into the future. Includes Negi's rescue. Chapters 132-144
e. The Counterattack. Negi and his friends try to stop Chao before the future they just escaped from becomes a reality. Chapters 145-162
6. [current arc. Chapters 163-PRESENT] Negima and his friends (White Wing) travel to the magic world to try to find Negi's father. However, they meet old rivals and are forcefully transported to different areas of the magic world.
(note)Chao's plan actually starts here with Chapter 79 but only develops with Future and Chao's Mission.
English version
Negima! was involved in a controversy surrounding the censorship of the English-translated manga in North America, typical of Akamatsu's penchant for fanservice and risqué humor. Fans fell upon initial rumors of potential edits by Del Rey, and upon receiving news of this, immediately began fighting against the changes. The compromise reached was to release the book uncensored but shrink-wrapped, which some collectors feel can cause damage to the books.[1] Since Volume 15, the books have been released without the shrink-wrap.
Del Rey's releases contain fully translated versions of the omakes found in the Japanese versions (which include character sketches, fan art, and information about spells and related concepts), as well as various notes about Japanese culture and other things of interest not found in the original omakes.
Live action series
A live-action series of Mahō Sensei Negima!, distinguished from the manga, first TV anime (Negima!, having an exclamation mark) and the second TV anime (Negima!?, having the equivalent of an interrobang) by having two exclamation marks joined at the dot (or, Negima!!). [2][3] The cast of all of the 31 girls was released on July 2007[4], while it is announced later that actress Yukina Kashiwa would play Negi,[5] Hiroshi would portray Takamichi T. Takahata, Nao Oikawa as Shizuna Minamoto, and Gajirō Satō as the school dean.[6] It has started in TV Tokyo's late-night timeslot on October 3, 2007 and is slated for 26 episodes.
Like Negima!?, the live-action series has an entirely different storyline from the manga and the first anime series. For instance, Setsuna and Konoka's friendship reaches almost to the point of yuri, Sayo is introduced early, and Ayaka and Asuna's relationship is brought up during a dodgeball match that involves the two against each other instead of the Black Lilies.
Music
Note: This list pretains only to the theme songs from the first Negima! animation series.
Opening Theme
- "Happy Material" by Yuri Shiratori, Madoka Kimura, Ayana Sasagawa, Natsuko Kuwatani, Kotomi Yamakawa, and Azumi Yamamoto ("Sayo Aisaka", "Yūna Akashi", "Kazumi Asakura", "Yūe Ayase", "Ako Izumi", and "Akira Ōkōchi"; ep. 1-4)
- "Happy Material" by Shizuka Itō, Akemi Kanda, Ai Bandō, Akeno Watanabe, and Mami Deguchi ("Misa Kakizaki", "Asuna Kagurasaka", "Misora Kasuga", "Chachamaru Karakuri", and "Madoka Kugimiya"; ep. 5-8)
- "Happy Material" by Hazuki Tanaka, Ai Nonaka, Sawa Ishige, Yū Kobayashi, and Yui Horie ("Kū Fei", "Konoka Konoe", "Haruna Saotome", "Setsuna Sakurazaki", and "Makie Sasaki"; ep. 9-13)
- "Happy Material" by Akane Ōmae, Miho Sakuma, Chiaki Ōsawa, Ryōko Shiraishi, and Misa Kobayashi ("Sakurako Shiina", "Mana Tatsumiya", "Chao Lingshen", "Kaede Nagase", and "Chizuru Naba"; ep. 14-17)
- "Happy Material" by Kimiko Koyama, Mari Kanō, Mai Kadowaki, Yumi Shimura, and Yuki Matsuoka ("Fūka Narutaki", "Fumika Narutaki", "Satomi Hakase", "Chizame Hasegawa", and "Evangeline McDowell"; ep. 18-21)
- "Happy Material" by Mamiko Nōto, Mai Aizawa, Junko Minagawa, Naomi Inoue, and Yuka Inokuchi ("Nodoka Miyazaki", "Natsumi Murakami", "Ayaka Yukihiro", "Satsuki Yotsuba", and "Zazie Rainyday"; ep. 22-23, 25)
- "Happy Material" by the Class of 2-A (ep. 26)
Ending Theme
- "Kagayaku Kimi e" by Akemi Kanda, Ai Nonaka, Mamiko Nōto, and Yū Kobayashi ("Asuna Kagurasaka", "Konoka Konoe", "Nodoka Miyazaki", "Setsuna Sakurazaki"; ep. 1-13)
- "Oshiete hoshii zō, Shishou" by Ayana Sasagawa, Natsuko Kuwatani, Akeno Watanabe, Hazuki Tanaka, and Yuki Matsuoka ("Kazumi Asakura", "Yūe Ayase", "Chachamaru Karakuri", "Kū Fei", and "Evangeline McDowell"; ep. 14-22, 24-25)
- "Happy Material" - acoustic version by Instrumental (ep. 23)
- "Kagayaku Kimi e ~ Peace" by the Class of 2-A (ep. 26)
References
- ^ "Negima to not be censored". Anime News Network. Retrieved 20 September.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Ken Akamatsu's blog". Ken Akamatsu (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 May.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Anime News Network News". Anime News Network. Retrieved 28 May.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Negima! Live Action". Cast List. Retrieved 7 July.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Negima! Drama Lead Selected". Anime News Service. Retrieved September 3.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Negima! Live Action Cast". Mainichi Interactive. Retrieved September 10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)
External links
Official Sites
- Official Negima!? website Template:Ja icon
- Del Rey's Negima! Magister Negi Magi manga (U.S. manga publisher)
- Funimation's Negima! anime (U.S. anime licensee)
- TV Tokyo's Negima!! (live-action) website Template:Ja icon
- Konami Japan's PS2 Negima!? game Template:Ja icon
- Marvelous Interactive's Mahō Sensei Negima! GBA game Template:Ja icon
- Starchild's Negima!! (live-action) website Template:Ja icon
Other sources
Fan Sites
- Latīnitās Negimāria (Latin translation guide)
- Love Hina and Negima fan site and forums
- Ken Akamatsu forums (Fan site)
- Another Love Hina / Negima fansite