[rooboy]

Originally Posted by JaoJao

i got some questions and i hope u guys can help me out:

1) about asuna's past, wut is her relationship with nagi's group and all that?and how come at times she gets flash backs or w.e?

2) is albireo a dead guy that comes out only abt every 22 years wen the tree is at max power?

3) wuts evageline's relationship with nagi?

Well, these are all actual manga spoilers, so I guess I'd better ...

Spoiler for Asuna's past:

She was being raised by one of Nagi's companions - the same one who was teaching Takahata. I think his name is Vandenburg - he's the one who looks like an older Takahata in the picture of Nagi's companions. Somehow they erased her memory of her time with them, but why she's getting flashbacks about it hasn't been revealed. Actually, the way that chapter is constructed, I think she may not actually have been having a flashback, it may have just been showing us (the readers) part of her past.

Spoiler for Albireo's Deal:

Umm, no, I think he's supposed to be stuck below Mahora Academy, the only time he can send a projection of himself out is when the World Tree glows (during the Mahora-fest). It's the projection that the other contestants fight - not Albireo himself. His pactio card lists him as a librarian - so I've always assumed he's under the library somewhere.

Spoiler for Evangeline:

We're never really given a "straight" answer on what Evangeline's relationship with Nagi was. But they strongly hint that Evangeline was in love with Nagi, but wouldn't reform. We're left to assume that Nagi wasn't in love with Evangeline (as indicated by the recording of him that Colonel Sanders has that wouldn't give her a hug), but we're unsure if he never loved her or if he couldn't deal with the fact that she was E-V-I-L ... mwa ha ha!

I think that's more or less accurate, though obviously you could put a different spin on most of what I said (in particular the Evangeline part).

Originally Posted by Vexx

Aye... most of the romance, such as it is, in the manga is platonic. People develop very deep affections for each other but purely in the handholding or hugs sense. I won't say who or what for spoiler reasons and because the latest anime may go in directions unrelated to the manga. The girls who find Neg emotionally attractive are mainly just positioning themselves (though they themselves may not realize it) for a few years down the road when Negi *is* physically grown up.

This isn't really what I was trying to say.

Spoiler for Guess I should spoiler this too:

Nodoka and Yue, in particular, have been shown to have deep feelings of romantic love for the current Negi - at least as far as the "adult kiss" . Ayaka and Chachamaru (that I can think of off the top of my head) have also been indicated to have "those" feelings towards the current Negi. The only ones I can think of who would fit the "grooming" profile are Makie and the cheerleader (who is rapidly becoming my second favorite of the "Negi-lovers"), though I guess that would be a viable interpretation of Evangeline as well. There basically seem to be two camps amongst the Negi-lovers, those who would like him if he was older and those who like him now. Eventually most people who would like him if he were older seem to migrate to the other camp over time (Makie is an example of this). The only possible exception might be Ako, but I don't think she realizes yet that the date she had with Negi was actually Negi (I believe she still thinks it was his "cousin").
Sorry to stick on this point, but I find the notion that Negi "can't" have a relationship because of his age curious. He's only three years younger then they are. I lost my virginity at 10 to a girl who was two years older than I was, so it's hardly impossible for there to be feelings that span such a short distance. I've always assumed the "English gentleman" bit has more to do with it - from his perspective he's their teacher and it wouldn't be proper. Part of it also that he has built up this impossibly perfect image of his father which he's trying to live up to. Well, that and the fact that Negi has obviously spent most of his time a) alone and b) studying magic so I doubt he has much in the way of human interaction experience.
All I was trying to say is that the actual "romance" in the series is missing (except for a couple of dates with Nodoka, and now one with Ako as well). Romantic feelings do form parts of the motivations of characters, but actual romance moments in the series are somewhat rare. In that sense, it's really not that different from most Toriyama-style manga/animes, romance is there in the background, but it's not really the main part of the plot.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Ptolemi

So because of his age/appereance/job there won't be an actual relationship. This is more centered on comedy i am guessing?

My guess is that the series might end with him in a relationship, but it'll be the end of the series before it happens. It's just not what the series is about. It's about Negi and his relationship with his dad (in particular his search for his dad), his individual relationships with students comes next (and, of those, his relationship with Asuna is paramount - despite the lack of romance involved). And, of course, because it's Akamatsu-sensei, most things that could have been done seriously are instead usually played for laughs. I would say it's more of an adventure than a comedy, though it does have a lot of comedy as well.