Negima Episode 15 Discussion / Poll

[xris]

Welcome to the discussion thread for Negima, Episode 15!

Thread Guidelines

• No telling or asking for raws.
• Try to keep spoilers from the Manga out of the anime thread.
  If you need to in reply to someone with a reference to the Manga, either PM them or use clearly marked Spoiler tags (see example below).
• Discuss your expectations of the episode if not aired.
• Be polite to your fellow forum members.
• Try to keep the discussion on topic and future episode spoilers out of the thread whenever possible.

Spoiler Tag Example

[spoiler=title]Don't forget to use a title for the spoiler![/spoiler]

...becomes...

Spoiler for title:

Don't forget to use a title for the spoiler!

[TnAdct1]

Sayo fans will definitely like this episode, considering how

Spoiler for episode 15:

her cosplay form is utilized in order to help Negi grab a star crystal that, thanks to Ayaka spiking it while it was hot, gets lodged in a support column.

Also, as you can hear as Negi reaches through a Sayo-possessed support column, it looks like our little ghost girl is ticklish (with her giggling definitely reminding me of another Yuri Shiratori-voiced girl, Cherry from Saber Marionette J, whenever she has has one of her "Otaru-sama" fantasies).

[djmaca]

Haha!!!
You guys would think that this is an uneventful episode, but at least the plot is unfurled smoothly...

[aroduc]

Originally Posted by djmaca

Haha!!!
You guys would think that this is an uneventful episode, but at least the plot is unfurled smoothly...

Yeah, I was a bit surprised too actually. I sort of scanned through it earlier and looked mostly like filler so tucked it away until the evening, but they actually got through quite a bit more stuff than I expected.

I still want another episode 6 and/or more Strike Freedom though.

[Vexx]

(carried some thoughts over from elsewhere)

silly random stuff …. I’ll just focus on the Sayo moments (waves Sayo flag)

Power-mage Takamichi, uber-robot Chach, and super-vamp Eva wander off to have tea … how convenient? whatever… at least this ep appears to have a few minutes of plot.



lots of nice still shots, great little bits …. but I’m thinking of turning the show into a drinking game where everytime Shinbou misses an opportunity to do something cool I take a drink — I should be as unstable as Jack Sparrow by the end of each episode methinks.

Dammit, Shinbo ---...

side thoughts:
I find it interesting there’s been so little activity in the figure market… Kanon 2006 is less than half finished and they’re already pushing figures from at least 3 producers (and pulling out the old stuff). In the Negima line, I’ve seen nada… not even garage kits. And here is a ready made pile of fun with 30-something girls in a variety of garb.
I’m wondering if their choice of targeting the late afternoon television time was a tactical error — but I’ve not seen ratings yet. Also, apparently Shinbo has only been giving this series partial attention as he’s been involved in another series start up (can’t recall its name at the moment). That might explain some of the directionless feeling.

[aroduc]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Also, apparently Shinbo has only been giving this series partial attention as he’s been involved in another series start up (can’t recall its name at the moment). That might explain some of the directionless feeling.

Hidamari Sketch assumably (aired an hour or two ago).

[TnAdct1]

Originally Posted by Vexx

I find it interesting there’s been so little activity in the figure market… Kanon 2006 is less than half finished and they’re already pushing figures from at least 3 producers (and pulling out the old stuff). In the Negima line, I’ve seen nada… not even garage kits. And here is a ready made pile of fun with 30-something girls in a variety of garb.

Well, Konami has released figurines of the Negima girls already (with the second series of figurines based on the "Negima!?" anime coming out in March).

[Vexx]

yes but the Konami figures from season 1 are no longer "in stock" (I have the 4" high detail set of 5 girls (Asuna, Nodoka, Konoka, Eva, and Chach)). The Kodansha 8" models of Konoka, Makie, Eva, and Asuna from season 1 are still floating about (I have Asuna and Eva). Of course, those were all released more than a year ago.
I was kind of hoping to see more of the girls get the Konami 4" high detail treatment. They look pretty nice ... but apparently no Kaede, Mana, or others in sight.
quickpic of the 4" girls -> and quickpic of the larger figures->

The incoming set of figurines... are the "trading figure" hyperdeformed ones. I'm just not a fan of deformed mini-figures. No one has mentioned more realistic figures or "pactio card"-dressed figures.

I did run across some 4" figures on ebay from the new series... but the quality is really lacking (the best looking one Nodoka with floating books doesn't even have her dressed accurately). On close examination these look like unlicensed knockoffs with the random mix of Xebec art on the packaging and extremely poor figure quality.

Compared with other series figure releases -- Negima is being seriously shorted here. Hopefully that will improve this summer.

[monir]

I believe the main problem for some of the disappointment with how the series is going so far is, expectation. For those of us who didn't read the manga or didn't much care for the previous TV series adaptation (such as me), not minding the randomness and the short end the drama has gotten so far. I'm loving this series. Also, few more hours of waiting after months of anticipation for Hidamari Sketch. *Eagerly waits for few more hours.

[Vexx]

Actually... my disappointment is that Shinbo doesn't seem to be applying either TMP wacked plot *OR* PPD levels of wacko to the effort. He just seems to be coasting after the first few episodes. Yeah, I'd have *liked* a more traditional take (actually I'd have a like a more TMP interpretation but we got a PPD approach).... but even for a PPD approach it seems to be backsliding to me. But like I keep saying... "pile of omake" "lots of pretty pics" "funny moments (especially with Asuna)" "not enough K&S"

[eextreme]

What do you think is in the next episode?

Spoiler for title:

This episode created a research group, exploration group, and supply group and outline their daily routines.

I m guessing that Negima will start teaching the class magic. What are some of your assumptions?

[Deathkillz]

oh i like sayo and so i liked this ep ^_^
a lot of random stuff in the background such as Chizuru teasing Chisame about her no longer secret identity ~ which i found to be quite amusing
but ~

Spoiler:

am i the only one that finds it wrong when negi stuck his hand into that pillar with sayo giggling her ass of?

[TnAdct1]

Originally Posted by Deathkillz

oh i like sayo and so i liked this ep ^_^
a lot of random stuff in the background such as Chizuru teasing Chisame about her no longer secret identity ~ which i found to be quite amusing
but ~

Spoiler:

am i the only one that finds it wrong when negi stuck his hand into that pillar with sayo giggling her ass of?

Spoiler:

Probably so, since I'm already familar with those perverted fantasy scenes that Yuri Shiratori did in Saber Marionette J (ones that involve Cherry fantasizing her and Otaru as a couple). Hence, as I mentioned before, this scene definitely gave me a "Cherry flashback".

As for the next episode, given the episode title and a "Babelfish translation" of one moment in the episode,

Spoiler:

I'm probably expecting the next episode will reveal some more information about the mysterious Black Rose Baron (and possibly his connection with Motsu and Shichimi).

[Deathkillz]

Originally Posted by TnAdct1

As for the next episode, given the episode title and a "Babelfish translation" of one moment in the episode,

Spoiler:

I'm probably expecting the next episode will reveal some more information about the mysterious Black Rose Baron (and possibly his connection with Motsu and Shichimi).

Spoiler:

the baron is a she rite? O.o and meh...i bet they are working together to grade negi's final test...kinda like how they give him a situation to react up on and how he can score points depending how he resolves the situation...inbou! ;_;

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Vexx

I’m wondering if their choice of targeting the late afternoon television time was a tactical error — but I’ve not seen ratings yet. Also, apparently Shinbo has only been giving this series partial attention as he’s been involved in another series start up (can’t recall its name at the moment). That might explain some of the directionless feeling.

Isn't this very similar to what you said two weeks ago, when I mentioned what the ratings looked like and how things were looking on the sales front? I can try to pull more details if it'd help, though we'll have a better idea in a few weeks once the first DVD is released. Your stated opinion this week is also nearly exactly the same as what you said last week, which at its heart hasn't changed that much from three weeks ago. You also keep mentioning the fact that this is the way you pegged the show early on, and the chief director is doing nothing to change your opinion (though I don't know why you keep blaming him personally). So, forgive me for asking the obvious question, but if you already know how things are likely to be based on experience, then do you really approach every episode every week hoping that things will change, and then feel the same exact sense of disappointment over and over again for the very same reason? Isn't that a bit too frustrating? I mean, if you've long since accepted that this is obviously what the director's going for, contrary to what you'd like to see, then why keep calling the same fault a fault week after week after week? That's just the way it is, isn't it? I don't know... I just figure that if I found anything that frustrating, I wouldn't keep watching. I realize that you've also said that you don't dislike the show, but having the exact same bone to pick week after week... I just don't get it.

[Vexx]

Hey, at least I'm consistent .... do you think Shinbo really has a plan here or is he just winging it? The show isn't *bad* so much as just kind of wandering around being just entertaining enough to keep me looking at it. I'm sure I'm not the only person who's had a consistent opinion about the show and expresses it with each episode. And sometimes something that makes me scratch my head in bemusement keeps me poking at it to what makes it tick.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Hey, at least I'm consistent .... do you think Shinbo really has a plan here or is he just winging it? The show isn't *bad* so much as just kind of wandering around being just entertaining enough to keep me looking at it. I'm sure I'm not the only person who's had a consistent opinion about the show and expresses it with each episode. And sometimes something that makes me scratch my head in bemusement keeps me poking at it to what makes it tick.

Consistency I'll give you... I think the director definitely does have a plan, but I suppose that it won't become fully apparent to us except on reflection. In addition, the Series Composition is being done by a veteran with years of experience in all sorts of genres, so whatever the plan is, the staff should be able to pull it together. But, clearly, the goal here isn't the same as the goal in the original manga or even the original anime.

As you pointed out, the show sort of has an "ADD" thing going on; by that I mean, it bounces from one entertaining scene to another, and plays off of gags and character stereotypes rather than showing a great deal of character growth and change. It's as if they expect the audience to have an attention span of two minutes. You've speculated before that this may be due to the timeslot, and that seems like reasonable speculation to me. That being said, there's enough of a backstory being woven throughout the randomness that it seems to be leading somewhere. But, like any rollercoaster, part of the fun is in the unpredictability and in rolling with the twists and turns that come along the way. That's the way I'm taking the show, anyway.

So, yes, I think the director has a plan and knows what he's doing with the show. But, of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's the sort of ride everyone will enjoy; I enjoy it, but I can certainly see how it'd turn some people off. They said all along that they were trying to do something different than the manga, and they're definitely living up to that. I guess I just happen to like both.

Anyway, I guess what I'm driving it is... rather than pointing the finger at the director, assuming he's "in over his head" without a plan, and wondering if the show's suffering in the ratings as a result, have you considered that the show just might not be made to suit your tastes? The show is what it is, and it not being what you want it to be doesn't necessarily mean that someone's at fault. They may just not share your goals for this production. If the show is in fact a "cute attention deficit pile of omake", maybe that's exactly what the director wanted to create. Maybe that's the plan. My two cents, anyway...

[Vexx]

Pretty much I've beaten my "wtf?" demons into mulch ... so I'm just tagging it as the "cute attention deficit pile of omake" and going from there.

After all, its not like I'm going to see anyone else animating Kaede doing her mweorrrr kitty stalk move in that tent scene

[fubar84]

Yes finally the subbed version is out Thanks mahora!

[KaneDragon]

Negi can fit his whole hand in! =O

Eva was cute in this episode. :3