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And here's chapter 347, Love Can't Be Stopped.
Chisame, in my opinion, has gotten quite a bit more good character development than most of the other girls. She's still recognizably herself, but now she actually cares about the feelings of the rest of the class, while at the start of the manga, I'm fairly sure she would have blown all this off or only focused on how it might affect her. Also, her growth as a character took place gradually, and felt more natural because of that, while a number of the other girls were developed via sudden epiphany or backstory reveals, which I think made their development feel stilted in comparison. It's really too bad that Akamatsu put together such a large cast. I'm pretty sure that there are a few girls that haven't received any significant development since they were first introduced.
That said, I do like that the girls are finally starting to catch a clue on the whole infatuation thing. It's about time. -----
Stand between the Silver Crystal and the Golden Sea.
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Chapter 349 is out.
Satsuki is awesome in this chapter.
Also, given the ending, what does that mean for Chao? -----
Stand between the Silver Crystal and the Golden Sea.
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Last page of chapter 348: It never ends, does it...
-Morgan.
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Okay, that's weird. I can see 348, but 349 throws up empty pages for me.
-- Bob
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Okay, so it isn't just my connection...
--
Rob Kelk
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Odd. It works fine for me. Try accessing it through here.
-----
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*looks at 350*
What the hell is happening here?
Is Akamatsu prepping for a wrapup or a sequel series?
- Grumpy Uncle Gearhead
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And Redhawk's translation of chapter 350 is up.
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Page 6: Thought so.
Page 9: No, of course you don't.
Pages 17-18: There's the right way to write that relationship...
--
Rob Kelk
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The series really is drawing to a close, isn't it.
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Jinx999 Wrote:The series really is drawing to a close, isn't it. Maybe, maybe not! I've heard that Akamatsu had originally wanted to do a shonen battle series, but his editors insisted on a school harem comedy, which led to the genre shift partway through the series. Well, what if what he actually wanted to write was a futuristic sci-fi story, with magitech elements, and all of Negima has been a lead in to just this moment! [/ridiculous speculation]
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Jinx999 Wrote:The series really is drawing to a close, isn't it. What, just because a major character is about to make a long-term departure from the storyline? Akamatsu-san did that in the middle of Love Hina...
--
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Chapter 351 is up.
Make sure to read all of the notations, there's some interesting stuff in there.
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Jorlem Wrote:Chapter 351 is up.
Make sure to read all of the notations, there's some interesting stuff in there. Indeed. (And then there were four - two that I expected, one I didn't expect but can understand, and one that caught me by surprise...)
Page 12: Is that the first kiss in the series that didn't involve a pactio?
--
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Here's a question... is Negi physically 11 yet? Between time in the bottle and the explicit five-month jump alone, he ought to be a bit older by now.
-- Bob
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I don't recall it being explicitly stated, but I agree that with all the time warping shenanigans, and the five month time skip in chapter 350, I'm sure he is at least 11, if not 12 already. Plus, I believe it was mentioned that he had been teaching for a year a little while after they got back from the magical world, so...
He might not have hit puberty yet though, so there might not be any changes significant enough to warrant a change in his character model yet. With the demonic immortality thing he has going now, he might not be able to physically age though. Just look at Evangeline.
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Speaking of manga entering final chapters, Tite Kubo has announced that Bleach is nearing its end, as well... take that with as much of a grain of salt as you care for.
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Y'know, I give props to Akamatsu here. The general emotion and such, and the sense of melancholy this whole chapter has is very well done. For a manga I only got into because it showed up on *every TV Tropes page ever*, I really have come to care for the characters. And Akamatsu's art is top notch with Konoka's genuine grief.
The thing is, as hard as Eva's been hammering in the nail that "Asuna is *dying*, the Asuna that's going to wake up won't be her", I can't find myself seeing them going through with it. Because Eva is right. Unless something *amazing* is managed, everyone is glossing over the fact that they're killing the Asuna they know to save the Magical World. While this speaks volumes about Asuna's strength of character, Negima couldn't even keep Rakan dead when he should've been outright erased by the Key of the Lifemaker. I can't see them permanently offing Asuna. However beatifically sacrificial it would be.
That said, what's everyone's bets on Bell-head's likely fate (no pun intended)?
For safer, more logical conclusions, I'm going to wager that Negi will discover something that means they can wake her up again while searching for the Lifemaker and Nagi, thus adapting his plan to not require her sacrifice.
For batshit, out of left field solutions, I'll put forth Chao returning from the future in a few chapters, dragging Asuna along with her, who will slowly recover her memories and personality via exposure to the cast, while not breaking Negi's current plan, because Time Travel Hax.
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Or maybe somehow Asuna taps into Jack's spare supply of impossible awesome and becomes either the dominant personality of the princess, or a separate person completely?
-- Bob
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I'm honestly figuring that she already is. That we saw how that battle played out when she 'thawed' on screen in the last arc.
...I'm also kind of hoping that Akamatsu goes through with something like GrownUp!Ayaka waking her and calling her 'Princess'...
...And being greeted with "There is no Princess, there is only ZUUL!"
(Well, a hug'd be more probable, but I wouldn't put the reference past either Asuna or her author.)
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It is confirmed that the manga is ending in three more chapters: AnimeNewsNetwork article
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Holy cow. Three? Wow.
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With the amount of plot lines left to finish, I'm wondering if he's planning a sequel of some sort.
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What next, Mao and Negi go on a fantastic adventure to save Mars?
- Grumpy Uncle Gearhead
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There is a couple of scanned pages from what appears to be the next/last/whatever chapter here .
Untranslated but it is clear what is going on, if you care to be spoiled.
Then again, it may be just a dream or something...
If you scroll down there is a very interesting comment from kaz3phyrous that may show some light on what Akamatsu's plans may have been all along.
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