Negima!? Summer: A thorough look at the charm of magic and adventure in the refreshing season

Negima!? Natsu - Detailed review and recommendation

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

November 22, 2006

■Release and sales

King Records

■Frequencies

28 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

・Original work: Ken Akamatsu

■ Director

・General Director: Akiyuki Shinbo ・Director: Shin Onuma

■ Production

Animation Production: GANSIS, Shaft Production: Kanto Magic Association

■Works

©Ken Akamatsu, Kodansha/Kanto Magic Association

■ Story

People who like each other are tied together with a red thread... Nodoka, a girl in love, secretly has a crush on Negi-sensei. One day, by chance, she discovers a magic spell in the library that can help her find the person she is destined to be with. With the help of her best friend Yumi, she immediately tries out the spell. She prays that it will be Negi-sensei... Then, a red thread stretches out from her finger and disappears into the sky. Then, suddenly, from the sky, Negi, tied to the red thread, flies in! Nodoka is surprised and happy. However, it turns out that the magic of the red thread is actually a fun entertainment spell that connects people together!! Nodoka is disappointed, but the red thread cannot be cut even if she tries to cut it with scissors!! It will not disappear until a certain time has passed. During that time, she will be with Negi-sensei... Nodoka is secretly happy, and Negi is confused. Then, the class president, Ayaka Yukihiro, and her group's Mahora Spa Resort have just been completed, so everyone in the class decides to go there! Now then, the exciting happenings begin!!

■Explanation

Ahead of the broadcast of the new TV anime "Negima!?", another side of the "Negima!?" world is now revealed!

This OVA was shown at events held at the Koseinenkin Kaikan in April and September 2006, in conjunction with the popular comic's second TV anime adaptation. It was produced by a different staff than the first TV anime, "Negima! Magister Negi Magi."

*Quoted from Bandai Channel

■Cast

・Negi Springfield/Rina Sato/Sayo Aisaka/Yuri Shiratori/Yuna Akashi/Madoka Kimura/Kazumi Asakura/Ayana Sasagawa/Yuie Ayase/Natsuko Kuwatani/Ako Izumi/Kotomi Yamakawa/Akira Okouchi/Apricot Asakura/Misa Kakizaki/Shizuka Ito/Asuna Kagurazaka/Akemi Kanda/Misora ​​Kasuga/Ai Bando/Chachamaru Karakuri/Akeno Watanabe/Madoka Kugimiya/Mami Deguchi/Kofei/Hazuki
・Konoe Kinoka/Nonaka Ai/Saotome Haruna/Ishige Sawa/Sakurazaki Setsuna/Kobayashi Yu/Sasaki Makie/Horie Yui/Shiina Sakurako/Omae Akane/Ryūgū Mana/Sakuma Miho/Chou Suzune/Takamoto Megumi/Nagase Kaede/Shiraishi Ryoko/Nana Chizuru/Kobayashi Misa/Narutaki Fuka/Koyama Kimiko/Narutaki Fumika/Kano Mari/Hakase Satomi/Kadowaki Mai/Hasegawa Chiame/Shimura Yumi/Evangeline/Matsuoka Yuki/Miyazaki Nodoka/Noto Mamiko/Murakami Natsumi/Aizawa Mai/Yukihiro Ayaka/Minagawa Junko/Yotsuba Satsuki/Inoue Naomi/Zazie Lenny Day/Iguchi Yuka/Chamomile Albert/Yabe Masashi

■ Main staff

・Planning/Otsuki Toshimichi・Original work/Akamatsu Ken "Negima! Magister Negi Magi" (published in Kodansha's "Weekly Shonen Magazine")・Story editor/Kanmaki Kenichi・Scriptwriter/Takayama Katsuhiko・Character design and chief animation director/Ota Kazuhiro・Art director/Kato Megumi・Color director/Hibino Jin・Color design/Takizawa Izumi・Storyboard and animation director/Mihara Noboru・Visual effects/Sakai Motoi・Director of photography/Eto Shinichiro・Editor/Seki Kazuhiko・Sound director/Tsuruoka Yota・Music/Ueoka Kei・Music production/Starchild Records・Direction/Miura Takahiro・Director/Oonuma Shin・Producer/Nakanishi Go・Animation producer/Kubota Mitsutoshi・General director/Shinbo Akiyuki・Animation production/GANSIS, Shaft・Production/Kanto Magic Association

■ Main Characters

・Negi Springfield
A boy who is an apprentice wizard and the homeroom teacher of Class 2-A. He aspires to be like his father, a Magister Magi. Although he can be a bit of a crybaby, he has a very honest and pure personality.
・Sayo Aisaka
A student in class 2-A, she is the girl with the highest attendance number. She has a neat and timid personality. She is actually a ghost and cannot be seen by anyone, and she is unable to leave Mahora Academy.
・Akashi Yuna
A student in class 2-A, she is the girl with attendance number 2. She is a member of the basketball club. She has a lively and serious personality, so she hates sloppy things. She likes military things.
・Kazumi Asakura
A student in class 2-A, she is attendance number 3. She is a member of the Press Club. She is a curious and active girl with excellent information gathering skills. She hates thugs, and is also weak in human feelings.
・Ayase Yui
A student in class 2-A, she is attendance number 4. She is Baka Black, one of the Baka Rangers. She makes spiteful remarks, but for some reason she speaks politely. She likes the occult.
・Ako Izumi
A student in class 2-A, she is attendance number 5. She is the manager of the soccer club and also a member of the health committee. She is kind and gentle, and her charm point is her Kansai dialect.
・Akira Okawa
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 6. A member of the swimming club. She is a laid-back girl who doesn't say much, but she has a kind personality. She is good friends with Misora, Yuna, and Makie.
・Misa Kakizaki
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 7. She is a member of the cheerleading club. She is always hanging out with Madoka and Sakurako, and is the leader of the three.
・Kagurazaka Asuna
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 8. She is Baka Red, one of the Baka Rangers. She has a positive and bright personality. She looks after Negi, who is her roommate in the dormitory.
・Kasuga Misora
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 9. A member of the track and field club. Always positive and cheerful, she has a straightforward personality. She is good friends with Akira, Yuna, and Makie.
・ Karakuri Chachamaru
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 10. A member of the tea ceremony club. A robot created by Hakase as a faithful servant of Eva. She has a surly but kind personality.
・Kugimiya Yen
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 11. She is a member of the cheerleading club. She is always hanging out with Misa and Sakurako, and has the coolest personality of the three.
・Fu Fei
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 12. Baka Yellow of the Baka Rangers. A practitioner of Chinese martial arts, she is a member of the Chinese Martial Arts Research Club. She has a boundless cheerful personality.
・Konoe Konoka
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 13. A member of the Fortune Telling Research Club. The granddaughter of the school principal, she is a gentle young lady. She shares a room with Asuna and Negi.
・Haruna Saotome
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 14. She is a member of the Manga Research Club, but her drawing style is quite unique. She wears glasses and has a bright and proactive personality.
・Sakurazaki Setsuna
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 15. She is Konoka's bodyguard. She is a master of the Kyoto Kaminari style of swordsmanship and is also well versed in Onmyodo. She is always calm and collected.
・Makie Sasaki
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 16. Baka Pink of the Baka Rangers. A member of the rhythmic gymnastics club. She has a bright and cheerful personality and can talk to anyone.
・ Sakurako Shiina
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 17. She is a member of the cheerleading club. She is always hanging out with Misa and Madoka, and is the lively one of the three.
・Ryugu Mana
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 18. She has a very cool personality and is a mysterious sniper who carries a gun. She is also a shrine maiden at Ryugu Shrine.
・Super Suzune
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 19. A Chinese exchange student who is an all-around athlete. She is also knowledgeable in science. She ends her sentences with "yo" or "ne."
・Kaede Nagase
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 20. She is a member of the Stupid Blue Rangers and a member of the Walking Club. Although she has a goofy personality, she has a strong and kind heart. She is actually a ninja.
・Nanami Chizuru
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 21. A member of the astronomy club. She is cheerful and easygoing, but she does things with a malicious edge. She is good friends with Natsumi, who is her roommate in the dormitory.
・Fuka Narutaki
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 22. A member of the Walking Club. She is Fumika's twin sister and wears her hair in braids. She loves sweets and fun things.
・Fumi Narutaki
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 23. A member of the Walking Club. Fuka's twin sister, she wears her hair in a bun. She loves sweets and fun things.
・Hakase Satomi
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 24. She is a member of the university's robotics research club. A brilliant mad scientist. She is also the creator of Chachamaru.
・Hasegawa Chiame
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 25. She is plain and foul-mouthed, but behind the scenes she is active as a net idol called "Chiu." She is an expert at using a PC.
Evangeline
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 26. A member of the tea ceremony club. She is actually a vampire, and has Chachamaru as her servant. Although she has left her circle of friends, she is kind at heart.
・Miyazaki Nodoka
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 27. A member of the library committee, her nickname is "Bookstore-chan." She loves green onions. She is shy and withdrawn.
・ Natsumi Murakami
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 28. She has an honest and unsuspecting personality. She is good friends with Chizuru, and calls her "Chizu-nee" (Big Sister) and adores her.
・Ayaka Yukihiro
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 29. She is a class representative, so she is commonly known as "Class President." She is the daughter of the Yukihiro family conglomerate. She is a shotacon and loves green onions.
・Yotsuba May
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 30. A member of the Cooking Research Club. A warm and soothing person who puts people at ease just by being there. She loves cooking, and her cooking skills are at an expert level.
・Zazie Renee Day
A student in class 2-A, attendance number 31. A street performer. She is quiet and inconspicuous, but seems to have a variety of skills. She often mutters puns.
Albert Chamomile is an ermine who looks up to Negi as his "big brother." He is known as "Kamo." He is thoughtless and often blurts out unnecessary things, which can cause unnecessary trouble.

■ Related works

・Magical Teacher Negima!
・Negima!?
・Negima!? Spring Special!?
・OVA Mahou Sensei Negima! ~White Wings ALA ALBA~
・OVA Mahou Sensei Negima! ~Another World~
・OVA Negima! Another World Extra Magical Girl Yue♥
・Mahou Sensei Negima! ANIME FINAL
・UQ HOLDER! ~Mahou Sensei Negima! 2~

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Love Sensation ・Lyrics by FLAT5th Rico
・Composition: Masaru Yokoyama ・Arrangement: Masaru Yokoyama ・Singers: Rina Sato, Akemi Kanda, Ai Nonaka

・ED1
・Magical Happiness ・Lyrics by FLAT5th Rico
・Composition: Masaru Yokoyama ・Arrangement: Masaru Yokoyama ・Singer: Mamiko Noto

Negima!? Natsu - Detailed review and recommendation

"Negima!? Natsu" is an OVA based on the popular manga "Negima! Magister Negi Magi" by Akamatsu Ken, and was released by King Records on November 22, 2006. This work was produced in the form of an OVA, and in its short 28 minutes, it brings out the best of the original work. The production was carried out by a stellar team of staff, including Akiyuki Shinbo as general director and Shin Ohnuma as director, and was co-produced by the animation production companies GANSIS and SHAFT.

The story begins when a girl named Miyazaki Nodoka falls in love with Negi-sensei and tries out a magic spell that ties her to her soulmate using a magic spell she accidentally finds in the library. However, the spell is actually just for fun, and the red thread remains unbroken and she ends up tying the girl to Negi-sensei. From this setting, the story follows the chaotic life of Nodoka and Negi-sensei, their interactions with their classmates, and a happening at a spa resort with Yukihiro Ayaka.

This OVA was shown at an event at the Koseinenkin Kaikan, marking the second TV anime adaptation of the original work, and was produced by a different staff than the first anime adaptation, "Negima! Magister Negi Magi." As such, it brings a breath of fresh air to the visual expression and storytelling. In particular, Akiyuki Shinbo's unique direction, combined with Shin Oonuma's meticulous supervision, further deepens the worldview of the original work.

The cast is filled with gorgeous voice actors, including Sato Rina as Negi Springfield, Shiratori Yuri as Aisaka Sayo, and Kimura Madoka as Akashi Yuna. In particular, Noto Mamiko as Miyazaki Nodoka perfectly portrays Nodoka's shy and withdrawn personality. Also, Minagawa Junko as Yukihiro Ayaka charmingly portrays the character of the shotacon class president.

The main staff is also solid, with professionals from various fields such as planner Toshimichi Otsuki, original author Ken Akamatsu, story editor Kenichi Kanemaki, scriptwriter Katsuhiko Takayama, character designer and chief animation director Kazuhiro Ota, art director Megumi Kato, color director Hitoshi Hibino, color designer Izumi Takizawa, storyboard and animation director Noboru Sanehara, visual effects director Motoi Sakai, cinematographer Shinichiro Eto, editor Kazuhiko Seki, sound director Yota Tsuruoka, music composer Kei Haoka, music production company Starchild Records, director Takahiro Miura, producer Tsuyoshi Nakanishi, animation producer Mitsutoshi Kubota, and other experts from various fields have come together to create the work.

The main characters are also attractive. Negi Springfield is the homeroom teacher of 2-A and an apprentice wizard. He aspires to be a Magister Magi like his father, and although he is a bit of a crybaby, his honest and pure personality is attractive. Aisaka Sayo is a student of 2-A, and is the girl with the number 1 attendance number. She has a neat and timid personality, but she is actually a ghost and cannot be seen by anyone, which is a unique setting. Akashi Yuna is a lively and serious girl who belongs to the basketball club, and is a unique character who likes military things. Asakura Kazumi is a curious and active member of the press club, and has excellent information gathering skills. Ayase Yui is Baka Black of the Baka Rangers, and her setting of loving the occult is interesting. Izumi Ako is the manager of the soccer club, and her charm point is her Kansai dialect. Okouchi Akira is a girl who belongs to the swimming club and does things at her own pace, and her kind personality is attractive. Kakizaki Misa is a leader of the cheerleading club and is always with Madoka and Sakurako. Kagurazaka Asuna is the Baka Red of the Baka Rangers and looks after her roommate Negi in the dorm. Kasuga Misora ​​is a positive and cheerful girl who is a member of the track and field club and is good friends with Akira, Yuna and Makie. Karakuri Chachamaru is a robot who is a member of the tea ceremony club and has a surly but kind personality. Kugimiya Madoka is a cool girl who is a member of the cheerleading club and is always with Misa and Sakurako. Kofei is the Baka Yellow of the Baka Rangers and is a practitioner of Chinese martial arts. Konoe Konoka is the granddaughter of the school principal and is a member of the fortune-telling research club and is a gentle young lady. Saotome Haruna is a bright and proactive girl who is a member of the manga research club and has a unique drawing style. Sakurazaki Setsuna is Kinoka's bodyguard and is a practitioner of the Kyoto Kaminari-ryu style. Makie Sasaki is the Baka Pink of the Baka Rangers, a bright and energetic girl who belongs to the rhythmic gymnastics club. Sakurako Shiina is the lively member of the cheerleading club, and is always with Misa and Madoka. Mana Ryugu is a cool sniper and a shrine maiden at Ryugu Shrine. Suzune Chou is a Chinese exchange student who is an all-around athlete and has a strong scientific background. Kaede Nagase is the Baka Blue of the Baka Rangers, a ninja who belongs to the Sanpo Club. Chizuru Nanami is a cheerful and easygoing girl who belongs to the Astronomy Club, and is good friends with her dorm-mate Natsumi. Fuka Narutaki and Fumika Narutaki are twin sisters who belong to the Sanpo Club, and are girls who love sweets and fun things. Satomi Hakase is a brilliant mad scientist who belongs to the university's robotics research club, and is the creator of Chachamaru. Hasegawa Chisame is plain and foul-mouthed, but behind the scenes she is active as an internet idol "Chiu". Evangeline is a vampire who belongs to the tea ceremony club and has Chachamaru as her servant. Miyazaki Nodoka is a library committee member and a shy girl who loves Negi. Murakami Natsumi is an honest and unsuspecting girl who calls Chizuru "Chizu-nee" and adores her. Yukihiro Ayaka is a class representative and a shotacon. Yotsuba Satsuki is a warm-hearted and soothing member of the cooking club who loves cooking. Zaji Reneeday is a street performer who is silent but has many skills. Albert Chamomile is an ermine who adores Negi as his "big brother" and is characterized by his reckless personality.

This OVA is linked to many related works, including the original "Negima!," "Negima!? Spring Special!?," "OVA Negima! ~White Wings ALA ALBA~," "OVA Negima! ~Another World~," "OVA Negima! Another World Extra Magical Girl Yue♥," "Negima! The Movie: Anime Final," and "UQ HOLDER! ~Negima! 2~." By watching these works, you can enjoy the world of "Negima!?" even more.

The theme songs and music are also attractive. The OP1 "Love Sensation" is sung by Sato Rina, Kanda Akemi, and Nonaka Ai, with lyrics by FLAT5th Rico, and music and arrangement by Yokoyama Masaru. The ED1 "Magical Happiness" is sung by Noto Mamiko, with lyrics by FLAT5th Rico, and music and arrangement by Yokoyama Masaru. These songs are important elements that liven up the atmosphere of the work.

Recommendation

"Negima!? Natsu" is a work that can be recommended not only to fans of the original work, but also to people who love anime and comedies. It is especially perfect for those who like stories with themes of magic, romance, and friendship. Also, don't miss the visual beauty that was brought together by the gorgeous voice actors and staff. The episodes packed into a short time will make you laugh and feel moved at the same time. Furthermore, you can enjoy the world of "Negima!?" even more deeply by watching related works, so be sure to check them out.