Negima!? Neo by Ken Akamatsu & Takuya Fujima

Title: Negima!? Neo
Mangaka: Manga by Ken Akamatsu and adapted by Takuya Fujima
Age Group: Older Teens
# of Pages: Approx. 200
# of Volumes: 6
My Rating: 3/5

In the world of witchcraft and magic, Negi Springfield is determined to grow up as a great wizard like his missing father. Only ten years old, he graduates from his magic school with phenomenal skills. But his real training is just starting now. His assignment? To go to Japan and teach English at an all-girl school!

With no choice, he packs his bags and goes to this foreign Asian country. While walking to the school, he saves the pretty and apparent student, Asuna Kagurazaka, from a fall by using a little magic without her notice. Right away, she does not trust him. Like, he's just a kid! How can he be a teacher?? But every other girl accepts him immediately and thinks he is simply adorable.

With trouble brewing, Negi must do his duty to protect his lovely female students without the help of magic! For fans of Negima!, Negima!? Neo has a different twist with your old favourite characters in new situations!

I was never hyped up for Ken Akamatsu's work. I have read Negima! before, but it was something I was not into along with his other popular manga, Love Hina. And Negima!? Neo didn't actually change my perspective either. It's not a horrible manga nor was it out-there amazing. It has just too many mistakes.

Negima?! Neo was in a way, unrealistic, even for fantasy standards. When Negi sneezed, all the clothes on the girl in front of him would disappear! There was no logic behind it and a complete random way to get the female character naked. Not to mention no questions were asked on how it happened! And when Asuna suddenly assisted him in battle without batting an eye got me weirded out too. How did she know he was a wizard? Was she even human? I kept pondering about that. There were so many plot holes in the story that if you looked at the overall picture, it could get nerve-wracking.

The art and characters were cute but that was about it. If you read it, don't think too hard about it. Maybe it's just me. I do not have the second volume (which has not been released yet) so the answers I'm looking for might lay there. There is potential in Negima!? Neo but it seems like all effort is wasted as the plot jumps all over the place.

Review copy provided by Del Rey.