The Negatives:
The biggest elephant in the room for Negima is that, at its core, it's a harem comedy starring a 10-year-old boy protagonist. He is constantly put into uncomfortably erotic situations that would absolutely NOT be considered ok if genders were reversed. This bothered me throughout the series, but was eventually able to acknowledge it and move on.
Related to this, Negi's harem consists of the girls middle school class he teaches, and the majority of them eventually develop crushes on the 10-year old boy. How icky this feels can vary; one girl only develops feelings for the adult body Negi uses to disguise himself, but one of the primary side characters has a "crush" on him FROM THE BEGINNING. This is not natural or normal.
Lastly, despite not being the full ecchi comedy suggested in the first 20 chapters, elements of it remain throughout the series. Middle school girl characters constantly have their clothes blown off by magical attacks, and Negi is frequently in suggestive or compromising situations with his students/potential love interests. To be honest, i still can't figure these scenes out, because they seem so dissonant from the majority of the content. Was there an editorial demand to fit in this content? Was the author trolling the readers? Or does the author simply really, really like underage ecchi content? Sadly, i suspect it's the latter.
The Positives:
One reason I was so baffled by the presence of the ecchi content later on is because the writing in the rest of the series is very clever, and sometimes even brilliant. As an example, there is a massive arc in the middle of the series surrounding a high school festival, that is the writing equivalent of juggling 10 chainsaws. It features at least 3 separate sub-arcs all linked through time travel, with later sub-arcs fore-shadowed in earlier ones, without any plot holes or contradictions (that I could find). It also features tear-jerking plot lines, an excellent tournament arc, and an outstanding climax with a great villain with complex motives. What's even more impressive is that, based on my multiple readings of the series, later plot twists and events were absolutely planned from the beginning. It's fun to read the innocent early chapters, and see the later events foreshadowed, or background characters that later become central to the plot.
Another strong point are the characters. Yes, some of the characters are off-putting for reasons i mentioned previously, but many more are complex and well written. The biggest example is Negi himself, who is quite different from the vast majority of shonen protagonists. Rather than triumphing through sheer willpower and convenient power-ups, Negi is an intellectual first, who wins through preparation and study. It's fascinating how Negi lives in the shadow of his absent but legendary father Nagi who, based on flashbacks, is much more typical of a late-series shonen protagonist. Negi earns every one of his successes through hard work and planning, and is a great character.
Several of the girls surrounding Negi are well written as well, and by the end of the series they will all get at least a small amount of development. The main girl, Asuka, is written more as a big sister figure for Negi, rather than a romantic interest, and i appreciated this distinction. Another character, Evangeline, is developed beyond her trope of "loli vampire" and becomes an indispensable mentor figure. There is also one of the best examples of a lesbian romance arc i have ever seen in a manga, and it is shocking how sensitively it is handled considering this series' comedic tone.
Another strength is the art work. The art in this series is a digital style, but it is very well implemented. In particular, l love the way fight scenes are drawn. The action feels so dynamic, and it is obvious that real martial arts were studied to give some amount of realism.
Some Nitpicks:
As great as the writing can be, there are a few details and character motivations that are never adequately made clear. In addition, the conclusion is frustrating in how many questions are left unanswered. I read the series multiple times just to see if i missed something or skipped a chapter on accident, but no, the ending just isn't that clear on many crucial points.
In conclusion, Negima! is a rousing adventure that subverts several tropes, but lives up to others. If the negatives i described earlier don't bother you, then i fully recommend you check out this satisfying, epic adventure.
