Negima! + Negima!? Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		2.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Negima! + Negima!? Blu-ray Movie Review

Negima: a fantasy-sci-fi comedy experience.

Reviewed by Neil Lumbard April 20, 2022

Negima is a science-fiction anime series with ninjas, vampires, ghosts, aliens, and time-travelers. Based on the original manga by Ken Akamatsu, Negima is produced by Shinichi Ikeda (All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku, Maria Watches Over Us), Yousuke Goroumaru (Tetsujin 28, Nanaka 6/17), and Takatoshi Chino (Clockwork Planet, Pandora Hearts). The animation is produced by Xebec (Broken Blade, BanG Dream!). The series was first broadcast on TV Tokyo in Japan. The series is licensed by Sentai Filmworks in North America.

Negima Springfield (Rina Satou) is a magical ten-year old boy with incredible abilities he must learn to harness. Ahead of the curve of everyone around him (as a young boy prodigy), Negima becomes the instructor for a class of teenage girls at the famous Mahora Academy. Every girl at Mahora Academy has unique skills and abilities themselves – and they can learn from the prodigious Negima.

Asuna Kagurazaka (Akemi Kanda) and the other students at the all-girl academy soon find themselves learning from a master. Yet things get complicated with Asuna and some of the other girls begin having romantic feelings for Negima (despite their big age difference). Can Negima survive his years as a scholarly professor?

Negima finds himself in a world of fantasy. There is even a magical crystal which enters the mysterious equation – and thus there is a mystery Negima and Asuna must somehow solve. Can the mystery be solved before it is too late? The journey unfolds.

The series is reasonably well-produced (if a little less inspired than is ideal on this type of fantasy). The animation is decent and manages to fit the style of the storytelling. The series art direction by Yoshimi Umino (The Galaxy Railways, Blade of the Immortal) fits the bill. The animation showcases a wide (and varied) style. The background animation adds elements of mystery to the production.

"Math is irrational! Be a writer."

The character designs by Hatsue Kato (Pokémon Origins, Buso Renkin) are one of the best elements of the production. The designs fit the characters well. Negima Springfield has a unique aesthetic for the lead character – and makes a strong impression for a ten-year old boy prodigy. Asuna Kagurazaka is another character with a unique design: the animation helping to showcase the personality of the character.

The cinematography by Katsutoshi Hirose (Heroic Age, Love Hina) adds a dash of creativity as well. Negima has compelling cinematography with a bright and vivid aesthetic that fits the tone of the production. The cinematographic effort helps to further enhance the style of the series. This is a noteworthy contribution to the production.

The score composed by Shinkichi Mitsumune (Amagi Brilliant Park, The Familiar of Zero) isn't as distinct or memorable as ideal. Nonetheless, the music helps to make the series flow with a better rhythm. The score fits the action scenes and the science- fiction aura inherent in the storytelling. Composer Mitsumune is not in the same league as the best anime composers but the effort is moderately successful on Negima.

Written by Ichiro Okouchi (Princess Principal, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress), Negima has fun with the science- fiction elements of the series. The screenwriting reflects the zaniness of the concept. It plays around with the sci-fi themes of time-travel and the fantasy themes of otherworldly-creatures.

Featuring direction by Nobuyoshi Habara (Sorcerer Hunters, Broken Blade) and Nagisa Miyazaki (Polar Bear's Café , Eternal Alice), Negima manages to find a decent balance of comedy and action. The science-fiction element of the series is a central component as well. While Negima is not the greatest sci-fi comedy around, it has some compelling attributes. Fans of the genre will want to consider checking it out.

Negima! + Negima!? Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Sentai Filmworks, Negima is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition. Season 1 is presented in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. Season 2 is presented in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. Seasons 1 and 2 are both presented with an upscaled high-definition presentation of the source video.

This is a non-native presentation and as such the picture-quality has been upconverted from standard-definition material. Viewers should keep expectations in check as the release has only modest picture-quality: the series is never as crisp looking as modern anime productions are. Color reproduction is decent but unspectacular at the same time. Unlike cell-based anime series, Negima was produced during a period in which series were rendered at standard-definition and this is the best fans can reasonably expect.

Negima! + Negima!? Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes two audio options: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Both options are provided in high resolution 24 bit depth. Negima has impressive lossless sound quality but the tracks are still a little less polished than on modern productions.

The stereo sound imaging isn't that exciting. On a more positive note, the production does a solid job of reproducing the sound-stage. Dialogue remains clear and easy to understand. The score composed by Shinkichi Mitsumune is well integrated in to the sound mix.

Negima! + Negima!? Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Clean Opening Animations (HD, 10:44)

Clean Closing Animations (HD, 4:43)

Recording of "To the Shining You ~ Peace" (SD, 3:48)

OVA 1: Spring (HD, 26:29)

OVA 2: Summer (HD, 29:22)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Sentai Filmworks: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? II (HD, 1:31), Shirobako (HD, 1:32), Hayate the Combat Butler (HD, 00:54), and Wasteful Days of High School Girls (HD, 1:34).

Negima! + Negima!? Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Negima is a science-fiction comedy anime. The series has some fun and quirky characters. While the series isn't a top-tier production, the anime has some compelling fantasy elements (such as ninjas, zombies, and aliens). The Blu-ray release features a decent video-audio presentation and a small selection of extras. Recommended.