region2 DVD: pub: Revelation Films. FUN72315. 1 DVD 125 minutes 4 episodes plus extras. Price: £15.99 (UK).

check out website: www.revfilms.com and www.nigima.tv

This DVD draws to a close with these episodes the first season of 'Negima'. This first season has had its ups and downs and also varying quality but over all has been reasonably enjoyable. There has been in some quarters a comparison between 'Negima' and 'Harry Potter'. OK, it deals with a school with magic, but I personally think they are in fact, totally different in most respects.

Anyway onto the episodes themselves. The first episode, # 23, takes the series in a different direction. Focusing on Asuna, we get a glimpse of a pact/contract she made with a demon ten years ago. She has marked the day she is due to die as part of the contract on her calendar. Negi, after consulting what this mark could mean with various pupils in the class, decides it must be Asuna's 14th birthday and organises the class to throw a surprise party for her. On arriving, though, Asuna tells the class that her birthday is in fact, the following day but the classes decide to party anyway. Asuna struggles with the decision whether to tell anyone about her plight and ask for help. When prompted to give a speech it all becomes too much for her and she flees the party. Negi finds her sitting contemplatively on the branch of a huge tree. He sits and talks with her and just at the point Negi feels Asuna may reveal how she feels she falls out the tree dead.



# 24. This episode takes on a different feel to it. More contemplative and less playful. A bit darker than the usual light-hearted journey we've experienced before. It completely changes the feel of the next few episodes as everyone tries to deal with Asuna's death. Negi, even with trying to hide how he feels by trying to organise the class for the upcoming culture festival, struggles the most. He seeks answers to how he can bring Asuna back from the dead. Unable to deal with the answers he gets, Negi becomes more frantic. He finds magic is no solution and is warned off making a contract with the devil himself to bring her back.

The answer may lie in an unusual place, using science and magic to go back in time. In the process, the worried class all end up travelling back nine years to Germany and meet up with a very much younger Asuna. Negi also gets to meet a very significant relative who is looking after Asuna. The whole class ends up teaming up together in a huge fight with all the demons who are pursuing Asuna. Although the main adversary is finally overcome, it goes only part way to sorting out Asuna's contract. The final solution when the class return back to Asuna's 14th birthday party is waiting to be found.

OK, so we've got some good storytelling with episodes 23 to 25 but the final episode goes back to completely bonkers exploits. It's enjoyable and sometimes impressive but also at times completely random. The mighty battle sequence with the demons includes among other things, kissing, cheerleaders, gun shootouts, magic (of course), fast food, circus acts, robots and random characters. You get the overall idea. Surreal at times but it does work mostly. Think of fight sequences in the 'Final Fantasy' games crossed with Kingdom Hearts games crossed with a multitude of anime and manga and you start to get the idea. Keep watching right to the end for the epilogue as well.

There are some changes to the opening and closing titles though these episodes, especially # 26, which has a full ensemble singing the opening theme. Extras wise, there's commentary on episode 25 along with cultural notes on the world tree and character guides for the scientific students Lingshen Chao and Saotome Hakase. There is also a bloopers reel for the English dub for this first season.

Overall, these episodes are above average, especially the more serious episodes. The last episode can be almost forgiven just because of the sheer exuberance and enthusiasm thrown into it. The dubbing is on par with previous episodes but be aware some scenes are 're-written' and differ in content to the original but on the whole keep the same sentiment. So if you're happy with that, the overall acting is good. If you're a purist stick with the original.

This is not without fault but I think there is enough there to enjoy and don't think these episodes will disappoint if you've enjoyed the series so far. I just hope the next season lifts its game a bit higher though.

Phil Jones