fools, at first you just say "I'm just giving this a try…"
Several years later you find yourself reading every chapter and waiting for the next
Then several years down the line BAM!
Akamatsu is bored and throws the whole thing out the window.That day
I will twiddle my fingers and utter "Eeeexcellent"
My thoughts exactly. Spoiled brats no, what comes after.
fools, at first you just say "I'm just giving this a try…"
Several years later you find yourself reading every chapter and waiting for the next
Then several years down the line BAM!
Akamatsu is bored and throws the whole thing out the window.That day
I will twiddle my fingers and utter "Eeeexcellent"
Or you just enjoy the ride while it lasts. As a whole, I enjoyed Negima, and I'll probably enjoy this.
But I've always been more about the journey than the destination.
Depends on the severity of the destination.
Detroit? Sure why not.
Running off the cliff into the Grand Canyon while getting reamed by a dead skunk on your dashboard? Not so much.
Hey…not bad...not bad at all...
Just an introductory chapter and it at least has me intrigued. Too bad he isn't the kid of who I thought he would be...
Depends on the severity of the destination.
Detroit? Sure why not.
Running off the cliff into the Grand Canyon while getting reamed by a dead skunk on your dashboard? Not so much.
Oh well, it's not a big problem, as long as you know that it's a trip with unknown destination (if any): you could end in a nice place, but you could also be dumped in the middle of nowhere. If you only invest some spare time in it, the time you'd spend looking around and thinking "what could I do, now?", you can stand the loss, no matter what happens.
…which is basically how I read something from Mashima, by the way.
Well I'm in, please don't make me regret this Akamatsu
I wonder what are the changes of a flashback being all about what we missed before Negima's ending down the road…..that would be nice
In a way, this feels like the Sonic the Hedgehog cycle…we'll have to see...
I'm excited, but I expect the worst.
In any case, even fucking now Akamtsu leads a goose chase with Negi's eventual love life.
No spoilers! How did folks like UQ Holder? And what does that title mean anyway…
From Vetus
Some people have already picked up on this, but the ‘UQ’ in the title is a play on ‘yuukyuu’ 悠久, meaning more or less ‘eternal’. Basically, the title refers to ‘Holders of eternity’.
It's not bad. A rather run-of-the-mill action series setup but we'll see where it goes.
Stand alone it had a good set up and it's enough to make me interested, but seeing that this is set in the same world/storyline as Negima I'm definitely going to follow this.
Chapter 2
What a coincidence. I was just going over some good ol' Satchmo albums just last week.
I liked the second chapter more than the first.
Touta is a good take on the idiot hero. Not a stupid boy just a boy who does stupid things. Sometimes authors go too far in that direction.
Last time I checked Eva's pills didn't change clothes. At least, they didn't work that way for Negi, I can't remember how they worked for Eva.
And that sailor uniform isn't Mahora's. Not that that would make sense but a sailor uniform sounds like some kind of punishment game Al would come up with. I liked the gothic lolita outfits more (unless I'm the one drawing them).
I bet each of Touta's four friends has some dream involving the olympics so yeah I guess they will eventually return also my best guess is that those olympics will be this series "negima's school festival"
Hrm. I read the first chapter out of curiosity and premise was interesting and all… but I find I have no real desire to read the second.
Wow, the weight of that Negima ending sure is heavy.
I'm going to give it some time. I got noooooo idea where Akamatsu is going to take this, but it's not like I have anywhere to go for now.
Things are getting more and more interesting. Honestly, I'm starting to think it has a more than good chance of surpassing Negima. Granted, the start of Negima wasn't that great and the ending… Still, I'd say it has a good chance. The harem subplot isn't dragging the story down and Akamatsu has gotten better at the action genre since the beginning of Negima. There's still comedy but it isn't as forced and there isn't nearly as much fanservice. (I say that and there was a bath scene in this chapter but at least we won't have characters wearing cat ears and maid outfits for an entire arc, right?)
Well that escalated quickly, Tokisaka obviously isn't going to die so I'm assuming she will end up getting turned into a vamp too. Well, that's my guess anyway.
NNID: Panekai
everything seemed way to rushed and forced in this chapter, and the dialouge was terrible, unless that's just mangastream being awful
i mean I'm used to the whole people telling you that you can't achieve your dream because it's too impossible after reading One Piece (the whole you can't be pirate king thing) but it just seemed to kiddish and fastly paced to take serious
Chapter 3 for U.Q. Holder : http://readms.com/r/uq_holder/3/2047/1
Looks like the main cast could really end up being composed by immortal/undead people, produced by Eva…
i just finished reading Negima…i thought i wouldn't have to face a ending like Hitman Reborn again..i was wrong...it topples Reborn in shittyness....
now he is writing a sequel...i am in two minds to take it up or not....
@Sen:
Things are getting more and more interesting. Honestly, I'm starting to think it has a more than good chance of surpassing Negima. Granted, the start of Negima wasn't that great and the ending… Still, I'd say it has a good chance. The harem subplot isn't dragging the story down and Akamatsu has gotten better at the action genre since the beginning of Negima. There's still comedy but it isn't as forced and there isn't nearly as much fanservice. (I say that and there was a bath scene in this chapter but at least we won't have characters wearing cat ears and maid outfits for an entire arc, right?)
Harem subplot? In UQ Holder…?? There isn't any to speak of, maybe that girl from the second chapter has a crush on him or something but that seems to be about it, honestly.
[[My series COMIXSCAPE!](http://www.comixscape.net)] [[Check COMIXSCAPE on PBS!](https://youtu.be/4c5q2dosG2g)]
CHAPTER 4 http://readms.com/r/uq_holder/4/2054/1 btw i've been reviewing this series on my YT channel
Redhawk's translation is much better. Hope they reach Japan soon.
So its an immortal only main cast after all eh? Not exactly unexpected but an interesting choice nonetheless.
Is it supposed to be Akamatsu's apology? " I'm sorry for never doing anything interesting with making my main character immortal. Here's an entire cast I can experiment with it on instead!"
Still not reading this.
@Thousand:
Is it supposed to be Akamatsu's apology? " I'm sorry for never doing anything interesting with making my main character immortal. Here's an entire cast I can experiment with it on instead!"
Still not reading this.
Probably not worth reading. It's mostly the same stuff (random fanservice, etc).
Didn't even care much for Shinobu from Love Hina appearing in chapter 2.
I realized I didn't care when chapter 2 came out and I didn't even look at it, and its apparently been 3 weeks since thien. My interest has now fallen off even more since apparently more than one character became immortal?
Its an interesting premise for ONE guy to get caught up in Eva's shenanigans, a young new immortal and an old bitter one, there can be a lot of chemistry and fun in that, a guardian/protector bond sort of thing (which 3x3 eyes did wonderfully.) and presumably eventually the mystery of what happened to Negi and a showing of how that final battle went down…
But once you start immortalizing more than one guy it stops being a story hook, a premise, and becomes instead a gimmick and well... all chances of this being a really unique spin on a very different way to tell Negima chapter 2 have just fallen away and... I don't care.
I think I should go read 3x3 eyes again instead. (Shame the translations on that kind of suck.)
I'd say it's better this way, perhaps. A comparison with 3x3 Eyes would be hard to manage, should Akamatsu have chosen that kind of manga. Besides, I shudder at the thought of what could we get as Akamatsu's Benares…
Jesus christ.
It's only be four chapters, and only a third character is shown to be immortal.
Jesus there's a line between being doubtful and not getting your hopes up with this manga because of Negima's last chapters, and being so dense over Negima's shitty last chapters that you think everything is Negima's shitty last chapter, especially with what - this currently 4 chapter manga?
And hell, you don't have to say every single time a chapter comes out "Hey I'm not going to read this manga because of Negima's fucked up last chapters". We heard you the first time you don't need to say it the next chapters after that. We understand you hated Negima's last chapter - there is no reason to post that over and over.
For pete's sake, just grow the fuck out of Negima's ending. You can read the manga without expecting a banging story from beginning to end without repeating yourself like your life depends on it.
(And in any case Akamatsu is known for harems and fanservice. Doesn't mean Love Hina and Negima became terrible because of that. It ain't news.)
In any case, I just read chapter 2 to chapter 4.
Chapter 2:
Wait what - was that Shinobu? Whaaaaaaat?
What just-
I'm sure the Love Hina verse occurred during normal days.
Though there is that flying turtle (MewMew or something?); I need to read Love Hina again
I just hope Touta doesn't keep doing the "I'll kill myself to save others" to much. That'll grow a bit stale.
Chapter 3:
So Eva is a bit bitter about her friends being all dead. I don't expect that that will be the last of the Mahora gang - so many things can be done with magic.
Oh hey running gag - guy that looks like a girl. Surprisingly we've had more male characters that female. And an evil shinmeywhatever organization again? I wonder if they're related to the Negima's
I am very glad the…guygirl whose name escapes me, isn't a feisty, hotheaded, rival of sorts. Yay for no Kotaro(?) 2.0
(jesus i can even remember names anymore)
Chapter 4:
Hmm. With the fact we have three immortals in the main cast, there ought to be a way to "kill" them. Unless I'm not remembering much from Negima and that was already touched upon. If not we'll just have villains who hinder or render the immortals useless than trying to kill them.
You are on a quest to become the Pirate Prince, and you decide your fate!
Kinda hard to forget Negima's ending seeing as this is its direct sequel.
Yeah. Totally doesn't matter that the authors last 10 year long series ended horrifically. Not like this story is a direct follow up with some of the same characters, settings and plotpoints or anything.
@400MillionBelis:
Jesus there's a line between being doubtful and not getting your hopes up with this manga because of Negima's last chapters, and being so dense over Negima's shitty last chapters that you think everything is Negima's shitty last chapter, especially with what - this currently 4 chapter manga?
And hell, you don't have to say every single time a chapter comes out "Hey I'm not going to read this manga because of Negima's fucked up last chapters". We heard you the first time you don't need to say it the next chapters after that. We understand you hated Negima's last chapter - there is no reason to post that over and over.
There was no implication of complaint about people groaning over Negima's last chapter whatsoever. There was also no implication that I did not consider UQ Holder as a sequel. It's about the staleness of "I'm going to tell everyone I'm not going to read this manga again!" and thinking everything is as bad as the last chapter, especially with how young the manga is. I've emphasized how there is no problem with not expecting infinite gold with the manga, and that actually is justified because of Negima's ending. But again, there's a line between that doubtfulness and being plain dense about everything. It's not like Negima itself was a shitty manga overall - Akamatsu has proven that he is competent enough to write (and draw - hopefully we get more of those delicious 3D backgrounds) good stories. That terrible ending shouldn't be such strong strings that UQ Holder can't be as good as everything else in Negima.
Just read or not read this sequel without complaining about that damn(ed) ending every single time - it gets aimlessly stale. We all know it's a shitty ending; there is no need to emphasize that every time. It's very possible that you can doubtful and just enjoy the manga as is. Go "oh hell this Negima's ending all over again" when it IS Negima's ending all over again. And with what - these four chapters akin to the first volumes of Akamtsu's other series are far from being even as terrifying as that stain.
If it helps matters at all, this swordsman that is also immortal has nothing to do with Eva and according to her, there are different types of immortality so there is still room to make this workable.
If it was a new series, the complaint wouldn't weigh so heavily on it at chapter 4.
But since its counting directly on the previous story, settings, characters and plot setup to provide it's hook, world and rules… it gets to bear the burden of its predecessor.
If Akamatsu isn't building towards adressing those specific story points, then he should have started with a completely clean slate (change Eva's name, leave out the tower and gravestones, and the first three pages showing the old cast) and made it a brand new series. If he IS making the two into one big story... then it doesn't get the free pass of being a fresh start.
Hell, the first panel of the first page is a big group shot of the previous series.
Its Negima chapter 359, so the weight of that IS on it, and IS inescapable, and it hurts the whole thing when every chapter you think "yeah, this could have been spent doing ____ instead in the actual story."
I see UQ Folder as more of a spinoff than a sequel.
Sure the backbone assumes you know Negima to understand how the world was set up, but it's kinda like Legend of Korra. Or how The Lord of the Rings Trilogy doesn't mean you need to read the Hobbit beforehand to get the story.
I'm assuming that reading Negima is more of an added bonus than an actual requirement for this series and that UQ Folder is going to be its own story.
Though I guess if I'm following through with the LoK comparison, LoK has the hype of a great series to back it up, but UQ Folder has Negima's ending so UQ Folder is soured because of it.
Originally Posted by Nightwing
Stay focused, cause right now you have a decision to make. Are you a man perpetually looking back at what he’s lost, or a man looking forward, to what he might become?
Sure the backbone assumes you know Negima to understand how the world was set up, but it's kinda like Legend of Korra.
So its going to be inferior to the original, only shine when talking about the original cast or their kids, waste 1/4 of its page count on a sporting event, be much shorter and end on a deus ex machina?
Yeah, i can see that.
@RobbyBevard:
So its going to be inferior to the original, only shine when talking about the original cast or their kids, waste 1/4 of its page count on a sporting event, be much shorter and end on a deus ex machina?
Yeah, i can see that.
If you're gonna go that route, I might as well say people just don't like UQ Folder because there's not nearly enough underage fan service and a plethora of harem bait instead of tackling the legit points people are making too.
Originally Posted by Nightwing
Stay focused, cause right now you have a decision to make. Are you a man perpetually looking back at what he’s lost, or a man looking forward, to what he might become?
…and again:
@400MillionBelis:
I've emphasized how there is no problem with not expecting infinite gold with the manga, and that actually is justified because of Negima's ending. But again, there's a line between that doubtfulness and being plain dense about everything…That terrible ending shouldn't be such strong strings that UQ Holder can't be as good as everything else in Negima.
Just read or not read this sequel without complaining about that damn(ed) ending every single time - it gets aimlessly stale. We all know it's a shitty ending; there is no need to emphasize that every time. It's very possible that you can doubtful and just enjoy the manga as is. Go "oh hell this Negima's ending all over again" when it IS Negima's ending all over again. And with what - these four chapters akin to the first volumes of Akamatsu's other series are far from being even as terrifying as that stain.
It's a direct sequel, but no way in form it's anything close to being "Negima Chapter 355 Tier". And I say again in different words, there is no implication that UQ Holder shouldn't have the burden of Negima's ending. What shouldn't happen is the redundancy and aimlessness of claiming how "I'm not going to read this manga", or the denseness of reading these new chapters - as a new manga or just Negima 2 - like it was Chapter 355. I'm turning into a broken record, but you can read UQ Holder being wary of Akamatsu's last flipped-out episode. It just gets annoying and tired when the bitterness extends and gets repeated on something far different from the half-assery that existed in the Ending.
But it IS Negima 2. It IS chapter 355.
That's the problem.
I did finally sit down and read the latest chapters, since there were three of them.
And the only reaction I have is… "so what?" I can't bring myself to care or be at all interested. That's not a form of apathy or disappointment any other new series carries by default. Especially not from an established author who I already like.
I hate the fact I'm not excited by his new series. Or that he himself wrapped the anchor of the previous series series around it. I really wish he'd just done something flat out NEW instead of this weird inbetween cock-tease.
This exact same story, without the trappings of the old one, would be fine. But having Eva there... is just really distracting.
If Akamatsu is going to write a series set in the same world and rehash Negima's concepts and characters, he might as well have brought back Negima a la the Shaman King route. Or you know, not end it in the first place.
Ah. I guess I can understand what you mean there now.
(though that still doesn't call for the chapter to chapter comment redundancy)
This is starting to look ridiculous. I guess I was the only one, or at least one of the few that saw the ending of Negima coming from a mile, so much it didn't bother me and because I was sure Ken would later flesh out everything that was left out in a direct sequel of whatever…
Some of you are acting like spoiled brats, just saying.
3DS FC: 0087 - 2971 - 9910
This is starting to look ridiculous. I guess I was the only one, or at least one of the few that saw the ending of Negima coming from a mile, so much it didn't bother me and because I was sure Ken would later flesh out everything that was left out in a direct sequel of whatever…
The ending was coming from a mile away. We all assumed the series was on its final arc for months and months, probably about a year before it actually ended. Check the history of the thread. We all knew it was coming, we expecting it, and were hyped about it even. Given how things were ratcheting up and the way plot threads were coming together, confessions and the power levels of all the players involved, it seemed and felt like an ending was coming to the series. That was fine. We were all ready for that. It clearly wasn't quite going to get around to everything, but it was hitting all the major points and was clearly geared for its' climax.
Then, about 20 chapters before the end, when they were facing the ultimate evil appocolypse villain that Negi's father before him faced… and the entire class is converging on the magical world and learning it exists, it was revealed "Oh crap, that's Negi's father in there!" And had the showdown happened right then and there, that would have been legitimate and fine (even though about a dozen of the classmates hadn't gotten their proper focus time yet.) But... instead of explaining and actually resolving things there, actually ENDING the story, Akamatsu instead then went "Well, they aren't ready to fight this villain, they're going to deal with him in a couple years.
He then proceeded to set up about a dozen new plotthreads back at the school, including how Negi's father got into that position, Fate being teacher, setting up the plan to fight Negi's father and save the magical kingdom.
And then... did a 6 month timeskip, which slapped us in the face with about 30 different major events that were all major character development and should have been seen on screen. That would have been fine in that well, it would take a year to tell those stories and he was keeping the momentum for the climax, and we were going to get details on those new character developments and plot twists later.
and then... he timeskips ahead 100 years to the future, says everyone is dead, no wait this is an alternate reality, everyone is fine, time to timetravel backwards... hey remember when every single classmate got a super powerup and fought Negi's dad in an ultimate showdown climax and Negi confessed to the girl he loved (that shall not be named)? THE END.
NO.
From the climax point of the other world saga, he had about 20 more chapters. Within that same ammount of time, he could have given (albeit hasty) a wrap up chapter or two for most of the remaining students, and had that climactic showdown, all on camera, and come to the same ending he had in mind. (The actual final chapter conclusion was fine.) The problem is not JUST that the ending sucked... but that he was already on the verge of a great ending, then forestalled it, and basically flat out promised "I've got 2 or 3 more years of stories with these characters to tell leading up to the REAL super climax!" and then, like a week later... crapped out on it and just limped to the finish line and pretended he had delivered on that promise, with character dialogue even mocking the fact all the plot points were skipped and unresolved and off camera.
Its not JUST that the ending sucked. Its that he promised more, then decided to forgo it, and then went to a shit ending.
I don't even care that he timeskipped some of the daily shenanigans in favor of keeping the main plot at a good clip. Yes, I would have liked to see the valentines day fiasco, but I can put the pieces together more or less... if having skipped that story, he was able to get to the real climax in a timely fashion.
But he didn't.
The equivilient would be if, right now, One Piece finished the Dresserosa arc, and then there was a 10 year timeskip and we saw Luffy missing an arm, married to Hancock and with Vivi also there for some reason, sipping on a drink and he went "Man, that was sure some crazy adventure wasn't it? Can you believe the One Piece was really THAT all along? Or that we fought and destroyed the world government? Franky's giant mecha the size of a city? That was awesome. And man, that fight against Blackbeard and the ancient weapons sure was crazy. Still can't believe Zoro died like that." "Oh Luffy sama! Let me show you my panties while I get attacked by an Octopus monster!" THE END.
Cause... that's what Negima did.
I get why people would complain but people like me just want to enjoy this series and see where it goes, yeah it's hard to not think about the negima thing but when someone is always bringing that up it takes all of the fun of visiting this thread since it's all negative stuff
If people want to discuss the new series, go right ahead. Talk about the good parts and why its got your interest and what you're excited about. Put some positive energy and discussion into the thread, gets others to WANT to read it, and that spreads almost instantly.
Its when theres nothing TO talk about that you can't help but stare at the pink elephant in the room.
The fact that the first chapter barely generated a page of discussion (and that mostly about the Negima ties) and no one has said more than 2 sentences about chapters 2, 3, and 4 combined says something in and of itself.
The only thing this series HAS going for it so far is that its the Negima sequel… and that's clearly NOT a positive.
I wouldn't be too harsh with UQ Holder, at least for now: Negima had a very slow and boring start (personal opinion) and we had to wait for more than a score of chapters, before getting something interesting. Put another way, it took half a year before taking off. The big problem is: you need to take a huge leap of faith to even trust Akamatsu again, after what happened with Negima.
It's not bad
I just don't care about Akamatsu at all, since back in Love Hina times.
Well I do like the fact that Kuroumaru isn't a immortal caused by Evangeline. I'm also curious of the clan he's apart of.
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
I know this is kinda late but here's my review of chapter 4:
