Noutakun wrote...
As part of my mourning over the end of Negima, which I've been following the entire nine years it was being serialized (I can hardly believe it's been that long) I came to add something I found elsewhere to the discussion.
*WARNING: This post contains high amounts of speculation and words. If you like neither, please avoid reading this.*
Actually, I do believe there are enough hints to indicate who won in the final chapter and because of what Asuna said.
Makie.
I am not basing that off of her calling Nagi father. But more basing it off of what Asuna said and also things stated in the final epilogue.
Via the epilogue, we do know that Negi did indeed confess when Asuna told him to do so. How? Nodoka and Yue both were heartbroken. Negi had promised to give Nodoka an answer when the graduation occurred, and it was this thought given to him by Yue.
On panel 4 of page 7 last chapter. One of those girls would need to be his girlfriend, because he would definitely make an introduction of his girlfriend to his father. Now that his health is better, it probably hasn’t been that long since he’s been saved. Whoops, rambled there. Sorry. These girls also seem to suggest who had gotten the closest to Negi, as evidenced by who exactly ifs in that group.
This would leave Ku Fei, Chachamaru, Nodoka, Yue, Makie, Yuna, Konoka, Chisame, and Setsuna. We’ve already eliminated Nodoka & Yue due to their endings. Let’s eliminate the rest via the same method.
Konoka & Setsuna married each other. Its a shounen manga, so they aren’t going to say that outright. Chisame instead of embracing the world around her as she was doing with Negi, has gone back to being a shut in; definitely got rejected.
This leaves Ku Fei, Chachamaru, Makie, and Yuna. I’m going to eliminate Yuna because Asuna stated that there is in fact one thing the two have in common. And I never saw it with Yuna.
So we’re down to Ku Fei, Chachamaru, and Makie. Ku Fei is eliminated by something she stated, that if she lost to Negi, she would have to marry him. However, it specifically states that they have a New Year tradition of fighting. Them having something like that wouldn’t make sense if she won.
Now then, Chachamaru & Makie are left. Fun time. This is where I can’t show anything that would put Chachamaru out. Well, except that Asuna said that the girl wasn’t someone whom she thought would go together with Negi. That’s a really flimsy excuse, especially since her epilogue does suggest that she’s always getting wound up daily.
So I’ll actually show why its Makie instead. Makie is the only one, outside of Yuna, who is not a complimentary figure to Negi. In fact, they are probably direct opposites. The only thing they are the same is what they strive to set out to do.
Makie’s epilogue also suggests that she won. She is the only girl who didn’t join the ISSA or take a position that would allow her to meet Negi on a regular basis. Remember, he’s working at ISSA, not Mahora anymore. Yet, she’s still focused into Negi and on her days off visits with her friends and Negi.
…wait, why would she be the only girl that is still going after Negi and meeting him on her days off? Especially since Nodoka of all girls, was freaking heartbroken. Yes, we could play the “but she’s so into Negi” card, but even Ayeka decided to take a back seat. You can’t play that card. Doesn’t work. Being that she’s so in love with Negi, she would definitely be of the heartbroken type or “I’ll follow him in the background”. She does neither. She’s goes out of her way to meet him. The only reason I know of is because she’s his girlfriend.
Okay, I admit we could play the friends with benefits card. You know Makie would nev-ahem. I mean Negi would never let that fly, he’s a proper English gentleman and all.
The fact she says “father” and everyone’s telling her to stop panicking is just icing on the cake. Even better, is that because its Makie of all the girls, everyone will do what I originally did. “Oh, Makie.”
Before someone goes “Makie supporter”, I was (since its over, its okay to use past tense) actually a supporter of Nodoka. Which made me want to figure out who won so that I got some damn closure. T_T Poor Nodoka, at least you have Yue still.
Just read the English translation, which really does heavily hint Maki is the one. Especially the choice of the word "panic"... If only I knew Japanese I can get more definitive about all this...
I'd enjoyed your analysis and fully agree on Ku Fei, Yuna, Konoka, Chisame, and Setsuna.
I agree if Negi is dating someone, she would be in the selection of girls at the end. Maki isn't the only classmate not working for the ISSAD (Yuna isn't either, but she never had a thing for Negi). To support Maki though, extra points in the last chapter is that:
1) The boy in the pen-ultimate chapter was her brother, despite Yue being the spotlight character
2) She was in the middle of the group of girls when they first appeared in the last chapter
Forgetting about my personal translation issue:
1)I feel it's easiest to think it, but I doubt it will be Yue if she calls Negi's her master.
2)I like Nodoka, but with her reaction all through the last chapter and how she spends her time in her synopsis ending, so independent from Negi, I don't feel it's her.
The only one I can think of to contend is Chachamaru... but she's an android...
And I still don't know how Negi can grow old after all that happened before saying he was like Eva.
And I wasn't surprised with Negima being shounen, considering how Love Hina's late stages clearly showed Ken wanted to drawn some fight/battle scenarios. I enjoyed the fights, but like Love Hina, I feel it got a bit derailed at the end with all the unsaid events in the background.
Just got reminded I chased this since the start as well... So old...