At the Mahora Academy Festival, the Budokai Martial-Arts Tournament is well under way–and it seems that all participants have something to hide. What has awakened inside Asuna during the battle with Setsuna? Everyone remains in the dark about the true identity of the curious “Colonel”–except Evangeline, a vampire who, not surprisingly, loves the dark. But how exactly did she become a bloodsucker? As for Setsuna, how deeply is the conflicted member of the “Bird Tribe” willing to look within herself? Will she be able to defeat her own worst enemy–herself?
Ken Akamatsu (赤松 健, Akamatsu Ken, July 5, 1968 -) is a Japanese mangaka from Tokyo.
In his teenage years, Akamatsu failed the entrance exam to Tokyo University, and applied for Film Study instead (it is speculated that this is where he got the idea for Love Hina). Eventually, he became famous as an illustrator featured in Comiket (short for Comic Market, a comic convention bi-annually held in Japan). He used the pen name Awa Mizuno (水野 亜和, MIZUNO Awa). Akamatsu, still in college, then proceeded to win the Weekly Shonen Magazine award twice. His "A Kid's Game for One Summer" was awarded the coveted 50th Shonen Magazine Newcomer's Award soon after he graduated.
After a big hit with A.I. Love You, he finally made a grand success with his new manga, Love Hina. The series appeared in Weekly Shonen Magazine and has been collected in eleven volumes (with fourteen volumes in total), which have sold over 6 million copies in Japan, and received the Kodansha Manga Award for shōnen in 2001. Akamatsu had added elements of his own life experiences to the story, and this was said to have induced a unique feeling to the manga especially for Western readers, whose lack of familiarity with Japanese culture for the most part added to the effect. The series, published in America in 2002, was especially well received in many overseas countries - Akamatsu was surprised that even foreign readers found Love Hina to be "cute" and to their liking.
He is now married to his wife 'Kanon' Akamatsu, who was previously a singer/idol. He is currently working on his latest manga series, Negima!: Magister Negi Magi, which is his longest running manga so far. Like Love Hina, has also been made into an anime series. A second independent retelling of Negima was made called Negima!?. Both series were produced by XEBEC (Negima!? was produced by SHAFT).
The first round of the martial arts tournament continues and we see Asuna and Setsuna against each other but a strange hooded opponent confronts her and we get a small glimpse of her past. The second round arrives. The next round we see Setsuna against Evangeline and she definitely doesn’t hold back with just her fighting skills, but her mind games. We do find out about her tragic past set back in the Middle Ages and how she was a mage burned at the stake. A (100%/Outstanding)
At the Mahora Academy Festival, the Budokai Martial-Arts Tournament is well under way–and it seems that all participants have something to hide. What has awakened inside Asuna during the battle with Setsuna? Everyone remains in the dark about the true identity of the curious “Colonel”–except Evangeline, a vampire who, not surprisingly, loves the dark. But how exactly did she become a bloodsucker? As for Setsuna, how deeply is the conflicted member of the “Winged Hanyo's” willing to look within herself? Will she be able to defeat her own worst enemy–herself?
This was an interesting volume. There is mystery surrounding most of our main characters, and while initially I was annoyed with that, I actually am enjoying the fact they all aren't ordinary.
I am really curious to see what happens now with the man connected with Nagi (Negi's dad), and they didn't really get into what is happening with Takamichi in captivity, so I hope we get to see more of that next volume. And of course... who will win the tournament, though let's be honest, Negi is going to win.
i watch the anime version : it is about Ten year old boy name Negi Springfield who has just graduated from magic academy. He have a dream to be a master wizard. For that he sent to Japan to teach English at girls high school. and the story begin ..
One of the better volumes of the series--goes a lot more into the history and motives of certain characters that haven't had much of a spotlight before. Really liking Setsuna and Evangeline is always entertaining.
Starts off fan service heavy with the confrontation between lead supporting cast members, but then quickly improves with continued character development and insight.