035 – Love’s Gonna Getcha in the Middle of the Night!!
"Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet's gooooooooooo!"
Ahhh, another ploy is created by the students, and one of those typical stupid ploys you get in typical school student fashion. The class members are going to see who can kiss Negi, you can probably tell from the words I’m using that I’m not that impressed. One thing that’s funny is when all those Negi clones suddenly pop up, that looks like it’ll cause a lot of laughs and misunderstandings later on.
036 – The Labyrinth of Lips
"Pillow fight!"
Pillow fights start to happen, best things that happened include the teams getting caught and being forced to kneel at the lobby for the whole night, and when Nodoka gets into Negi’s room and find five of him there. The ending made me want to know what is going to happen in the next chapter, since the Negi clones has run free and asking a kiss with everyone, plus, there’s the real one somewhere too. It is not a bad chapter, but again, it kinda feels unnecessary.
037 – Who Does Negi’s Kiss Belong to!?
Poor Negi clone, smashed into the wall when he was expecting a kiss instead
The Kiss game has finally finished with this chapter, and it’s the best one out of the three. It was a lot of fun watching the other teams try and find the real Negi, only for them to explode, which was funny. I was surprised that Nodoka ending up kissing the real Negi (albeit accidentally and from a little help from Yue, so evil…) and they’ve formed a contract… that cheeky like Ermine causing this whole commotion! A good chapter in terms of pointless things, I think.
038 – Nodoka and the Secret Picture Diary
Fairly random actually
So from last chapter Nodoka officially entered into a contract with Negi, so, like Asuna, she gets a weapon right? Well, appropriately, it’s a book. Anyway, Negi, after eleven chapters from when it was first mentioned, finally decides to deliver the letter, and the adversary he faced when he first arrived appears again (from the shadows). Luckily, Nodoka follows so we might see some sort of showdown later on with her. As a chapter on it’s own, not that great.
039 – The Dazzling Whirling Loop Survival
Don't be deceived by looks, the spider's just for show
After dragging on for the whole chapter, it ends when the fight is about to begin, finally! Although, they did take the time to explain some things on how magic works in this world, but nothing that you can't pick up from just reading. This is just another boring chapter that drags on for way too long.
040 – In Order to Get off the Road We’re Lost on
I can relate to this... losing yourself into a book, completely unaware of surroundings
I was surprised at how powerful Asuna is, but in the end, Negi was the weak link in that his combat magic is not up to scratch. I don’t know though, it just seemed that Negi is not a formidable opponent. Nodoka was funny in this chapter, just reading and didn't even notice that the fight she was reading was happening right behind her. Anyway, it continues into the next chapter (once again, *sigh*), but this chapter ain’t that bad.
041 – A Secret Plan from Me!?
So that's how his mind works!
Finally, this chapter is what I was waiting for. I was frustrated at how Negi kept putting up with Katarou’s attacks, and cannot even defend himself; I did not think he was that weak and useless. Anyway, he redeemed himself when he did counterattack, and Nodoka joins the team during the fight and uses her ability. A little bit underwhelming and boring to be honest (reading the enemy’s attack and relaying it back to Negi).
042 – The Bodyguard is a Member of the Shinsen Group
Quite an awesome shot
Skipping to Setsuna’s side of things, things are being developed there too, this is basically another set up chapter (which, hopefully, won’t take as long as Negi’s side for things to pan out). These setups feel all the same to me, and it looks like a rematch between Setsuna and the sword wielding girl from chapter 32 will happen in the next chapter (that is, if it doesn't get dragged out longer than it should).
043 – The Bodyguard is a Member of the Shinsen Group
More slashes
An intense chapter (as far as they go), and was hilarious when people kept mistaking Setsuna’s relationship with Konoka and when the summoned monsters attacked the classmates. The fighting was okay, and Konoka is still fairly mysterious in regards to her powers. Anyway, a decent chapter amongst the others we have gotten.
Overall
Powerups via a girl's kiss?? Reminds me a bit of Kiss Players actually
I felt bored by this volume, the first story arc with the kiss I could have done without, and was frankly a time waster. Then the arc with Negi and the chase by Katarou was dragged on for far far too long, making that dragging to read. Finally, the saving grace (so far) is Setsuna’s side of the events where things are faster paced and engaging. By this stage, I am still not feeling this manga series that much just yet.
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Credits: due to it being faster and more efficient I just took these pictures from scans online instead of scanning the tankobons themselves. These were scanned by the group "Meow"