054 – Le Map, L’Amour, Le Chocolat
Asuna is Evangeline's worst nightmare...
Things are back to normal, that is, the way they were a few volumes ago. I was surprised that Negi went ahead and became an apprentice to Evangeline, and it finally clicked with me in this chapter that the reason why Asuna is able to hit Evangeline even when she’s got a magic barrier is that Asuna is immune to magic. It was mentioned in one of the previous chapters but it’s only now that I put this and that together. I think the rest of the chapter is fairly boring too, but I fell for it when I thought Asuna did fall in love with Negi, went it turns out it was just a love potion she accidentally took in the form of a chocolate…
055 – Three-Way Action
Clueless
I swear the chapter titles can be so misleading. It’s another substandard plot, where the class members of 3-A mistaking Negi falling in love with someone else. I guess the point is that the reader knows what’s going on (Negi asking Ku-Fei to teach him how to fight) but the characters don’t. Some fairly comedic moments, so it’s not a loss, but it’s a very very typical plot for this genre.
056 – Negi, Makie, and the Disciple Test
Makie!
Somehow, Makie got involved into this, well, this is a chapter that stars her I guess. Building upon when Evangeline said she will test Negi to see if he can become her apprentice, it seems like Makie had speeded up the process. This chapter feels average, however, I liked the part where Negi gets fat and then in the next frame (after following a suggestion by Makie) becomes all skinny again, that was funny.
057 – Bring It Home
This part was pretty funny.
A continuation from the previous chapter with the same things happening in the first half, more focus on Makie, more training by Negi, and more outrageous things by Ku-Fei (for comedic relief). The last few pages of the comments by Makie were hilarious.
058 – Bring It Home
"There there"
A chapter which is just what you’d expect, Negi did win, but it was coz Chachamaru was distracted, not that I think there was going to be another way for Negi to hit her. As such, he is now the proud apprentice of Evangeline. Makie takes the spotlight again in this chapter, but the whole chapter just seems too contrived and straightforward, like there wasn't much thought put into with the boring speeches and all.
059 – Buying You a Clue
Hya!
A weird and rushed chapter, Negi finds a clue about his father, after half the chapter has gone with him discussing about how he doesn't want to involve his students, he has to set off with some of them anyway. Then in just a few pages, he went back down to the place where the Secret Library Island arc was situated, AND gone a bit further to some hidden part, and THEN met a dragon to which they run away. Yeah, I don't know about you, but something just doesn't feel right or complete, on the other hand, Yue was pretty funny this chapter.
060 – Cards, How to Use
Suitably evil
A bit better than the last chapter, however, it’s still not great, if only the story was pushed forward faster, rather than wasting time like this. Chachazero is pretty cool though. The ending was to be expected, where Asuna appears in front of Takamichi like that again. Loved the comment where Evangeline just calls Negi a moron (and smashes him) when he speaks of defeating a dragon, otherwise, another bland chapter.
061 – Marshmallow Empire of the South Pacific
Sword of Fury!!!!
Asuna summons a new weapon! Well, the one that's shown on her card, so that’s pretty cool, don't know what it does though. Negi tries to make up to Asuna in this chapter, no success. The comment about the shark knowing kendo was quite a good one, but otherwise, everything in the chapter has been done and tried already.
062 – Lubba-Dub! Not Here, Please
Feels like they're a team on a quest..
Negi finally makes up with Asuna at the end of this chapter, phew, if it was dragged out any longer it would have be extreme boredom. It seems like Negi’s magic group is getting bigger and bigger, pretty soon, the whole class will know about it, and then he’ll be invincible… Again, the title is so misleading…
Overall
A boring volume, I should think, not many chapters in here that I could heartedly recommend. Most of them I thought were a waste of time.
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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".