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Negima! Magister Negi Magi watch order

Ten-year-old Negi Springfield, a wizard fresh out of magic school, is sent to Japan to teach English to a class of 31 middle-school girls while keeping his magic secret, and while searching for his missing father, the legendary Thousand Master. Ken Akamatsu's manga turns from harem comedy into a full action fantasy, and it has been animated in three very different ways, plus the sequel UQ Holder!

First time? Watch the 2005 TV series (26 episodes), then jump to the manga-faithful OVAs: Ala Alba (3), Mou Hitotsu no Sekai (4) and the film Anime Final. Then UQ Holder! (12). Negima!? is a separate remake you can try any time.

First-timer order

The usual fan path: the 2005 series for the early story, then the manga-faithful OVAs and film, which is the closest thing to a real anime version of the later manga, then UQ Holder. Be warned that the OVAs start about 13 manga volumes after the 2005 series stops (see below). Negima!? and its two specials are a detached side branch.

  1. Negima! (2005) TV, 2005, 26 episodes

    The first adaptation, by Xebec. It covers roughly manga volumes 1–6 (Negi's arrival, Evangeline and the Kyoto trip) in its own way, then switches to an anime-original ending from about episode 22 that has nothing to do with the manga.

  2. Mahou Sensei Negima! Shiroki Tsubasa Ala Alba OVA, 2008–09, 3 episodes

    The start of the manga-faithful anime, released with manga volumes 23–25. It adapts chapters 176–183, set after the manga's Mahora Festival arc: Negi decides to go looking for his father and forms the Ala Alba club, and his students plan to follow him to Wales.

  3. Mahou Sensei Negima! Mou Hitotsu no Sekai OVA, 2009–10, 4 episodes

    Continues straight from Ala Alba into the Magic World arc (from chapter 184), condensed into four episodes released with manga volumes 27–31.

  4. Mou Hitotsu no Sekai Extra: Mahou Shoujo Yue (optional) OVA, 2010, 1 episode

    A side episode to Mou Hitotsu no Sekai, following Yue at the magic academy Ariadne in the Magic World. Watch it after the four OVAs, before the film; optional.

  5. Mahou Sensei Negima! Anime Final Movie, 2011, 1 episode

    The film that closes the manga-faithful anime: a quick run through the manga's final arcs, then an alternate ending written by Ken Akamatsu, set back at Mahora as the girls' temporary pactios are about to expire. Watch the 84-minute home video version; the theatrical cut lost about 20 minutes and is hard to follow.

  6. UQ Holder! Mahou Sensei Negima! 2 TV, 2017, 12 episodes

    The sequel, set in the 2080s: Negi's grandson Touta Konoe becomes an immortal and joins the UQ Holder organization, raised by Evangeline. It squeezes a long manga into 12 episodes and ends unresolved, and its later episodes lean on Negima history.

  7. UQ Holder! OVA OVA, 2017–18, 3 episodes

    Three side-story episodes released with UQ Holder! manga volumes 14, 16 and 17; the first came out just before the TV series. They fill in a little context around the TV story and are included in Sentai's English Blu-ray set.

  8. Negima!? TV, 2006–07, 26 episodes

    A complete reimagining by Shaft with new designs, more action and plenty of fourth-wall comedy. Only the first three episodes loosely follow the manga's Evangeline arc; the rest is an original story about Star Crystals. Not a sequel to the 2005 series.

  9. Negima!? Haru Special!? (Spring) (optional) OVA, 2006, 1 episode

    A comedy special made by Shaft in the Negima!? style: the class takes a trip to a southern island. No bearing on the plot of any version; usually packaged with Negima!?. Optional.

  10. Negima!? Natsu Special!? (Summer) (optional) OVA, 2006, 1 episode

    A second Shaft comedy special: a red-string-of-fate prank ties Negi to Nodoka. Standalone and optional.

Story order

There's no single story order: the 2005 series, Negima!? and the manga-faithful OVAs are three separate versions. They're grouped here by version, with UQ Holder last as the sequel to the manga's story.

  1. Negima! (2005) TV, 2005, 26 episodes

    The first adaptation, by Xebec. It covers roughly manga volumes 1–6 (Negi's arrival, Evangeline and the Kyoto trip) in its own way, then switches to an anime-original ending from about episode 22 that has nothing to do with the manga.

  2. Negima!? TV, 2006–07, 26 episodes

    A complete reimagining by Shaft with new designs, more action and plenty of fourth-wall comedy. Only the first three episodes loosely follow the manga's Evangeline arc; the rest is an original story about Star Crystals. Not a sequel to the 2005 series.

  3. Negima!? Haru Special!? (Spring) (optional) OVA, 2006, 1 episode

    A comedy special made by Shaft in the Negima!? style: the class takes a trip to a southern island. No bearing on the plot of any version; usually packaged with Negima!?. Optional.

  4. Negima!? Natsu Special!? (Summer) (optional) OVA, 2006, 1 episode

    A second Shaft comedy special: a red-string-of-fate prank ties Negi to Nodoka. Standalone and optional.

  5. Mahou Sensei Negima! Shiroki Tsubasa Ala Alba OVA, 2008–09, 3 episodes

    The start of the manga-faithful anime, released with manga volumes 23–25. It adapts chapters 176–183, set after the manga's Mahora Festival arc: Negi decides to go looking for his father and forms the Ala Alba club, and his students plan to follow him to Wales.

  6. Mahou Sensei Negima! Mou Hitotsu no Sekai OVA, 2009–10, 4 episodes

    Continues straight from Ala Alba into the Magic World arc (from chapter 184), condensed into four episodes released with manga volumes 27–31.

  7. Mou Hitotsu no Sekai Extra: Mahou Shoujo Yue (optional) OVA, 2010, 1 episode

    A side episode to Mou Hitotsu no Sekai, following Yue at the magic academy Ariadne in the Magic World. Watch it after the four OVAs, before the film; optional.

  8. Mahou Sensei Negima! Anime Final Movie, 2011, 1 episode

    The film that closes the manga-faithful anime: a quick run through the manga's final arcs, then an alternate ending written by Ken Akamatsu, set back at Mahora as the girls' temporary pactios are about to expire. Watch the 84-minute home video version; the theatrical cut lost about 20 minutes and is hard to follow.

  9. UQ Holder! Mahou Sensei Negima! 2 TV, 2017, 12 episodes

    The sequel, set in the 2080s: Negi's grandson Touta Konoe becomes an immortal and joins the UQ Holder organization, raised by Evangeline. It squeezes a long manga into 12 episodes and ends unresolved, and its later episodes lean on Negima history.

  10. UQ Holder! OVA OVA, 2017–18, 3 episodes

    Three side-story episodes released with UQ Holder! manga volumes 14, 16 and 17; the first came out just before the TV series. They fill in a little context around the TV story and are included in Sentai's English Blu-ray set.

Release order

The two TV versions came first, then Shaft's manga-faithful OVAs (bundled with manga volumes) and the 2011 film. UQ Holder's first OVA came out a few weeks before its TV series.

  1. Negima! (2005) TV, 2005, 26 episodes

    The first adaptation, by Xebec. It covers roughly manga volumes 1–6 (Negi's arrival, Evangeline and the Kyoto trip) in its own way, then switches to an anime-original ending from about episode 22 that has nothing to do with the manga.

  2. Negima!? TV, 2006–07, 26 episodes

    A complete reimagining by Shaft with new designs, more action and plenty of fourth-wall comedy. Only the first three episodes loosely follow the manga's Evangeline arc; the rest is an original story about Star Crystals. Not a sequel to the 2005 series.

  3. Negima!? Haru Special!? (Spring) (optional) OVA, 2006, 1 episode

    A comedy special made by Shaft in the Negima!? style: the class takes a trip to a southern island. No bearing on the plot of any version; usually packaged with Negima!?. Optional.

  4. Negima!? Natsu Special!? (Summer) (optional) OVA, 2006, 1 episode

    A second Shaft comedy special: a red-string-of-fate prank ties Negi to Nodoka. Standalone and optional.

  5. Mahou Sensei Negima! Shiroki Tsubasa Ala Alba OVA, 2008–09, 3 episodes

    The start of the manga-faithful anime, released with manga volumes 23–25. It adapts chapters 176–183, set after the manga's Mahora Festival arc: Negi decides to go looking for his father and forms the Ala Alba club, and his students plan to follow him to Wales.

  6. Mahou Sensei Negima! Mou Hitotsu no Sekai OVA, 2009–10, 4 episodes

    Continues straight from Ala Alba into the Magic World arc (from chapter 184), condensed into four episodes released with manga volumes 27–31.

  7. Mou Hitotsu no Sekai Extra: Mahou Shoujo Yue (optional) OVA, 2010, 1 episode

    A side episode to Mou Hitotsu no Sekai, following Yue at the magic academy Ariadne in the Magic World. Watch it after the four OVAs, before the film; optional.

  8. Mahou Sensei Negima! Anime Final Movie, 2011, 1 episode

    The film that closes the manga-faithful anime: a quick run through the manga's final arcs, then an alternate ending written by Ken Akamatsu, set back at Mahora as the girls' temporary pactios are about to expire. Watch the 84-minute home video version; the theatrical cut lost about 20 minutes and is hard to follow.

  9. UQ Holder! OVA OVA, 2017–18, 3 episodes

    Three side-story episodes released with UQ Holder! manga volumes 14, 16 and 17; the first came out just before the TV series. They fill in a little context around the TV story and are included in Sentai's English Blu-ray set.

  10. UQ Holder! Mahou Sensei Negima! 2 TV, 2017, 12 episodes

    The sequel, set in the 2080s: Negi's grandson Touta Konoe becomes an immortal and joins the UQ Holder organization, raised by Evangeline. It squeezes a long manga into 12 episodes and ends unresolved, and its later episodes lean on Negima history.

Explained

Why are there so many versions?

The 2005 series ran out of manga and invented its own ending. Negima!? (2006) started over as a loose, comedy-heavy remake with an original plot. Then Shaft made OVAs and a film that follow the manga closely, but they pick up late in the story. None of them adapts the whole manga.

Is there a gap between the 2005 series and the OVAs?

Yes, a big one. The 2005 series covers about volumes 1–6, and Ala Alba starts at chapter 176, after the Mahora Festival arc. Roughly volumes 7–19, including the whole festival and Chao arc, were never animated. Read those volumes before Ala Alba if you can.

What's canon?

The manga. The 2005 series' ending (from about episode 22) and nearly all of Negima!? are anime-original. The OVAs follow the manga, and Anime Final gives an alternate ending that Akamatsu wrote himself.

Do I need to know Negima before UQ Holder?

Not strictly; it was written as a fresh start with a new hero. But the anime compresses a lot of manga and its second half relies on Negima characters and history, so it means much more if you know the earlier story.

Is there an English dub?

The 2005 series, Negima!? and the two Negima!? specials were dubbed by Funimation, and later released by Sentai Filmworks. UQ Holder! has a Sentai dub too, and its Blu-ray includes the OVAs. Ala Alba, Mou Hitotsu no Sekai and Anime Final were never released in English. No new Negima anime has been announced as of October 2026.