10 Second Anime - UQ Holder! - Episode 9

Mizore and her grandma, an old friend of Yukihime, come to visit. Touta learns of his true origins.

Episode 9 - "Love, Baths, and Vigorous Exercise"

Hmm.

I could tell there were some cost saving expository devices used in this episode. Instead of seeing Fate finish his argument with Eva in the last episode, we got a miffed recap from kiriE wishing she was there to see it all happen. She did set the trap, so that's understandable why she's irritated she didn't witness the fruits of her labor. We didn't have to hear Fate's voice again, or pay all the other voice actors for their parts either. Plus not having to draw them.

The other scene was how Eva explained what's been going on with Negi, fighting a bodily possession by the grand villain from the end of the original Negima! for 20 years, and how Touta was actually related to his grandfather. The details of Fate's and Eva's argument over how best to save Negi hasn't been spelled out, but it's obvious that Touta is in the middle of it as a hybrid clone of Negi. Fate did say he wanted his property back, so the overall shape of Touta's circumstances are coming into focus.

The main focus, however, of this harem fanservice comedy episode was to emphasize how much Eva cares for Touta and how the source is her feelings for Negi. However, they grew into something specific to Touta during their two years together. The trip down memory lane with Ayaka and her harem comedy hijinks not only mirrored the new harem, but connected the fears Eva has for Touta with the violent magical world Negi left behind.

Because Touta is a clone, probably Fate's solution to rescuing Negi, there is a theme of self-determination that should be explored. Touta may be a manufactured being, but he should still have a choice in pursuing the Mage of the Beginning and rescuing Negi. We begin to see why Yukihime was so reluctant to have him fight the bounty hunter in the first episode. She still trained him to fight, though, because he was going to be a target at some point, no matter what direction he chose. Eva's biggest fear is that Touta will choose to fight and that she'll have to let him. I liked how Ayaka comforted with Negi's aphorism about magic - "A little courage is what makes true magic."

Heh.

Karin is just assuming kiriE has feelings for Touta now. Even if it's not true, it'll be a good thing to tease her about. Kuromaru already set sail on the Touta ship a long time ago.

Oh ho! A Pactio Card! It's Iinchou! The class rep as an old lady... with Chachamaru! Ayako's Pactio Card let's her go anywhere she wants, literally, so there was no way those security guys were going to stop her.

Ah. The last harem girl is Ayaka's granddaughter, Mizore Yukihiro.

Everybody's just wearing wait staff uniforms now. Kuromaru chose a waiter's uniform, naturally.

Ahahaha! Touta comes from a long line of lady-killers! His grandpa made her grandma cry! Well, Nagi also made a bunch of ladies cry...

Negi romanced 30 of his students... Mizore is not wrong.

And she fell in love with Touta. The cycle continues.

Quick rejection! Good on Touta.

This nostalgic classroom scene was apparently way more important than showing Fate argue with Eva or showing Negi struggle with the evil wizard from 20 years ago.

Mizore goes with the love attack with food like her grandma did against Negi.

Everyone, including Karin is just sneaking around snooping on Shinobu and Mizore. At least Kuromaru realized it. Karin is just making sure one of the other immortals ends up with Touta and not her. She claims...

That's right. You can't win against a human "good girl" like Mizore. Kuromaru and kiriE will just have to be "good girls" too. Do your best, Kuromaru...

Harsh. Karin says immortals are like artificial flowers. True, but harsh.

This is just screwball fanservice comedy now. Love crazy girls will believe anything, even Ikku's "50 back scrubs" love curse. Anything can happen at a hot spring like the one they're on. I guess Ikku's not wrong about that either.

Serious stuff here. Eva thinks Ialda Baoth allowed Negi to communicate with them. Maybe, maybe not. He had a Kuu Fei lookalike mark Touta, so maybe Negi's struggle with the Life Maker is on the cusp of something good instead of him reaching his limit.

Nice time to explain Ikku's immortality. I thought they weren't supposed to do that? Comatose body, awake mind controlling a robot body.

Karin wanted "to watch" the 50 scrub hijinks. Sure.

Uh. That's some seriously bad scrubbing, Karin.

Was there ever any doubt? Of course, Yukihime won.

So, Touta is only two years old. The kid clone learns quick, apparently.

Next time, back to Mahora Academy!

More Karin in the end card. Yes, please!