Negima! is an endearing series, but best watched in small doses.  I watched it all at once, and was a bit Negima!-ed out by the end of it.  Think back to middle school, and what life was like at thirteen and fourteen.  The drama, the craziness, the angst, and multiply it by thirty-one.  Thirty-one girls in a middle school class at an all-girl boarding school can make for a bit of sensory overload, but when it's all said and done, the life-lessons and warm fuzzies this series generates makes it sweet and charming.  Kind of like that middle school girl--she's sweet and charming, but beware of the drama queen lurking just beneath the surface.

Negi Springfield is a ten-year-old genius and a wizard in training from Wales.  He has his bachelor's in teaching, and for his final test before becoming a full-fledged wizard, he must teach English in Japan without letting it slip that he's a wizard.  If his secret gets out, at best he'll be reprimanded, and at worst, he'll be turned into an ermine.  Living with his students, and having to deal with vampires, robots, and ghosts, Negi is going to have a time trying to keep what he is a secret.

Wizardry aside, Negi has a hard enough time just trying to make it from one day to the next.  As smart as he is, he's so young, it's difficult for others to take him seriously.  Attempting to teach and keep control of a classroom full of students older than oneself is challenging.  Negi probably learns more than his students do, just by being exposed to so many young people, and having to deal with new friendships as well as culture shock. 

Teaching middle-school girls brings its own special set of challenges.  Negi is absolutely adorable, and as a result, many of the girls treat him almost as a pet.  He becomes the unofficial the class mascot, whether he wants to be or not.  Then there are the crushes.  Now, I was (and still am) a little weirded out by thirteen- and fourteen-year-old girls having a massive crush on a ten-year-old.  For one thing, the series makes it quite clear that Negi is still very much a child.  The idea of an innocent little boy fending off hormone-driven adolescent girls is a bit distressing.  Negi is such a sweet boy, I found myself not wanting him to get hurt. 

Luckily, Negi has the friendship of Asuna Kagurazaka.  After a rough start to their relationship, Asuna becomes the friend and protective big sister Negi needs.  With no place to go, he ends up living with her and her roommate, the dean's granddaughter, Konoka.  In Asuna, Negi finds a support system to help him deal with homesickness and the challenges of teaching.

The artwork is simple and colorful and adds to the general cheerfulness of the series.  With the use of magic, there are quite a few special effects, which are nicely done.  Nothing stands out as particularly awkward or "too CG" which is great.  The character designs are fun, especially Negi.  Seriously, I want to stick that ink-and-paint kid in a box and take him home.  It's understandable that most of the girls in the series view Negi as a pet.  He's so cute!

Negima! is a lively series with likable characters, plenty of humor, and even a little action of the wand-waving, take-out-the-baddie-before-too-many-people-notice variety.  The humor revolves mostly around the classroom dynamics among the students and with their unusual teacher.  It didn't really have me laughing out loud, but it was good for a smile and cheered up some dreary winter afternoons.  Well, mostly.  The series takes a darker, more action-oriented turn near the end, but even with that, it's hard to keep the optimism down for long.  I don't think I'd buy Negima!, but it's worth checking out with a rental, especially if you have older kids.

Details: Runtime 625 minutes, contains 26 episodes on 6 discs.  Extras include character profiles, schoolgirl commentaries, Japanese cultural notes, bloopers, textless songs, and trailers.