(( emo backstory. spoilers for Negima! through 169. ))
UPDATED 4/16/07 5/12/07
So Negima! 169 came out recently, and there have been certain REVELATIONS and such.
. . . Before all that, this is worth mentioning. Negima!'s on volume 18 now, and the festival arc involving Chao has just ended. After the end of the arc, it was revealed that a new arc is starting. I don't mean like, a mini-arc, like the Festival or Kyoto. (It's a pretty special series when an 8-volume long arc can be called a mini-arc.) I mean like, apparently the entire series up until this point has been the first arc, and now the second arc is about to begin. Wow.
The second arc involves Negi and an as yet unspecified group of his students going to Wales and the Country of Magic in order to find Negi's father and return safely. We know Asuna is going, and I would bet money on Chisame being dragged in somehow. (It's possible the entire class will go--who knows?) This means the kids aren't going to be in school for this period of time. It's a very clear demarcation between "schoolkids in class or on a really long field trip" and "troop of magical warriors and supporters journeying to find a missing relative."
The point being that this means I'm probably going to have to cut off the updating of Asuna and Chisame during summer vacation. In the past, I've sort of been going with just slowly edging up their canon development and awareness as the series progresses. Only once have I had to actually pull some kind of camp stunt for this: when Chisame got her pactio powers. But there's a big difference between ripping someone from, say, April of their school year and then updating them to May and filling in the canon events inbetween . . . and ripping someone from before they leave on a Big Journey and then suddenly updating them to the middle of that journey. For one thing, I'd have to change the circumstances under which they came to camp, which I think is beyond even my powers of retcon. XD
I'll see how the arc actually plays out. Unless Akamatsu really surprises me somehow, Asuna and Chisame will be canon-frozen at some point during the summer holidays in the Negima! manga.
Now on to other affairs! |D
So I've been meaning to do a little write-up on what we know about Asuna's past and childhood. It's not much, but after chapter 169, we have a lot more than we did. It's still full of holes and confusing as fuck, and she doesn't remember it all, or even most of it. But it's interesting. SO here we go!
Chapter 169 starts off pretty confusingly. We're thrown into the middle of a battle that happened in the past, with only a vague idea of who anyone is. The Thousand Master--Nagi's father--and his CREW are flying through the air, headed for a tower. The air is thick with penises mages and bizarre things like flying whales penises and huge, Evangelion-esque humanoid beasts. Something HUGE-ASS is going on, k.
Then we get this dialogue. Translations for these chapters taken from BakaNeko, AquaStar, and Del Rey:
???: E-every bullet from the Spirit of the Dead Cannon is vanishing!
???: The Imperial Princess of Twilight!
Nagi: Imperial Princess of Twilight . . . what the hell is that!?
Albireo: The history and traditions passed down in this small country. It doesn't seem like they're after anything else.
Nagi: But, why the royal family!? Haven't they heard she's just a little girl?
Obviously this whole exchange makes LITTLE SENSE and I suspect it's partially due to the translation. XD; Chizuru, if you know more and wanna help me out--?
But from this we at least know that forces are attacking the royal family of a small country, and so the "World of Magic" appears to be an actual WORLD, rather than just isolated areas of our world which are home to a large mage population.
Then we see the tower. There's a robed man standing inside, next to a magical circle on the ground; in the middle of the magical circle is chained a small girl, her mouth dripping with blood.
Nagi: It's up to that brat to carry everything into place, right? Leave the rest to me!
And then the DRAMATIC REVELATION that he's omg the Thousand Master here to save the day! and also he's a magic school dropout and generally awesome. >D But anyway! Nagi and Albireo et al fight off the attacking--beast-things, much to the amazement of the robed figure. The girl stands in the middle of the circle and stares at Nagi blankly, which catches Nagi's eye:
Nagi: Yo, Jyou-chan, what's your name?
Girl: N . . . ame . . ? Asuna . . . Asuna Wespuri-na Teotanashia Enteofushia.
Nagi: Long, oi. But . . . Asuna is a nice name. All right, wait here Asuna.
--and then she wakes up.
So it seems that Asuna was the princess of a small country in the World of Magic when she was very young--she appears to be, I'm not sure, 3-4 in this flashback--and was being used for some purpose in a war, which would likely have led to her death. As a child, she's very blank-looking and quiet and does not appear to be used to people speaking to her; it's possible she was actually raised to fulfill whatever purpose she was being used for in that circle, but we don't know yet.
Chronologically speaking, the next flashback was given to us ages ago, in chapter 54.
Asuna dreams of waking up before dawn in the desert, in an oasis. She's in a small makeshift camp of some sort, and there's a fire going, and an older man is sitting next to it. Later we'll find out his name is Gatou.
Gatou tells her to wash her face in a small lake nearby, and when she does, she sees her reflection. She appears to be slightly older than in the 169 flashback, but only very slightly. She's certainly cleaner and very slightly more expressive.
At this point Nagi returns to the camp, having caught that morning's breakfast, and greets Asuna as the sun rises. Asuna greets him by name, and then wakes up, having no idea that the dream was a flashback.
We also get a flashback in chapter 100. It's unclear whether this flashback occurs before or after the one in chapter 54, but I'm placing it after, because this is the earliest occurence we have of Takamichi in a flashback, and he's quite young and inexperienced. So either he was asleep during the chapter 54 flashback, or he hadn't joined the group yet. I would say these two flashbacks are interchangeable.
We see Asuna sitting on a dock in some huge, extremely prosperous-looking city. Takamichi and Gatou are nearby.
Gatou: Listen up, all right? Magic power in the left arm--ki in the right arm . . .
Takamichi: Magic power in the left arm . . . ki in the . . . uwa!
Gatou: Wrong, wrong. Listen up, Takamichi, make yourself into nothingness, at that rate, it'll take you five years.
Takamichi: Y . . . yes.
Asuna: . . .
Nagi: Yo~ How's the princess feeling today?
Takamichi: Ah, Nagi-san, everyone, good morning!!
Nagi: Ba~ka, Takamichi, I told you to stop calling me Nagi-san. Just call me Nagi. What are you guys doing?
Takamichi: Ah, um, I was just doing a bit of training with Gatou-san . . .
Asuna: Magic power in the left hand . . . ki in the right hand . . .
[something happens]
Takamichi: Ohh!? . . .
Eishun: Hahaha, you're falling behind, Takamichi-kun.
Nagi: Amazing, awesome, as expected of the princess!
Albireo: She'll make a great follower for mages in the future at this rate.
Gatou: Hahaha, little girl, want to become my partner?
[she shakes her head]
Gatou: Hmm?
Asuna: . . . I want Nagi.
Gatou: Keh . . .
Nagi: Oh . . . ?
[commotion]
???: Hehehe . . .
???: Nice, nice, after all, Asuna isn't in diapers anymore.
???: Why the hell are you always that popular with everyone!?--
Asuna: I don't wear diapers . . .
Gatou: Then, this old man is no good after all?
Takamichi: Asuna-chan hates cigarettes, Master.
We get another flashback about this theme in chapter 172. I don't have an exact translation yet, because this chapter just came out a few days ago, but Misa-mun can read the raw lolz, and this is what he had to say:
Like basically in the 172 flashback it's Takamichi asking Asuna if she can teach him any tricks on how to do kanka and she's like "it's easy, you just have to discard your 'self,' make yourself nothing"
"Since I had nothing to start with it's simple"
The next flashback (chronologically) occurs in chapter 102. Asuna is fighting Setsuna in the tournament, and Albireo induces a flashback in her from the sidelines.
We see a forest of some sort. Asuna and Takamichi are standing there, while Gatou is slumped against a huge tree, bleeding from the mouth.
Gatou: Yo, Takamichi. Can you give me a light? This is . . . my last smoke.
[lights cigarette]
Gatou: Ah--sweet. Now, go on. I'll manage here somehow. . . . What's that, young lady? Are you crying? Showing your tears . . . that's a first. Hehe . . . I'm happy.
Takamichi: Master . . .
Gatou: Takamichi . . . about her memories, erase the part about me . . . will ya?
Takamichi: Wha . . . what are you talking about, Master!?
Gatou: She won't be needing it from now on.
Asuna: No . . . Nagi is gone . . . now Ojiisan too . . . no . . . u . . .
Gatou: Live a happy life, young lady. You have that right.
Asuna: No . . . you can't, Gatou-san! I don't want you to die . . . !!
After this flashback, Asuna goes berseker, brings out her sword, eventually passes out, and forgets everything when she wakes up, although she knows she's forgetting something important and sad.
We get a quick glimpse in chapter 130 of an event that occurred before Asuna came to Japan. Little Asuna is tromping through the snow with Takamichi and smiling:
Asuna: Look . . . it's snow.
Takamichi: Yes, it has fallen, hasn't it?
Asuna: . . . What do we do from now on?
Takamichi: We'll be heading to Japan.
Asuna: Japan . . . ? And then . . . what do we do?
Takamichi: We will live in happiness. Princess, forget about everything . . . okay?
The next flashbacks are interspersed between chapters 131 and . . . 14. XD O Akamatsu and your foreshadowing. Neither of these flashbacks come from Asuna herself; they come from Takamichi and Ayaka. They're little snippets of Asuna's progression as a child:
131
We see young Asuna with her hair down looking over her shoulder at Takamichi.
Asuna: Eh . . . present?
[Asuna with the bells in her hair, in her current style]
Asuna: I'm not . . . happy about this or anything.
Takamichi: Okay, okay.
14
Little Asuna stands in front of her first grade class in Japan for the first time. She has the same blank, annoyed look on her face.
Teacher: Okay, class. This is our new student, Kagurazaka Asuna. She transferred here from overseas. So please . . . make her feel welcome.
Ayaka: Wait a minute! You, with the attitude and evil eye! You look pretty cocky for a small-fry transfer student!
Asuna: . . .
Ayaka: Huh?
Asuna: . . .
Ayaka: Huh? What's that you say?
Asuna: I said, "shrimp!"
Ayaka: Wha--? How dare you! You're not a small-fry! You're a brat!
Asuna: . . . ! Who's calling who a small fry?! You idiot!
[they fight]
131
[little Asuna getting dressed for school]
Takamichi: What's this? You sure have been getting all beaten up recently.
Asuna: There's this baka called [Ayaka] who came at me. She really is a baka.
14
Ayaka: My brother's gonna be born really soon. And he's gonna have a great big room! And . . .
Asuna: . . . And . . .
[little Ayaka at the hospital]
Ayaka: What do you mean I can't see him!?
???: . . . I'm very sorry, Ayaka.
[Ayaka cries. Asuna watches from down the hall.]
[Ayaka in her house]
Ayaka: (What a waste of toys. This was supposed to be his room, but . . . )
Asuna: CHEER UP!
[she kicks Ayaka in the face]
Ayaka: Argh! Get back here, you shrimp! I'm gonna get you!!
Asuna: Just follow the sound of my pony-tail bells, demon!
Maid: (At least Ayaka-chan is a little more peppy.)
131
[slightly older Asuna sitting slumped on a table.]
Asuna: Takamichi, smoke some cigarettes. I feel calm that way . . .
Takamichi: Asuna-kun . . . there's this thing called secondhand smoke--it's bad for your body. It's bad for my body, too.
[Asuna and Konoka peering around a corner. Asuna is smiling]
Asuna: Ah . . . long time no see, Takami . . . Takahata-san.
Konoka: Nice to meet you--♥
[Asuna and Konoka in their first year of junior high.]
Takamichi: Oh--the uniform suits you two--Asuna-kun, Konoka-kun.
Asuna: Ah! Good afternoon--Takahata-san. ♥ S-starting today, you'll be our homeroom teacher, right?
[she beams]
Asuna: Starting today, I'll be calling you Takahata-sensei.
. . . Aaaand that's what we know.
So what do we know? XD I wanted to transcribe things to analyze and for future reference. But there are still a lot of holes and a lot of questions. So, here's what we can gather for sure so far.
1. Asuna Wespuri-na Teotanashia Enteofushia was a princess of a small country in the Magical Realm. She was being used for some purpose, most likely to protect her people, at the expense of her own health and probably eventually her life. Her demeanor was blank and emotionless.
2. She was saved by Nagi, Gatou, Eishun and Albireo, and ended up traveling with them. At some point, Takamichi joins them, under the tutelage of Gatou.
3. Asuna slowly begins to come out of her shell and bond with the team. She exhibits high-level powers such as kanka (what Takamichi was trying to learn in the chapter 100 flashback). She becomes attached to Nagi in particular and shows little regard for Gatou or Takamichi. She dislikes cigarettes.
4. Asuna is four or five years old. SOMETHING HAPPENS. Nagi disappears. He is presumed dead, but is not actually dead; Albireo knows this. We're not sure who else knows.
5. Gatou is killed in some sort of skirmish. Asuna has become attached to him in the meantime. Albireo, Eishun, Takamichi, and Asuna all survive. Albireo and Eishun are not present for Gatou's death--presumably they've already fled to Japan (where Eishun has a daughter named Konoka).
6. Takamichi wipes Asuna's memory and brings her to Japan. He also gives her bells to wear in her hair. She is renamed Kagurazaka Asuna. She's enrolled in the first grade at Mahora Academy, run by Konoe Konoemon, father of Eishun and grandfather of Konoka. (Ayaka, Misa, Sakurako, and Madoka are in her class.)
7. Asuna lives with Takamichi for a time and goes to school. She does not appear to be overtly fond of him, but is obviously growing attached. She's irritable and reserved around people. At school, she fights with Ayaka every day, and they build a sort of abusive friendship, at the center of which they really care for one another. Asuna becomes fond of cigarette smoke.
8. Asuna moves away from Takamichi and begins referring to him as a respected elder. She is becoming friendlier and making friends, including Konoka, Eishun's daughter.
9. Asuna enters junior high, where Takamichi has begun teaching. She's fallen in love with him at some point and crushes on him for a year. In her second year of junior high, Negi Springfield--the son of Negi, the Thousand Master--joins the staff of Mahora Gakuen and becomes Asuna's homeroom teacher.
And then the series begins. ;D
Well, that's all of it. Asuna's past, as much as we've seen so far. There are still Big Questions which probably won't be resolved until the series ends (like what happened to the Thousand Master and his pals way back when), and small questions which might never be answered, but we're finally starting to get a sooooort of incomplete picture of wtf happened in her past.
The other issue is how much of this she remembers. As of chapter 169, she remembers that Kagurazaka Asuna is not her real name, but she forgets what her real name is (because it's too long). She remembers Nagi and vaguely remembers the events of the chapter 169 flashback, but only vaguely, and she's not convinced it's not just a normal dream. She does seem to recognize, though, that there's a lot she doesn't remember about her past, and that Albireo and Nagi are involved. The other flashbacks she's forgotten.
hahah o god wryyyyy canon WHY SO CONFUSING and so awesome?
So Negima! 169 came out recently, and there have been certain REVELATIONS and such.
. . . Before all that, this is worth mentioning. Negima!'s on volume 18 now, and the festival arc involving Chao has just ended. After the end of the arc, it was revealed that a new arc is starting. I don't mean like, a mini-arc, like the Festival or Kyoto. (It's a pretty special series when an 8-volume long arc can be called a mini-arc.) I mean like, apparently the entire series up until this point has been the first arc, and now the second arc is about to begin. Wow.
The second arc involves Negi and an as yet unspecified group of his students going to Wales and the Country of Magic in order to find Negi's father and return safely. We know Asuna is going, and I would bet money on Chisame being dragged in somehow. (It's possible the entire class will go--who knows?) This means the kids aren't going to be in school for this period of time. It's a very clear demarcation between "schoolkids in class or on a really long field trip" and "troop of magical warriors and supporters journeying to find a missing relative."
The point being that this means I'm probably going to have to cut off the updating of Asuna and Chisame during summer vacation. In the past, I've sort of been going with just slowly edging up their canon development and awareness as the series progresses. Only once have I had to actually pull some kind of camp stunt for this: when Chisame got her pactio powers. But there's a big difference between ripping someone from, say, April of their school year and then updating them to May and filling in the canon events inbetween . . . and ripping someone from before they leave on a Big Journey and then suddenly updating them to the middle of that journey. For one thing, I'd have to change the circumstances under which they came to camp, which I think is beyond even my powers of retcon. XD
I'll see how the arc actually plays out. Unless Akamatsu really surprises me somehow, Asuna and Chisame will be canon-frozen at some point during the summer holidays in the Negima! manga.
Now on to other affairs! |D
So I've been meaning to do a little write-up on what we know about Asuna's past and childhood. It's not much, but after chapter 169, we have a lot more than we did. It's still full of holes and confusing as fuck, and she doesn't remember it all, or even most of it. But it's interesting. SO here we go!
Chapter 169 starts off pretty confusingly. We're thrown into the middle of a battle that happened in the past, with only a vague idea of who anyone is. The Thousand Master--Nagi's father--and his CREW are flying through the air, headed for a tower. The air is thick with penises mages and bizarre things like flying whales penises and huge, Evangelion-esque humanoid beasts. Something HUGE-ASS is going on, k.
Then we get this dialogue. Translations for these chapters taken from BakaNeko, AquaStar, and Del Rey:
???: E-every bullet from the Spirit of the Dead Cannon is vanishing!
???: The Imperial Princess of Twilight!
Nagi: Imperial Princess of Twilight . . . what the hell is that!?
Albireo: The history and traditions passed down in this small country. It doesn't seem like they're after anything else.
Nagi: But, why the royal family!? Haven't they heard she's just a little girl?
Obviously this whole exchange makes LITTLE SENSE and I suspect it's partially due to the translation. XD; Chizuru, if you know more and wanna help me out--?
But from this we at least know that forces are attacking the royal family of a small country, and so the "World of Magic" appears to be an actual WORLD, rather than just isolated areas of our world which are home to a large mage population.
Then we see the tower. There's a robed man standing inside, next to a magical circle on the ground; in the middle of the magical circle is chained a small girl, her mouth dripping with blood.
Nagi: It's up to that brat to carry everything into place, right? Leave the rest to me!
And then the DRAMATIC REVELATION that he's omg the Thousand Master here to save the day! and also he's a magic school dropout and generally awesome. >D But anyway! Nagi and Albireo et al fight off the attacking--beast-things, much to the amazement of the robed figure. The girl stands in the middle of the circle and stares at Nagi blankly, which catches Nagi's eye:
Nagi: Yo, Jyou-chan, what's your name?
Girl: N . . . ame . . ? Asuna . . . Asuna Wespuri-na Teotanashia Enteofushia.
Nagi: Long, oi. But . . . Asuna is a nice name. All right, wait here Asuna.
--and then she wakes up.
So it seems that Asuna was the princess of a small country in the World of Magic when she was very young--she appears to be, I'm not sure, 3-4 in this flashback--and was being used for some purpose in a war, which would likely have led to her death. As a child, she's very blank-looking and quiet and does not appear to be used to people speaking to her; it's possible she was actually raised to fulfill whatever purpose she was being used for in that circle, but we don't know yet.
Chronologically speaking, the next flashback was given to us ages ago, in chapter 54.
Asuna dreams of waking up before dawn in the desert, in an oasis. She's in a small makeshift camp of some sort, and there's a fire going, and an older man is sitting next to it. Later we'll find out his name is Gatou.
Gatou tells her to wash her face in a small lake nearby, and when she does, she sees her reflection. She appears to be slightly older than in the 169 flashback, but only very slightly. She's certainly cleaner and very slightly more expressive.
At this point Nagi returns to the camp, having caught that morning's breakfast, and greets Asuna as the sun rises. Asuna greets him by name, and then wakes up, having no idea that the dream was a flashback.
We also get a flashback in chapter 100. It's unclear whether this flashback occurs before or after the one in chapter 54, but I'm placing it after, because this is the earliest occurence we have of Takamichi in a flashback, and he's quite young and inexperienced. So either he was asleep during the chapter 54 flashback, or he hadn't joined the group yet. I would say these two flashbacks are interchangeable.
We see Asuna sitting on a dock in some huge, extremely prosperous-looking city. Takamichi and Gatou are nearby.
Gatou: Listen up, all right? Magic power in the left arm--ki in the right arm . . .
Takamichi: Magic power in the left arm . . . ki in the . . . uwa!
Gatou: Wrong, wrong. Listen up, Takamichi, make yourself into nothingness, at that rate, it'll take you five years.
Takamichi: Y . . . yes.
Asuna: . . .
Nagi: Yo~ How's the princess feeling today?
Takamichi: Ah, Nagi-san, everyone, good morning!!
Nagi: Ba~ka, Takamichi, I told you to stop calling me Nagi-san. Just call me Nagi. What are you guys doing?
Takamichi: Ah, um, I was just doing a bit of training with Gatou-san . . .
Asuna: Magic power in the left hand . . . ki in the right hand . . .
[something happens]
Takamichi: Ohh!? . . .
Eishun: Hahaha, you're falling behind, Takamichi-kun.
Nagi: Amazing, awesome, as expected of the princess!
Albireo: She'll make a great follower for mages in the future at this rate.
Gatou: Hahaha, little girl, want to become my partner?
[she shakes her head]
Gatou: Hmm?
Asuna: . . . I want Nagi.
Gatou: Keh . . .
Nagi: Oh . . . ?
[commotion]
???: Hehehe . . .
???: Nice, nice, after all, Asuna isn't in diapers anymore.
???: Why the hell are you always that popular with everyone!?--
Asuna: I don't wear diapers . . .
Gatou: Then, this old man is no good after all?
Takamichi: Asuna-chan hates cigarettes, Master.
We get another flashback about this theme in chapter 172. I don't have an exact translation yet, because this chapter just came out a few days ago, but Misa-mun can read the raw lolz, and this is what he had to say:
Like basically in the 172 flashback it's Takamichi asking Asuna if she can teach him any tricks on how to do kanka and she's like "it's easy, you just have to discard your 'self,' make yourself nothing"
"Since I had nothing to start with it's simple"
The next flashback (chronologically) occurs in chapter 102. Asuna is fighting Setsuna in the tournament, and Albireo induces a flashback in her from the sidelines.
We see a forest of some sort. Asuna and Takamichi are standing there, while Gatou is slumped against a huge tree, bleeding from the mouth.
Gatou: Yo, Takamichi. Can you give me a light? This is . . . my last smoke.
[lights cigarette]
Gatou: Ah--sweet. Now, go on. I'll manage here somehow. . . . What's that, young lady? Are you crying? Showing your tears . . . that's a first. Hehe . . . I'm happy.
Takamichi: Master . . .
Gatou: Takamichi . . . about her memories, erase the part about me . . . will ya?
Takamichi: Wha . . . what are you talking about, Master!?
Gatou: She won't be needing it from now on.
Asuna: No . . . Nagi is gone . . . now Ojiisan too . . . no . . . u . . .
Gatou: Live a happy life, young lady. You have that right.
Asuna: No . . . you can't, Gatou-san! I don't want you to die . . . !!
After this flashback, Asuna goes berseker, brings out her sword, eventually passes out, and forgets everything when she wakes up, although she knows she's forgetting something important and sad.
We get a quick glimpse in chapter 130 of an event that occurred before Asuna came to Japan. Little Asuna is tromping through the snow with Takamichi and smiling:
Asuna: Look . . . it's snow.
Takamichi: Yes, it has fallen, hasn't it?
Asuna: . . . What do we do from now on?
Takamichi: We'll be heading to Japan.
Asuna: Japan . . . ? And then . . . what do we do?
Takamichi: We will live in happiness. Princess, forget about everything . . . okay?
The next flashbacks are interspersed between chapters 131 and . . . 14. XD O Akamatsu and your foreshadowing. Neither of these flashbacks come from Asuna herself; they come from Takamichi and Ayaka. They're little snippets of Asuna's progression as a child:
131
We see young Asuna with her hair down looking over her shoulder at Takamichi.
Asuna: Eh . . . present?
[Asuna with the bells in her hair, in her current style]
Asuna: I'm not . . . happy about this or anything.
Takamichi: Okay, okay.
14
Little Asuna stands in front of her first grade class in Japan for the first time. She has the same blank, annoyed look on her face.
Teacher: Okay, class. This is our new student, Kagurazaka Asuna. She transferred here from overseas. So please . . . make her feel welcome.
Ayaka: Wait a minute! You, with the attitude and evil eye! You look pretty cocky for a small-fry transfer student!
Asuna: . . .
Ayaka: Huh?
Asuna: . . .
Ayaka: Huh? What's that you say?
Asuna: I said, "shrimp!"
Ayaka: Wha--? How dare you! You're not a small-fry! You're a brat!
Asuna: . . . ! Who's calling who a small fry?! You idiot!
[they fight]
131
[little Asuna getting dressed for school]
Takamichi: What's this? You sure have been getting all beaten up recently.
Asuna: There's this baka called [Ayaka] who came at me. She really is a baka.
14
Ayaka: My brother's gonna be born really soon. And he's gonna have a great big room! And . . .
Asuna: . . . And . . .
[little Ayaka at the hospital]
Ayaka: What do you mean I can't see him!?
???: . . . I'm very sorry, Ayaka.
[Ayaka cries. Asuna watches from down the hall.]
[Ayaka in her house]
Ayaka: (What a waste of toys. This was supposed to be his room, but . . . )
Asuna: CHEER UP!
[she kicks Ayaka in the face]
Ayaka: Argh! Get back here, you shrimp! I'm gonna get you!!
Asuna: Just follow the sound of my pony-tail bells, demon!
Maid: (At least Ayaka-chan is a little more peppy.)
131
[slightly older Asuna sitting slumped on a table.]
Asuna: Takamichi, smoke some cigarettes. I feel calm that way . . .
Takamichi: Asuna-kun . . . there's this thing called secondhand smoke--it's bad for your body. It's bad for my body, too.
[Asuna and Konoka peering around a corner. Asuna is smiling]
Asuna: Ah . . . long time no see, Takami . . . Takahata-san.
Konoka: Nice to meet you--♥
[Asuna and Konoka in their first year of junior high.]
Takamichi: Oh--the uniform suits you two--Asuna-kun, Konoka-kun.
Asuna: Ah! Good afternoon--Takahata-san. ♥ S-starting today, you'll be our homeroom teacher, right?
[she beams]
Asuna: Starting today, I'll be calling you Takahata-sensei.
. . . Aaaand that's what we know.
So what do we know? XD I wanted to transcribe things to analyze and for future reference. But there are still a lot of holes and a lot of questions. So, here's what we can gather for sure so far.
1. Asuna Wespuri-na Teotanashia Enteofushia was a princess of a small country in the Magical Realm. She was being used for some purpose, most likely to protect her people, at the expense of her own health and probably eventually her life. Her demeanor was blank and emotionless.
2. She was saved by Nagi, Gatou, Eishun and Albireo, and ended up traveling with them. At some point, Takamichi joins them, under the tutelage of Gatou.
3. Asuna slowly begins to come out of her shell and bond with the team. She exhibits high-level powers such as kanka (what Takamichi was trying to learn in the chapter 100 flashback). She becomes attached to Nagi in particular and shows little regard for Gatou or Takamichi. She dislikes cigarettes.
4. Asuna is four or five years old. SOMETHING HAPPENS. Nagi disappears. He is presumed dead, but is not actually dead; Albireo knows this. We're not sure who else knows.
5. Gatou is killed in some sort of skirmish. Asuna has become attached to him in the meantime. Albireo, Eishun, Takamichi, and Asuna all survive. Albireo and Eishun are not present for Gatou's death--presumably they've already fled to Japan (where Eishun has a daughter named Konoka).
6. Takamichi wipes Asuna's memory and brings her to Japan. He also gives her bells to wear in her hair. She is renamed Kagurazaka Asuna. She's enrolled in the first grade at Mahora Academy, run by Konoe Konoemon, father of Eishun and grandfather of Konoka. (Ayaka, Misa, Sakurako, and Madoka are in her class.)
7. Asuna lives with Takamichi for a time and goes to school. She does not appear to be overtly fond of him, but is obviously growing attached. She's irritable and reserved around people. At school, she fights with Ayaka every day, and they build a sort of abusive friendship, at the center of which they really care for one another. Asuna becomes fond of cigarette smoke.
8. Asuna moves away from Takamichi and begins referring to him as a respected elder. She is becoming friendlier and making friends, including Konoka, Eishun's daughter.
9. Asuna enters junior high, where Takamichi has begun teaching. She's fallen in love with him at some point and crushes on him for a year. In her second year of junior high, Negi Springfield--the son of Negi, the Thousand Master--joins the staff of Mahora Gakuen and becomes Asuna's homeroom teacher.
And then the series begins. ;D
Well, that's all of it. Asuna's past, as much as we've seen so far. There are still Big Questions which probably won't be resolved until the series ends (like what happened to the Thousand Master and his pals way back when), and small questions which might never be answered, but we're finally starting to get a sooooort of incomplete picture of wtf happened in her past.
The other issue is how much of this she remembers. As of chapter 169, she remembers that Kagurazaka Asuna is not her real name, but she forgets what her real name is (because it's too long). She remembers Nagi and vaguely remembers the events of the chapter 169 flashback, but only vaguely, and she's not convinced it's not just a normal dream. She does seem to recognize, though, that there's a lot she doesn't remember about her past, and that Albireo and Nagi are involved. The other flashbacks she's forgotten.
hahah o god wryyyyy canon WHY SO CONFUSING and so awesome?