Konoka Konoe

Infobox animanga character
color = brown
color text = white
name = Konoka Konoe
series = Negima! Magister Negi Magi


caption = Konoka as depicted in the manga
first =
last =
creator = Ken Akamatsu
voiced by = Ai Nonaka (Japanese)
Monica Rial (English)
oaux1 = Hiroko Matsunaga
oaux1 name = Portrayed by
alias = Ojou-sama, Dean's grand-daughter, Kono-chan
age = 13/14
species = Mage
gender = Female
born = birth date|1989|3|18|mf=y
relatives = Eishun Konoe (father)
Kokoemon Konoe (maternal grandfather)
paux1 = 152cm (5')
paux1 name = Height
paux3 = AB
paux3 name = Blood type
paux2 = 73cm - 54cm - 76cm
(29" - 21" - 30")
paux2 name = Measurements
paux4 = Brown
paux4 name = Hair color
paux5 = Brown
paux5 name = Eye color
divider = Class information
aux1 = 2/3-A
aux1 name = Class section
aux2 = 13
aux2 name = Class student number
aux3 = Kū Fei
aux3 name = Preceded by
aux4 = Haruna Saotome
aux4 name = Followed by
aux5 = 9th (Point Total: 40)
aux5 name = Negi Love Rankingnihongo|Konoka Konoe|近衛 木乃香|Konoe Konoka, is a fictional character from the manga series "", created by Ken Akamatsu. The 13th student in Japanese alphabetical order of class 2/3-A, she is the cheerful, helpful and slightly naive roommate of Asuna Kagurazaka (and likewise her teacher Negi Springfield). From birth, Konoka was tied to several powerful magical organizations (her father is the chief of the Kansai magic association and was a member of Nagi Springfield's "Crimson Wings", her grandfather is the dean of Mahora Academy), yet she was sent away kept in the dark about her heritage of magic. Only after a trip to her home in Kyoto does Konoka finally discover the power locked away and allies with Negi in order to release it to her fullest potential. She is also extremely notable for a close relationship with her classmate/guardian Setsuna Sakurazaki.

Background and Personality

Konoka is a cheerful and caring girl who lives with Asuna Kagurazaka and Negi Springfield. If anything, she is the mediator of the group, being both Asuna's best friend and Negi's biggest supporter. She appears to be the "mother" of the trio in the living facility, choosing to help, cook and look after Negi while putting up with the harsh comments Asuna made towards the child teacher. Yet even with her slightly oblivious mind, Konoka is one of the smarter students in the class (compared to her "Baka Ranger" roommate) though she doesn't choose to show it like other book-smart students outside an occasional membership in the "Library Exploration Club" with Nodoka, Yue & Haruna. A fan of fortune-telling, she has tremendous magical potential, having come from a family of powerful mages. Her father, Eishun Konoe, is the chief of the Kansai Magic Association, who married her mother, the school headmaster's daughter, in an arranged marriage in order to ease tension between the Kansai and Kantō (where Mahora Academy is located) Magic Associations. Her grandfather, Konoemon Konoe, is the dean of Mahora Academy and also knows of the potential of Konoka, both as a bride and as a mage. Occasionally, he attempts to try to broker a powerful marriage between Konoka and a male mage as an "omiai" (Japanese arranged marriage) for her. Konoka usually just bears through her grandfather's good intentions and tries to just pass it along as best as she can.

Outside Negi and Asuna, Konoka's closest relationship at Mahora Academy is with her classmate and guardian Setsuna Sakurazaki. Ever since childhood in Kyoto, the two had a close friendship, playing and protecting one another from their difficulties. One day, Setsuna failed to save Konoka from falling into a local stream. Blaming herself for the accident, she chose to avoid her friend at all cost. Even at Mahora, she still felt guilt ridden of previous associations and continued to remain distant, despite her friend wanting to restore their previous relationship. After the incident at the Kyoto trip, Setsuna's distancing ended; and the two became close friends once again. At the same time, Setsuna avoided any further feelings, associated with the various arranged marriages Konoka tried desperately to avoid.

She is a member of the Konoe family of the Fujiwara clan, the source for all imperial brides from the 8th through 19th centuries. Konoka was not informed by her father of her magical potential or of her family's mystic history, as he wanted her to live a normal life. Before learning of Negi's magical background, she was very interested (and still is) in fortune-telling and anything pertaining to the occult. She is the President of Mahora's Fortune-Telling Club.

Character Design

From the beginning of the development of the "Negima" series, Ken Akamatsu understood the need to create a sidekick character in the class alongside female lead Asuna Kagurazaka. Though attempting through several other characters and designs, the character that is Konoka was developed as the exact opposite of Asuna in many different means. As Asuna was a combative, tomboy female without any nurturing nature and a forgotten past, Konoka was created as the caring, motherly female of the duo, immediately connected to the magical world yet hidden away from her by her family for her own safety. With Negi being forced to live with the duo from the beginning, Konoka's character is used as the motherly, assisting female to make up for the deficiencies held by Asuna.

Because of her magical background and her place connected with both Negi's stay and to the group his father formerly lead, Konoka eventually finds her way into the story as the "healer" of his own developing group. Although remaining oblivious and cheerful with her new position in the story, she is forced with greater responsibilities with her own awakening magical potential. Similarly planned and explored is her relation with Setsuna, established even before their part in the story as the only two members of the class from Kyoto and thus drawing on each other for the character development as master and guardian. Yet even with the growing threat and troubles, Konoka remains with her sweet, happy-go-lucky personality who believes everything will be all right in the end.

Part in the Story

Konoka was one of the first students Negi encountered (along with Asuna) from the moment he arrived at Mahora Academy. However compared to Asuna, Konoka took the idea of having a child teacher much better and did her part in helping him get accustomed to life at his new school. Early on, Konoka did not interact as much with Negi compared to Asuna and several others. Her most significant contributions included assisting the Library Exploration Club (along with Yue) in search of a book to help the Baka Rangers pass their final and speaking with Negi and doing fortune telling for him after another one of her omiai meetings (coincidentally taking place at a moment when everyone though Negi was talked about "getting married" as he begins talking of getting a magical partner).

After his encounters with Evangeline, Negi gets a clue on the search of his father in Kyoto. Yet from his word of going to Kyoto, he also learned of Konoka's association with the Kansai Magic Association and is asked to protect her on their journey there. Yet for Chamo, Negi's perverted ermine partner, he saw this as a chance to make Konoka become a Pactio partner and get more "Ermine Dollars" in the process. Seducing Konoka with the Pactio already made with Asuna, she finally attempted to kiss Negi on the cheek...leading to a Botched Card and caused the magic in her blood to awaken. Negi and Konoka further bonded prior to Kyoto on a shopping trip for Asuna, but this is nearly ruined by the influence of the 3-A cheerleaders (under Ayaka's command).

Once in Kyoto, Konoka finds herself a massive target for several supernatural warriors, hoping to use her for their own devices. With her in danger, Negi, along with Asuna and Setsuna, are forced to fight back against the invaders while protecting Konoka from capture. However, one of these encounters forces the Kyoto-raised girl to release her dormant magical abilities unexpectedly to save Setsuna from a possibly disabling attack. With Konoka's powers finally revealed, the evil mages take her captive and use her to awaken a powerful demon, forcing Negi's squadron to come to her rescue and even forcing Evangeline to come to Kyoto to stop the menace. Ultimately, at the end of the battle, Konoka herself becomes a hero by kissing Negi directly on the lips, using her dormant healing skills to save Negi from petrification and likewise making her become Negi's fourth Pactio partner.

Konoka's magic ability first manifested on the tip of her finger during a shopping trip with Negi, and was briefly released when she healed Setsuna's arrow wound during a fight in Kyoto. When Negi was caught in the effect of a petrification spell, Konoka formed a full temporary pactio with him in order to reverse the petrification. The pactio process had also reversed the petrification spell on those affected at her home at the same time. Her artifact is an Onmyouji's outfit with fans that allow her to heal any injury within three minutes. She is beginning to learn magic from Negi and Evangeline, and is able to cast a few simple spells like Yue. She has strong affection for Setsuna, and this often makes their friendship seem more akin to a romantic relationship (although this mostly is from Setsuna's side, as Konoka has admitted in Volume 2 that she isn't ready for any serious relationship with anybody), and has occasionally shown interest in Negi Springfield (especially when he was magically altered by the Age-Deceiving Pills). She is sometimes shown in the manga dressed similar to white mages from the "Final Fantasy" series.

During the Wilhelm incident, Konoka was one of many girls who were initially kidnapped by Wilhelm and the Slime sisters, only for them to escape and assist Negi in the battle, with her rescuing Setsuna from the watery cell that she was being held in.

During the Mahora Festival, she along with Negi and some of the other girls had become trapped in the future where Chao had succeeded in revealing magic to the world. After a series of battles and narrow escapes, the group had returned to the past to stop Chao's plan. During the "Mage vs. Martian" battle, she worked in the infirmary, using her powers openly to heal those who manage to get injured in the mostly bloodless fighting.

Recently, she and Setsuna were invited to join Negi in his trip to Wales. She and Setsuna were practicing magic in Eva's resort, in which Konoka reveals a variation of her Pactio Healing outfit. She is also showing promise during a telekinesis exercise when she starts knocking down targets with psychic waves with relative ease. She is also a target for the Badge Collection game, but Yuna and other Athletic club members consider her as difficult with Setsuna always protecting her. Her badge is never targeted.

At present, she and the rest of the White Wing are enjoying the hospitality of Nekane's home and touring Negi's hometown. After seeing the petrified statues of the victims of Negi's village, Konoka becomes even more determined to master healing magic. Currently, she and the rest of the White Wing club had just passed through the portal into the Magic World. Konoka is ecstatic at the prospect of seeing fairies and other mystical creatures and places, though her mood immediately changes to extreme horror when Negi is severely injured by Fate and her Pactio Card sealed away, thereby preventing her from using her healing ability. However, as Asuna releases the White Wing's weapons and magical artifacts from their container, Konoka was able to heal Negi in time. However even with Negi back in the fight he could not stop Fate from destroying the magical gateway. This is turn caused a massive explosion of displacement magic that scattered Konoka and the rest of the White Wing members across the magical world. She has been journeying with Kaede, helping her out as a bounty hunter, and has recently been reunited with Asuna and Setsuna. Currently, the group have made their way to the festival and fighting tournament at Ostia. Despite being warned to keep a low profile due to the bounties on their heads, Konoka becomes excited at the various sights and events at the festival.

She then with everyone else goes to rescue Nodoka from the "Black Hounds", though she herself didn't play a part in the short-lived battle. Currently, she is back in Ostia, with her, Raken, and Chamo being confronted by two of Fate's Ministra Magi.

Abilities

*Pactio: Flabellum Euri and Flabellum Australe: The entire outfit she wears on her card, including the fans, is her artifact, in which has been revealed to heal any injuries as long they had occurred within 3 minutes. She has also been training herself with simple incantations to heal minor scrapes and cuts. In chapter 150, Konoka heals a boy's knee with just her practice wand. While training in Evangeline's resort for the trip to Magic Country, Konoka's Pactio outfit changed to the nurse's outfit that she wore during Day 3 of the Mahora Festival, although the fans are still part of the attire. However, she returns to using the original outfit by the time Negi and his crew arrive in Magic Country. When used at its full power (such as using it to save Negi's life after being impaled by Fate) her soul literally leaves her body thereby releasing her full magical powers and she is able to use them to save a life from the brink of death. However this process leaves her severely drained and she isn't able to use her healing abilities for a period of time afterward. Furthermore, it appears that there are also side-effects if too much magic is put into the effect. The patient becomes prone to becoming sick afterwards due to the overflow of magical power. After being healed of a fatal wound, Negi gets a high fever when searching for the scattered members of the White Wing. Currently, her Pactio ability is powerful enough to heal a dragon, though she stated she can only use it once a day.
*Magical Abilities: With Konoka now aware of her magical abilities, she has begun to undergo magic training so that she can utilize her full magic potential and be able to heal others without needing to rely on her Pactio item. So far, she has shown some proficiency in using practice spells and minor healing incantations as well as showing some talent using telekinesis. In chapter 224, she has been shown to use magic arrows against Fate's Ministra Magi.
*Fortune Telling: Though she is President of the Fortune Telling Club and does have the magical potential (she is currently training to be an onmyouji), she has yet to display any signs of actual precognition. Most of her predictions are done as jokes (such as telling Asuna how to win Takahata, and predicting Negi's partner).

Konoka in other Media

Mahō Sensei Negima (1st Series)

It was mentioned in the anime series that Konoka's powers are comparable to those of the Thousand Master, while in the manga, it said that she has the magic potential to even surpass that of the Thousand Master's. She potentially has enough power that she can heal those who were petrified by the high-class demon Graf Hermann during his attack on the village where Negi and Nekane grew up.

Negima!?

Although she remains the granddaugther of the Mahora dean, Konoka's magic and potential is not as emphasized. Instead, the second anime focuses more on her airheaded personality and her shoujo-ai relationship with Setsuna. In many scenes, Konoka appears to be more forward towards Setsuna, who ends up taking her comments or ideas to a different perspective, yet Konoka appears more oblivious towards the feelings.

Although she is a major member of Negi's team and an early Pactio in this series (she becomes the third Pactio), none of her abilities are connected in any way to her massive healing potential like in the manga or the first anime. Her Armor card involves a set of I Ching sticks (used for fortune telling) which she can manipulate like a whipKonoka's Armor and Cosplay Pactios, which both have her in traditional Japanese garb, are somehow rather related to her roots in Kyoto.] , her Cosplay card lets her manipulate water with paper fansKonoka's Armor and Cosplay Pactios, which both have her in traditional Japanese garb, are somehow related to her roots in Kyoto.] , and her Suka card turns her into a koala.

During the tug-of-war between Asuna and Ayaka using clothespins, Konoka is the one who reminds Negi of Ayaka and Asuna's relationship, implying that she is in the same class as the two since grade school. [Interestingly in episode XV of the first series, Sakurako does the same thing while Asuna and Ayaka are having a brawl. In the manga, the memories of Asuna and Ayaka's friendship are implied to the reader (though Sakurako is still implied as in the same grade school class in all versions).]

During a number of scenes in the anime series, Konoka is drawn with a facial expression that resembles Ichijo from "Pani Poni Dash!", which is one of numerous parodies in "Negima!?" as "Pani Poni Dash" was also produced by Shaft under director Akiyuki Shinbo and both characters were voiced by Ai Nonaka.

Footnotes