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Concisely, as a very big fan of Sci-Fi literature and movies in general, I was pleasantly surprised by this anime. As other reviewers has mentioned, I think it shows a very deep and detailed sense of worldbuilding, showcasing a realistic (read: believable) depiction of the near future of space travel. Especially in its depictions of engineering and local networking, it shows both creativity and adherence to previous works in the genre. It also touches upon some space-related philosophical dilemmas including transhumanism and humanity's perilous relationship with artificial intelligence.

If there's anywhere this anime falls short it would probably be in the characters department. This is above ... all a story driven through its setting, every plot element occurs simply to lead us to a new place in the space station, meaning there is little room for meaningful and diverse character interactions. As such, most of the characters can mostly be described as mostly straightforward archetypes, with some interesting spins such as a social media-obsessed skytuber. Another downside in the otherwise detailed worldbuilding is the comparably simplistic depiction of hacking. I also think some of the scifi concepts might be confusing to viewers not familiar with the genre (or subjects such as P2P networks), as some concepts are only briefly explained in passing or lampshaded. Still, for anime fans who are interested in scifi or space in general, I think this ONA will prove a worthwhile watch. It's nothing mindblowing, but the creator's love clearly shines through.

I... actually genuinely don't know what to do with this feeling... I have read Negima 3 times now from start to finish, and every time I end up feeling intensely empty inside. It feels like there has been a great party going on in my head, with tons of interesting people, and then all of a sudden it's just gone. Poof. Over.

So what makes this manga so incredibly great?

Well, first of all I suppose I should say that this is not a manga for anyone. It contains fanservice, and lots of it. It contains asspulling and occasional plotholes. It contains convenient story-telling and deus ex ... machina. As an aspiring story-teller myself, it just so happens that these are some story features that I intensely dislike, and try to avoid.

So what makes Negima different?

The answer: It is done well.
And even more than that: It is done with full awareness of what is happening. Never have I ever, ever, ever read a work of any kind where the author has been so intensely, constantly, ridiculously aware of every single trope that you can pull out of a hat. Overall, Negima is very tropey (it feels much like Ken Akamatsu is the embodiment of TV Tropes) and this quickly becomes its strength. Every time that something absolutely silly and unrealistic happens, you can expect a character to point it out. Every time that there is a plot hole or a instance of deus ex machina, this will happen. Moreover, since this is such a common thing, it does not feel out of place and contributes to a great deal of the humor of the series. As someone who loves analyzing story archetypes and clichés, Ken Akamatsu is someone I view as an ABSOLUTE GENIUS.

So, if you can get past this initial barrier, you will find a story that seemingly has it all. Negima is of course, like a number of other famous shonen manga (like Reborn, for example), known for its complete switch in tone. Unlike in many other manga, this switch is hinted at rather early, however. Someone who is familiar with Ken Akamatsu's previous works will quickly see that there is someone big in the works from only the first volume. The magic system, the Mahora Academy layout, the hints at future events all points to that the beginning is only a setup for the mangaka to be able to pull out all the stops. And once the ball gets rolling...

I will now briefly try to address what I, personally, think makes Negima great manga.

Worldbuilding: This is something that seems to be Akamatsu's secret pleasure. Throughout the course of Negima, we are introduced not only to one, but two, elaborate settings (Mahora Academy and the Magic World). Akamatsu shines with his superior research in many fields ranging from astronomy to religion to Chinese martial arts. The magic and fighting system is well-developed and makes sense, but is also structured in such a way that new elements can be seamlessly introduced without seeming like asspulls. The great variety of skills also allows for a combat balance that does not feel overly reliant on "power levels." As such, you can often see "weaker" opponents defeating those considered stronger with superior intellect or precise use of skills.
The worlds that Akamatsu show us are not detailed and imaginative, they also extend far beyond the frames of the story. During the Mahora School Festival, we're shown brief glimpses of student-driven (!) clubs related to Aviation and Military Research. The Technology Club for some reasons is running around in mechs (which is of course lampshaded by the characters). The Magic World comes with an immense world map and a history which the reader is only allowed to dip their toes into during the course of the story. All of this contributes to a genuinely engaging worldbuilding experience. We, as the reader, is constantly shown what we can expect to be surprised by next, while at the same time being assured that whatever shows up will be adequately explained to us.

Characters: The cast is an absolute hoot, and only the 3-A class list has probably driven away its fair share of readers. How could an author possibly expect to introduce 30 different characters at once and then do them all justice by outlining their personalities to the reader? How can the reader ever be expected to remember these characters? Well, it turns out that for Akamatsu, no cast-related task is too tall because he pulls it off with flying colors.
By the end of the story, each of the 3-A girls has not only been featured and had their own personal characterization, but they've also each been given the individual spotlight a number of times (although in the case of some of the girls; they might wish to have had more screentime). The girls easily become distinguishable once you get to know them, which is something that also becomes easier with time as the artstyle is refined. And boy are they a rambunctious bunch of students. Their collective personalities are so varied and yet so perfectly compatible that there will always be at least a dozen that the reader will develop a soft spot for.
Did I mention that there are veritable s***-tons of characters besides Class 3-A?

Level of detail: This point is probably not something for the average reader. It's probably something that hits the spot between people who like shounen manga and the ASOIAF novels by GRRM. There is always something new to notice in Negima, and rushing through it will just not do. Everything from the fight choreography to lore to magic system is something that only improves with overanalyzing (which in the case of Negima might not be possible). The dialogue is littered with tiny out-of-speech-bubble lines that give further character to the cast or make you roll with laughter. And there are tons of other details that you're gonna miss.
I only realized during the second time I read Negima that Sakurako is meant to be some sort of ridiculous god-of-luck, who constantly makes bets on the most outrageous scenarios throughout the story and always comes out on top.
It took me until the third time to notice the budding and slowly progressing friendship between Chachazero and Chamo (something I only noticed thanks to UQ Holder).
In conclusion if you're a reader that likes taking it slow (or rereading) and noticing the small stuff, then Negima is the series for you.

It's hilarious: This is very much my personal opinion, and while I wouldn't claim that Negima is the funniest manga that exists (it isn't), there are still scores of moments that had me nearly cry with laughter.

It's a bundle of emotions: I've already told you that Negima is hilarious. What if I told it was also heartfelt, tragic, nostalgic and surprisingly immersive at times? What do I mean by immersive? Well, for instance, when the girls put a "serious" battle plan for how to deal with the upcoming situation, you as the reader is instantly pulled into a preparational mood. When the girls decide to host a farewell party for a certain character, you instantly get pulled into the cheerful mood.
As an overall conclusion to this section I would say this: Ken Akamatsu is extremey good at evoking the reader's empathy. Kind of similar to how some TV shows love edited laughter to give you someone to laugh with; the reader will get constantly pulled into the mood of Negima.

In the end: This is nothing more than some sort of bandaid on my conflicted emotions after finishing Negima for the third time. There are few manga that have left me so catatonic after finishing them. All I can think of is that I want more. More cheery parties. More interaction between the characters.
What do I think of the fanservice? To be honest I tend to tolerate it at best (it really does nothing FOR me), but it has also set up some of the best gags I have ever seen.

At least there is UQ Holder to somewhat keep me going. But I know I'll be back reading Negima in a few years again. And I know that this intense bittersweet feeling will once again be back.

There truly is no work like Negima.