Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T – 25 (Fin) – Another Lovely Day in Academy City

Last week ended with Mikoto firing and Doppelganger seemingly fading into white, but the Railgun missed on purpose. Mikoto wanted to give Doppel a chance to stop fighting, shed all the slime mold, and live a normal life as she is. But ultimately Doppel doesn’t want to go on living.

Her threats were just a smokescreen for her true objective. She never actually gained a soul, which makes her continued existence a torment. By destroying herself she’ll end that torment, and by destroying the dataship and killing Kuriba, she’ll prevent another her from being created.

The dataship crashes and much of Doppel’s body blasted away, but Mikoto doesn’t kill her, and Kuriba survives. The chief doesn’t believe Doppel has no soul and even pulls a gun on Kuriba, resulting in her accidentally getting shot in the gut. The chief flees, but Misaki tracks him down and “rewinds” his memories so he’ll start over from “behind square one”.

Thanks to Shirai arriving at the scene, Kuriba is poised to make a full recovery, while Doppel was allowed to die with dignity. The next day is bright and sunny and Mikoto enjoys a nice coffee al fresco with Kuroko, who can’t help but ask for a kiss in return for her help. Kuroko, in turn, is teased by Misaki, and when Saten and Uiharu show up, they are in awe of the “Queen” and Hokaze Junko.

We cut to a parting scene with the Scavengers, who learn that due to their client’s bankruptcy they won’t be paid for their work. Leader once again proves her title is well-earned by fighting to get her team’s levels increased as consolation for the cash falling through, while it’s ambiguously revealed when Naru strips him down that Seike is a boy, or the “blue” ranger of their group.

More season housekeeping ensues, including the triumphant return of a fully-recovered Kongou Mitsuko (how I’ve missed her) finally getting to (accidentally) meet Mikoto’s “sister”, whom she nicknames “Ii-chan” (after “1”0032). We also see Misaki with Mitori and Dolly, and they agree to take things slow in terms of loosening their dear friend’s training wheels of normal life.

As Kuriba convalesces in hospital, she has a dream with Doppel, who notes that her creator has always been unable to separate her research and objectives from the rest of her life. To that end, she offers Kuriba a list of issues with her present cyborg designs that she should iron out. When she wakes up, Kuriba thought at first it was her guilt causing the dreams, but admits the possibility of a part of Doppel (beyond the organs used to save her) lives on in Kuriba.

Mikoto then departs the hospital with her schoolbag behind shoulder, and back out into the lovely sunny day in Academy City. Kuroko, Saten and Uiharu are waiting up for her, eager to go someplace good to eat. Mikoto doesn’t care where, as long as they’re together.

With that, Railgun T (as in “T”hird…I can’t believe I never realized that before) comes to a pleasant and satisfying end. Well, satisfying in that everything was resolved nicely, but to be honest I’d much rather watch a fourth Railgun than a fourth Index or second Accelerator. I’m among those who watched the first Railgun prior to watching the first Index, and while Index is regarded as the flagship series, Railgun has been and always will be my number one.

Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T – 03 – In Borrowed Clothes

Railgun T has done a great job so far putting a fun esper-y twist on the classic sports festival formula. Like the three-legged race last week, the balloon hunt is made more creative and exciting with the use of abilities. Adding MISAKA 10032 while Misaka Prime takes a rest takes things up a notch.

MISAKA is never not fun to watch as she calmly assesses her environment dodges attackers and adds notches to her belt. Unfortunately the rest of the Tokiawadai team is so confident of victory they don’t bother with any real teamwork and are undone by the scrappy underdogs’ simple tactics.

That said, Kongo’s melodramatic “death scene” was so worth it, and I liked the idea of Tokiwadai’s adult leaders being glad their pompous rich girl students are having their asses handed to them. They intend punish them with extra dorm chores, and hopefully the sting of the loss will make them rethink their strategy next time they face a seemingly easy opponent.

Speaking of stings, MISAKA probably only loses because Baba-kun (the other team’s leader who had intel on all the Tokiwadai students) uses the balloon hunting fracas as a distraction so he could sting her with a tiny robotic bug. When MISAKA meets with Misaka later, the real deal tells her there’s no reason to hang her head as long as she had fun.

This week marks the first Kamijou Touma cameo, as he runs into Misaka quite by chance as she’s in line for drinks. Misaka is uncharacteristically civil with him as he offers to grab drinks for her, but things take a turn when Misaki spots her with him, is momentarily embarrassed, and takes Misaka’s arm like they’re BFFs.

The last straw is when Misaki, seeking to insert herself into their relationship, gloms onto an unwitting Touma, and her much larger breasts press against him, leading Biribiri to shock him—and for him to cancel said shock with his Imagine Breaker, which sports yet another new sound effect.

As packed as this episode was with Misaka, MISAKA, Touma, and the Balloon Hunt, the show doesn’t forget to check in on the rest of the central quartet. Whether it’s Shirai not losing a step with her Judgment duties (thanks to her teleportation) or Uiharu agreeing to help Ruiko locate “Shadow Metal” for the thrill of it, it’s just great to see these characters back in action and in the spotlight.

If all the preceding events make it sound like a lightweight episode, the episode’s conclusion certainly changed that perception, as the effects of the robo-bug hit MISAKA when she’s alone and isolated (aside from her cat) while Misaki and a suited fellow move in to apprehend her.

Earlier, Misaki was watching a big screen and I could have sworn she could tell the real Misaka wasn’t participating in the balloon hunt. She also mentions how her Mental Out ability is another tool she can use to prove someone’s identity.

Either she’s still fooled into thinking MISAKA is Misaka despite all that, or she’s going to use MISAKA as bait to nab the genuine article. Either way, Misaka’s troubles are about to outstrip Misaki glomming on her guy…

Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T – 02 – The Esperlympics Commence

A Steering Committee member had a bad feeling about the Level 5s they chose to deliver the Athlete’s Pledge, and with good reason: Gunha Sogiita is a classic loose cannon, not only forgetting have the pledge and replacing it with various platitudes about GUTS, but upstages Misaki Shokuhou (who hilariously customizes her gym uniform with gloves and stockings) by unleashing an unplanned multicolored smoke explosion.

It’s probably for the best that Misaka wasn’t the one to stand with Sogiita, especially as she’s entered into one of the first events of the Daihesai: a three-legged race where her primary electrical powers are prohibited. Depsite the handicap, she and the always wonderfully haughty Kongo Mitsuko manage to counter all of the rival schools’ espers’ tricks and win.

Misaka’s friends watch it all on one of the city’s many large public TV screens; Kuroko in particular is very proud of her Sissy. Afterwards she heads off for Judgment patrol, and Ruiko comes across a woman in a tracksuit fumbling with her smartphone. This turns out to be the Aztecan Xochitl, member of MEMBER, one of the groups we saw in Index III who is clearly up to no good.

After winning her first race and encountering her Mama (whom her friends insist is only 20 years old), Misaka heads home to change out of her dirty uniform, but in the process both Awatsuki and Wannai mistake MISAKA 10032 for the real deal, and prep her for the next competition.

MISAKA had been milling around talking to her cat and lamenting her inability to participate, but fate has smiled on her today, because the real Misaka keeps out of sight. This also means MEMBER will be attacking the wrong Misaka when they inevitably make their move. This festival is off to an interesting start!

Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T – 01 (First Impressions) – Back in the Game

Ever since erroneously watching the first season of Railgun before Index, I’ve always preferred Railgun and its focus on the quartet of Misaka Mikoto, Shirai Kuroko, Saten Ruiko, and Uiharu Kazari. After seven years, it finally gets a third season, and its first episode eases us back into the semi-Utopian Academy City, which is presently preparing for the Daihesai inter-school sports festival.

We check in with all seven Level 5 Espers dwelling in Academy City as the Daihesai steering committee seeks at least two of them to take the “Athlete’s Pledge.” The Top Four we know: Accelerator, Kakine Teitoku, Biribiri, and Mugino Shizuri. Newly brought to the foreground is fifth-ranked Misaki Shokuhou, a preening socialite who appropriately uses a remote to control others.

Sixth-ranked Etsu Aihana goes unseen, but seventh-ranked Gunha Sogiita goes very much seen. The fiery, shounen protagonist-type loves people with “Guts” like Uiharu, who uses her authority as Judgment member to try to break up two arguing cheer squads. Gunha dispenses with talking and simply punches the squads into submission.

That’s a lot of names, but Misaka still thankfully has the most screen time. She loosely bookends the episode with demonstrations of her power, first by helping three little kids get their robo-bear working to cutting away steel supports that were coming down on Ruiko and Uiharu after Gunha’s hijinx.

Gunha and Shokuhou are chosen from the Level 5s as the pledge-takers. We learn Misaka’s self-appointed rival Shokuhou is clandestinely looking into the Sisters, so there’s sure to be some of that trademark Raildex intrigue adding depth to what looks to be a sports festival-style arc. I stand (well, sit) ready to watch every minute.

Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator – 01 (First Impressions) – Getting Nowhere Fast

If you were badly yearning to see Yomikawa Aiho and her ineffectual SWAT-like Antiskill unit take it on the chin once again at the hands of the latest espers baddies, or were desperate for more of Accelerator’s glowering face and growling voice, as Misaka clones mill around aimlessly and Last Order squeaks about herself in the third person, this new Index side-story is for you.

In this introductory episode, a trio of precocious high schoolers led by a pint-sized redhead (who constantly says “yabee” or “radical”) believe the time is ripe to try to steal some genetic material (i.e. blood) from Accelerator, who is in the hospital recovering from injuries sustained in the previous story arc when he managed to get Last Order healed. But while they’re able to get past Antiskill, they’re no match for even a slightly off-his-game Accelerator.

By the time he’s shooed Last Order out of harm’s way, he’s deduced how the three high schoolers’ powers work and makes quick work of neutralizing them, shattering their epic scheme to…sell his blood on the black market.

These were some small-fry baddies with pitifully low stakes considering how Index III ended, but I can already see where this is headed: more of Accelerator being forced to protect Last Order yet again and prove that he’s now way more of a hero than a villain due to his particular devotion to his minuscule double-speaking charge.

The thing is, I feel like I just finished watching that exact thing in Index III, and in a very full Summer season packed with new stories, I’m just not that enthusiastic about watching that dynamic unfold so soon after it just ended—particularly when the production values are so mediocre.

To Aru Majutsu no Index III – 21 – On Private Time

From the Pope about to be replaced conversing with the nun Vasilissa who is already in Russia, to Aiwass asking none other than Kazakiri Hyouka to head there to deal with Sasha’s situation, the first two scenes in this episode establish an ever more widely-sprawling cast in what had begun as a much more characterly austere arc. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Hyouka, but in seeking assurances from Aiwass that her friends won’t be harmed, I assume she’s more good guy than bad.

Once all the Russian privateers are dealt with by Acqua, Hamazura suggests they move on, allowing Academy City to protect the village from further slaughter even if it means occupying that village. He and Takitsubo head to the border in a Lada Niva, but are quickly chased by Academy City powered suits.

Accelerator arrives in the knick of time—albeit pissed that complications are being added to his mission—but once Elizalina has had a look at both Last Order and Takitsubo, she determines it’s possible to save both (though Last Order will be trickier).

Accelerator starts to head out to “do what must be done”, which will entail veering off the rails of villainy Academy City laid out for him, and which he followed without protest. He suggests Misaka Worst do the same thing: “stumble upon a route other than the one where” she’ll “only get used up”. Worst seems game, even if she can’t help but laugh at Accelerator’s expressions and words.

Someone currently being used, and utterly powerless to sever that control, is poor Index, who is in England with Stiyl and Laura Stuart. Turns out there are two remote control magical items: the one Fiamma stole and the one the she possesses. She intends to use her item to interrupt Fiamma’s and foil his plans. Stiyl notes how no part of her plan is looking out for Index’s well-being, but that’s par for the course with Laura.

Fiamma’s plan, meanwhile, proceeds as he planned, with Touma and Lessar arriving exactly where and when he wanted, and in time to demonstrate the scale and scope of his power by extracting an absolutely gargantuan cross (or sword?…Cross-sword?) out of the ground.

All this happens just as the stealth plane Misaka hijacked arrives in Russia. An angel descends from the sky and slices the plane in half, but Biribiri safely lands with no issues, as does the pilot. Immediately upon soft-landing in a little spot where her electricity melted the snow, she’s approached by Misaka 10777, apparently of an Academy City Russian co-op outfit that has just finished withdrawing.

10777 must have detected Big Sis and went to her location to share in her “private time”, implying Misaka is not here on any kind of official business, Academy City-affiliated or otherwise. And she’s absolutely right: Misaka has given herself quite the limited mandate: Save that good-for-nothin’, two-timin’, run-of-the-mill Level 0 high schooler with the spiky hair and a tiny Engish nun for a roommate. We’ll see how successful she is in not getting involved with anything else!

To Aru Majutsu no Index III – 20 – No Excuses

The Russia arc reaches a satisfying turning point as allies start to join our over-matched heroes. Accelerator may have spared Misaka Worst’s life, but it’s not in Worst’s programming to be grateful for it; in fact, she’s quite pissed! But Accelerator has bigger problems: he’s seemingly out of control, letting the evil destructive side take over while lil’ Last Order slowly freezes in the snow.

As Touma and Lessar head towards Fiamma’s location, his words about Touma’s deceiving of Index weigh on his mind. Lessar reassures him he’s done—and is doing—the right thing: moving forward, helping where he can, and saving lives, both there and in Britain. Hamazura’s attempting to do the same thing, without the benefit of Imagine Breaker.

As Carissa and the British armies continue their advance across the channel, they bring the Mobile Fortress Glastonbury looms overhead, providing a mobile bastion of British soil that will allow Curtana’s power to be used anywhere.

They are met by the Holy Maiden of Versailles, a Joan d’Arc-looking warrior who crosses swords with the second princess. This part of the Russia arc is the least interesting to me so far, especially since it hasn’t yet really gotten anywhere (the channel isn’t that vast) and involves too many players to focus on any of them for long.

Far more engaging is the totally epic duel in the tundra between a Touma and Accelerator. One is pissed about being overpowered by Fiamma so easily; the other is pissed that Last Order continues to suffer. Their battle is accompanied by suitably badass battle music, and the two lads trade blows, but ultimately it’s Touma who gets the upper hand.

If Touma had any serious doubts about how he’s dealt with Index before, he certainly doesn’t after seeing an alternative scenario in Accelerator has dealt with Last Order. He’s so angry over the fact so many people have allowed her to suffer, and that his evil villain persona doesn’t seem to be enough to protect her.

Touma basically tells Accelerator to get over himself: he doesn’t need any reason or excuse to step up and protect Last Order, nor is there any reason for him not to rely on others to help if he feels he alone isn’t enough. Touma releases whatever magic had been applied to Last Order, and Accelerator betrays a smile of relief. These two together; they’ve got a change against Fiamma.

Hamazura doesn’t have any luck with a relative pea-shooter against an incoming privateer tank, but decides to repurpose one of the mines the villagers have collected as an anti-tank grenade. He stops the tank in its tracks, but then an attack helicopter buzzes overhead and prepares to take him out. Very well-supplied privateers, these guys!

The chopper is taken out by none other than Acqua, admiring Hamazura’s dedication to protecting the innocent villagers from massacre. So now Hamazura has a powerful ally in his goal to save Takitsubo, who still isn’t looking so great.

Back in the channel, Carissa ceases her duel with the French Maiden, blaming Fiamma for this war, and warns that if Russia’s mainland is invaded and its nuke facilities under threat of being taken over, an airborne killer virus wall will be dispersed, a scorched-earth directive that will result in appalling casualties.

Carissa admits she needs French soil to continue her advance, but at the moment the two countries have a mutual enemy: Fiamma. Rather than fight each other, they’ll need to join forces to stop him.

And just in case Accelerator+Touma, Hamazura+Acqua, and Britain+France aren’t enough against Fiamma, who is preparing to use Sasha to do…something bad, Misaka and Shirai finally learn of Touma’s whereabouts, and Misaka hastily begins packing for a trip to Russia.

Perhaps, finally, hopefully, she’ll be able to contribute something concrete and meaningful this season! Unfortunately, the plane it looks like she’s taking has a stowaway: Mugino, She Who Will Never Die, who isn’t done with Hamazura.

When Accelerator wakes up, he’s in Elizalina, and wouldn’t you know it, someone finally gave Last Order some climate-appropriate clothes and shoes! Thank goodness for that; I was worried she’d get frostbite and hypothermia. Touma and Lessar (who is glad he’s looking more confident and resolved) continue heading to Fiamma for Round Two.

To Aru Majutsu no Index III – 19 – The Worst

Accelerator has a distinct “oh great, what now” kind of attitude in Russia. The dramatic arrival of his latest opponent, “Misaka Worst,” doesn’t help matters. Back at Elizalina HQ, Vento starts her duel with Fiamma by summoning a giant ice galleon that flings him across the street. She breaks out her tongue-mounted weapon to fire blow after blow at her fellow Right-Hander, and it looks like this is going to be a cakewalk for the enemy of Touma’s enemy.

It’s, um…not. Fiamma is just letting Vento beat on him. When he actually gets serious with his creepy right hand and decoder cylinder thingy, Vento doesn’t have a chance, nor does anyone else, apparently. He rips the stud right out of Vento’s tongue and vanishes it before grabbing Sasha and withdrawing, promising he’ll be back for a helpless Touma.

To be honest I don’t quite understand exactly what Fiamma’s power is, but suffice it to say if he can do this to the likes of Vento, he’s going to be serious trouble! Before he goes he asks Touma if the way he’s been treating Index all this time, while knowing what she really was, is actually the right way. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that yes, Touma indeed believes his way is right, while the nutso quasi-angel dude’s way…ehh, notsomuch!

We have a quick check-in with Shiage at the village. The doctor doesn’t have the means to treat the effects of the Academy City drugs that are causing all the trouble for Takitsubo, while Russian-backed privateers appear on the horizon, poised to level the village. Shiage is not having a great time, and isn’t sure why he came anymore, but if there’s a village that needs protecting, I’m sure he’ll help in any way he can.

The balance of the episode is the duel between Accelerator and this extremely pissed-off Misaka clone, who seems to carry the combined animosity of all the thousands of Sisters he killed in the past. Like Vento against Fiamma early on, it’s a one-sided affair, with Accelerator loath to lay a finger on another Misaka after promising never to do so again.

But when Misaka Worst threatens to kill Last Order, in order to pave the way to a “Third Season” of the Network that no longer needs her, Accelerator decides if someone has to die, it’s sure as shit not going to be Last Order. Once he starts using Reflection, the battle is basically over, and Accel goes a bit berserk in kicking her face in.

But he suddenly stops when he realizes Misaka Worst was sent here under the assumption he would kill her. He’s thus playing right into the hands of those he hates most, sitting back in comfort while he keeps killing and destroying. Rather than finish Worst off, Accelerator vows to protect her along with Last Order, not just to spite the bigwigs, but to prove to himself he’s capable of protecting something.

To Aru Majutsu no Index III – 18 – Planes, Trains, Automobiles, and Ships of the Line

Misaka is one of the only people who didn’t get the memo that Russia is the place to be. We only catch her for a couple of brief scenes where she (and later Shirai) are reacting to news that Russia has issued an ultimatum to Academy City to cease all of its operations around the world or face nuclear annihilation. Well, that escalated quickly!

Hamazura Shiage, while eager to get Takitsubo out of danger and find a way to lesson her negative reaction to the ability crystal, instead finds himself once again right in the thick of things. Accelerator also wants to heal Last Order, but comes afoul of unmanned power suits who were after something other than them.

Shiage drove a car to Russia, Accelerator took a train, and Kamijou Touma…wait, did he run to Russia? Never mind; he’s thankfully not alone, despite his desire to be (which is probably why he didn’t invite Misaka). Lessar is tagging along, both to support him and protect British interests.

Elsewhere, an armada of ships crewed with a mixed force of Puritans and Knights sails out to meet the French vanguard of Roman Orthodoxy’s invasion, who create a hard surface of salt that halt the ships and enable their ground forces to attack.

Under the endorsement of Second Princess Carissa (who seems to have suffered few if any lasting consequences from her failed coup), Kanzaki Kaori lets the French have it. Meanwhile, while riding a train, Lessar announces her intention to seduce Touma, but his older, more sensible Touma prevails.

That being said, a capable extra set of eyes, ears, and fists has its uses, and at the station Lessar shows Touma she can handle herself if need be. After he saves the shopkeep he was going to rob from robbers who got there first, Shiage gets lucky again, when a passerby offers the services of a doctor for Rikou in exchange for fuel. As Shirai checks out the news in her and Misaka’s dorm (so underutilized!) Lessar and Touma arrive at the border of the Elizalina Alliance of Independent Nations.

There, they meet Elizalina, the sorceress who gave the alliance her name. She’s aware that Fiamma of the Right is after Sasha Kreutzev and the magical power stores she possesses, but before they can orchestrate a plan, Fiamma tears the roof off their headquarters. Yup, shit’s going down NOW.

I was not expecting a confrontation so soon in this, an episode where otherwise a bunch of pieces were being moved into place. But I’m not complaining about getting down to business. Touma shaters Fiamma’s attack, but it takes a couple moments, and Elizalina’s shield doesn’t last long.

Finally, sensing a huge amount of magical power that shouldn’t be there, Sasha Kreutzev drops in, and in the hastiest, most anti-climatic re-introduction possible, she’s immediately knocked out by Fiamma. He’d seem to have the upper hand, until yet another combatant takes the stage: Vento of the Front. She’s there to protect the interests and integrity of the Roman Orthodox church on which Fiamma is taking a piss.

Accelerator surveys a Russian military base that someone just kicked the shit out of, wondering who it might’ve been when he’s confronted by a number of cloaked mages, for whom he has no time and vows to deal with swiftly. And the cherry on top of this Russian sundae? That’s gotta be the imminent arrival of a masked Misaka by paradrop. There’s a lot of players old and new to juggle, but this still looks to be a lot of fun.

To Aru Majutsu no Index III – 17 – Angelic Gibberish

Two former Aztec comrades come to kill Etzali, apparently independent of anything else going on in this episode. Thankfully this tangent doesn’t drag on too long, since I’m not sure what it’s supposed to be about or why. Like last time with Xochitl, Etzali seems to hang around the fringes of the show only to be suddenly confronted by old comrades who want to kill him, but always end up failing.

Moving on! Kinuhata uses a bottle of nitrogen she always keeps on her person in case someone tries to neutralize her powers by filling the combat space with flames, as Stephanie Goofyname does. The nitro enables Kinuhata to rush at Steph and punch her in the face, thus defeating her (?) and allowing Hamazura to escape with Takitsubo.

But Kinuhata is immediately arrested by SWAT under the command of the Girl in the Dress. She informs Kinuhata that the chase isn’t over for Hammy, as apparently all of Academy City’s forces are after him. He’s an unpredictable element that Aleister Crowley would rather eliminate than worry about mucking up his carefully-laid plans (whatever they are).

Next Up: Accelerator. His fight with Koga doesn’t last long, since whatever clever trick Koga tried on him ended up getting flipped around by another clever trick by Accelerator involving his electrode and walking cane.

I won’t get into the technical details because frankly I forgot what they were, but suffice it to say, as expected, Mr. Random Smoking Dude is not the one to do in everyone’s favorite unhinged Index antihero.

GROUP reunites and tries to get Shiokishi to spill the beans about what DRAGON is, when DRAGON itself appears, knocking everyone out but Accelerator. Appearing as a brightly-lit angel-like being, DRAGON reveals his real name is “Aiwass”, and he’s a being that was both summoned by and mentor to Crowley.

The two are now pitted in some kind of supernatural philosophical debate about the value of people’s independent actions versus the efficiency of using people, or something to that effect. Honestly it’s a lot of mumbo-jumbo that purports to get closer to the core of what exactly Crowley is up to, but doesn’t seem to have much to do with the events of the last couple episodes, except that Crowley and Aiwass were able to observe different kinds of heroes in action.

Did I mention the show brought back Mugino, mostly so she could tell Hamazura that Kakine Teitoku is still alive too, and so could kill her again in an aircraft testing chamber. Hamazura and Takitsubo escape on a military plane headed out of Academy City, while Accelerator grabs Last Order and boards a train out of Academy City.

Accelerator is headed to Russia, where Touma has just arrived, and seems to be a bit underdressed for the climate. Perhaps Hamazura will head there too. All three guys have gals they want to protect, while all three gals are in danger of having their lives snuffed out by current events. Perhaps we’ll find more clarity and focus in Russia…or maybe Etzali will run into more friends while Aiwass speaks to them in tongues…

To Aru Majutsu no Index III – 16 – Something Pretty Substantial is Happening

Hamazura uses all the guile and resourcefulness he can muster to get to Takitsubo, settling on commandeering a helicopter (the pilot basically agrees to drop him off, but has to report it as a hijacking). In doing so, he ignores Takitsubo’s warnings about Spark Signal being too heavily armed for Hamazura to rush in recklessly.

Of course, since Hamazura is classically a rush in and figure out everything later kinda dude, that’s what he does. When he finds Takitsubo, Accelerator is looming over her, but has no real ill will towards either of them until Hamazura picks a fight.

Accelerator uses minimal effort to beat the crap out of Hamazura before leaving him to be comforted by Takitsubo. Neither of the former ITEMers are in particularly good shape, but they’re at least better off together as they search for Kinuhata.

Meanwhile, Stephanie has made Kinuhata her present primary target, urging her to make peace with the fact she’s going to take her life for what happened to Sunazara.

Shortly after the subject of DRAGON comes up in the RV, it’s targeted and destroyed by a missle, and the electricity in Accelerator’s gear is cut. He eventually wakes up in the car of the guy whose beloved teacher he saved, proving that even villains are paid back for their good deeds, even if Accelerator didn’t expect it.

The other members of GROUP having survived, Tsuchimikado sends Accelerator to talk with Director Oyafune for political help in bringing down Shiokishi after he betrayed GROUP. Her bodyguard insists she’s no longer involved in the fight against the Dark Side of Academy City ever since her daughter was taken hostage.

But when one of the little kids Accelerator saved from Spark Signal demands to come and fight alongside him (he calls Accelerator a “hero”, the opposite of what he constantly calls himself), Oyafune is done being a coward who does nothing to stop the darkness.

Hamazura and Takitsubo finally locate Kinuhata, but she’s been driven into the metro by Gorgeouspalace, who sets the whole station aflame with explosions in an attempt to rob Kunuhata of the nitrogen she needs to fight. Will she, a Level 4 after all, yet be able to fight Steph off?

With Oyafune in tow, Accelerator and Musujime infiltrate Shiokishi’s “fortress”—the guy is a war hawk after all—and are quickly separated from Oyafune by blast walls. Musujime is then knocked out by poison administered when Shiokishi’s boyguard Koga lights a cigarette. Accelerator will have to deal with the man—part of an age-old family of tough, troublesome thieves—on his own.

As for Oyafune, she looks particularly vulnerable trying to negotiate with a guy so paranoid he’s wearing a mech suit. When negotiations break down Shiokishi prepares to kill her, but she reveals she’s not Oyafune at all, but Etzali in disguise. She may be in a safe(r) place at the moment, but she still had to sacrifice the skin on her arm so he could take her form. Now the negotiations will continue, as Etzali demands to know what DRAGON is.

They’re interrupted by two more guards Shiokishi sends in, only for them to pull of their skin masks to reveal they are two members of Etzali’s old group, Return of the Winged One. As if there weren’t enough tangled interests involved in this arc. I tell ya, it’s as if you can’t trust any face you see on this show!

To Aru Majutsu no Index III – 15 – A Punk-Ass Villain At Work

Looks like Touma and Index’s story is on hold as we return to Academy City, presumably at the same time the two are in Britain. With the ITEM, SCHOOL, BLOCK and MEMBER groups officially “defunct”, the remaining members of ITEM (Hamazura, Takitsubo, and Kinuhata) consider their next moves.

Meanwhile the group, er, GROUP, consisting of Accelerator, Tsuchimikado, Musujime and Etzali, continues to execute jobs. Boring jobs, to hear it from Accelerator. He repeatedly calls himself a “punk-ass villain” even as he’s rescuing a woman being used as a “punching bag” or saving a pregnant woman’s life.

Musujime also sends him 100 meters underground where he saves a group of kids from terrorists hoping to use a particle accelerator to hold the governing board hostage. Meanwhile, a friend of SCHOOL’s sniper Sunazara, one Stephanie Gorgeouspalace, decides to kill her former boss, seeking revenge against all of Academy City.

As GROUP is given fresh orders to kill off the 20 remaining terrorists of Spark Signal, all Accelerator wants to know about is the mysterious DRAGON; Kinuhata then informs Hamazura that the remaining pieces of the defunct groups are being combined and given the same mission as GROUP. Kinuhata doesn’t want to be on the new combined team, so she asks Hamazura to help her take out the terrorists alone.

As GROUP engages the terrorists in the subway, Aceelerator saves the pregnant woman, and when one of her students thanks him, he shoots at him, telling him to get lost. Such a pleasant fellow, Accelerator!

Hamazura drives as Kinuhata takes on a six-winged drone chasing them, then the two part ways. All Hamazura wants to do is retrieve Kinuhata and get back to Takitsubo, but he gets a call from SCHOOL’s “Girl in the Dress” known also by her ability Measure Heart, telling him to pass on the message to Kinuhata that the terrorists she’s after have seized a private room in School District 3. So that’s where Hamazura’s now headed.

I have to admit to a bit of whiplash after the British Coup arc—I’d hoped we’d get to see a bit more Touma and Index, but I suppose they’re at a good stopping point, and time doesn’t stand still back home in Acedemy City. It’s also notable that there was no Misaka sighting this week; I wonder if she’ll see any action during this reorganization of groups and continuing terrorist activity.

To Aru Majutsu no Index III – 14 – Glowing Fists For All!

Carissa’s Coup Arc is brought to a suitably ostentatious and splendid end, as Index III truly BRINGS IT this week. As Itsuwa safely delivers Touma and Vilian to the gates of Buckingham Palace, Touma gives Vilian his typical spiel of helping out for “no special reason” except that he won’t abandon all of the people “running around for their lives”, trying not to lose what’s important to them.

Carissa awaits with Curtana Original, which she uses to summon a fleet of unmanned aerial fortresses. Touma has a bear of a time keeping up with her sword’s pandimensional fragmentation, but while he was thrust into the final boss battle far quicker than he’d hoped, he’s obviously far from alone. Kanzaki, Index, Amakusa, and Sherry all arrive in turn, though Carissa isn’t cowed by any of them.

Even a Saint like Kanzaki has trouble against Carissa and Curtana, while Touma has to time his right arm just right since the weapon has a brief lag between slash and effect. He manages to strike true before Carissa can kill Vilian, who uses her crossbow to rediredct the flash bombardment from Coven Compass to land a direct hit on Carissa’s position.

Unfortunately, it only gives her a couple light scratches; more will have to be done to defeat her, which means more allies must take the stage. As Carissa picks up the idea of bombardment by having bunker-buster cruise missiles launched on the palace grounds, elder Princess Rimea broadcasts a message bringing the forces of Knights back to their feet…including Knight Leader.

Carissa soon finds she can’t launch any more missiles, since Acqua has destroyed all military antennae. This is why you have a magical backup to a vital scientific device, or vice versa, but of course Carissa hasn’t thought anything through beyond “I have Curtana Original, I am invincible.” Now she has three Saint-levels fighting her in Kanzaki, Acqua, and Leader.

And then Mom shows up. Queen Elizard casts aside her own Curtana Second, knowing it’s powerless against the original, but whips out another magical treasure of the royal family: the Union Jack, which she uses to redistribute all of the power imbued within Curtana to each and every one of the millions of British people.

This essentially turns every British citizen into a hero in their own right, with the mandate to “do what they will.” It’s essentially a re-imagining of that iconic signal from Admiral Nelson’s ship during the decisive Battle of Trafalgar: “England expects that every man will do his duty.” Only this time it isn’t just England, nor is it just men.

With over 90 million now aligned against her, Carissa can’t help but hesitate for a moment, which is the one thing she can’t do. In that moment, Index (yeah, her!) delivers a simple incantation to cause Curtana to swing upward and hold in place just long enough for Acqua to launch Touma at it with his right arm. He shatters the sword and delivers a devastating punch to Carissa, and suddenly the coup d’etat is all over.

Unfortunately, Touma’s troubles are not. The beaten Carissa is confronted by Fiamma of the Right, who is there only to check on those items which he desires to possess: Touma’s own right hand, yes, but more importantly, Index. A magical item he steals before heading off to Russia was a kind of safety device that allowed Index to live a normal daily life despite having memorized 103,000 grimoires.

In the Tower of London, Stiyl, Elizard, and Touma look over a bedridden, unconscious Index. If Touma is to save her, he must get that device back, which means he’s headed to Russialand. No rest for the weary.