Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T – 19 – New Friends, Good Fish, and Foul Play

While Kuroko and Uiharu are busy using the pre-cog app to prevent accidents, Ruiko ends up making an unexpected friend at the supermarket. Due to a fad going around claiming the fish helps increase good looks, Ruiko buys the last two cans, and Frenda Seivelun hounds her until she gives her one. When she accidentally blows it up trying to open it on the spot, she worms her way into dinner.

Ruiko is initially bemused by this odd, haughty foreigner, but the two end up becoming fast friends and message each other regularly. It’s strange having Frenda show up in a mostly comedic role considering we know she died a grisly death in the Index show, but to enjoy this episode you have to put her impending doom out of your head.

Things actually take a dark turn as Ruiko’s purchasing of a Dream Poker card that makes you an expert at “picking things up with chopsticks”, raises a flag with a member of SCHOOL, who believes it relates to the “Tweezers” their underground group is trying to acquire. The hacker kid has Ruiko abducted, not knowing she has absolutely nothing to do with the Tweezers. This franchise certainly asks its audience to remember a lot of parallel storylines.

Thankfully, Frenda spotted the toughs approaching Ruiko’s position, and tossed a tracking device on their clothes. Hamazura picks her up in his Mini and they catch up to the vans. Then Frenda uses explosives to block the vans and takes out the goons, thus rescuing Ruiko. SCHOOL hacker guy then contacts sniper Yumiya Rakko, who was about to hang out with her school friends when she was called away.

Yumiya’s persona changes drastically from shy and stuttering at school to a focused, sadistic killer in hunter mode. And make no mistake, she’s going to hunt Frenda to blow off the steam from missing out on her crucial social gathering.

If you ask me, Academy City has way too many crazed teenagers working for what amount to criminal gangs, whether ITEM or SCHOOL. It’s why poor civilians like Ruiko always end up in the middle of trouble not of their making.

Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T – 18 – The Legend of Bust Upper

When Ruiko proudly, flamboyantly shows Mikoto how much her kendama skills have improved (showing off like nunchaku) through Dream Poker, its to encourage her friend not to give up on the fad just because she had a bad first experience. Meanwhile, Kinuhata Saiai of ITEM (this arc takes place before the group was destroyed) has discovered that of the four female members she has the smallest bust, and is not okay with that.

Saiai and Mikoto, two young women overly self-conscious about their size, end up crossing paths at a street poker card street dealer. The one S-Class card in his stock happens to be the dream of a “long-lost but brilliant scientist” researching a certain matter near and dear to them. When the two learn it is called Bust Upper, they’re both on the cusp of starting an esper brawl when the dealer breaks them up and all the cards scatter.

Rather than fight, Mikoto and Saiai decide to each buy up half the cards and try them all out until they find the Bust Upper, which got lost in the pile. Yet neither end up dreaming with that card, only finding themselves in scenarios in which society and the world persecutes them due to their modest natural bust sizes. Both get so frustrated they end up waking up loudly ranting in the napping center, and are politely kicked out.

They continue searching the cards poolside (though not in swimsuits), and aside from an extremely cryptic, abstract dream involving a mysterious black-and-white-haired woman (of whom we certainly haven’t seen the last), they come up empty again. They part ways “ultra”-disappointed, but the Railgun and ITEM having enjoyed a truce over a shared lack of a burden (on their shoulders), and believing the dealer was simply telling tall tales.

However, the real Bust Upper card ended up snatched up by a crow while both were napping. When a cat startles the crow, it drops the card near the hand of a girl in the park with a modest bust of her own. The next day, as Rikou is showing Uiharu her new master pen-spinning skills (love her trend of only mastering useless skills), they unwittingly witness the results of Bust Upper, tying the episode up with a neat bow.

As far as Railgun filler goes, it rarely gets as filler-y as this, and takes the patently silly bust complex comedy about as far as it can go. But it’s nevertheless a fun time because it’s bursting (busting?) with Railgun charm straight out of the gate. It’s great to Mikoto enjoying some ordinary days before the next threat shows up, and especially nice to see ITEM during better days.

P.S. Considering how hard she worked the past two weeks, it’s understandable that Kuroko just wants to get some shut-eye when Mikoto, who is overly rested from all the napping, talks about her day. Kuroko doesn’t even react to the mention of Missy in a revealing outfit!

To Aru Majutsu no Index III – 23 – Joining Hands To Fight

Stiyl’s efforts to bring Index out of her trance go rather poorly (he only ends up digging a big hole for himself…literally!) But Kazakiri Hyouka is on the scene in Russia to take it to the archangel Gabriel. Their ensuing fight about the Star of Bethlehem is appropriately epic in its speed and ferocity.

When Sasha asks what’s up with Hyouka, he assures her with confidence: he may not know exactly what she’s doing there, but Hyouka’s a friend. In fact, they go back a full decade to when their character designs and color palette hadn’t yet evolved to the present 2010s style!

It’s an episode full of odd but interesting pairings, starting with the continued collaboration between Accelerator and Worst. They’ve come so far in so short a time, he’s trusting her to protect Last Order while he deals with the dueling angels. Like Touma, Accelerator doesn’t know what Hyouka is there for. Unlike Touma he has no reason to trust her, especially when he believes she was drawn there by the parchment Gabe is after.

One would think coming straight at an archangel with power on a level hard to fathom who is specifically looking for something on your person would be a bad move, and even with Hyouka also fighting, Gabriel still manages to gain ground on them. When her huge special move is done charging up, a massive “Sweep” of holy arrows rain down on both Accelerator and Hyouka.

They’re largely bailed out by an assist from another seemingly unlikely comrade in Acqua, who uses his presidential authority to draw the water-element telesma out of Gabriel, stopping her in her tracks and weakening her, but its a risky move that could kill him.

Touma figures out that the Star of Bethlehem, being a necessary element in Fiamma’s plans, must have a means of controlling Sasha somewhere among the labyrinth of structures, so he starts wrecking up the place with his Imagine Breaker.

Accelerator, remembering Touma’s words of wisdom (and punch to the face) throws everything he’s got in what he takes the most pride in: protecting Last Order at any cost, even losing. Gabriel self-destructs, but with help from Hyouka, he manages to prevent cataclysmic collateral damage.

The minimization of damage was also made possible by Acqua’s assist, and after taking most of Gabe’s power he’s prepared to pay for it by dying…but Hamazura and Takitsubo find him first, and the former straight up refuses to let him give up. Acqua gets on his feet and lets out a triumphant roar, but I wonder how much he has left in the tank after such exertion.

Once enough setbacks in his carefully-orchestrated plan have taken place and all the myriad forces suddenly united against him actually start making some progress, Fiamma decides to accelerate the part where he takes Touma’s right arm, separating him from Sasha. Turns out even though Gabriel was taken out, she managed to read the parchment and align the Star in such a way that Fiamma could start an element-re-configuring ceremony.

In the aftermath of the Gabriel battle, Accelerator is troubled to find Worst ended up crashing the Hummer she was driving, and both she and Last Order are unconscious. Hamazura and Takitsubo reach the facility where the bacteriological agent will be released, but an Academy City bomber gets there at the same time and obliterates the place, separating the lovebirds.

Our heroes have shown that by putting aside less important differences and combining their forces, they can put a dent in Fiamma’s plans, to the point where he now no longer looks invincible. But it’s taking a harsh toll with Fiamma far from beaten, which means they’re going to need backup, and soon. Thankfully, Misaka’s only 70km away, and her clone presumably knows how to drive.

To Aru Majutsu no Index III – 22 – Angels And Saints Converge

We check in with pretty much everyone this week, from Stiyl trying to keep Index safe from Laura in England, to Touma and Sasha up in the giant floating fortress called the “Star of Bethlehem,” the narrative darts back and forth between all of the various forces converging both directly and indirectly towards the Star and Fiamma, who is seeking nothing less than to becoming superior to God. The ego of this guy, amirite?

You gotta admit, he’s done a lot of preparation for this; his isn’t some half-baked plot easily ended by one punch from Touma’s right hand. He’s not only controlling Index, giving him powers a Right Hand of God would normally wouldn’t have; while he’s used Sasha (via the control device) to summon the archangel Gabriel to mop up all of the “secondary players.”

As Fiamma consolidates all his power for his final push, there’s one thing for the good guys to celebrate: Thanks to Vasilissa, Takitsubo Rikou is finally healed. Naturally, she agrees with Hamazura that they must then immediately jump back into danger to protect the villagers who saved them from being wiped out by the government.

The last piece Fiamma needs is the parchment in Accelerator’s possession, which he believes can be used to save Last Order. Misaka Worst offers to retrieve the mighty mite, as well as to serve as her weapon. Over in Rome, a bishop intends to use the crisis to ascend to the papacy, but the former Pope has already given up his mantle, preferring to calm the throngs of people outside and lead them into the Vatican…for safety?

Kanzaki Kaori also prefers to offer aid those in need rather take center stage in a battle, leaving Princess Carissa and “Frenchy” to battle Gabriel with their national weapons. When Carissa’s Curtana Second fragment is shattered, she simply summons a half-dozen more, then launches a massive missile strike on the Star diverting the archangel and buying more time for the wounded.

Back up on the Star, Touma is riding a monorail with Sasha when Gabriel appears to stop the missiles. There, the archangel is met by Kazakiri Hyouka in full battle mode. Back on the ground, Misaka is watching the Star through binoculars, and figures since she’s come this far, there’s no way she’s not getting involved.

Misaka also shows her envious Clone the Gekota strap she got on her date with Touma (or as she calls him, “the idiot”). Touma just better hope Misaka doesn’t hear anything about him pawing Sasha (which got him crowbar-ed), or she’ll kill him herself!

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.