The anime Toaru Majutsu no Index (A Certain Magical Index) is set in a universe where magic and science coexist. The first part of the show features the Japanese metropolis of Academy City, commonly referred to as “Utopia of Science.” We follow Kamijou Touma, a young high school student who regrettably has the lowest Psychic rank possible. Even though he holds the lowest rank possible, he is gifted with a unique talent that no scientist has been able to explain. Kamijou has the ability to nullify the supernatural powers of other individuals thanks to a skill known as “Imagine Breaker.”
A series of unfortunate events bring him into contact with a young woman who has learned all the banned grimoires and is now being hunted after by dangerous groups. After understanding this, Kamijou makes a promise to look out for his new friend. This action-comedy was first published as a light series of novels by Kiyotaka Haimura, whose writings have been adapted into various anime series. With an anime, a handful of spinoffs, and some movies in tow, just how would the public start to watch A Certain Magical Index?
A Certain Magical Index Watch Order
A Certain Magical Index is a series of light novels that debuted in the early 2000s. After receiving praise for its appealing characters and compelling plot, the J.C. Staff animation studio decided to make an anime adaptation of it. Following the airing of the anime, the series expanded its global fan base even further. But this is when things start to get a little confusing. Due to the success of both the light novels and anime, various spinoffs for each were created. The fact that there was suddenly a ton more content is great for franchise fans, but it made it much more difficult for newcomers to get into the show.
This was particularly true for the anime adaptations, where it was less obvious where to start and which ones were necessary despite the fact that it was obvious how the various series related to one another. In order to get the most out of the series, take into account the following watch orders if you’re interested in giving A Certain Magical Index and A Certain Scientific Railgun a try.
Here’s A Certain Magical Index Watch Order:
1. A Certain Scientific Railgun (2009)
It seems strange to begin a series called A Certain Magical Index with a spinoff, but the franchise’s nature and setting make A Certain Scientific Railgun the ideal place to do it. Misaka Mikoto and her friends in the school disciplinary committee Judgment are working to keep the peace among the citizens of Academy City, where the majority of the city’s students are Espers or creatures with superhuman abilities.
Things go well for Misaka Mikoto in particular, in part because of her position as the third-ranking Level 5 Esper, or person with the strongest superpowers. She has a railgun, which allows her to fire powerful blasts with the might of a railgun using coins. While initially, everything turns out well, Misaka and her friends are lured into a plot involving a weird sound file that grants its listeners a variety of superpowers. Despite being standalone, it’s important to get to know Misaka because she develops into one of the more significant supporting characters in the main plot. Not to add that Misaka frequently meets a mysterious boy with black hair.
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2. A Certain Scientific Railgun S (2013)
A Certain Scientific Railgun is primarily a stand-alone storyline, but the plot picks up speed; in A Certain Scientific Railgun S. Misaka and her Judgment friends are back in Academy City looking into numerous rumors. They didn’t expect to become involved in a plot involving cruel experiments that resulted in the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of Espers. What’s worse is that Misaka feels guilty and devasted after learning the truth about this project.
Railgun S is a powerful follow-up that emphasizes how serious Esper issues are outside of Academy City’s generally upbeat atmosphere. It serves as a more serious interpretation of the Railgun story. It’s true what they say about Academy City and its Espers making every day fascinating, but not in this way. Even while Railgun S has a more serious plot, the main storyline appears as an important plot element at some time in the Magical Index series’ main storyline.
3. A Certain Magical Index (2009)
A Certain Magical Index marks the “official” start of the franchise’s storyline. The story is set in Academy City and features Kamijou Touma, who is basically Level 0 or powerless in Espers. At least, he believes that. In reality, he is the owner of the Imagine Breaker, his right hand, which has the ability to neutralize any powers that come into touch with him.
When Touma meets Index, an English nun who has lost her memories, his otherwise normal life is turned upside down. When Touma learns that Index is the physical representation of the 103,000 magical grimoires that the Vatican has forbidden, known as the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, he too becomes a target of Magicians, spellcasters who lead a secret existence in the world. When Touma’s other coworkers, such as Level 5 Esper Misaka “Railgun” Mikoto and the mysterious criminal known as Accelerator, get involved, things get more serious.
4. A Certain Magical Index 2 (2010)
A Certain Magical Index 2 shows that Touma’s story is more complex than initially appears, despite the fact that throughout the previous series, Touma successfully protects Index from danger. As a result of Index’s presence in Academy City, the balance between the magical and scientific realms has begun to worsen, and Touma’s continued role as Index’s guardian has made him the Magicians’ and Espers’ top target in their efforts to control her.
Thankfully, Touma will receive help from both new allies and old adversaries in his fight. Touma and Index might find themselves in an unavoidable fight between two sides, nevertheless, as a threat that was already present grew more serious than they had anticipated. While Index 1 has flaws, Index 2 mainly corrects these with a plot that is more tightly knit.
5. A Certain Scientific Accelerator (2019)
A Certain Scientific Accelerator, a different side story, can help readers understand the issues on a lesser scale prior to the start of the full-scale war after Index 2. The story, this time starring Accelerator, is told from his perspective as the highest-ranked Level 5 Esper in Academy City, effectively elevating him to the position of top dog in the community. Unfortunately, this also means living a demanding life in which you must always outperform everyone’s expectations.
Things change when he goes on adventures throughout the city with Last Order, a Misaka clone. Although he began off as a furious villain, he now wants to make up for his mistakes by doing more good in Academy City. Sadly, there is more to his adventures than initially appears.
6. A Certain Magical Index: The Movie – The Miracle Of Endymion (2013)
The movie A Certain Magical Index: The Movie – The Miracle of Endymion offers another interesting perspective before the larger scope of Index 3. The plot opens with Meigo Arisa, a Level 0 girl, in the center of a plot involving the space elevator Endymion, whose completion will finally transport residents of Academy City to the stars. In addition to Meigo and Index’s strange link, Arisa also finds herself the target of Magicians.
With their newfound connection, Index and Touma want to help Arisa in escaping the people who are after her. Touma and Index also come to the realization that Arisa is more complicated than she appears when Academy City sends a special squad under the command of Shutaura to guard Arisa.
7. A Certain Scientific Railgun T (2020)
When the Daihasei Festival takes place in Academy City, not only do different schools battle it out for supremacy, but Academy City also welcomes visitors. Naturally, this results in many factions ultimately entering the city, which opens the door for a lot of unanticipated mayhem to occur during the sporting event. And throughout the course of A Certain Scientific Railgun T, ominous factions start to surface and target Misaka while she and her Tokiwadai Middle School team concentrate on winning the competition.
Throughout the plot, Misaka and her old and new friends start to expose yet another evil plan involving Academy City. While Academy City’s exposure to outside influences is an important detail to keep in mind throughout the setting of Index 3’s greater plot, even though Railgun T’s story mostly stands alone.
8. A Certain Magical Index 3 (2018)
In A Certain Magical Index 3, a full-fledged war between the Magicians and Espers breaks out, with Touma and Index at its center. Tensions are at an all-time high as Espers and Magicians coexist in Academy City. Additionally, Espers and scientists in Academy City appear to be well-equipped to fight against Catholic Church organizations. As the third and last entry in the Index series, Touma, Index, and friends Accelerator, Misaka, and the truly helpless Level 0 Hamazura Shiage will do their best to avoid all-out conflict and put an end to things once and for all.
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