Toaru Majutsu no Index

[Kraco]

I saw nothing wrong with the ep, at least, v0 or not. But I suppose the real version might then have a better image quality. It's no BD level for sure with this but I see a lot worse every week with certain other shows.

This arc continues really strong. Not even the kind of lapses in logic like the keep Mikoto from the pole scene in the previous ep. Instead we did have very varied magic in a decent fight and some surprising development as well. Jolly good.

Of course the combo family dinner at the end crowned the episode. Watching Misuzu makes me wonder, though, from where Mikoto inherited her personality. Her mom hardly seem tsundere. Although she certainly demonstrates why Touma should marry Mikoto: She will still look no older than an onee-san 20 years from now...

Mikoto hesitating to deny being Touma's girlfriend was hilarious to watch. Man, such sweet scenes in this arc.

[KrayZ33]

the fight was pretty cool, even though it felt less dramatic as I hoped for..

its like
"time works against you, my little friend" and then later "oh btw the effect cannot be canceled and it wears of after 20 minutes bye bye"

didn't like index whine-scenes again either

all in all good stuff though, it's always good to when Mikoto shows her dere side to Touma.

[RyougaZell]

At first I raged at Touma not moving to help Tsuchimikado, but then we saw it would have been useless. Though I find very interesting that he wasn't able to break that spell.

Orianna made it seem she didn't want to use the same spell again, but its kinda obvious her spells are one-use. She would need a new booklet to repeat the spells I guess.

The scene at the restaurant was priceless. Mikoto's mom is hot. Mikoto really needs to grow into that. So Touma... kick whiny brat out already.

[Buffalobiian]

The scene at the restaurant was priceless. Mikoto's mom is hot. Mikoto really needs to grow into that. So Touma... kick whiny brat out already.

But... Orianna beats them all hands down.

What was also obvious was that she didn't want to hurt Touma (strangely enough, she was fine with putting Tsuchimikado in pain, and didn't seems phased about the girl who's in hospital right now). Tsuchimikado's pain shouldn't have happened though. It'd make sense if he was in the process of healing, or if it had painkilling properties, but he should have been fine at that time. That spell didn't sound like it was one that reverses magical healing.

Touma needs to learn something from his Dad, namely how to enjoy a harem.

[Kraco]

At first I raged at Touma not moving to help Tsuchimikado, but then we saw it would have been useless. Though I find very interesting that he wasn't able to break that spell.

He wasn't also able to dispel the fire element Stiyl summoned because it was continuously regenerated by the talismans. Or the automatic counterspell that plagued Stiyl in the previous ep whenever he tried to use his magic. I'd guess it was a similar issue here. Destroying the piece of paper might have made the difference, perhaps.

[David75]

Oriana is the first oponent able to analyse and adapt to Touma's power.
That's a nice change for once.
But since she's so experienced and has so many tricks up her sleeves, there's really nothing he can do, unless they end up fighting for the same outcome.
The other option would be team play and nice strategy, but we have never really had that till now.

[Ryllharu]

Oriana's voice is liquid, audible sex. Yuzuki Ryouka...

But... Orianna beats them all hands down.

What was also obvious was that she didn't want to hurt Touma (strangely enough, she was fine with putting Tsuchimikado in pain, and didn't seems phased about the girl who's in hospital right now).

She did say that she didn't mean for the girl to get hurt, and she sounded sincere. Bystanders she regrets, but anyone who approaches her and tries to stop her is fair game. By the end of this episode she came off as someone who doesn't care about idealogical differences, loyalties, or anything other than getting her job done, and maybe toying with enemies. She doesn't kill them, just neutralizes them after she's had her fun. The worst she'll do is put them in immense pain to put them on the sidelines, but that's fair given the kind of people she typically faces off against. I don't think we've seen a magician yet who is more than capable, but unwilling to kill others. ( corrected ) Oriana might be the exception.

She also made it clear to Touma that there are no true bystanders in the world the two of them inhabit. He seemed inclined to agree. He desires to keep them out of it, she knows that's never completely possible, especially in Academy City of all places.

I don't think she understands the big picture though. She is hoping this job will bring widespread happiness (while she was changing "clothes"). It seems like she's not aware of what the Roman Catholics with do once they have control of both worlds (magic and science), which will likely be converting, subverting, or killing off the remaining churches.

didn't like index whine-scenes again either

all in all good stuff though, it's always good to when Mikoto shows her dere side to Touma.

The scene at the restaurant was priceless. Mikoto's mom is hot. Mikoto really needs to grow into that. So Touma... kick whiny brat out already.

I still can't see why people can like Mikoto but hate Index. It took me a while to see it, but they're remarkably similar. The showdown between the two of them at the end of this episode made it blatantly evident too.

They're both petite girls younger than Touma, constantly vying for his full attention. Both are superstars in their respective worlds. Both are super weapons (one literally, one figuratively and literary). But if anything, Index is actual the more mature of the two.

Index lives with him, begs for food, and wants to "play" with him. He pushes her away because he has been trying to keep her uninvolved with every magical disaster that falls into his lap. She gets upset because she doesn't know why he ignore her. It makes her sad an lash out with physical violence, but deep down she seems to understand. She knows that he is keeping things from her, all his trips to the hospital make sure of that, and Index of all people can definitely recognize the effects of certain spells he takes damage from. So far, Index has largely met that with acceptance. She does worry about him.

Mikoto got humiliated by him once, and follows him around every time she sees him, either challenging him to a rematch, or making up some excuse why she needs to be near him. He tries to keep her from getting involved in the magical side of the things because it is very dangerous for her (even though she overheard that entire conversation he had with the Aztec guy). He doesn't know that and keeps pushing her away to keep her uninvolved. She thinks he's belittling and underestimating her and gets all pissed off. This usually results in her showing off, doing something dumb, and putting herself in even more danger.

Index acts like a child around Touma, but understands when things get serious and changes her tone. Mikoto acts like a child around Touma, and responds like a child to everything that happens around her. Kuroko has called her out on it a number of times.

[Kraco]

While much of what you say is true, there's still one thing at which Mikoto is a whole lot more mature than Index: Mikoto has her own life, future goals, ambitions, etc., while Index seems to have nothing but the desire to indefinitely leech off Touma. She does absolutely nothing but eat his food and try to get involved in his stuff - although much of that stuff is directly a result of her own circumstances.

Touma being as hopeless a hero of justice as Emiya Shirou even a rubber boot would understand he will never push Index away to an uncertain future even though that's exactly what should be done. Right now Index is still ever bit as much a prisoner of her past as she was while still under the direct control of Necessarius. One could view this as a vacation for her after everything that happened, but has anything suggested she actually thinks that way and is planning to somehow become an independent adult with her own future?

[David75]

I correct myself:
Kanzaki also did beat Touma, understanding his power enough to use physical attacks/defenses to stop him.

[Ryllharu]

@Kraco

Isn't that what the Churches are terrified of, and why the protection program and scheduled memory wipes were forced on her? Index having her own goals and independence is their nightmare scenario. She knows everything, all the churches and theologies darkest, twisted and most powerful spells and techniques. If she decided that all the churches should be destroyed, it would be trivial. She can't use magic herself, but it would be very easy for her to recruit someone who can. She'd grant them everything, and be in a relatively good position to keep them in check. With her vast knowledge, she'd be more than capable of twisting the way a spell is supposed to work and make it lethal to the caster instead. She's the only one who knows the true spell after all.

That's why Touma, Kanzaki, and Stiyl want to make it look exactly like it appears, that she's living carefree and uninvolved. Sitting in neutral (read: mutual enemy) territory. They've explicitly said that magicians will come to Academy City if she gets involved.

You're correct from a viewpoint, she's still shackled. The difference is she's no longer fleeing in terror, never knowing why she's being chased because her memories were wiped again.

[fireheart]

Index acts like a child around Touma, but understands when things get serious and changes her tone. Mikoto acts like a child around Touma, and responds like a child to everything that happens around her. Kuroko has called her out on it a number of times.

Well considering she's in middle school that would make her 13-14 maybe? Not sure how they're divided in Japan so just guessing. So acting like a child seems perfectly normal and she has a lack of information (Don't remember how much she heard from the Aztec guy nor what he said other than asking Touma to protect Mikoto) while Index might not be fully informed of everything but has more of a grasp of the situation than Mikoto does. While Index may not have much of a life like Mikoto it's also pretty understandable considering her situation and the all those memory wipes she's been given. So Touma is basically everything she has which makes her frustration understandable. And going with the whole arguments with the church if she got a life in the Academy City the churches could see her as more of a threat considering she's integrating with the enemy and may therefor join them. Though I guess that's already happened considering Toumas faction and all.

Anyway back to Mikoto don't see it as her thinking that he's underestimating her considering the same things happened in reverse in her arc where she tried to do everything herself and he got himself involved. Looking at things I'd say it's somewhat similar that she knows somethings up and that he's trying to fix everything by himself while she wants to help him out she just doesn't know how. We've seen how much she despise seeing the people she knows getting hurt and what she does if she has the information to find them, so to me it's the same situation just that she's doesn't know enough to go blasting people away. Being left outside the loop can make people do weird things after all more so considering her age. Though it's nothing but a theory.

[Buffalobiian]

Anyway back to Mikoto don't see it as her thinking that he's underestimating her considering the same things happened in reverse in her arc where she tried to do everything herself and he got himself involved. Looking at things I'd say it's somewhat similar that she knows somethings up and that he's trying to fix everything by himself while she wants to help him out she just doesn't know how. We've seen how much she despise seeing the people she knows getting hurt and what she does if she has the information to find them, so to me it's the same situation just that she's doesn't know enough to go blasting people away. Being left outside the loop can make people do weird things after all more so considering her age. Though it's nothing but a theory.

I think she's way too self conscious to see that right now. Her Flustered-Level is through the roof, and adds a romantic light to everything Touma does that involves her.

[Kraco]

Index's current state should be far more worrisome for anybody observing her than many of the alternatives. For an outside observer right now she's sticking all the time really close to the Touma faction leader Touma himself and gets periodically involved in all manner of fights and other dubious activities.

I haven't really seen any evidence destroying the churches would be very high on Index's list of priorities. She even sticks to the nun outfit... If she hated the church enough to wipe them out, why would she still be walking around dressed as an integral and devout church member? I think there's a hole in your worst case scenario here, Ryll.

So, what would she want? Considering her age, maybe she should be attenting school and vaguely considering her future like other normal kids. Right now she's stuck to being index, not a normal human being. Everybody knowing her also treats her as a dangeous book collection, not a girl, Touma included, which is why I said he should push her away to an unknown future. I don't mean he should leave her to her own devices and survive on her own. But to actually give her a life of her own that has nothing to do with her past.

Maybe it'd turn out nothing but wishful thinking but freedom is still something worth fighting for and even dying for.

[KrayZ33]

Mikoto got humiliated by him once, and follows him around every time she sees him, either challenging him to a rematch, or making up some excuse why she needs to be near him. He tries to keep her from getting involved in the magical side of the things because it is very dangerous for her (even though she overheard that entire conversation he had with the Aztec guy). He doesn't know that and keeps pushing her away to keep her uninvolved. .

Mikoto is one of the strongest beings in Academic City and doesn't even know Magic exists in this world.
At first she wanted to know why a *lvl 0* is able to fend of everything she threw at her with zero damage done... so whenever she gets agressive towards him she knows she won't hurt him at all and thats a nice way to give vent to her feelings

later she realized that she has feelings for him and following him/giving him her phone number is a natural thing to do
and she stopped challenging him too

She thinks he's belittling and underestimating her and gets all pissed off. This usually results in her showing off, doing something dumb, and putting herself in even more danger

when did that ever happen?

[Ryllharu]

Mikoto is one of the strongest beings in Academic City and doesn't even know Magic exists in this world.
At first she wanted to know why a *lvl 0* is able to fend of everything she threw at her with zero damage done... so whenever she gets agressive towards him she knows she won't hurt him at all and thats a nice way to give vent to her feelings

Mikoto knows magic exists. She doesn't know the specifics and may only have a vague idea of how far-reaching it is, but you can't say she, "doesn't even know." She heard a lot of the conversation between Touma and her Aztec magician stalker. She's certainly aware that some group sees Touma as a threat, and they do not use Esper abilities.

later she realized that she has feelings for him and following him/giving him her phone number is a natural thing to do
and she stopped challenging him too

No she did not. She's is doing so this arc. Did you forget the little bet they have going?

I'm not certain what this point you're trying to make here. What does it have to do with anything you quoted from me?

[She thinks he's belittling and underestimating her and gets all pissed off. This usually results in her showing off, doing something dumb, and putting herself in even more danger]

when did that ever happen?

I don't know, maybe the entire Sisters Arc? All throughout Railgun?

[KrayZ33]

She heard a lot of the conversation between Touma and her Aztec magician stalker

what makes you think that?
and I'm not even sure if the conversation was magic related

I'm not certain what this point you're trying to make here. What does it have to do with anything you quoted from me?

because you made it sound bad that she is looking out for Touma, but thats a natural thing to do if you want to come together with someone
and you talked about making escuses like "challenging him"... which is not an excuse especially since she wanted that before she even started to like him
so how is this not related to what I quoted

I don't know, maybe the entire Sisters Arc? All throughout Railgun?

Sisters Arc was extremely related to her, where is the "wants to show off" part?
she was the one who started the whole "fight" in the first place and Touma joined later to help her

[fireheart]

I think she's way too self conscious to see that right now. Her Flustered-Level is through the roof, and adds a romantic light to everything Touma does that involves her.

I don't know seeing what happened infront of her at the event with Fukiyose. If she heard him which she should have considering she stood maybe 2 meters away from him when he had his little speech/monologue then it'd be weird if she didn't at least suspect something.

[Nadouku]

For some reason, I thought the episode moved a little slow. Nevertheless, it was still good.

[Archangel]

For some reason, I thought the episode moved a little slow. Nevertheless, it was still good.

The substandard animation didn't help either

[Marik]

UTW-Mazui - Toaru Majutsu no Index II - 11 - 720p