Toaru Majutsu no Index and Spin Offs

[Shamitako]

So, like, this is a legit thread for discussing legit things

Only rule is that you're not allowed to be elitist Hiss >:c

Okay but real only rule is to be respectful of others opinions and keep your discussions civil

Hiss's much betterly explained OP thingy:

The ToAru franchise started in April 10, 2004 with the release of the first volume of the light novel written by the man under the pen name Kazuma Kamachi.

The novels tell the story of Kamijou Touma, a hapless young man with the Imagine Breaker living in Academy City, the city of science and esper powers, meeting Index, a girl from the mysterious world of magic.

With the generally positive response to the series, it continued to be published volume-by-volume. After the popularity of the series sky-rocketed in mid-2007 due to Volumes 12 and 13, a new side-story manga, centering around Misaka Mikoto, one of the series's most popular characters, was then announced and started serialized publication at the end of May 2007.

In October 2008, the first episode of the anime adaptation was released and ran for 24 episodes. A year after the first episode of Index, the first episode of the adaptation of the side story, Railgun, was released and ran for 24 episodes.

Predictably, Index gained enough momentum to have a second season which started a year after the debut of Railgun, which also ran for 24 episodes.

Two days after the debut of the second season of Index, however, the novel series, To Aru Majutsu no Index, released its final volume. However, around the time of the last few episodes of the second season, a part two to the series, entitled To Aru Majutsu no Index: New Testament, began it release and continues to this day with Volume 13 having just been released on July 10th, 2015.

On April 12, 2013, Railgun's second season, entitled Railgun S began. During the period in which Railgun S was airing, two new manga series were announced: To Aru Kagaku no Accelerator, which centers around Accelerator, and To Aru Nichijou no Index-san, a 4-koma comedy series shuffling around the series's main cast while focusing around Index and Touma.

And that's the short and skinny of the franchise~
Now, go. Discuss~

[Hiss13]

Dammit, Alexus…beat me to the punch…fine…

Then can you do me a favor and edit what I put into the spoiler tag into the OP? To kick this thread off properly~

The ToAru franchise started in April 10, 2004 with the release of the first volume of the light novel written by the man under the pen name Kazuma Kamachi.

The novels tell the story of Kamijou Touma, a hapless young man with the Imagine Breaker living in Academy City, the city of science and esper powers, meeting Index, a girl from the mysterious world of magic.

With the generally positive response to the series, it continued to be published volume-by-volume. After the popularity of the series sky-rocketed in mid-2007 due to Volumes 12 and 13, a new side-story manga, centering around Misaka Mikoto, one of the series's most popular characters, was then announced and started serialized publication at the end of May 2007.

In October 2008, the first episode of the anime adaptation was released and ran for 24 episodes. A year after the first episode of Index, the first episode of the adaptation of the side story, Railgun, was released and ran for 24 episodes.

Predictably, Index gained enough momentum to have a second season which started a year after the debut of Railgun, which also ran for 24 episodes.

Two days after the debut of the second season of Index, however, the novel series, To Aru Majutsu no Index, released its final volume. However, around the time of the last few episodes of the second season, a part two to the series, entitled To Aru Majutsu no Index: New Testament, began it release and continues to this day with Volume 13 having just been released on July 10th, 2015.

On April 12, 2013, Railgun's second season, entitled Railgun S began. During the period in which Railgun S was airing, two new manga series were announced: To Aru Kagaku no Accelerator, which centers around Accelerator, and To Aru Nichijou no Index-san, a 4-koma comedy series shuffling around the series's main cast while focusing around Index and Touma.

And that's the short and skinny of the franchise~

Now, go. Discuss~

[Shamitako]

K

Also, what's wrong with Index's hands? O_o

[Hiss13]

K

Also, what's wrong with Index's hands? O_o

I would say that it's a quirk in Haimura's, the artist's, art style but I think it's more meant to be a call-back to how he drew Index's hands in the original Volume 1 cover.

Original:

Re-drawn:

The odd thing is that he doesn't usually draw hands so big as shown in some of his later Index art:

But then again, fans do affectionately call his art-style a semi-deformed style for certain reasons.

[Shamitako]

Okay, so, that last picture there is absolutely hilarious

And the hands are still weird

[Hiss13]

Okay, so, that last picture there is absolutely hilarious

And the hands are still weird

The fun part is that the cover and summary were for the volume that Misaki+Mikoto cover was on was completely misleading. Completely non-indicative of what the plot of the arc was overall. Which was a total troll move on the author's part as we were all expecting a volume about Misaki and her past. Luckily, we eventually got that Misaki volume 4 volumes later~

Meh. Semi-deformed art-style. That's all I can say. XD

[Shamitako]

So totally unrelated to what we were talking about. But last night I had a weird ass dream where literally every female character ever got a clone. Even the weird AIM girl who wasn't even human to be cloned in the first place. Needless to say, hilarity ensued

[Flux]

So totally unrelated to what we were talking about. But last night I had a weird ass dream where literally every female character ever got a clone. Even the weird AIM girl who wasn't even human to be cloned in the first place. Needless to say, hilarity ensued

So does that mean there were 40002 Sisters?

[Meruem]

no, there were 20002 ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

oops spoiler misaka worst best girl clone

[Shamitako]

Nah, the Sisters were the Misaka clones still, nothing more

[Hiss13]

Even Hyouka had a clone? I would say that was odd if it weren't for the fact that...never mind. That would be spoilers.

Still...interesting dream

You should try reading the official parody stories by the author of the series. They're short and have enough weird dream fuel to last you for a while.

For example:

As he shouted, Academy City’s strongest Level 5 remained collapsed in a sitting position.

“Apparently, I’m a character that suddenly appears without warning.”

“I think you’re a personification of the misfortune that always hangs around me.”

“Also, I’m apparently a character that won’t hate you at all no matter what you do to me.”

“Like hell you are!! Do you think you’re a delinquent girl who can’t be honest with her feelings so she always abuses the harmless protagonist yet ultimately knits him a hand-made sweater!?”

Kamijou began tearing at his head because he could no longer comprehend the whole character thing, but then someone else walked toward him.

It was a human wearing a green surgical gown who appeared masculine yet feminine, young yet aged, saintly yet sinful. Overall, he was an ambiguous person. He had a different type of silver hair than Index. His appeared to have lost all its color. That hair that extended down to his waist seemed to make it even harder to determine his age or sex.

His bare feet slapped against the floor as he approached.

“Why are you two not in class?”

“What? Who are you?”

“Well, it appears I am the board chairman character. I have serious doubts as to whether that qualifies as an entire category, but I must play the part as that is the part I was…ghbh!?”

Before the mysterious figure could finish speaking, Kamijou reflexively threw a punch.

“Gh..gbh… Wh-what are you doing?”

“I don’t really know, but I get the feeling it will solve everything on a global scale if I defeat you here.”

“P-please wait. I understand the desire to interfere with a secret character you never see on a daily basis. I do understand, but…bh!? But I must ask why you have so readily knocked me to the ground and climbed on top of…ghghgrbh.”

With the board chairman character defeated, Kamijou Touma wiped sweat from his brow with a gentle look on his face.

“Did that bring peace to the world?”

“What? So is this how you always do things?” asked Accelerator.

-----

On another note, I found a fan made opening for an Index III where the creator draws the characters over a Fate/Stay Night OP. (Post-anime spoilers aplenty)

It made me sad when I saw all of the awesome fights that may never happen if Media Works and JC Staff don't green light a season 3...I want to see Acqua vs the Amakusa...I want to see Accelerator vs Hyouka vs Archangel Gabriel...

-----

On another note...I have been thinking of starting a ToAru RP on the RP forums here. I'm just not sure how to go about it yet.

Edited August 22, 2015 by Hiss13

[Meruem]

i think the closest we've got to an index III was this crossover pv thing with some of kazuma's other works, which aired last year.

it's not coming any time soon, mainly because j.c. staff's been doing great with some other shows, i.e. shokugeki no soma, shimoneta and even prison school. but i'm sure it will come eventually, along with all the other anime that were showcased on that preview. for now, we're getting heavy object next season, which should be pretty decent to say the least. i dont even like mecha shows much, but im definitely going to give this one a try.

in any case, if j.c. staff's shows eventually start to suck or they just have nothing that will sell to produce, they're most likely going to rely on index III, or at the very least, something else related to the toaru franchise, like a toaru kagaku no accelerator adaptation or some more railgun. there's plenty of material to produce those anyway, so that wouldn't be a problem. at the earliest, im expecting something to come during late 2016/2017 :].

[Hiss13]

You do not know how excited I was when I first saw that a year ago. All of Kamachi's works in one video.

You do not know how excited I was when I saw false Gremlin animated. Seeing Othinus, Thor, and Marian animated right as it was between the releases of NT10 and NT11 was so perfect. I was so freaking excited. I was like, "you do not animate those three characters without the intent of having another season of Index soon". So, the day of the 10th anniversary event came. For that month or so before the announcement, Dengeki was doing some really heavy Index promotions. So, then came the event. I was listening to the event live. They counted down by having Mami Kawada sing all of Index's OPs live. I was so happy and expecting Index III...and then came the Heavy Object announcement. As happy as I am that Heavy Object is getting an anime, there is a part of me that is still bitter about the bait-and-switch marketing by Dengeki and JC Staff…

The worst part is that through all of that, I was even trying to predict what kind of path the series would take in terms of how the next seasons would adapt Index...

Edited August 22, 2015 by Hiss13

[Meruem]

ay get fucking baited lmao. but seriously though, it'll come eventually. maybe after heavy object, since there was so much index publicity.

also, while we're at it, can we make this thread not just a toaru franchise thread but for all of kamachi's works? i have a feeling that even if index doesnt come any time soon, we'll still bump this thread in one way or another, whenever something other than index gets an adaptation or some type of announcement.

[Hiss13]

ay get fucking baited lmao. but seriously though, it'll come eventually. maybe after heavy object, since there was so much index publicity.

also, while we're at it, can we make this thread not just a toaru franchise thread but for all of kamachi's works? i have a feeling that even if index doesnt come any time soon, we'll still bump this thread in one way or another, whenever something other than index gets an adaptation or some type of announcement.

You'll have to ask dear old Alexus for that. I'm not the one who created the thread after all~

At this point, I have learned to lower my expectations when hoping for Index III.

I have learned to follow this matrix.

[ZoeticxTeikoku]

if I remember right, Accelerator was getting his own spin-off? I can't remember if it was anime or manga, but I doubt they'll let the To Aru mark drop since I recall it did pretty darn well sell wise. Although, it might have been put on a bit of hiatus due to how more popular slice of life was at the time / still currently is but you never know. Maybe they'll make III and then watch the fans explode.

The sad reality is, it might not have sold enough for the studio's liking, which breaks my heart. To Aru is an excellent universe, and the anime is actually damn well produced in my opinion. Though, I haven't really compared it to the manga source as of yet, but still.

also am I the only one excited for the thought of more accelerator and last order?

[Shamitako]

No, no you are not

My favorite characters are Railgun>Accelerator>Chibi Railgun so seeing more of the latter two would make me absolutely ecstatic

[Hiss13]

if I remember right, Accelerator was getting his own spin-off? I can't remember if it was anime or manga, but I doubt they'll let the To Aru mark drop since I recall it did pretty darn well sell wise. Although, it might have been put on a bit of hiatus due to how more popular slice of life was at the time / still currently is but you never know. Maybe they'll make III and then watch the fans explode.

The sad reality is, it might not have sold enough for the studio's liking, which breaks my heart. To Aru is an excellent universe, and the anime is actually damn well produced in my opinion. Though, I haven't really compared it to the manga source as of yet, but still.

also am I the only one excited for the thought of more accelerator and last order?

Accelerator has already got his own spin-off. It started a year and a half ago.

As for sales...let me say something about sales.

To Aru consistently sells really well. Novel sales have always been >150,000 which is incredibly amazing and its characters are freaking iconic. The anime also sold very well. I really doubt that it did not sell enough.

As for how the anime compares to the source...ehhh…

As someone who has read the light novels multiple times each (All Volumes+Side Stories, etc.) The novel is absolutely superior. The novel does a better job of writing its characters, story, etc. Novel Kamijou>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Anime Kamijou.

And the art is absolutely amazing. Let me just point it out with one of my favorite illustrations from the novels.

As for my excitement, I'm more excited about the sights we would be seeing in Season 3. Avignon, District 22, Buckingham Palace, and St. Peter's Basilica. Not to mention finally seeing the Number 2 on screen,

Accelerator vs Aiwass

, the Amakusas and Kanzaki in combat, Curtana, Accelerator vs the Number 2, that one character's death (for which I will break out the popcorn when it happens as anime-only viewers are going to go absolutely ballistic), etc.

As for Accelerator and Last Order, you will definitely be seeing a fair amount of them in the next season...though more Accelerator (oh, I can't wait for the moment when he's dropped onto a city like a tactical nuke).

Edited September 8, 2015 by Hiss13

[Flux]

Accelerator has already got his own spin-off. It started a year and a half ago.

As for sales...let me say something about sales.

To Aru consistently sells really well. Novel sales have always been >150,000 which is incredibly amazing and its characters are freaking iconic. The anime also sold very well. I really doubt that it did not sell enough.

As for how the anime compares to the source...ehhh…

As someone who has read the light novels multiple times each (All Volumes+Side Stories, etc.) The novel is absolutely superior. The novel does a better job of writing its characters, story, etc. Novel Kamijou>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Anime Kamijou.

And the art is absolutely amazing. Let me just point it out with one of my favorite illustrations from the novels.

As for my excitement, I'm more excited about the sights we would be seeing in Season 3. Avignon, District 22, Buckingham Palace, and St. Peter's Basilica. Not to mention finally seeing the Number 2 on screen,

Accelerator vs Aiwass

, the Amakusas and Kanzaki in combat, Curtana, Accelerator vs the Number 2, that one character's death (for which I will break out the popcorn when it happens as anime-only viewers are going to go absolutely ballistic), etc.

As for Accelerator and Last Order, you will definitely be seeing a fair amount of them in the next season...though more Accelerator (oh, I can't wait for the moment when he's dropped onto a city like a tactical nuke).

Your enthusiam about the To Aru universe is like my enthusiasm for the SAO universe. (Read the light novels and pretty much anything I could find about SAO, especially Aincrad, though I know a good bit about ALO and its mechanics as well.) Although I stopped where the anime stopped, so I could have the full experience when the next arc's anime comes out.

Anyway, on topic, I would definitely love to see more of To Aru in anime form. (Is it ToAru, or To Aru, or Toaru anyway? I've seen it as all three...) I still need to finish Railgun S, but I've found myself craving some new Touma scenes, so getting back to the main plot would be nice. Although I do like the Accelerator/LAst Order portions as well, so I can't say I'd be upset if they went the Accelerator route.

It'd be hard for me to choose absolute favorite characters, but I suppose I can try.

Uiharu/Haruee Erii (Tied) > Railgun > Stiyl > Accelerator > Last Order > Touma

...I think.

[Shamitako]

...You did six, now I have to do six

Railgun>Accelerator>Chibi Railgun>Kongou>Stiyl/Uiharu (#tiesOP)

[Meruem]

accelerator>railgun>touma>kinuhata saiai>last order>kuroko

[Hiss13]

Anyway, on topic, I would definitely love to see more of To Aru in anime form. (Is it ToAru, or To Aru, or Toaru anyway? I've seen it as all three...) I still need to finish Railgun S, but I've found myself craving some new Touma scenes, so getting back to the main plot would be nice. Although I do like the Accelerator/LAst Order portions as well, so I can't say I'd be upset if they went the Accelerator route.

If I'm right, a season 3 would likely adapt Volumes 14-19. At this point, the magic and science sides are involved with each arc. Volume 14 is mainly Touma (though we have minor involvement with Accelerator). Volume 15 is the infamous Battle Royale Arc about Academy City's dark side organizations like ITEM and GROUP and it centers around Accelerator and Hamazura Shiage. It also involves three level 5s: Accelerator, Mugino, and the Number 2 who I shall not name. Volume 16 is a magic side arc with Touma as the MC. Volumes 17-18 are another magic side arc with Touma as the MC. Volume 19 goes back to the dark side of AC again with Accelerator and Hamazura Shiage as the MCs.

As for favorite characters…it would have to be

Kamijou Touma>Accelerator>Othinus>Hamazura Shiage>Acqua of the Back>Index

I'll be honest, with the exception of Touma, my position on other characters is far more...amorphous.

[Meruem]

lol hiss you're like all mysterious about that number 2 but he's on your fuckin avatar

oops

[Hiss13]

lol hiss you're like all mysterious about that number 2 but he's on your fuckin avatar

oops

Are you sure that's the Number 2? Accelerator does not consider him to be the Number 2~

But, guys. If you ever have the time, read the first two volumes of the Light Novels. I guarantee that you'll see the first two arcs of the series in a different light if you do so.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Hiss13

[Meruem]

b-but the eyes. im sure thats him.