Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T Episode 01

Level 5 (超能力者 (レベル5) ) is the first episode of Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T anime series, the third season of the anime series adaptation of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun manga series. It was broadcast on January 10th 2020.

All of the schools in Academy City participate in the Daihaseisai, a seven-day event that is broadcast all over the world. Amidst the festive mood before the start of this big event, Mikoto, Uiharu and Saten visit Kuroko, who had been seriously injured during the Remnant incident. Despite being hospitalized, Kuroko was worried that Mikoto cannot have fun in the Daihaseisai because of her, causing the three to be concerned as well. Moreover, upon hearing that Kuroko is fired up about joining the patrol duties of Judgment as soon as she is discharged from the hospital, Uiharu decides to work hard to cover for Kuroko.

On the other side of this ordinary day, the plans to have the Level 5s perform the athlete's oath at the opening ceremony of the Daihaseisai become the topic at hand, and not soon after, attempts were made to consult the seven Level 5s...

Synopsis
Academy City prepares for the Daihaseisai. Saten talks about the upcoming festivities, while Uiharu is steeling herself for the Judgment duties she have to perform during the event. A quick skirt flip unsettles Uiharu enough for Saten to assure her that she can relax while she is still on off-duty. Soon, Mikoto arrives after a "quick pit-stop" involving fixing an electronic teddy bear toy owned by a group of three young espers.

Elsewhere, members of the Management Committee of the upcoming Daihaseisai brainstorm about gathering the Level 5s for the event. They are concerned about the involvement of some of the Level 5s to the Dark Side, but since there are demands from the higher-ups regarding the demonstration of abilities from the most powerful espers of Academy City, they decided to have at least two Level 5s to make the Athlete's Pledge during the event.

Mikoto, Saten and Uiharu visit Kuroko, who was confined at a certain hospital. They talk about the Athlete's Pledge on the Daihaseisai, and how Mikoto was consulted by a teacher from Tokiwadai about participating. She ultimately agrees to join the opening ceremony, to the delight of her friends, but Kuroko laments about not being able to join the sporting events because of her duties in Judgment. After the visit, Saten notices that Kuroko may be acting happy to keep her friends from worrying about her. Uiharu decided to work harder to not worry Kuroko, while Saten assured Mikoto that being by her side is enough.

At Tokiwadai Middle School, Kongou Mitsuko, accompanied by Wannai Kinuho and Awatsuki Maaya, revealed that Kuroko has asked Kongou to be her partner for the sporting events in the Daihaseisai, although Kuroko was supposed to be the one to talk to Mikoto about it. Shortly, Shokuhou Misaki noticed Mikoto's presence and bantered with her about their respective abilities. Then, Misaki used her powers on all the students surrounding them to broadcast "their" support for Mikoto joining the opening ceremony. Mikoto walked out displeased towards Misaki's show of power, while Misaki offhandedly commented that her sentiments towards Mikoto are more complicated than simple dislike.

Later that night, the ITEM Liaison contacted Mugino Shizuri about joining the opening ceremony. Clearly disgusted by the idea that someone from the Dark Side would go public, she rejected the offer, and she lashed out on Frenda for trying to replace her on the role. A similar yet more destructive response from the same offer was made by Kakine Teitoku. As for Accelerator, the man who attempted to negotiate with him ended up gravely injured after opening the topic by mentioning the failed Level 6 Shift Project.

The next morning, the Management Committee laid out the results of the negotiations. With Accelerator, Kakine and Mugino out of the question and the sixth-rank Level 5's identity still unknown, they are left with three candidates for the opening ceremony.

Mikoto visits a sweets shop after receiving a magazine about it from Kongou. Here, she discovered one of her clones, who bought some cake for her other clones. The Sisters clone was worried that seeing them together was troublesome to the Original, but Mikoto quickly dismissed that remark. Then, the clone decided to give her cake to Mikoto, who had just missed out on the reserved queue from the cake shop.

As the dry runs for the event begin in Academy City, Saten and Uiharu caught wind of a fight between two rival cheer squads on a nearby stage. Uiharu decides to step in as a member of Judgment, but as one of the cheer squad leaders begin to intimidate her, the seventh-rank Level 5, Sogiita Gunha intervened, using his Amazing Punch to neutralize both parties, destroying the stage in the process. Gunha left immediately after, leaving Saten and Uiharu to rescue the downed cheer squads, but the unstable steel frames from the destroyed stage become a risk to their safety. Mikoto, who overheard the explosion from Gunha's punch earlier, arrived in time to deliver two Railguns that split the steel frame aside.

The commotion was witnessed by one of the members of the Management Committee and the teacher who consulted Mikoto earlier. Although the committee member was elated to find the third-rank Level 5 in action, the teacher was worried about Mikoto's tendency to be involved in trouble and thus withdrew her recommendation.

At Tokiwadai, Misaki received her official request to join the opening ceremony of the Daihaseisai. She was hesitant to accept the offer because the lack of a challenge, but Keitz Nokleben insists that her appearance would be advantageous to his investigation on the Sisters clones. Eventually, Misaki accepted the offer, and Mikoto soon learned of this development as well.

At a certain hospital, Kuroko was disappointed about Mikoto not chosen for the opening ceremony. Mikoto already moved on from the issue and instead decides to deliver the cake-in-a-jar she brought as a gift. Kuroko was happy to receive the gift, but Mikoto catches a glimpse of Kuroko's "secret album" filled with voyeuristic photos of the third-rank Level 5. This immediately annoyed the Electromaster into shocking Kuroko.

Meanwhile, the Management Committee has finally chosen Shokuhou Misaki and Sogiita Gunha for the opening ceremony of the Daihaseisai, although for some reason they have a bad feeling about this combination...

Adapted From

 * (cover-only)

Major Events

 * Preparations begin for the Daihaseisai, the major inter-school sporting event of Academy City.
 * The Daihaseisai Management Committee attempted to contact the seven Level 5s of Academy City and persuade them into performing the Athlete's Pledge during the Daihaseisai's opening ceremony. Shokuhou Misaki and Sogiita Gunha were eventually chosen as guests.

Characters
By order of appearance:
 * Misaka Mikoto
 * Saten Ruiko
 * Uiharu Kazari
 * Shirai Kuroko
 * Watanabe
 * Kongou Mitsuko
 * Wannai Kinuho
 * Awatsuki Maaya
 * Shokuhou Misaki
 * Hokaze Junko
 * Mugino Shizuri
 * Frenda Seivelun
 * ITEM Liaison (voice-only)
 * Kinuhata Saiai
 * Takitsubo Rikou
 * Accelerator
 * Sisters
 * Keitz Nokleben

New Characters

 * Yobou Banka
 * Gokusai Kaibi
 * Kakine Teitoku
 * Sogiita Gunha
 * Daihaseisai Management Committee chairman
 * Daihaseisai Management Committee members

Abilities

 * Electromaster (Railgun-variant) - Misaka Mikoto, Level 5
 * Mental Out - Shokuhou Misaki, Level 5
 * Telekinesis - Child esper
 * Pyrokinesis - Child esper

New Abilities

 * "Amazing Punch" - Sogiita Gunha, Level 5

Locations

 * Academy City
 * School District 7
 * Heaven Canceller's Hospital
 * Tokiwadai Middle School
 * School District 3
 * ITEM's Private Pool

New Locations

 * Bonbons

Trivia

 * The Daihaseisai Management Committee chairman is voiced by Iwasawa Toshiki.
 * The Daihaseisai Management Committee members are voiced by Nanase Ayaka, Ueki Shin'ei and Yasuda Rikuya.
 * The child espers are voiced by Ishibashi Momo, Aihara Kotomi, and Hon'izumi Rina
 * The head of cheer squads are voiced by Makimura Takuya and Maki Shun'ichi.
 * Murukawa Rie reprises her role as the ITEM liaison despite being replaced by Watabe Sayumi in Toaru Majutsu no Index III.

Referbacks

 * Watanabe mentioned Mikoto's participation in the ability demonstration in Russia. This was featured in Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS2: Shopping Mall Demonstration.

Cultural References

 * This bench is an artwork by the French-American sculptor, known for her brightly-colored mosaic sculptures, called The Conversation (会話). It is currently located in , Tokyo.
 * Akebono Pedestrian Overpass (曙陸橋) is a pedistrian overpass which is currently located in Tachikawa, Tokyo.
 * The remote control used by Misaki to control the students of Tokiwadai is similar to the remote control for the CT-90320A digital television.
 * Kuroko's secret album of Mikoto, first featured in Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Episode 02, is briefly shown. This would be used as the title for a Toaru Kagaku no Railgun artbook featuring artwork of Mikoto by several artists, aptly called Kuroko no (hi)Album Oneesama no HIMITSU Kaizokuban, released on December 31, 2010.
 * Two all-male  or cheer squads are shown in this episode.

Differences in Adaptation

 * Aihana Etsu as the 6th-ranked Level 5 is known contrary to the original version in the manga. Moreover, not only is his name known, but instead of the committee finding nothing about him with the resignation that it was to be expected, in the adaptation there are many people instead who are claiming to be him.
 * Misaka's confrontation with Misaki in the school is a redone version of their confrontation in the library that was already adapted in the first episode of Railgun S, with similar story beats and ending with Misaki mind controlling all the girls around her to intimidate Misaka.
 * Instead of meeting in Tokiwadai Middle School regarding Misaka's participation in the opening of Daihaseisai, Watanabe and the female committee member coincidentally run into each other immediately after Misaka saves Uiharu and Saten.

Animation Trivia

 * The effects used for Kakine Teitoku's angel wings are the same ones used in his appearance in Toaru Majutsu no Index III.
 * The Sisters' eyes retain the style that was introduced in Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S that was not carried over in Toaru Majutsu no Index III.
 * Sogiita Gunha's shirt is painted all red for all episodes including the OP.