Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S Episode 10

"Meltdowner" (原子崩し (メルトダウナー) ) is the tenth episode for the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S anime series. It was first broadcasted on June 14, 2013. The screenplay was written by Tsuchiya Michihiro, storyboarded by Nihei Yuuichi, and directed by Ikehata Takashi. The animation was co-directed by Sano Eri, Ueda Mineko, Hagiwara Hiromitsu, Yoshida Yuuko, and Kajitani Mitsuhara.

With the strong teamwork of ITEM's AIM Stalker and Meltdowner, Mikoto becomes corners. However, Mugino soon recognizes that the one they are fighting is none other than the third-ranked esper of Academy City, the Railgun, and the decided to mow her down in single battle.

Unable to answer her enemy with her own abilities to its full potential after tiring herself, Mikoto tries to fight using the stuffed bombs that Frenda left. However, Mugino also shows her how dark organizations such as theirs fight, by using her "trump card" to cover her weaknesses, she tries to strike Mikoto down. Mikoto however, still succeeds in the destruction of the facility after somehow going through the eye of a needle.

And yet, Mugino continues her unrelenting pursuit.

Major events

 * The first actual single battle between Level 5s occur between Misaka Mikoto and Mugino Shizuri. Misaka Mikoto defeats Mugino Shizuri.
 * Misaka Mikoto successfully cripples the second to last laboratory connected to the Level 6 Shift experiments, and later discovers that the experiment can no longer be sustained.

Adapated From

 * Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Manga Chapter 029
 * Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Manga Chapter 030

Characters

 * Misaka Mikoto
 * Mugino Shizuri
 * Frenda Seivelun
 * Takitsubo Rikou
 * Kinuhata Saiai
 * Misaka 9982 (flashback)
 * Accelerator (flashback)
 * Sisters (flashback)
 * Saten Ruiko (flashback)
 * Uiharu Kazari (flashback)
 * Shirai Kuroko (flashback)
 * Kamijou Touma
 * Academy City Board of Directors (referenced by Mugino)

New Characters
No notable characters were introduced during this episode.

Locations

 * Academy City
 * S-Processor Laboratories
 * Misawa Cram School (flashback)
 * Endymion (flashback)
 * Vending Machine 7116

New Locations

 * Mizuho Machines

Abilities

 * Electromaster - Misaka Mikoto, Level 5.
 * Meltdowner - Mugino Shizuri, Level 5.
 * Accelerator (ability) - Accelerator, Level 5.

New Abilities

 * Meltdowner + Silicon Burn (this allowed Mugino to greatly enhance the power of her Meltdowner attack by splitting it into many different green beams of light, causing a greater range of destruction)

Trivia

 * This episode marks the first time two Level 5s do battle in single combat in an anime adapatation. This is unlike Mikoto and Accelerator's confrontation, where the latter didn't even get the opportunity to fight former.
 * Touma does the preview narration for the next episode, the first time he does so in Toaru Kagaku no Railgun.

Referbacks

 * The hotel that Mikoto used as a her "coin locker" that appeared in episode 3 returns.
 * Touma getting a beverage from the vending machine is a reference to his appearance in the same machine back in episode 10 of the first season of Toaru Majutsu no Index, indicating that the timeline for Index's version of the Sisters Arc has begun.

Cultural References
No notable references to culture were introduced during this episode.

Animation Trivia

 * Scenes from episode 5, 6, and 7 are reused as flashbacks in the episode.
 * An animation error occurs when Mikoto tries to dodge Mugino's Meltdowner beams after finding out that she is somehow still conscious. Mikoto's head is cut-off, indicating that the frames were not aligned properly.
 * The animation used for Touma giving his money to the vending machine is exactly the same one from the 10th episode of Toaru Majutsu no Index.

Unanswered Questions

 * How was Mikoto not able to see Mugino before she can sneak up on her after she returned that Mugino has gone missing in a large open area?
 * Why was ITEM hired in the first place?
 * Where will the clones go now if the experiment can no longer be sustained?
 * What did Mugino mean when she said "Just what the hell are the board of directors thinking?" Are they involved somehow?

Quotes

 * Frenda: "Hopefully you can find another place sometime." —to Rikou after she tells that ITEM is the only place for her.
 * Mugino: "Do you really think you can overwhelm me with numbers? Silicon Burn. Don't they teach you to make up for your weaknesses in Combat 101? Don't underestimate ITEM, you brat!" —to Mikoto after she unleashed a hail of doll bombs on Mugino.
 * Saiai:' "I'm giving you a spanking." —Mugino's message to Frenda delivered by Saiai.
 * Mugino: "Parry, parry, parry? You're killin' me, kid! Do you really think your childish quarrels could erase the darkness of this city?!" —said to Mikoto.
 * Mugino: "Would you rather turn into some fatty lump of meat, or would you rather bet on your chances of imprisonment and live trying to escape your fate? Which will it be?" —said to a S-Processor researcher.
 * Mugino: "Sink into the depths of the darkness, kicking and screaming. Into the depths of the abyss beneath Academy City. Won't you?" —said regarding Mikoto's fate.
 * Mikoto: "Everything that's happened up until now won't just disappear. There's a lot that needs to be done to move forward. But... The experiment's over! Those girls... Those girls don't need to die anymore."
 * Mikoto: "Girls... I'm coming home."