Toaru Majutsu no Index Episode 15

"Angel Fall" (御使堕し(エンゼルフォール)) is the 15th episode of the Toaru Majutsu no Index anime series and the first episode of the Angel Fall Arc. It was broadcast on January 8, 2009, and was directed and storyboarded by Nakatsu Tamaki, and the script written by Minikami Seishi. The opening theme masterpiece, does not replace PSI-Missing during this episode, and is later moved for episode 17. This mistake is later rectified in the DVD and BD releases of the anime.

After Touma, the Level 0, defeated Accelerator, his ordeal has reached a certain infamy. It has become such an out of control mess that the Board of Directors has instructed him to go abroad and temporarily leave Academy City—destination: the sea. Touma goes to the beach house "Wadatsumi" accompanied by Index, who got out of Academy City without suspicion for some reason despite being an illegal immigrant. However, his cousin and childhood friend, and parents were suppose to meet him after Komoe's careful consideration but was unable to due to various circumstances. The next morning, Kamijou Touya, Touma's father, and company arrives... However, for some reason, mother Kamijou Shiina was in the form of Index, and cousin Tatsugami Otohime was in the form of Mikoto. It was like a bad trick is what Touma concludes, but truthfully, a queer phenomenon that affects the entire word is happening, where the "contents and appearance of human beings have been interchanged". Before long, Touma comes upon a strange sister wearing a red cloak.

Synopsis
The episode begins with seabirds fluttering in a clear sunny sky. The scene pans down to a beach resort, known as Oowarai, where it seems that no one is around. The scene cuts to Index in her bathing suit playing in the waters, and then seeking the attention of Touma, who is resting under an umbrella. Touma sits up, apparently hearing her call. He begins a voice-over on how he is involuntarily away from Academy City and is in the beach with Index. The scene then cuts to Touma arguing with Komoe in the teacher's lounge in a certain highschool, where Komoe urges Touma to move out of the city for a while due to higher-up's-of-the-city's insistence. Komoe takes out a magazine featuring Oowarai Beach on the cover, the scene then immediately cuts to Index demanding Touma that she'll go with him on the trip and with Touma explaining that she can't go because she has no ID. The scene changes again to the outside of Academy City, where Index is getting her identity checked in the database and apparently getting clearance, surprising Touma as the taxi cab they are in drive out of the city limits.

Adapted From
Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 04

Major events

 * Angel Fall is activated
 * Touma meets his father, mother and cousin for the first time since losing his memories.
 * Touma meets Misha Kreutzev of Annihilatus.
 * Touma meets Kanzaki Kaori for the first time since losing his memories, and discovers that Tsuchimikado Motoharu is a member of Necessarius.

Characters
By order of appearance
 * Index in the form of Aogami Piasu
 * Kamijou Touma
 * Tsukuyomi Komoe (form reused as a newscaster)
 * Kanzaki Kaori
 * Tsuchimikado Motoharu

New Characters

 * Hitotsui Hajime
 * Kamijou Touya
 * Tatsugami Otohime in the form of Misaka Mikoto
 * Kamijou Shiina in the form of Index
 * Misha Kreutzev

Other Appearances

 * Misaka clone in the form of the resort landlady
 * Stiyl Magnus in the form of the resort landlord
 * Heaven Canceler in the form of newscaster
 * Shirai Kuroko in the form of the President of the United States of America

Abilities

 * Imagine Breaker - Kamijou Touma, level 0

New Abilities

 * Angel Fall
 * Water Magic - Misha Kreutzev

Locations

 * Academy City (flashback only)

New Locations

 * Oowarai Beach

Trivia

 * This episode features Touma and Index outside of Academy City for the first time since the start of the series.
 * The character Hino Jinsaku who appears in the novels, is completely removed during the duration of this arc.
 * This is the first time we hear the tune that Index (Aogami) is humming, which would be used by several characters in the both Index and Railgun anime adaptations.

Referbacks

 * Touma references his memory loss again in this episode.

Cultural References

 * The scene where Index demands Touma to take her to the beach, features Index having several varieties of food for her to eat, while Touma only has a cup of instant food with him.
 * Index's identification data has a picture of her holding a negi for no apparent reason.
 * The reason Touma is nervous regarding the beach is because Oowarai can be translated to big laugh, joke or jeer.
 * The Hindu deity Ganesha is seen in the form of a small statue souvenir during this episode.
 * Otohime calls Touma 'onii-chan' a common Japanese honorofic often used on older male siblings, though it can also be used to refer to an older male, especially when the person has a close relationship with the person who uses the honorific.
 * Prank shows that humiliate and embarass unwitting people on televesion is referenced during this episode.
 * The mask as well as the restraints that the fictional character Hannibal Lecter is often seen wearing in the Silence of the Lambs Trilogy, is used to restrain Touma during his tantrum against Index.
 * A Matroyshka doll is seen during this episode, though featuring several leaders of Russia (such as Joseph Stalin) instead of the usual little girls.
 * The episode references Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" slogan for the 2008 United States Presidential Campaign. At the time this episode aired Obama has already been elected as the 44th President of the United States, though he did not assume office until the 20th of the same month.
 * Shana-tan of the Shakugan no Shana-tan specials is mentioned in this episode.
 * The Tree of Sephirot is referenced by Kaori during this episode, the version shown of the tree is that of Athanasius Kircher which is most notably used in the Hermetic Qabalah.

Animation Trivia

 * The video games seen during this episode are reused from the first episode of Shakugan no Shana, they are also reused in episode 17 of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun anime adaptation.
 * For no apparent reason, the rubber duck that was floating in the hot sping Index was in, suddenly changed into a chicken with a surprised expression.
 * The scene where Index is playing on the beach and Touma responding to her beckoning is reused later in the episode with Otohime.

Unanswered Questions

 * Who is the spellcaster of Angel Fall?
 * Who is the Angel Fall that was cast off because of the spell?
 * If Motoharu is a magician, why is he also an esper as well?

Quotes

 * Touma: "Yeah, I'll find out tomorrow. I lost my memories, so I obviously don't remember how my parents are, what kind of people they were, or what kind of son I was. Will I able to act naturally before them? As such, I'm uncharacteristically nervous right now." -Touma regarding his parents.
 * President of the United States of America: "Yes We Can."