Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Episode 17

Title: Natsuyasumi no Tsuduri (夏休みのつづり) - Spelling the Summer Holidays

Date Aired: 29 January 2010

Previous Episode → 16

Next Episode → 18

Synopsis
It is still summer vacation.

Tsuduri Tessou, part of the faculty, is left with paperwork even in the middle of the vacation. To add, she is a part of Anti-Skill, and that time, after an urgent call from fellow Anti-Skill and teacher Aiho Yomikawa, she is to arrive late yet again after missing the train ride to their rendezvous point.

Aiho and Tsuduri represent the activity of Anti-Skill and Judgment especially during vacation, since they would be less focused in studies during this short time. Their first call didn't turn out well: Tsuduri ends up being taken hostage in one of their assignments and is needed to be saved by Aiho herself, using a riot shield to knock out the hooligan (and hitting Tsuduri as well).

Curfew time arrives, and a worn-out Tsuduri walks with Aiho to do their rounds before going home. They arrive at an arcade and Tsuduri checks it out for anyone who is still out despite curfew hours nearing. She is surprised when she sees Ruiko, Uiharu, Kuroko, and Mikoto on one of the game machines as the last three were the ones active during the Level Upper incident. They end up conversing with each other (with the topic moving to how Tsuduri looks worn-out) until Aiho interrupts them. Aiho soon shifts her focus to the boy playing by himself on the other side of the arcade. Uiharu and Ruiko identify the boy as Kounoe, one of their classmates. As soon as Aiho approaches him, he leaves through the other exit of the arcade.

That night, Aiho and Tsuduri pamper themselves in a hot spring after the hectic day and are joined by fellow teacher Komoe Tsukuyomi. The three then dine in a street stall and drink some alcohol. A half-drunk Aiho advises Tsuduri to make an impact in a not-so-serious way, but that advice somewhat stays in Tsuduri's mind into the night.

The next day, their shift as Anti-Skills continue; unfortunately for Tsuduri, it ends up with all kinds of blunders: getting lost in making directions, putting salt in the wound of a lost girl (figuratively), and ruining the perfect flow of traffic.

As yesterday, Tsuduri feels drained after the day, and is left with rounds before curfew.

She finds herself seeing Kounoe again in the arcade and decides to reprimand him. Seeing the game Kounoe is playing (a seemingly old fighting game called Gekisho 9) makes her lose focus, but she manages to remind herself of what she is supposed to do in the end.

Komoe, Aiho, and Tsuduri go to the hot spring and the street stall just like yesterday; the only difference is that Tsuduri is less lively than before. The other two notice her lethargic aura and decide to cheer her up; Komoe comments that girls turn into hunters in summer while Aiho gives another piece of advice to her: to do what she likes.

The next day, Tsuduri decides to be late at Anti-Skill due to schoolwork and calls Aiho; Aiho then allows her to go free from her duty today in exchange for finishing the schoolwork and paying the next drinking session's bill, much to Tsuduri's shock. Later in the day, she finishes her work and heads off home alone. She sees Kounoe again and decides to share her knowledge by revealing the hidden character in Gekisho 9 and giving some advice of her own.

Tsuduri is about to test her "touch" on the game when Komoe calls for help with a totally-drunk Aiho back home.

That night, Komoe and Tsuduri talk about how today was. Tsuduri confesses about how it was tedious as a teacher. Komoe, on the other hand, enjoys being a teacher despite having students who "blew the roof off her house". Tsuduri uses that confessional to boost her morale on being an Anti-Skill.

The next day, Tsuduri becomes more lively to the tasks ahead and starts off with a more positive aura than before.

In her rounds in Area L of Academy City, she meets Index, who is fighting with a cleaning robot that she says was the one who took away her donuts. Later on, she meets up with a fast-food restaurant crew, who needs help with Aisa Himegami who wants all of their hamburgers.

Soon, she sees a girl who needs help looking for a pendant which she dropped earlier. Tsuduri volunteers in helping, but the girl ends up finding it herself after a small tremor occurred. The girl then leaves abruptly without even a thank you.

Late in the afternoon, Tsuduri finds herself in the arcade again. Instead of joining Aiho and Komoe in the hot spring, she tries out Gekisho 9 alone using the secret character. Soon, she is joined by another player who uses the secret character, too. They pit with each other in the three rounds that follow, but the mystery player ends up winning 2-1. Despite losing, Tsuduri enjoyed the moment to let off some steam, and is surprised to know that it was Kounoe who defeated her. To add, he even refers to her as "Empress Jamie", from the secret character she unlocked in the arcade.

As the night looms, Tsuduri accompanies Kounoe home, and there, Kounoe says thanks to Tsuduri when they reach his home. Aiho then calls her, reminding her of the alcohol she owes her and Komoe, causing Tsuduri to rush back to them.

The next day, Aiho, Tsuduri, Ruiko, Uiharu, Mikoto and Kuroko meet up at the arcade, where they discuss what happened to Kounoe, who transferred to Zassou Academy in District 10. They also discover that "zassou" translates to "weed" in English and that the company with the name "Weed" is responsible for the Gekisho 9 fighting game.

Meanwhile, Tessou continues with Aiho in their Anti-Skill duty, lively as ever.

Referbacks
Komoe's mentioning of having students who "blew the roof off her house" places this episode after the Johann's Pen incident in Toaru Majutsu no Index.

Trivia
The title of this episode is a pun on the name of the featured character, Tsuduri Tessou. Likewise, the title of this episode can be read as "Tsuduri (Tessou) of the Summer Vacation".

The appearance of Aisa Himegami is not to be confused with her first appearance in Episode 7 of Toaru Majutsu no Index because she already wears the crucifix that protects her from her own power; note that she receives this after the Ars Magna arc. (However, the appearance of Haruue Erii, coupled with the tremor during her scene, contradicts this info, as the source of the tremor is addressed on August 8, the exact day the Ars Magna arc takes place- thus, before Aisa acquires the crucifix.)

New Characters
There are some new characters introduced in this episode, though both have minimal roles here compared to the protagonists in the entirety of the series.
 * Haruue Erii - she is the girl "helped" by Tsuduri during her duties in Anti-Skill, though her name is not formally shown as of yet. She holds a locket with a picture of a girl who looks like one of the Child Errors once taught by Harumi Kiyama.
 * Kounoe Haruki  (鴻野江遇希) - during the scenes in the arcade, he is usually seen in the aisle of arcade machines playing a fighting game called "Gekisho 9". Later on, he transfers to Zassou Academy.

Cultural References
"easter eggs"

Quotes

 * "Their taste [of hamburgers] is unforgettable. So I want them all." -- Aisa Himegami, to Tsuduri Tessou
 * "No way... kids don't say that anymore?" -- Tsuduri Tessou, when she realizes the girl who lost her locket no longer uses the term 'locket' and uses 'pendant (with a picture)' instead.