Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T Episode 02

Daihaseisai (大覇星祭) is the 2nd episode of Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T. It was broadcast on January 17th 2020. The episode was directed by Mori Yoshihiro, the screenplay written by Yasukawa Shogo, and storyboarded by Nihei Yuichi.

With the opening ceremony concluding safely(?), the Daihaseisai finally begins. Once again, Saten hears about a certain urban legend—Shadow Metal—and receives a scolding from Kuroko. Meanwhile, in the pair competition where Mikoto was supposed to participate, her supposed partner Kuroko's arrangement with Kongou enabled the Fuujin-Raijin combo to make its appearance instead.

In the Three-Legged Race, the very first event, despite being targeted by the other competing schools, they show off their slight edge in using their abilities and made a good show. Amidst the sporting events unfolding between espers that are enjoyed by audiences inside and outside of Academy City, on the other side, there are people who are planning for something...

Major Events

 * The Daihaseisai finishes its opening ceremony with the Athlete's Pledge led by Shokuhou Misaki and Sogiita Gunha. The Athlete's Pledge went into slight disarray as Gunha began improvising his lines.
 * The sporting events began after the opening ceremony. Among those are the 100-meter Dash, Tug-of-war, Three-Legged Race, and Scavenger Hunt. Nagatenjouki Academy remained undefeated in the events they participated, while Tokiwadai Middle School won the Three-Legged Race.
 * Operatives from MEMBER mobilize themselves during the bustle of Daihaseisai.

Characters
By order of appearance:
 * Konori Mii
 * Shirai Kuroko
 * Watanabe
 * Tsukuyomi Komoe
 * Shokuhou Misaki
 * Sogiita Gunha
 * Aoki
 * Saten Ruiko
 * Uiharu Kazari
 * Misaka Mikoto
 * Kongou Mitsuko
 * Kamijou Touma (referenced)
 * Misaka 10032
 * Misaka 10032's cat
 * Misaka Misuzu
 * Awatsuki Maaya
 * Wannai Kinuho
 * Keitz Nokleben

New Characters

 * Todoroki
 * Amime
 * Kumokawa Seria
 * Pirate Radio DJ
 * Kotarou
 * Kobayashi Satori
 * Kirifu Megumi
 * Xochitl (Masked)
 * Professor (Voice-only)
 * Baba Yoshio
 * Kouzaku Mitori

Abilities

 * Clairvoyance - Konori Mii, Level 3
 * Unknown - Sogiita Gunha, Level 5
 * Ability summoning earth pillars - Aoki
 * Electromaster (Railgun-variant) - Misaka Mikoto, Level 5
 * Aero Hand - Kongou Mitsuko, Level 4

New Abilities

 * Ability manipulating anything touches (Telekinesis-type)- Unnamed Airin Girls' High School student
 * Ability breaking down anything to raw material - Unnamed Airin Girl's High School student
 * Telepath whose ability is limited to only hamsters - Two unnamed Ninoudefuzoku Middle School students
 * Ability involving manipulation of coefficient of friction - Amime
 * Ability involving manipulation of water particles - Todoroki

Locations

 * Academy City
 * School District 7
 * Heaven Canceller's Hospital

Trivia

 * Two unnamed female students of Airin Girls' High School are voiced by Yamane Aya and Shiraki Nao.
 * Two unnamed female students of Ninoudefuzoku Middle School are voiced by Kazama Mayuko and Ogino Hazuki.
 * Two unnamed students in Balloon Hunter are voiced by Watanabe Mitsuru and Mino Yuudai.
 * Xochitl debuts her disguised appearance, something that was completely removed in her debut in Toaru Majutsu no Index III.
 * The anime adapts Baba Yoshio's chubbier appearance from the manga in contrast to his much slimmer appearance in Toaru Majutsu no Index III.

Referbacks

 * Saten asks Xochitl if they have met somewhere before, indicating that the events of Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS: Liberal Arts City, which were teased in the final episode of Railgun S, may have occurred.
 * By the time Mikoto met her mother in the Daihaseisai, Mikoto already finished participating in the Scavenger Hunt event, where she was featured dragging a "spiky-haired boy".

Cultural References

 * Kongou references in this episode her combination with Mikoto as the and  combo respectively, the god of thunder and the god of wind in Japanese mythology and Shintoism, before the Three-Legged Race.
 * Xochitl's phone resembles the one used by Kuroko, with a compact design and pull-out film-like screen.

Differences in Adaptation

 * With Fukiyose Seiri's on indefinite hiatus, Konori Mii instead takes over her scenes in the episode.

Animation Trivia

 * The spectators are all CGI.

Unanswered Questions

 * What is the mission given to Xochitl by the Professor?
 * What is Baba Yoshio planning for Misaka Mikoto?