Toaru Majutsu no Index (light novel)

Toaru Majutsu no Index (とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス, Toaru Majutsu no Indekkusu, lit. A Certain Magical Index) is a Japanese light novel series written by Kazuma Kamachi and illustrated by Kiyotaka Haimura; the series is published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. It has been adapted into an anime, which was animated by J.C. Staff and aired between October 2008 through March 2009. The series has been adapted into a manga series, which began serialization in Monthly Shōnen Gangan in June 2007.

Overview
Toaru Majutsu no Index is set in a world where supernatural powers exist through science and magic exists through religion. Touma Kamijo is a high school student, with a power called the Imagine Breaker that can negate all magic, psychic, or divine powers, but it also undermines his own luck. One day he finds a young girl hanging on his balcony railing named Index. She turns out to be a nun from the Church of England, and her mind has been implanted with the Index Librorum Prohibitorum — 103,000 magical texts of the Church. His encounter with her leads him to meet others from the secret world of science and magic and an adventure with his friends where science and magic collide. Toma's unusual power places him at the center of conflicts relating magicians and science-based espers in Academy City. As Toma tries to help and protect his friends, he learns the people he knows are not as they appear and begins to attract the attention of magicians and espers alike as they try to unravel the secrets of Academy City and Index.

Related Media
Light Novels
 * see list of: Toaru Majutsu no Index light novels

The light novels have been published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko label since April 10, 2004. As of November 2009, there are nineteen novels and two short story collections.

Drama CD

A drama CD was released as a mail-in order of Dengeki hp volume 48 and was released later in November 2007. There are two parts of story, the first part originally aired as a radio drama in Dengeki Taishō starts with an encounter with mysterious self-proclaimed "former" magician by Tōma Kamijō and Index in the family restaurant after Misaka decide to go back due to urgent business. The second part involves around Mikoto Misaka and Kuroko Shirai with their "urgent business", and a duel request by a Level 3 Psychic girl from Tokiwadai.

Manga

The series has been adapted into two manga series. The one which follows the novel's storyline started serialization in Monthly Shōnen Gangan in June 2007. The first bound volume was released on November 10, 2007 and there are currently five volumes of this manga. Even though the manga follows the novel's storyline, it skips the events of the second and fourth novels.

The side story entitled Toaru Kagaku no Railgun started serialization in Dengeki Daioh in May 2007. The story tells of the events before and during the time of the novels from a different perspective from the main character, Mikoto Misaka and her friends. Currently, four volumes have been released.

Music

Maiko Iuchi of I've Sound was in charge of the music in the anime. Four pieces of theme music are used for the episodes: two opening themes and two ending themes. The first opening theme is "PSI-Missing" by Mami Kawada, and is used for the first sixteen episodes. The second is "Masterpiece" by Mami Kawada, and is used in the subsequent episodes. The first ending theme is "Rimless: Fuchinashi no Sekai" (Rimless 〜フチナシノセカイ〜, lit. "Rimless: Rimless World") by Iku, and is used for the first nineteen episodes. The second is "Chikaigoto: Sukoshi Dake Mō Ichido" (誓い言 ～スコシだけもう一度～, lit. "Oath: Just a Bit, One More Time") by Iku, and is used in the subsequent episodes. A single for "PSI-missing" was released on October 29, 2008. A single for "Masterpiece" was released on February 4, 2009.

The anime adaptation of Toaru Kagaku no Railgun has two pieces of theme music, one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is "Only my Railgun" by fripSide, and the ending theme is "Dear My Friend: Mada Minu Mirai e" (Dear My Friend －まだ見ぬ未来へ－, lit. "Dear My Friend: Toward a Future We Haven't Seen Yet") by Elisa.

Video Game

Index and Mikoto are playable characters in the video game Dengeki Gakuen RPG: Cross of Venus for the Nintendo DS.