Toaru Majutsu no Index (manga)

The Toaru Majutsu no Index manga is the first manga series that is based off the Toaru Majutsu no Index franchise. Unlike the original content that is featured on the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Manga, the Toaru Majutsu no Index manga is adapted from the Light Novel of the same name. It is currently being illustrated by Kogino Chuuya, his only manga work thus far.

Background
This manga follows the novel's storyline and started serialization in Monthly Shōnen Ganganin May 2007. The first bound volume was released on November 10, 2007, and there are currently ten volumes of this manga. Even though the manga follows the novel's storyline, it skips the events of the second and fourth novels.

Despite preceding the anime adaptation, it quickly caught up to the manga. The anime borrows scenes from the manga adaptation, specifically, the first two volumes. However, after two seasons of the Toaru Majutsu no Index anime adaptation was released, the manga borrows scenes from the anime as well.

The manga is notorious for skipping two novels, a fact that may prove difficult to consolidate later on. Specifically, the second volume reintroduces Touma to Stiyl, introduces Himegami Aisa, and foreshadows the thing inside Touma's right arm. The fourth volume reintroduces Kanzaki Kaori, and more importantly, Tsuchimikado Motoharu's involvement in magic, as well as the introduction of Sasha Kreutzev and Archangel Gabriel, two gravely important elements in the final volumes of the Toaru Majutsu no Index light novels.

Despite a lacking English localization, the Toaru Majutsu no Index manga is later localized in French by Ki-oon Editions, with the first volume released on July 5, 2012, as well in Italian by Star Comics on February 22, 2012 under its MITICO header. Like the rest of the printed series by Kazuma, the manga is distributed by Kadokawa Taiwan for the Chinese market, with the first volume being released on April 4, 2011.