Toaru Majutsu no Index III Episode 16

Board of Directors (統括理事会) is the sixteenth episode of the third season of the Toaru Majutsu no Index anime series. It was broadcast on January 25th 2019, and was directed and was storyboarded by Hashimoto Toshikazu, and the script written by Tamai☆Tsuyoshi.

Synopsis
''Even if I have to become the villain... Even if I have to get down on all fours... Even if someone has to be sacrificed... I will protect her, at least.''

Adapted From

 * Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 19 Chapter 2 Parts 8-11 & Chapter 3 Parts 1-7

Major Events

 * The remaining members of Spark Signal are dealt with by Accelerator and then executed by Sugitani. Hamazura Shiage, who has come to save Takitsubo Rikou, gets into a fight with Accelerator due to a misunderstanding and loses but is spared.
 * Kinuhata Saiai is attacked by Stephanie Gorgeouspalace, who seeks to avenge Sunazara Chimitsu.
 * GROUP is targeted due to their search for DRAGON and seek Oyafune Monaka's cooperation in order to fight back against Shiokishi.
 * After entering Shiokishi's base, GROUP are separated. Accelerator prepares to fight against Sugitani after Musujime Awaki is knocked out. Etzali meets with Shiokishi disguised as Oyafune, but finds himself facing Tecpatl and Tochtli, two magicians from his previous organization.

Characters
By order of appearance:
 * Hamazura Shiage
 * Takitsubo Rikou
 * Accelerator
 * Kinuhata Saiai
 * Stephanie Gorgeouspalace
 * Tsuchimikado Motoharu
 * Musujime Awaki
 * Etzali (as Unabara Mitsuki)
 * Oyafune Monaka
 * Shiokishi

New Characters

 * Sugitani
 * Oyafune Monaka's Secretary
 * Tecpatl (as Minobe and himself)
 * Tochtli

Abilities

 * Accelerator (ability) - Accelerator, Level 5
 * Offense Armor - Kinuhata Saiai, Level 4
 * Spear of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli - Etzali
 * Appearance Borrowing - Etzali, Tecpatl, Tochtli

Locations

 * Academy City
 * School District 3
 * Private Salon

New Locations

 * School District 2
 * Shiokishi's shelter
 * School District 21
 * Observatory

Trivia

 * The voice actress of unnamed female helicopter pilot is Shimizu Ayaka.
 * The voice actor of unnamed Spark Signal member is Yamamoto Shouta.
 * The voice actor of unnamed male high school student is Kobayashi Daiki.
 * The voice actress of unnamed boy is Tanaka Chiemi.
 * The voice actor of Oyafune Monaka's secretary is Nogami Masashi

Referbacks

 * While discussing DRAGON, Accelerator thinks back to both the Level 6 Shift Project and the 0930 Incident.
 * Tochtli was previously referred to during Etzali's conversation with Xochitl at the hospital.

Cultural References

 * Tecpatl's name comes from a used by the Aztecs for human sacrifices and a symbol of Aztec Mythology. Tochtli's name means "rabbit" in the the Aztec language.

Differences in Adaptation

 * In the novel, Hamazura wasn't defeated as fast by Accelerator and he thought of a strategy which could cause an electromagnetic interference to impede his choker and shut his ability down, as Komaba Ritoku did.
 * In the novel, Stephanie Gorgeouspalace mentions the fact that she used to live in Academy City, which is why she knows how to fight espers.
 * In the novel, Tsuchimikado tells Accelerator that they can't ask Kaizumi Tsugutoshi, a member of the Academy City Board of Directors, for help even if he is a good person because of his advisor Kumokawa Seria, a high school girl introduced in Toaru Majutsu no Index SS2, which was not adapted in this season.

Unanswered Questions

 * What is the connection between Last Order, Fuse Kazakiri and DRAGON?
 * What is the hidden goal of the Level 6 Shift Project ?

Preview

 * "Even if I have to become the villain... Even if I have to get down on all fours... Even if someone has to be sacrificed... I will protect her, at least."