Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Episode 17

Title: Natsuyasumi no Tsuzuri (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.

Tsuzuri 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 rendevous point.

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

Curfew time arrives, and a worn-out Tsuzuri walks with Aiho to do their rounds before going home. They arrive on an arcade and Tsuzuri checks it out for anyone who is still out despite curfew hours nearing. She was surprised when she saw 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 ended up conversing with each other (with the topic moving to how Tsuzuri looks worn-out) until Aiho interrupted them.

Aiho soon shifted the focus to the boy playing by himself on the other side of the arcade. Uiharu and Ruiko identified the boy as Kounoe, one of their classmates. As soon as Aiho approaches him, he leaves on the other exit of the arcade.

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

The next day, their shift as Anti-Skill continues; unfortunately for Tsuzuri, it ended 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, Tsuzuri feels drained after the day, and was left with rounds before curfew.

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

Komoe, Aiho and Tsuzuri went to the hot spring and the street stall just like yesterday; the only difference is that Tsuzuri was less lively than before. The other two noticed 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, Tsuzuri decides to be late at Anti-Skill due to school work and calls Aiho; Aiho then allows her to go free for her duty in exchange for finishing school work and paying next drinking session's bill, much to Tsuzuri's shock. Later in the day, she finishes her work and head 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.

Tsuzuri was about to test her "touch" on the game when Komoe called for helping a totally-drunk Aiho back home.

That night, Komoe and Tsuzuri talk about how today was. Tsuzuri confessed how it was tedious as a teacher. Komoe, on the other hand, enjoyed being a teacher despite having students who "blow the roof off her house". Tsuzuri used that confessional to boost her morale on being an Anti-Skill.

The next day, Tsuzuri 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 one cleaning robot whom she says was the one who took away her donuts. Later on, she meets up with a fastfood restaurant crew, who needs help with a girl in a miko costume who wants all of their hamburgers.

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

Late in the afternoon, Tsuzuri 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 pitted with each other in the three rounds that follow, but the mystery player ended up winning 2-1. Despite losing, Tsuzuri enjoyed the moment to let off some steam, and was surprised to know that it was Kounoe who defeated her. To add, he even referred to her as "Empress Jamie", from the secret character she unlocked in the arcade.

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

The next day, Aiho, Tsuzuri, 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 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.

Adapted From
Adapted from? which chapter of manga and/or novel

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

The appearance of Aisa Himegami are not to be confused with her first appearance in Episode 07 of Toaru Majutsu ni Index because she already wears the crucifix which protects her from magic. Note that she receives this after the Ars Magna Arc.

New Characters
There are some new characters introduced in this episode, though both have minimal roles in the episode compared to the protagonists in the entirety of the series.
 * Girl with the Locket - she is the girl "helped" by Tsuzuri during her duties in Anti-Skill. She holds a locket with the picture of a girl who looks like one of the Child Errors taught by Harumi Kiyama.
 * Gouki Kounoe (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 Tsuzuri Tessou
 * "No way... kids don't say that anymore?" -- Tsuzuri Tessou, when she realizes the girl who lost her locket no longer uses the term 'locket' and uses 'pendant (with a picture)' instead.