Toaru Majutsu no Index Episode 04

"Perfect Memory Ability" (完全記憶能力) is the fourth episode of the first season of the Toaru Majutsu no Index anime series. It was first broadcast on October 26, 2008, and was directed by Kobayashi Kousuke and written by Akahoshi Masanao. Nishikiori Hiroshi returns to storyboard the episode along with Nakumura Noriyoshi.

Stiyl is not alone who is in the task of following Index, for a magician woman with a longsword, Kanzaki Kaori searchers for her as well. Touma is cut down with the overwhelming power of her sword technique. Before Kanzaki kills him, she questions the reasons why Touma is "protecting" Index, but Touma has none of it, and tries to resist her despite being worn out. Thinking Kanzaki manipulates magic, Touma tries to contend against her but is felled. In his faint consciousness, he discovers that she never intended to kill Index in the first place. Touma is hit with thoughts and questions. Empty wishes, and unexpected facts begin pouring from Kanzaki's mouth as Touma's eyes slowly shuts. Index has a checkered destiny. What kind of tragedy falls upon someone who has perfect memory?

Synopsis
Touma finds he is alone in a formerly busy intersection, when a mysterious girl wielding a nodachi introduces herself as Kanzaki Kaori and states the reason why there are no people, as a runic barrier has removed the people from the area. She mentions that she'd rather not mention her other name – her magic name, and requests Touma to hand Index over before she does so. Touma asks what happens if he refuses, to which Kanzaki demonstrates, by showing-off her power and cutting-off one of the blades of a wind turbine. Kanzaki repeats to Touma that she wishes to secure Index, however Touma answers to her that he has no reason to give up. This dismays Kanzaki and demonstrates a powerful attack on Touma, ruining the pavement of the road they are on. Kanzaki explains that the attack that she used can kill a person seven times in a split second, which she calls Nanasen.

Kanzaki tells Touma that she knows that his right hand can cancel magic, but states that as long as his right hand cannot touch something magical then he cannot cancel it. Touma charges towards Kanzaki, however, she uses her Nanasen and repels him. Touma tries to get up once more, which surprises Kanzaki and attacks Touma again with Nanasen. Touma charges through her attack and tries to cancel it, however, he realizes that it is not disappearing and injures his arm. He notices that there are ultra-thin wires that surround them, and she directs them using her katana, realizing that she is not using magic. Kanzaki asks Touma to not provoke her in envoking her magic name. Touma is unperturbed and provokes Kanzaki to attack him with Nanasen again.

Touma tries to grab one of the wires which forces Kanzaki to hit him with the scabbard of her sword and the kicking him to the ground.

On the ground, Touma asks her why she did not kill him yet, even though she could've easily done so already. Touma states that he is simply a weak person trying desperately to protect a girl, and states that he and the magicians are different, as they are powerful enough to protect whoever the want to protect, and asks Kanzaki why this is the path they are taking. Kanzaki answers that they have no choice, and reveals that she is from the same church as Index, Necessarius – which surprises Touma. Kanzaki tells him that Index was her friend and that she did not mean harm to her. She tells him that if they cannot secure Index, then Index will not be able to live.

She tells Touma that since Index has the ability to perfectly memorize anything, she cannot forget any unnecessary memories needed for her brain keep functioning. Touma asks why Index calls Kanzaki and Stiyl evil even when they are from the same church. Kanzaki replies that Index has no memory that they are members of the same church, and have concluded on her own that Kanzaki and Stiyl are after the 103,000 grimoires inside of her. Kanzaki states that Index did not lose her memory, but in fact was erased by them. Kanzaki states that if they didn't erase her memories then Index would've died. She states that since 85% of her brain has been used for the storage of grimoires only 15% of the brain is left for other functions, but because of the fact that she has perfect memorization, then the 15% remaining will keep on taking in more information, and eventually end Index.

Since there was no other way, Touma asks Kanzaki when the next memory erasure will take place; Kanzaki says that the next one will occur in three days. Kanzaki once again asks Touma to hand Index over, or else she will invoke her magic name. Kanzaki tells Touma that saving Index brings him no benefit at all, but Touma says that what they are doing is wrong.

Touma rebukes Kanzaki for giving up easily on Index, but she shouts at him that he does not understand their own feelings of presenting themselves as enemies to Index. She proceeds to attack Touma several times, while shouting how they tried to keep making memories with her even though she will always forget. Even then, Touma still states that they are wrong and states that they did not think about Index at all, and states that even if her memories of the year would be erased, they should have reassured her that there would always be happiness that awaits her regardless of her losing her memories. Touma asks Kanzaki if she is only protecting people because she has power or that she acquires power because she had something to protect. He continues to ask her why she is using such a power for, and why she is so incompetent with protecting someone even if she had that much power, before collapsing from his injuries.

With Kanzaki shaken because of Touma's speech, Stiyl returns and asks if she is finished, to which she simply nodded, and then Stiyl removes the barrier. Meanwhile, Mikoto and Kuroko come out of a store after some shopping and notice the blade that was cut from the wind turbine. Kuroko, as a member of Judgment, goes into action to investigate. While waiting for Kuroko, Mikoto notices Index in the crowd, seemingly searching for something.

Touma wakes up in the Tsukuyomi residence, being taken care of Index. However, Touma realizes that three days has gone by since he was attacked by Kanzaki, and realizes that Index still has her memories. Index however, feels miserable for not knowing that Touma has been fighting against magicians and being unable to save him from harm. Touma then says that he is okay with how Index has treated him, and that he dislike the look of Index when she speaks of magic (referring to John's Pen Mode). Index says that she dislike when she "wakes-up" like that as she feels that she becoming more and more machine like when she is that state. Index later tries to serve food for Touma – which she fails spectacularly – before being interrupted by someone at the door.

It is revealed that it is Kanzaki and Stiyl who are on the front door, and have arrived to take away Index. However, Index thinking that they would hurt Touma again offers herself to them and asks them to stop hurting Touma anymore.

Adapted From

 * Chapter 2 Part 4 & Chapter 3 Parts 1-3

Major Events

 * Kamijou Touma does battle with Kanzaki Kaori, and is completely and utterly defeated by her.

Characters
By order of appearance
 * Kamijou Touma
 * Kanzaki Kaori
 * Index
 * Stiyl Magnus
 * Misaka Mikoto
 * Shirai Kuroko
 * Tsukuyomi Komoe

Abilities

 * People-clearing Field (a type of rune magic) - Stiyl Magnus
 * Perfect Memory - Index

New Abilities

 * Nanasen - Kanzaki Kaori
 * Yuisen - Kanzaki Kaori (mentioned only)
 * Unnamed robotic control ability 

Locations

 * Academy City
 * School District 7
 * Tsukuyomi Residence

Trivia

 * First appearance of Stiyl's new runic cards.
 * The song Ippou Tsuukou, Accelerator's leitmotif, is played during Kanzaki's explanation regarding Index's perfect memory, despite Accelerator not appearing for another 6 episodes.
 * Kanzaki's sword is called Shichiten Shichitou, which literally means "Seven Heaven Seven Swords"; while her attack is called Nanasen (七閃), which literally means "Seven Flashes", which according to Kanzaki, can kill a person seven times in a split second. Also according to Kanzaki, what awaits someone after going through Nanasen is Yuisen, which literally means "The Only Ray", though it is unknown what this implies.

Referbacks

 * Kanzaki states Stiyl was hurt when he pretended to be an enemy towards Index. This is connected to Kanzaki's statement to Stiyl during the previous episode that he was in the same position as Touma is in now in regards with Index.

Cultural References

 * The sword that Kanzaki is carrying is called a.
 * The that Stiyl used in his cards is ᛟ, which means "heritage, estate or possession".

Differences in Adaptation

 * In the novel, before Touma faints, he lightly punches Kanzaki's face. This does not happened in this episode as he only talks to her before he pass out.

Animation Trivia

 * When Touma is first kicked on to the ground by Kanzaki, his injuries disappear.
 * The scene where grimoires are spinning around Index is reused in this episode, except Touma and Kanzaki are the characters instead of Index.