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The Dark Side of Academy City (学園都市暗部 Gakuentoshi Anbu?) refers to the criminal underworld of Academy City. Reaching to the very top of the city's administration, as stated, it is often engaged in criminal enterprises, such as human experimentation, espionage, and assassinations.
Much of the science side story lines is concerned with the characters' struggle against the Dark Side of Academy City. Indeed, an entire story cycle is dedicated to this premise. The name refers to the contrasting image of what the Academy City wants to portray, a technologically advanced city filled with students wanting to become espers.
After the events of World War III, though many factions from the dark side have been forced to disband, this part of Academy City still exists.
Principles[]
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This section requires expansion General expansion, updating, refining and restructure |
Origins and evolution[]
The origins of the Dark Side of Academy City apparently evolved out of the need for the higher-ups of the city to have more security to protect the city's assets like the various research institutions. Officially, it is Anti-Skill that guards the security of the city, however, due to the powers of espers, as well as the developed military technology of the city, the organization's structure and equipment with dealing with them has been weakened. This "Darkness" fills the role of security where Anti-Skill cannot provide. People from the Darkness provide protection and security to important people and the various research institutions. This is born from the members of the Board of Directors and other important persons hiring personal bodyguards as well as companies and research facilities hiring private armies. The people the Darkness hire are composed by a variety of people, from individuals with esper powers and special abilities, to failed students or persons who are selected for a specific purpose.[1] An example of the latter would be Accelerator, who is "recruited" under duress by the Group liaison to work for Group. Though each organization and the personnel in them has their own quirks and skills, somehow or another each of them has a dark past behind them.[1] The form of the Darkness as seen in the story's first year has several factions working for the city against one another such as Group and Member, as well as factions opposed to the city itself like Skill-Out and Block.
Apparently, factions from the Darkness such as Item are all known to Aleister Crowley, and can be controlled by him.[1]
Culture[]
Much if not all operations done within the dark side of Academy City is done in secret. This attribute has likely contributed to the unique subculture of the dark side of Academy City. An example of this unique culture is that those who have been sold into an organization can be hunted down by others if they attempt escape, as with the case with Nunotaba Shinobu.[2] Another is with Tsuchimikado Motoharu's apparent "execution", where it is revealed that when agents of the dark side are convinced that someone is executed and dead, they will not go after that person again because they have convinced themselves as it is an etiquette of the dark side.[3]
Espers are either used for experimental purposes or are recruited to the dark side of Academy City. Notable examples of this are Accelerator[4] and Kinuhata Saiai,[5] both were used for experiments in their younger days and later become operatives in the "Darkness" using their powers to aid their organizations. As the Board of Directors are involved, both Judgment and Anti-Skill are often powerless when it comes to dealing with the forces of the dark side, often with the higher-ups meddling through sheer bureaucracy and red-tape or the withholding of vital information. An example of this is when Anti-Skill is unable to enter Dangai University's Database Center during Skill-Out's attack of it.[6] A triumphant example of this is with STUDY, using their company to fund their operations.
Money is still a powerful motivator for organizations however. Factions such as Item[7] and Scavenger[8] are paid for the missions they successfully complete. However, there exists organizations that are in the "Darkness" out of principle such as Disciplinary Action, in their quest for justice in the city, and Komaba Ritoku's Skill-Out, gathering armed Level 0s to oppose abusive espers, can be found.
Organization[]
Shiage during his time as member of Item's subordinate organization, acting as a hapless gofer for the girls.
What seems to be the difference between petty gangs like the ones led by Okahara Ryouta, Elder Sister, or the ones that Misaka Mikoto deals with and the factions in the "Darkness" is that they are far organized than them or at least have some connections with powerful people in Academy City. Indeed, even Skill-Out factions such as that of Komaba Ritoku's are organized enough to become a threat to Academy City,[9] had caches of money for their operations,[10] and after the death of Ritoku,[11] was tasked by Academy City itself for the assassination of Misaka Misuzu.[12] Even though in many cases, the Skill-Out "Darkness" are not fully informed of the work they do. Regardless, Skill-Out is used from things such as temporary staffing to things that are illegal like human trafficking.[1] Even Big Spider had connections with the outside allowing them to procure weapons, as well as in the inside that allowed them to use Capacity Down from Therestina Kihara Lifeline.[13]
As for the factions that work for Academy City, they usually receive official names as designations,[14] not chosen by them,[15] but if the team is not considered "first rank" through unknown qualifications, they receive nicknames instead, as with Scavenger. The organizations are usually composed of field operatives, a mediator, and a large support staff. The most well-known setup for this is that there are four field operatives that answer to a mediator or a liaison with the higher-ups and a large staff that supports them during missions. Mediators or liaisons are often shown as mysterious men on the phone, acting as an in-between for the higher-ups,[16] maintaining the confidential nature of their operations.[1] An exception of this is Member's Kouzaku Mitori, who also acted as a field operative and made contacted the members in-person. After the revelation that she worked for Kihara Gensei in order to use Member for his own gains,[17] Member begins operating on its own without a liaison.
As for the support staff or subordinate organization, they perform numerous tasks, from menial labor such as transporting prisoners,[18] corpses (including members of the field operatives),[19] to complex background work such as the technical department which supports the organization by giving the members useful technical aid.[20]
A unique faction within the "Darkness" is the Hound Dog, which is controlled by Aleister Crowley,[1] and is a more like a military unit.
Prior to the events of World War III, if Group is anything to go by, it is implied that there is no way out of the organization other than dying. Motoharu says to Accelerator that if he followed the rules laid out by the Board of Directors then they will not let him out. He says that the organization is made so they profit no matter what happens.[19] Still, it is likely incarceration can allow people to escape the "Darkness", however, people can still recruited even there, this is exemplified by Kouzaku Mitori being used by Kihara Gensei. Indeed, there are rumors that students from the Reformatory will suddenly disappear for reasons unknown, specifically high level espers or excellent students. When the guards report it, they are waved off and ignored. It is believed that Academy City makes some deal with the students and then release them in secret, and it may be more convenient to pass some of the missing off as dead.[21]
Terminology[]
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This section requires expansion General expansion, tentative/temporary assembly |
The following are certain terms which involve specific types of individuals, organizations and other key subjects, specifically associated with the dark side:
| Term | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Bond builder (きずな屋 Kizuna-ya?) | A service run by an individual or group which is meant to quickly and artificially strengthen the bonds between a group of gathered criminals to mitigate the threat to a group crime posed by infighting.[22] | |
| "Murder virgin" ( |
A term used by certain individuals on the dark side to refer to others on the dark side who have not killed yet.[23][24][25][26][27] | |
| Voice on the Phone |
Chronology[]
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This section requires expansion OT/NT arc division |
Toaru Majutsu no Index[]
Battle Royale Arc[]
- Main article: Battle Royale Arc
DRAGON Arc[]
- Main article: DRAGON Arc
Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index[]
Freshmen Arc[]
- Main article: Freshmen Arc
Agitate Halation Arc[]
- Main article: Agitate Halation Arc
Mental Out Arc[]
- Main article: Mental Out Arc
Souyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index[]
Christmas Eve Arc[]
- Main article: Christmas Eve Arc
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This section requires expansion GT1 |
Operation Handcuffs Arc[]
- Main article: Operation Handcuffs Arc
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This section requires expansion GT3[28] |
Post-Handcuffs Arc[]
- Main article: Post-Handcuffs Arc
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This section requires expansion GT5 - Status/Remnants[29] |
Toaru Anbu no Item[]
Enemy Item Arc[]
- Main article: Enemy Item Arc
Honey Queen Arc[]
- Main article: Honey Queen Arc
Known Individuals and Factions[]
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This section requires expansion General expansion |
Individuals[]
Factions[]
| Name | Status | Affiliation | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy City Board of Directors | Active | ||
| Big Spider | Disbanded | ||
| Black Crow Unit | Unknown | Ladylee Tangleroad | |
| Block | Disbanded | ||
| Blue Blood | Unknown, likely dismantled | ||
| Concierge (コンシェルジュ?) | Hideout providers. Killed by Frillsand #G while heading for the Vanishing Tunnel on December 25th.[30] | ||
| Criminal Real Estate (黒い不動産 Kuroi Fudōsan?, lit. "Black Real Estate") | [31][32] | ||
| Disciplinary Action | Defunct | ||
| Disciplinary Guides | Disbanded | ||
| Freshmen | Unknown | ||
| Full Course | Disbanded | ||
| Group | Disbanded | ||
| Hound Dog | Unknown | ||
| Human Bike Delivery Service (ヒューマン自転車宅配サービス?) | |||
| Item | Active | ||
| Kihara Family | Active | ||
| L.S.S. | Unknown | ||
| Member | Disbanded | ||
| Mutual Acquaintance (共通の知り合い Kyōtsū no Shiriai?) |
An odd-jobs service for the entertainment industry, specializing in cleaning up trouble (e.g. witnesses to misdeeds, the aftermath of accidental murder etc) for individuals in the industry before the media could learn of it and ruin their careers. They worked out of a stunt agency, granting them access to TV stations. Had access to at least three small and expensive egg-shaped helicopters along with firearms.[33] Wiped out by Item on August 3rd one year before the main story, when Item were hired to kill idol Hatsuhane Sarari, who had hired Mutual Acquaintance to kill another idol who had witnessed her steal some charity cupcakes.[33] | ||
| Revenge For Hire (報復屋 Hōfukuya?) | Defunct | A surface level dark side group that were burned to death in a fire, believed by Item to be the work of Sadistic Dolls, given that acetylene (used in their flamethrower) was detected in the building's burnt remains.[34] | |
| Scavenger | Active | ||
| Secret Express (シークレットエクスプレス?) | Couriers. Killed by Frillsand #G while heading for the Vanishing Tunnel on December 25th.[30] | ||
| School | Disbanded | ||
| Skill-Out | Active | ||
| Spark Signal | Unknown | ||
| STUDY | Disbanded |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S Blu-ray and DVD Booklet 3, page 11
- ↑ Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S Episode 23
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 07 Epilogue
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 12 Chapter 3 Part 4
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 15 Chapter 4 Part 3
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS Chapter 4 Part 6
- ↑ Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Manga Chapter 027
- ↑ Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator Manga Chapter 007
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS Chapter 2 Part 1
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS Chapter 2 Part 3
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS Chapter 4 Part 4
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS Chapter 2 Part 4
- ↑ Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Episode 15
- ↑ Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Manga Chapter 088
- ↑ Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Manga Chapter 096
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 15 Chapter 2 Part 3
- ↑ Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Manga Chapter 059
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 15 Chapter 1 Part 7
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS Chapter 2 Part 2
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 15 Chapter 2 Part 4
- ↑ Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Manga Chapter 058
- ↑ Toaru Anbu no Item Light Novel Volume 03 Chapter 1 Part 2
- ↑ Toaru Anbu no Item Light Novel Volume 01 Chapter 3
- ↑ Toaru Anbu no Item Light Novel Volume 02 Chapter 1
- ↑ Toaru Anbu no Item Light Novel Volume 02 Chapter 2
- ↑ Toaru Anbu no Item Light Novel Volume 02 Chapter 3
- ↑ Toaru Anbu no Item Light Novel Volume 03 Chapter 3
- ↑ Souyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 03
- ↑ Souyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 05
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 Souyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 03 Chapter 4 Part 3
- ↑ Toaru Anbu no Item Light Novel Volume 03 Prologue
- ↑ Toaru Anbu no Item Light Novel Volume 03 Epilogue
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Toaru Anbu no Item Light Novel Volume 02 Prologue
- ↑ Toaru Anbu no Item Light Novel Volume 03 Chapter 1 Part 1