Esper

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An esper (能力者, Nōryokusha^?, lit. "Ability User") is an individual who emits AIM. The term is also used to refer to those enrolled in the Academy City Power Curriculum Program​, as well as magicians by those unaware of the magical nature of their abilities, and therefore define them as esper-related. 

Terminology

The original Japanese light novels used the term "Ability User", but before the licensing of Toaru Kagaku no Railgun, the majority of the English-speaking fandom substituted it with "esper". Because its use has become widespread, this wiki uses the term "esper".

A queer event related to this is Seven Seas' English translation of the first volume of A Certain Scientific Railgun, which opted to use "psychic", a term that has been used before by the fandom until "esper" became the standard. Because of this, the English fans that were accustomed to the use of "esper" lobbied for "psychic" to be changed, and Seven Seas acquiesced, even referencing the incident later.

The term "esper" does not automatically imply ESP, one of the two classifications of powers in Academy City, as it could also refer to an ability user that does not have extrasensory perception but instead influences objects in their surroundings, referred to as Psychokinesis. Abilities such as Pyrokinesis are considered esper powers despite the user not having extrasensory perception.

Principles

An illustration on how Personal Reality, AIM diffusion field, and esper power interact, as depicted in the Astral Buddy manga.

Espers are described by Index as individuals with "talent"; this likely refers to Gemstone and each cannot use magic without injuring themselves. AIM is emitted by every esper and their power relates to the properties of their AIM. A Pyrokinetic for example will emit AIM that will heat up their environment. Furthermore, espers have a Personal Reality, which is the basis of their abilities and their capacity to substitute reality with their own. It is in contrast with magic's Idol Theory.

Espers can only access one specific power; Misaka Mikoto, for example, can only control electromagnetic phenomena. Despite this, however, researchers have attempted to create espers with multiple powers, such as Dual-Skill and Multi-Skill espers. Aside from the mental performance of calculations, no elaborative and preparatory rituals are required by an esper to produce effects related to their abilities.

Misaka Mikoto, Academy City's most famous esper.

Moreover, esper abilities are compartmentalised into two categories: Active and Passive. Active abilities require conscious effort to use, while passive abilities require subconscious effort. Abilities can be classed as both active and passive, such as Accelerator's ability.​

Their interference with and subsequent distortion of reality to create effects is based on quantum theory. Their interference is an isolated phenomenon, pertaining only to the observations of the world based upon their Personal Reality. This is in stark contrast with holism, where a large interference with the laws of the whole world is used to make effects.

Espers have existed for over half a century in the world of Toaru, with the first modern esper being a girl nicknamed "the Beginning Child", who was trained by Academy City based on Mifune Chizuko's data. The system used for the Beginning Child would become the foundation for the Power Curriculum Program to create espers.

Power Curriculum Program

Main article: Power Curriculum Program

A person enrolled in this program is called an esper and, through a series of drugs usages and experiments, will be cut off from regular reality and enabled the capacity to substitute it with their own. Espers are ranked according to their System Scan results; it is stated that Level 0 espers barely have enough influence to pass the curriculum's grading exams.

Any individual can use the curriculum to acquire powers, such as Misaka Mikoto, who started out as a Level 1 and worked hard during her training to become the 3rd ranked Level 5 esper in Academy City. There are exceptions of course, as with the case of Level 0s. Furthermore, with the Parameter List, it is apparent that esper potential is limited by various factors. This has resulted in researchers determining that it would be wise to focus on developing an esper whose ability is worth more to the city and whose training is predicted to be more resource efficient than that of another person's.

Information regarding the students enrolled in the curriculum, such as their abilities, their level and a brief description of them, is available in the Data Banks of Academy City. Furthermore, certain espers, such as Kamijou Touma, have security protocols in place to ensure that the truth of their abilities is classified. 

According to Uiharu Kazari, the name of an esper ability, such as Electromaster or Telekinesis, is decided by the school that its owner is enrolled in. Only under specific conditions can the name of an esper ability be decided by its owner, such as the Railgun. It is unknown, however, as to what exact conditions an esper must meet to officially name their own esper ability, though its uniqueness may be a factor.

Currently, only Academy City can create espers, although others have tried, such as during the Stargate Project.

Gemstones and speculation

Main article: Gemstone

A Gemstone esper is an individual who can emit AIM without requiring participation in any power development program. Gemstones are the beings that Index likely referred to as having "talent"; the envy of their abilities from their peers is what led to the creation of magic. There are currently 50 confirmed Gemstones in the world.

In extension to this, it has been speculated that there may be people who have not realized that they have powers, or that their certain propensities or idiosyncrasies, as subtle as good looks or good penmanship, may actually have this power.

Many Academy City students are aware of Gemstone rumors, but treat them as urban legends. This is due to many feeling that it is unfair for esper powers to be gained without having gone through the Power Curriculum Program to attain them. Currently, Sogiita Gunha, who is the strongest Gemstone, and Himegami Aisa are the only two known Gemstone's in Academy City. Kamijou Touma, as mentioned by Kumokawa Seria, does not classify as a Gemstone esper as due to his powers being unrelated to AIM; it is believed that Imagine Breaker is beyond the current understanding of Academy City researchers.

List of Espers

Name	Ability Name	Level	Notes
Accelerator	Accelerator	5	Second protagonist of Toaru Majutsu no Index. Main character of Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator; Ranked #1 Level 5 Esper; Former operative of GROUP. Can manipulate vectors.
Kakine Teitoku	Dark Matter	5	Main character of Toaru Kagaku no Dark Matter; Ranked #2 Level 5 Esper; Former leader of SCHOOL. Can create and control matter that does not exist in this universe.
Kakine Teitoku (Beetle 05)	Dark Matter	5	The being that was created when Rhinoceros Beetle 05 usurped control over Kakine Teitoku's being in Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 06.
Misaka Mikoto	Railgun	5	Main character of Toaru Kagaku no Railgun; Ranked #3 Level 5 Esper. Can create and control electricity.
Mugino Shizuri	Meltdowner	5	Ranked #4 Level 5 Esper; Leader of ITEM. Can shoot a beam of electrons.
Shokuhou Misaki	Mental Out	5	Ranked #5 Level 5 Esper. Can manipulate the minds of people.
Aihana Etsu	Unknown	5	Ranked #6 Level 5 Esper whose identity is impersonated by many people.
Sogiita Gunha	Unknown	5	Ranked #7 Level 5 Esper; Gemstone. Ability is "impossible to define", but capabilities include but are not limited to: moving past the speed of sound, enduring otherwise fatal attacks, creating forcefields, colourful explosions and etc.
Aizono Mio	Military Oil	4	Was part of a project called White Alligator. Can manipulate oils breaking down and reconstructing them.
Hokaze Junko	Rampage Dress	4	Main protagonist of Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Gaiden: Astral Buddy; Potential Level 5 candidate; Student of Tokiwadai Middle School. Manipulates electrical signals in her body cells to increase her physical and olfactory capabilities.
Kinuhata Saiai	Offense Armor	4	Operative of ITEM. Can control nitrogen as a means of attack and defense.
Kirifu Megumi	Telekinesis	4	Student of Tokiwadai Middle School.
Kongou Mitsuko	Aero Hand	4	Can create a propulsion of wind wherever she lays her hands, which displaces objects or creates projectiles.
Kouzaku Mitori	Liquid Shadow	4	Kihara Gensei's underling, ex-friend of Dolly. Can control liquids with a specific gravity of 20 or greater.
Kuroyoru Umidori	Bomber Lance	4	Member of Freshmen; cyborg. Can create nitrogen lances from her hands.
Kushiro Katabira	Synchrotron	4	Ex-user of Level Upper. Ability is hinted to allow the creation of large explosions from certain periodic elements.
Misaka Worst	Radio Noise	4	Clone of Misaka Mikoto from the Third Season Project.
Musujime Awaki	Move Point	4	Former Operative of GROUP; Once considered a potential Level 5 candidate. Can teleport objects without the need to touch them.
Shirai Kuroko	Teleport	4	Second protagonist of Toaru Kagaku no Railgun; Member of Judgment. Can teleport herself and other objects upon touch, as long as the total teleported weight is less than 130.7 kg.
Takitsubo Rikou	AIM Stalker	4	Potential Level 5 candidate; Operative of ITEM. Can track down espers, copy their abilities, and manipulate their AIM fields.
Unabara Mitsuki	Telekinesis	4	Appearance used by Etzali. Can move objects from afar. Can also turn his own body into a cryogenic state of invulnerability.
Yobou Banka	Psychokinesis	4	Operative of SCHOOL. Can rip vehicles apart and attack with some sort of force. Ability theorized to be Level 4 and a form of telekinesis.
Yotsuba	Telepathy	4	Member of Judgment. Mentioned by Komoe as a specialist in Mind Hound-related matters.
Yumiya Iruka	Wave Conductor	4	Can freely control waves of light and sound; amplifying and concentrating them.
Awatsuki Maaya	Float Dial	3	Student of Tokiwadai Middle School, and part of the swim team. Can manipulate bouyancy of herself and other objects.
Kobayashi Satori	Telepathy	3	Student of Tokiwadai Middle School.
Konori Mii	Clairvoyance	3	Member of Judgment. Can see through things, which is akin to X-ray vision.
Mitsuari Ayu	Mental Stinger	3	Once considered a potential Level 5 candidate. Can manipulate the minds of people, the same as Mental Out.
Naru	Perfect Paper	3	Member of Scavenger. Ability involves manipulation of paper.
Okahara Ryouta	Pyrokinesis	3	Ex-user of Level Upper (anime only). Can shoot homing flames.
Saraku	Unknown	3	Operative of MEMBER. Can teleport directly behind a target. Ability dubbed as "Kill Point" by Accelerator.
Sisters	Radio Noise	2-3	Clones of Misaka Mikoto.
Usukinu Yasumi	Side Arm/Insulation	3	Appears only in a Drama CD. Ability involves energy barriers.
Wannai Kinuho	Hydro Hand	3	Student of Tokiwadai Middle School, and part of the swim team. Can manipulate water.
Haruue Erii	Telepathy	2	Displays power beyond her Level class when exposed to certain frequencies.
Hitokawa Hasami	Pyrokinesis	2
Jufuku Miho	Dummy Check	2	Ex-user of Level Upper. Can make people less aware of her presence.
Kaitabi Hatsuya	Synchrotron	2	Ex-user of Level Upper; Perpetrator of the Graviton bombings. Can create explosions by accelerating gravitons found in objects made of aluminum.
Kumokawa Maria	Violence Doughnut	2	Ex-student of Kihara Kagun, younger sister of Kumokawa Seria. Can increase the centrifugal force of her attacks by 0.5 to 2 times.
Himegi Matsuri	Unknown	1
Sakurazaka Fuuga	Malicious Fake	1	Student of Sakugawa Middle School. Can control computers directly without using any peripherals like a keyboard or mouse.
Uiharu Kazari	Thermal Hand	1	Member of Judgment. Can keep part of an object's temperature constant.
Akemi	Telekinesis	0	Ex-user of Level Upper. Ability involved levitation of objects when under effect of Level Upper.
Fremea Seivelun	Agitate Halation	0	Younger sister of Frenda Seivelun.
Hamazura Shiage	Unknown	0	Third protagonist of Toaru Majutsu no Index; Former leader of Skill-Out; Member of ITEM.
Hattori Hanzou	Unknown	0	Leader of Skill-Out.
Hebitani Tsuguo	Unknown	0	Usurping leader of ex-Skill-Out group Big Spider.
Kamijou Touma	Imagine Breaker	0	Main protagonist of Toaru Majutsu no Index; Any supernatural power manifestation gets cancelled by a mysterious power in his right hand. Though classified as a Level 0 Esper by Academy City, Touma is not an Esper, nor a Gemstone, as his ability does not utilise AIM principles. Originator of Kamijou Faction.
Komaba Ritoku	Unknown	0	Former leader of Skill-Out.
Koujun Kikuhiko	Unknown	0	Ex-user of Level Upper.
Kurozuma Wataru	Unknown	0	Founder and ex-leader of ex-Skill-Out group Big Spider.
Mako	Unknown	0	Ex-user of Level Upper.
Muu	Unknown	0	Ex-user of Level Upper. Ability involved levitation of objects when under effect of Level Upper.
Saten Ruiko	Aero Hand	0	Ex-user of Level Upper. Ability involved manipulation of wind when under effect of Level Upper.
Tamezou	Unknown	0	Former member of ex-Skill-Out group Big Spider.
Trick	Trick Art	0	Ex-user of Level Upper. Ability allows him to distort light, which can be used to create illusions.
Tsuchimikado Motoharu	Auto-Rebirth	0	Magician and Esper; Former operative of GROUP. Ability heals all injuries (unspecified time period), but can fail at any time.
Yokosuka	Unknown	0	Leader of his own Skill-Out band in District 7.
Amime	Unknown	Unknown	Ability involves manipulation of frictional coefficients.
Anzai	Telepathy	Unknown	Ability mentioned to involve telepathy.
Aoki	Unknown	Unknown	Ability involves the manipulation of earth to create crags.
Aogami Pierce	Unknown	Unknown	Student of A Certain High School; one of the Delta Force, alongside Kamijou Touma and Tsuchimikado Motoharu.
Beginning Child	Unknown	Unknown	The first modern esper.
Chef	Material Insect	Unknown	Member of Full Course. Ability allowing to command metal wire from the fingertip.
Tazuma Claire	Unknown	Unknown	Gemstone and member of the Kamisato Faction with body cells more like a plant's than an animal's and capable of manipulating plants.
Edasaki Banri	Telepathy	Unknown	Can communicate with other telepaths.
Elder Sister	Flux Coat	Unknown	Ex-user of Level Upper. Ability allows the manipulation of the viscosity of asphalt to the point of reshaping it.
Ellis Warrior	Unknown	Unknown	Participant in failed experiment to create a Magician-Esper hybrid twenty years ago.
Full Tuning	Unknown	Unknown	Clone of Misaka Mikoto.
Fusou Ayame	Unknown	Unknown	Ability involves amplifying her own voice to create explosive shockwaves
Futaba	Delay	Unknown	Delays the sound waves within a range of 2 meters around her.
Gokusai Amazora	Unknown	Unknown	Youngest of the Gokusai sisters, a trio of siblings working as contracted assassins. Her ability consist in creating an invisible "tripod", possibly using Telekinesis, to send an object's weight to the ground and allow her to easily lift anything heavy.
Gokusai Kaibi	Measure Heart	Unknown	Former operative of SCHOOL. Can regulate the perceived relationship between two targets; can set herself as a target.
Himegami Aisa	Deep Blood	Unknown	Gemstone. Attracts and kills vampires.
Ichika	Stealth	Unknown
Junta (Railgun anime)	Unknown	Unknown	Ex-user and dealer of Level Upper. Member of Elder Sister's gang.
Junta (Railgun manga)	Unknown	Unknown	Ex-user and dealer of Level Upper.
Kazakiri Hyouka	Counter Stop	Unknown	An aggregation of AIM diffusion fields of the entire Academy City. Key to the Imaginary Number District.
Komaki	Unknown	Unknown	Student of Tokiwadai Middle School.
Kounoe Haruki	Unknown	Unknown	Avid video gamer and ex-"delinquent".
Leader	Predator	Unknown	Leader of Scavenger.
Matsuoka Raita	Ion Trade	Unknown	Arsonist 'Fire Bug'. Can manipulate microscopic ion exchange.
Mitsumi	Thermography	Unknown
Miyama Shaei	Unknown	Unknown	4th-grade student of Matsuume Elementary School. Ability is similar to Precognition and Thoughtography.
Naoya	Electromaster	Unknown	Can create a spark if he concentrates hard enough.
Nunotaba Shinobu	Critical	Unknown	Ability unconfirmed but said to involve touching the target.
Raifu	Unknown	Unknown	Ability involves controlling gravity to redirect attacks away from her.
Sakibasu Yuri	Carbon Search	Unknown	Student of Tokiwadai Middle School.
Seike	Stick Slip	Unknown	Member of Scavenger. Ability involves manipulation of frictional coefficients.
Silvercross Alpha	Unknown	Unknown	Operative of Freshmen; A cyborg who apparently displayed no ESP ability.
Tao	Aqua Navigator	Unknown	Member of Full Course. Ability set the directionality of a specific liquid.
Tetsumou	Skill Polygraph	Unknown	Operative of BLOCK.
Therestina Kihara Lifeline	Unknown	Unknown	Provider of the First Sample of the Crystallized Esper Essence; Former captain of Multi-Active Rescue; Creator of Capacity Down.
Todoroki	Unknown	Unknown	Ability involves manipulation of water particles.
Tsurigane Saryou	Unknown	Unknown	Ability allows her to see and visualize AIM Diffusion Fields.
Unknown	Equal Speed	Unknown	Bank robber. Can maintain inertia of his projectiles continuously.
Yakumaru	Mix Master	Unknown	Member of Scavenger.
Yanagisako Aomi	Unknown	Unknown	Member of Judgment; Roommate of Konori Mii.
Yamashiro Shoubu	Stress Dowsing	Unknown	Can sense a target's malice and hostility.
Yuuri Senya	Astral Buddy	Unknown	Second protagonist of Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Gaiden: Astral Buddy; Can separate her AIM Diffusion Field from her body to become a AIM thought being.
Yuzuriha Ringo	Unknown	Unknown	Survivor of the Dark May Project, which implanted Accelerator's thought patterns within her.