Toaru Majutsu no Index (anime)

Toaru Majutsu no Index
Title card for the first season of the anime series.
Series Information
Directed by	Nishikiori Hiroshi
Written by	Akahoshi Masanao
Music by	Iuchi Maiko
Studio	J.C. Staff
Original Run	October 4, 2008—March 19, 2009 (season 1) October 8, 2010—April 4, 2011 (season 2)
Episodes	24 (both seasons)

Toaru Majutsu no Index (とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, Toaru Majutsu no Indekkusu^?), translated as A Certain Magical Index, is the anime series adaptation of the light novel of the same name, produced by J.C. Staff between 2008 and 2010. The anime series was directed by Hiroshi Nishikiori and written by Masanao Akahoshi, with music by Maiko Iuchi, art and sound direction by Yasunori Ebina, and character designs by Yuichi Tanaka based on the original designs by Haimura Kiyotaka.

The series is composed of two 24-episode seasons, which follows the story in the light novels of Kamijou Touma and his adventures following an encounter with Index, a nun that carries 103,000 grimoires in her head.

Plot

Main article: List of Toaru Majutsu no Index Episodes

The anime series closely follows the story of Kamijou Touma, a high school boy studying in Academy City, a city in Japan known as a hub for many educational and scientific institutions, but also for its Power Curriculum Program which aims to help students develop esper abilities. Touma is considered a weakling by many because he is considered a Level 0. However, he manifests an unusual ability to dispel supernatural phenomena using his right hand, which he calls Imagine Breaker.

In the first season, Touma meets Index, an English nun who is in pursuit by her "guardians" who make sure that the 103,000 magical books in her head do not fall into the wrong hands. Index eventually becomes Touma's companion at home, while Touma faces multiple agents from both within Academy City and magicians who sneak into the city due to various reasons, most notably to directly attack the city as part of the ongoing power struggle between magic and science. The second season involves the Roman Catholic Church, a major faction in the magic side, targeting Touma for posing a threat against the organization. The first season covers Volumes 1 to 6 of the light novel, while the second season covers Volumes 7 to 13 and the first side story volume.

Characters

• Kamijou Touma - A Level 0 student of A Certain High School, known not only for his constant exposure to misfortune but also for his right hand that can dispel any magical or supernatural force. Voiced by Atsushi Abe.
• Index - Full name: Index Librorum Prohibitorum. A nun affiliated to the Church of England. She is tightly guarded by the church because of the 103,000 grimoires in her head. She is voiced by Yuka Iguchi.
• Misaka Mikoto - A Level 5 Electromaster and considered to be one of the seven most powerful espers in Academy City. She is voiced by Rina Satou.
• Stiyl Magnus - A magician affiliated to the Church of England's Necessarius, entrusted alongside Kanzaki Kaori to act as Index's guardians. His expertise is fire-based rune magic. He is voiced by Kisho Taniyama.
• Kanzaki Kaori - A fellow member of Necessarius and Stiyl's companion as Index's guardian. She is a Saint who, unlike most magicians, use magic to strengthen their bodies. She is voiced by Shizuka Itou.

Release

An anime series based on the Toaru Majutsu no Index light novels was green-lit on June 4, 2008. The anime series, directed by Hiroshi Nishikiori and produced by J.C. Staff, aired in six TV channels in Japan between October 4, 2008 and March 19, 2009 and was released as eight DVD and Blu-ray disc sets between January 23 and August 21, 2009. A second season of the anime series, entitled Toaru Majutsu no Index II, aired between October 8, 2010 and April 4, 2011 in seven channels in Japan and in Nico Nico Douga. The second season of the anime is later released in DVD and Blu-ray in 2011.

Localization

Funimation licensed both seasons of the anime series in North America and first released the series through streaming on September 2012, and in DVD with English dubs on December 11, 2012 for the first season and 2014 for the second season.