Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S Episode 9

Data and Facility

Mikoto’s desperate fight against Frenda and her assorted tricks and traps has ended, only to be confronted by Academy City’s 4^th most powerful esper, Shizuri Mugino. It seems that the existence of the Level 5's in Academy City is well known, but their details aren't as famous (although Mikoto’s name, school and ability seem to be, as are Accelerator’s), as neither of the Level 5's identify each other. Mugino picks up from where Frenda left at cornering Mikoto.

Meanwhile, Shinobu, managing to sneak out of the room she was asked to stay in, climbs down the ladder into the basement of the facility, scheming to free the Sisters by overwriting the emotion data installed to their minds using the Testament. Her knowledge of the project and her lack of destructive powers make her take a different approach to seize the project.

The different ways the two try to stop the Radio Noise Project reflects their places in Academy City’s society: scientist and test subject, theory and practical, connections and force. Academy City’s dark side is proved to be a place where anything can and will happen for those who dare oppose it.

KA-ME-HA-ME-HAAAAAA!

As we go back to Mikoto, she doesn’t waver at the very casual way her next opponent just opened a hole in the wall. She continues to hurl large objects at them using her ability, but is astonished to see them crumble away in air with a green light. Unlike in the manga, the visual details of the Meltdowner are clearly shown, adding elegance to the way she executes her moves. On the other hand, Mugino guards with ease but shows amusement at her target’s skills. Mikoto acquires the nickname ‘spider (woman)’ from how she applies electricity to stick to walls and ceilings. She swiftly dodges Mugino’s attacks of twirling light while analysing how her own electric shocks are being nullified. Takitsubo takes 3 pills of a drug supplied by Mugino and glares at Mikoto with eyes similar to the manga version of Shinobu. ‘Spiderwoman’ is somehow able to sense that isn’t good. Where Mikoto gets all of these fighting skills and tactics we might never know. She escapes to deeper into the building in order to destroy its core.

More resembling of a cat to me.

The action in this series becomes more and more appealing by the week, possibly because the most important past battle, Accelerator vs. MISAKA #9982, was against a weaker esper and a visually unappealing ability (however can be aurally appealing). What more action could one ask than espers, beams, explosives and electric shocks flying in a highly advanced city? Not only are the direct effects of the attacks of high quality, but there is explanation so there is little confusion as to what on earth is happening.

Takitsubo’s ability as an AIM Stalker (I hope she doesn’t use it to do what its name suggests) allows her to memorise the AIM dispersion field of another esper and track her location down, even if they are on opposite sides of the Earth. However, the catch to this very useful supportive ability is that it only acts when the pills cause her ability to reach a dangerous point which doesn’t last for long (I wonder whether it is related to the series of experiments that were conducted on Banri Edasaki and her friends). Mugino makes her memorise Mikoto’s AIM dispersion field to pinpoint attack her one-sidedly from a stationary position.

Even in Academy City, pills don’t taste good...

Shinobu quickly attempts to overwrite the data in the basement, trying to give more humanly emotions to the clones, which may be just enough for the experimenters to stop viewing them as simple lab rats. However, she is stopped from behind by Kinuhata, who remained at the other facility in case Mikoto was bait for the defenders. Shinobu ponders of the consequences that may have followed had she not been stopped by Kinuhata, but continues to operate the computer with her free hand. A false hope is given to her when an affirmative beep sounds, but the installing was blocked by the added security. The screen changes to show a small, naked body in an incubator, characterised by the small ahoge protruding from her head. (The individual clone, #20001, later known as Last Order).

Shinobu makes a final effort to a least escape by taking a gun and pointing it at Kinuhata, who keeps her calm, causing her to shoot. The bullet was blocked in air by Kinuhata’s Level 4 ‘Offence Armour’, which allows her to control nitrogen. This makes me think Frenda too is a powerful esper, but has an ability unsuited for her job, as having a sole non-esper in a group of 4 seems strange. She commends the fact that Shinobu didn’t aim for a vital point, but ruthlessly knocks her out.

At least she didn't shoot Accelerator. Things could have been messier...

Index arcs usually end in Touma punching somebody in the face to solve the main problem and save everybody, and meet a happy ending for all. However, this time Shinobu’s efforts were deemed futile, and with little, if any sympathy, Kinuhata implies that she will spend the rest of her life with almost no rights, if she is kept alive. In the Toaruverse, not all will have retribution.

ITEM strikes off some team play. Frenda detonates one of her unused bomb, creating a large scale explosion which fills the corridor Mikoto is in. The blast makes Mikoto fly in the air, which Takitsubo detects, and Mugino snipes at. This time, remembering how her attacks were deflected by Mugino, Mikoto hits the beam with some electricity to alter its path. ITEM, unlike GROUP, is in sync and have good strategies. Just that they were meant to be protecting the place, not opening holes in it.

The two have abilities of similar foundation

Mugino, realising what she is up against, sends the weakened Takitsubo and Frenda back to Kinuhata. She pretends to be doing it out of care of her comrades and logical interpretation of the situation, but then turns away to smirk a nasty grin in joy she may be able to take Academy City’s #3 head on in a one on one battle.

I wonder whether she used braces.

The overall impression of the week was different to the initial one I had from the first season. Not everyone in this world is happy, or even able to enjoy their own daily lives, much like ours, but on a larger scale The increase in seriousness has piled over the weeks, and my anticipation for the next episode grows with it. On a side note, the contrast the actual story makes with the ending song has made me like the song more than I used to.