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とある魔術の禁書目録外伝 とある科学の超電磁砲 [Toaru Majutsu no Index Gaiden: Toaru Kagaku no Railgun] #9
A Certain Scientific Railgun, Vol. 9
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
While searching for answers and her missing “Sister,” Misaka finds herself facing a new ruthless enemy who takes her mother and Uihara as hostages! But when this new foe accuses Misaka of crimes she never committed, Misaka is left wondering exactly who she’s fighting and why. At least Kuroko and Saten are willing to help, despite their impaired memories…but even that isn’t enough to get to the bottom of this mystery. Misaka may have to turn to a very unlikely ally for help!
While searching for answers and her missing “Sister,” Misaka finds herself facing a new ruthless enemy who takes her mother and Uihara as hostages! But when this new foe accuses Misaka of crimes she never committed, Misaka is left wondering exactly who she’s fighting and why. At least Kuroko and Saten are willing to help, despite their impaired memories…but even that isn’t enough to get to the bottom of this mystery. Misaka may have to turn to a very unlikely ally for help!
256 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 10, 2024
The ninth volume of Railgun progresses the Daihasei Festival Arc's storyline by weaving together multiple plot threads and organically developing them into an overarching narrative framework. This not only brings closure to the current storyline but also sets the stage for a narrative climax of the entire series, which is expected to culminate in a grand finale in the next volume. While the previous volume primarily focused on unraveling the web of mysteries surrounding Mitsuko and Mikoto's attempts to uncover the truth behind Misaka 10032's disappearance, this time the spotlight shifts towards gradually answering these questions through Misaki Shokuhou's past, which serves as a catalyst for further plot development.
In the eighth volume, Misaki appeared to be the main antagonist of this arc. However, in this volume, it is revealed that she has been secretly working against the villains, with all her actions aimed at protecting innocent individuals from being drawn into the conflict. She took Misaka 10032 into her custody after she’d been rendered immobile with the nanodevice by Baba, hiding her away so the villains cannot find her. Additionally, she erased the memories of Mikoto's friends and had her clique monitor Mikoto to prevent them from intervening in the conflict. Despite Misaki's efforts, Mikoto's persistence and her ability to still find ways to collaborate with her friends lead her to become aware of Misaki's involvement. This ultimately leads to Misaki revealing the entire truth during a visually striking exposition scene in the back of a truck, where alongside providing information, the external conflict between Mikoto and Misaki is also addressed visually, such as when Mikoto grabs her collar and Misaki pushes her hand away. As we have predominantly perceived Misaki's perspective through Mikoto's antagonistic lens, Fuyukawa invests considerable time in humanizing her character, particularly by drawing narrative parallels with Mikoto. Most of this character development occurs in two extensive flashback chapters, which illustrate Misaki's past work at a research facility and how, similar to Mikoto during Sisters, she naively trusted the researchers and was exploited by them for the Exterior Project. This experience instilled in Misaki a long-term paranoia towards others, making it difficult for her to trust anyone unless she can read their thoughts.
These details from Misaki's past presented in said chapters contribute in turning her into an incredibly believable and relatable character. They illustrate how a 14-year-old girl previously manipulated and gifted with mind-reading abilities, would naturally evolve - relying solely on her mind control and losing the knack to perceive external, non-verbal cues that are natural for us when trying to understand the feelings and intentions of others. In this aspect, she resembles an alternate version of one of my all-time favorite villains: Kilgrave from Jessica Jones. Like Misaki, he has undergone a deep-seated alienation from others because he can never be sure if they genuinely care for him or if it's merely because his ability forces them to. Hence, he takes a keen interest in Jessica Jones, as she is the only one capable of resisting his mind manipulation, earnestly wanting to uncover her true feelings for him and positively impact them. However, unlike Kilgrave, Misaki's response leads her to fear and avoid Mikoto because Mikoto is the only instance where Misaki feels defenseless and has to relinquish all control she otherwise has over the situation. Despite their disparate reactions, both characters consistently showcase the impact such power has on the human psyche, making them captivating figures for understanding human psychology. Misaki's divergent path compared to Kilgrave is partly due to Dolly the clone, who, although not born as a normal human, exhibits such fundamental humanity that she manages to awaken empathy and compassion in Misaki's heart for others' suffering.
The friendship between Misaki and Dolly parallels Mikoto and Mitsuko's friendship. Just as Mitsuko is the only one capable of distinguishing Mikoto from her clones due to how she perceives the air around them, Dolly, despite being influenced by Mental Out to perceive her as Mitori, recognizes Misaki's true identity by her different scent enough that she can distinguish her from Mitori. Both Mikoto and Misaki have a friend who is so close to them that they can be recognized even when their eyes deceive them. Through our understanding what Mitsuko means to Mikoto, we are able to grasp the significance Dolly holds to Misaki. Similarly, Mikoto's pain upon finding Mitsuko in the hospital reflects Misaki's pain when she has to bid farewell to Dolly. Additionally, the way both girls interact with their clones draws a thematic comparison between them. Misaka 10032 asks Mikoto for help in navigating the world at the end of the Sisters Arc, which Mikoto fulfills by giving her food vouchers to enjoy the Daihasei Festival as a normal human being. Similarly, Misaki tries to integrate Dolly into life by playing The Game of Life together after Dolly expresses her desire to go to the sea and see the world. This underscores how important it is for Dolly to simulate life outside the lab, as evident from her happiness at being a pilot in the game.
While the parallels between them help to foster sympathy for Misaki and illustrate that both are driven by the same fundamentally human desire - to safeguard the people close to them - they are also contrasted in all their disparities. Mikoto boasts physical strength, whereas Misaki is physically frail; Mikoto acts impulsive, while Misaki is more calculating; where Mikoto would forcibly break through a barrier obstructing her path, Misaki would forcibly seek assistance from others to open the door. Their divergent approaches to problem-solving are evident during the break-in, with Mikoto demolishing a wall using her Railgun and incapacitating guards, while Misaki assumes control over them, ensuring they engage in combat against each other. These differing methodologies render them vividly contrasting characters, albeit this dynamic was only showcased briefly, as their joint action during the raid was relatively minor. Nonetheless, their collaboration was made possible by a plausible connection that furnished them with a shared objective: Gensei Kihara.
In previous arcs, he operated as the clandestine puppet master: directing Harumi Kiyama to conduct the runaway abilities experiment with the children and serving as a vivid supporter of the Level 6 Shift project. His presence as a behind-the-scenes manipulator is even more pronounced in the anime, where he had previously experimented on his granddaughter, Therestina, with the aim of elevating her to a Level 6 herself by extracting the First Sample. Therestina, in turn, occupied pivotal roles during Poltergeist and Silent Party, guiding the narrative due to her intimate knowledge of the city's dark side. Introducing Gensei Kihara not only as the primary antagonist of this arc but also forging a narrative connection to both Level 5s through Misaki's backstory makes the plot feel like a true climax to Railgun’s story - a sentiment that's particularly apt considering that Daihasei also felt like a crescendo in Index, with multiple plot threads converging. However, the fact that Gensei himself also manipulates both Mikoto and Misaki equally because he's pursuing his own agenda against Aleister adds an intriguing level of menace. Since Aleister requires the Sisters for his plan to create an artificial paradise, it elucidates why Gensei and Misaki encountered such difficulty in tracking them down, as Aleister himself most likely manipulates information to obscure their whereabouts. As mentioned in the previous volume, this plot is already understandable in isolation; we grasp that Gensei finally desires to implement his Level 6 experiment and utilizes all the resources he previously had access to, while the additional knowledge from Index adds another layer and helps to additionally enrich this conflict.
The numerous references to the Sisters Arc have already set the stage for the thrilling conclusion awaiting us in the next volume. Particularly poignant was Mitori's dialogue with Mikoto, where she illuminated the injustices inflicted upon her by Academy City and the internal scars she carries. While these wounds may not deeply influence Mikoto's actions or fundamentally alter her character, the dialogue revealed the presence of small seeds of anger and resentment within her, seeds that are sure to blossom in the upcoming volume. Simultaneously, this scene serves as a testament to Mikoto's growth as a person. At the beginning of the story, she struggled to place her trust in others, yet now she literally entrusts Kuroko with her mother's life by opting to save Kazari - despite Kuroko's inability to even remember her. Moreover, she continues to seek her friend's aid, that assist her without feeling any emotional connection towards her. This level of blind trust she puts into her friends underscores Mikoto's inner journey and reinforces my belief that Silent Party not only seamlessly aligns with Daihasei but also propels it forward even more organically. While the importance of Mikoto to Kuroko was already evident, their unique bond is further highlighted in the moment when Kuroko loses her memory of Mikoto. On one hand, it underscores Kuroko's aversion to being addressed by her first name and underscores the depth of her emotional connection to Mikoto, where she accepts it without protest. On the other hand, it becomes evident that without Mikoto, Kuroko identifies as heterosexual, showcasing the profound impact Mikoto had on her heart which lead her to explore her own sexual orientation.
In terms of the narrative, the revelation of Misaki's manipulation of the group was deftly executed by only revealing it through flashbacks once her alteration of Kazari's memories in order to hide the web image in front of the building housing Exterior was evident. The transition from Misaki's informant assuring her that no one could access the website anymore to the moment when Kazari cracked the encryption and Misaki sarcastically commented on his failure not only had a humorous effect but also provided a concise explanation of the previous events without prematurely unraveling all the mysteries. By withholding Misaki's perspective until this volume, it takes on a distinctly different identity from the previous one, enriching both sections in the process.
Finally, I'd like to touch on some references to Index that caught my eye. These, once again, mostly just serve to enrich the scenes they’re in, which, for the most part, still remain understandable even without additional context. One such nod is the comparison to Ellis and Sherry Cromwell from OT6, whose magic Mikoto likens to Mitori's ability - a sign that she continues to contemplate magical occurrences against the backdrop of her scientific worldview. Additionally, the bus that Motoharu detonated in OT10 played a role, explaining why Mikoto and Misaki were stuck in traffic and compelling Misaki to use Exterior for the first time. Thus, a narrative link to Index was deftly employed to propel the plot forward and integrate exposition. As for Railgun, the black cat has now, as previously suspected, become relevant to the plot when its thoughts were read. Simultaneously, Ruiko's good luck charm, which primarily featured in the anime, was cleverly utilized as a plot device to acquaint Touma with Saten and involve him in the storyline, as he seems on the verge to return the good luck charm to her. However, my feelings are somewhat mixed regarding Xochitl. I hinted at this in Volume 7, but I find her presence and connection to Saten too pivotal to remain unexplained, particularly when it leads to entirely erroneous conclusions about her true identity. While the plot typically integrates these references without necessitating an understanding of the storyline, in this instance I feel, too many unanswered questions persist for a pure manga reader.
Two other minor additional details caught my attention: after her accident, Kazari is seen without flowers in her hair, making the ambiguous jokes about whether her flowers have grown out of her head or not seem…rather peculiar. On visual depiction that struck me was the brief snippet during the truck ride, where Misaki envisions how Mikoto would have interacted with her friends if she hadn't erased their memories. This panel was presented solely through chibi drawings and exuded such a charming style that I'd love to see more of it in the future.
So, these were my impressions of the second act of the Daihasei Festival. The manga has truly seized upon the opportune moment with the Level-6 Shift to conclude the plot and set the stage for the next volume, which I eagerly anticipate due to the significant buildup thus far.
In the eighth volume, Misaki appeared to be the main antagonist of this arc. However, in this volume, it is revealed that she has been secretly working against the villains, with all her actions aimed at protecting innocent individuals from being drawn into the conflict. She took Misaka 10032 into her custody after she’d been rendered immobile with the nanodevice by Baba, hiding her away so the villains cannot find her. Additionally, she erased the memories of Mikoto's friends and had her clique monitor Mikoto to prevent them from intervening in the conflict. Despite Misaki's efforts, Mikoto's persistence and her ability to still find ways to collaborate with her friends lead her to become aware of Misaki's involvement. This ultimately leads to Misaki revealing the entire truth during a visually striking exposition scene in the back of a truck, where alongside providing information, the external conflict between Mikoto and Misaki is also addressed visually, such as when Mikoto grabs her collar and Misaki pushes her hand away. As we have predominantly perceived Misaki's perspective through Mikoto's antagonistic lens, Fuyukawa invests considerable time in humanizing her character, particularly by drawing narrative parallels with Mikoto. Most of this character development occurs in two extensive flashback chapters, which illustrate Misaki's past work at a research facility and how, similar to Mikoto during Sisters, she naively trusted the researchers and was exploited by them for the Exterior Project. This experience instilled in Misaki a long-term paranoia towards others, making it difficult for her to trust anyone unless she can read their thoughts.
These details from Misaki's past presented in said chapters contribute in turning her into an incredibly believable and relatable character. They illustrate how a 14-year-old girl previously manipulated and gifted with mind-reading abilities, would naturally evolve - relying solely on her mind control and losing the knack to perceive external, non-verbal cues that are natural for us when trying to understand the feelings and intentions of others. In this aspect, she resembles an alternate version of one of my all-time favorite villains: Kilgrave from Jessica Jones. Like Misaki, he has undergone a deep-seated alienation from others because he can never be sure if they genuinely care for him or if it's merely because his ability forces them to. Hence, he takes a keen interest in Jessica Jones, as she is the only one capable of resisting his mind manipulation, earnestly wanting to uncover her true feelings for him and positively impact them. However, unlike Kilgrave, Misaki's response leads her to fear and avoid Mikoto because Mikoto is the only instance where Misaki feels defenseless and has to relinquish all control she otherwise has over the situation. Despite their disparate reactions, both characters consistently showcase the impact such power has on the human psyche, making them captivating figures for understanding human psychology. Misaki's divergent path compared to Kilgrave is partly due to Dolly the clone, who, although not born as a normal human, exhibits such fundamental humanity that she manages to awaken empathy and compassion in Misaki's heart for others' suffering.
The friendship between Misaki and Dolly parallels Mikoto and Mitsuko's friendship. Just as Mitsuko is the only one capable of distinguishing Mikoto from her clones due to how she perceives the air around them, Dolly, despite being influenced by Mental Out to perceive her as Mitori, recognizes Misaki's true identity by her different scent enough that she can distinguish her from Mitori. Both Mikoto and Misaki have a friend who is so close to them that they can be recognized even when their eyes deceive them. Through our understanding what Mitsuko means to Mikoto, we are able to grasp the significance Dolly holds to Misaki. Similarly, Mikoto's pain upon finding Mitsuko in the hospital reflects Misaki's pain when she has to bid farewell to Dolly. Additionally, the way both girls interact with their clones draws a thematic comparison between them. Misaka 10032 asks Mikoto for help in navigating the world at the end of the Sisters Arc, which Mikoto fulfills by giving her food vouchers to enjoy the Daihasei Festival as a normal human being. Similarly, Misaki tries to integrate Dolly into life by playing The Game of Life together after Dolly expresses her desire to go to the sea and see the world. This underscores how important it is for Dolly to simulate life outside the lab, as evident from her happiness at being a pilot in the game.
While the parallels between them help to foster sympathy for Misaki and illustrate that both are driven by the same fundamentally human desire - to safeguard the people close to them - they are also contrasted in all their disparities. Mikoto boasts physical strength, whereas Misaki is physically frail; Mikoto acts impulsive, while Misaki is more calculating; where Mikoto would forcibly break through a barrier obstructing her path, Misaki would forcibly seek assistance from others to open the door. Their divergent approaches to problem-solving are evident during the break-in, with Mikoto demolishing a wall using her Railgun and incapacitating guards, while Misaki assumes control over them, ensuring they engage in combat against each other. These differing methodologies render them vividly contrasting characters, albeit this dynamic was only showcased briefly, as their joint action during the raid was relatively minor. Nonetheless, their collaboration was made possible by a plausible connection that furnished them with a shared objective: Gensei Kihara.
In previous arcs, he operated as the clandestine puppet master: directing Harumi Kiyama to conduct the runaway abilities experiment with the children and serving as a vivid supporter of the Level 6 Shift project. His presence as a behind-the-scenes manipulator is even more pronounced in the anime, where he had previously experimented on his granddaughter, Therestina, with the aim of elevating her to a Level 6 herself by extracting the First Sample. Therestina, in turn, occupied pivotal roles during Poltergeist and Silent Party, guiding the narrative due to her intimate knowledge of the city's dark side. Introducing Gensei Kihara not only as the primary antagonist of this arc but also forging a narrative connection to both Level 5s through Misaki's backstory makes the plot feel like a true climax to Railgun’s story - a sentiment that's particularly apt considering that Daihasei also felt like a crescendo in Index, with multiple plot threads converging. However, the fact that Gensei himself also manipulates both Mikoto and Misaki equally because he's pursuing his own agenda against Aleister adds an intriguing level of menace. Since Aleister requires the Sisters for his plan to create an artificial paradise, it elucidates why Gensei and Misaki encountered such difficulty in tracking them down, as Aleister himself most likely manipulates information to obscure their whereabouts. As mentioned in the previous volume, this plot is already understandable in isolation; we grasp that Gensei finally desires to implement his Level 6 experiment and utilizes all the resources he previously had access to, while the additional knowledge from Index adds another layer and helps to additionally enrich this conflict.
The numerous references to the Sisters Arc have already set the stage for the thrilling conclusion awaiting us in the next volume. Particularly poignant was Mitori's dialogue with Mikoto, where she illuminated the injustices inflicted upon her by Academy City and the internal scars she carries. While these wounds may not deeply influence Mikoto's actions or fundamentally alter her character, the dialogue revealed the presence of small seeds of anger and resentment within her, seeds that are sure to blossom in the upcoming volume. Simultaneously, this scene serves as a testament to Mikoto's growth as a person. At the beginning of the story, she struggled to place her trust in others, yet now she literally entrusts Kuroko with her mother's life by opting to save Kazari - despite Kuroko's inability to even remember her. Moreover, she continues to seek her friend's aid, that assist her without feeling any emotional connection towards her. This level of blind trust she puts into her friends underscores Mikoto's inner journey and reinforces my belief that Silent Party not only seamlessly aligns with Daihasei but also propels it forward even more organically. While the importance of Mikoto to Kuroko was already evident, their unique bond is further highlighted in the moment when Kuroko loses her memory of Mikoto. On one hand, it underscores Kuroko's aversion to being addressed by her first name and underscores the depth of her emotional connection to Mikoto, where she accepts it without protest. On the other hand, it becomes evident that without Mikoto, Kuroko identifies as heterosexual, showcasing the profound impact Mikoto had on her heart which lead her to explore her own sexual orientation.
In terms of the narrative, the revelation of Misaki's manipulation of the group was deftly executed by only revealing it through flashbacks once her alteration of Kazari's memories in order to hide the web image in front of the building housing Exterior was evident. The transition from Misaki's informant assuring her that no one could access the website anymore to the moment when Kazari cracked the encryption and Misaki sarcastically commented on his failure not only had a humorous effect but also provided a concise explanation of the previous events without prematurely unraveling all the mysteries. By withholding Misaki's perspective until this volume, it takes on a distinctly different identity from the previous one, enriching both sections in the process.
Finally, I'd like to touch on some references to Index that caught my eye. These, once again, mostly just serve to enrich the scenes they’re in, which, for the most part, still remain understandable even without additional context. One such nod is the comparison to Ellis and Sherry Cromwell from OT6, whose magic Mikoto likens to Mitori's ability - a sign that she continues to contemplate magical occurrences against the backdrop of her scientific worldview. Additionally, the bus that Motoharu detonated in OT10 played a role, explaining why Mikoto and Misaki were stuck in traffic and compelling Misaki to use Exterior for the first time. Thus, a narrative link to Index was deftly employed to propel the plot forward and integrate exposition. As for Railgun, the black cat has now, as previously suspected, become relevant to the plot when its thoughts were read. Simultaneously, Ruiko's good luck charm, which primarily featured in the anime, was cleverly utilized as a plot device to acquaint Touma with Saten and involve him in the storyline, as he seems on the verge to return the good luck charm to her. However, my feelings are somewhat mixed regarding Xochitl. I hinted at this in Volume 7, but I find her presence and connection to Saten too pivotal to remain unexplained, particularly when it leads to entirely erroneous conclusions about her true identity. While the plot typically integrates these references without necessitating an understanding of the storyline, in this instance I feel, too many unanswered questions persist for a pure manga reader.
Two other minor additional details caught my attention: after her accident, Kazari is seen without flowers in her hair, making the ambiguous jokes about whether her flowers have grown out of her head or not seem…rather peculiar. On visual depiction that struck me was the brief snippet during the truck ride, where Misaki envisions how Mikoto would have interacted with her friends if she hadn't erased their memories. This panel was presented solely through chibi drawings and exuded such a charming style that I'd love to see more of it in the future.
So, these were my impressions of the second act of the Daihasei Festival. The manga has truly seized upon the opportune moment with the Level-6 Shift to conclude the plot and set the stage for the next volume, which I eagerly anticipate due to the significant buildup thus far.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2019
This volume was significantly more interesting, dealing with multiple plots and betrayals, reveals of more powers, as well as behind the scenes planning of the powers that be and want to be. I liked how the story dealt with the girls as they realized they had been memory altered, exploring the idea significantly. End is Sad Misaka.
November 11, 2021
I like the story, but it is very hard to follow. A big problem is that there are many characters, some hard to distinguish from one another. Japanese names and associated conventions are not easy for English-speaking people. I've seen manga which provide a character introduction page (names and pictures) at the start of each volume. That would have been helpful here.
June 24, 2018
I'm getting really annoyed with this series at this point.
The main cast at this point is 98% female all the time and full of fan service.
It's super annoying.
My library has a couple more volumes and I'm probably dropping this series after that.
The main cast at this point is 98% female all the time and full of fan service.
It's super annoying.
My library has a couple more volumes and I'm probably dropping this series after that.
December 27, 2019
Decent plot and pace. I continue to enjoy the story and the art work.
*My first few reviews and last review of a series (when I get to the last one) are the best judge for the series. I find it hard to write reviews when binge reading a manga series without repeating myself.
*My first few reviews and last review of a series (when I get to the last one) are the best judge for the series. I find it hard to write reviews when binge reading a manga series without repeating myself.
November 2, 2023
1.5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews