"A Certain Scientific Railgun" is a manga that has been serialized in Dengeki Comic Daioh since 2007 as a spin-off of "A Certain Magical Index". Its official name is "A Certain Magical Index Gaiden, A Certain Scientific Railgun". The first season of the anime aired in 2009, and the second season, "A Certain Scientific Railgun S", aired in 2013. Both seasons are two cours long.
Synopsis of Railgun
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
A city called "Academy City" has a total population of 2.3 million, 80% of which are students. Students in the city learn to develop psychic powers as part of their curriculum, and students are mainly divided by level. There are levels ranging from Level 0 (non-powerful) to Level 5 (esper), and students are constantly studying every day to reach higher levels. A Certain Scientific Railgun is a story that centers around Misaka Mikoto, one of the seven Level 5s in Academy City, and follows her as she takes on various incidents related to the city's darkness.
What is a dark organization?
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
Because Academy City is a city with a deep darkness, the disciplinary committee and security guards deal with the official crimes, but the dark organizations take on the illegal cases that they cannot handle. There are many different types of organizations, including those that are mostly made up of scientists and undertake inhumane research, and those made up of people with special abilities and undertake tasks such as protecting important people and assassinating others. There are even some dark hero-like organizations among them. Today we'll be introducing the members of ITEM, one such dark organization.
What are items?
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
This is the name of one of the dark organizations that exists in Academy City. It is made up of women of a relatively similar age, and they get along fairly well. Although they are women, their work is typical of the underworld, ranging from assassinations to security, and they have endured a considerable number of near-death experiences.
Mugino Shizuri (CV: Koshimizu Ami)
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
The leader of the items, one of the strongest level 5s in Academy City, ranked 4th, and a user of "Melt Downer". He looks quite old, but it's never stated, so it's likely he's older than Misaka. He's usually very calm and leader-like, and tends to enjoy things, but his true nature is quite selfish and violent, and once he was injured in a fight he lost his temper and transformed into a very nasty character. When he fought Misaka, he was hit in the face by Misaka's clever attack, and after that his language became very violent, raging and destroying walls and other things.
Mugino Shiori in the main story
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
After the Sisters Arc and the Revolution Dawn Arc depicted in Railgun, he fights Kakine Teitoku, the second-ranked organization in the conflict between the dark side organizations, but is defeated more easily than expected. Afterwards, his subordinate Hamazura rebelled against Mugino to protect Takitsubo, but was defeated again, and he lost to Kakine again after that, becoming the man with the most losses. On the other hand, he also showed a very cold-hearted side by killing Frenda as a purge after she leaked information to protect herself.
What is Melt Downer?
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
The ability to fix electrons in a state that is neither wave nor particle and to control them freely (officially called the "particle machine waveform high-speed cannon"). As a result, the fixed electrons function as a "wall" with almost no mass, and by moving this "wall" at high speed and slamming it into something, it is possible to cause overwhelming destruction. At first glance, it was firing things that looked like lasers. The downside is that it is too powerful and has low rate of fire, but it uses something on a card called Silicon Burn, and fires it as a diffuse laser.
Kinuhata Saiai (CV: Akasaki Chinatsu)
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
One of the members of Item, a level 4 super-ability user who uses "Nitrogen Armor (Offensive Armor)". She looks very slender, but in a bad way, and she is very self-conscious about her figure. She has a habit of starting her sentences with "super". Her fighting abilities are extremely high, and she is often found fighting on the front lines, second only to Mugino.
Kinuhata Saiai in the main story
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
Like Mugino, he was defeated by Kakine Teitoku, the second-ranked member of the inter-organizational conflict, but he only sustained minor injuries and quickly returned to normal. In the unanimated episode "Dream Ranker Arc" of A Certain Scientific Railgun, she happens to encounter her enemy Misaka Mikoto in the city, and dreams of having large breasts using Indian Poker, a card that is said to be able to make other people's dreams come true. At first they get into a fight over the card, but then they lose track of which card it is, and they join forces for a time to search for it. She has a fairly good relationship with her subordinate Hamazura, but she personally describes it as a subordinate-superior relationship.
What is Nitrogen Armor (Offensive Armor)?
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
He can manipulate nitrogen to strengthen his own body and provide complete defense, and is strong enough to easily deflect bullets. I can also use nitrogen to make things float, but the range is short so I have to get really close, which makes it look like I have super strength at first glance. I can't do anything without nitrogen, so I always carry nitrogen at home.
Frenda Seivelun CV: Uchida Maaya
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
A blonde, blue-eyed high school student with a cute appearance. Her abilities are not stated and are unknown, but she has an extremely high fighting sense and skillfully uses bombs made from gunpowder, demonstrating her strength by pushing Misaka, who was a level 5 even though she was slightly weakened, to the brink of defeat. She frequently uses the words "reason" and "after all" in her speech.
Frenda in the main story
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
In the Dream Ranker arc, an unanimated episode of Railgun, she showed that she likes canned mackerel. Then, she becomes friends with Saten because of their connection to mackerel, but Saten is targeted by another dark organization due to a misunderstanding. Although he was in a terrible state, Frenda somehow managed to rescue Saten and promised to treat her to mackerel curry as a thank you, but on the promised day, Frenda did not show up. By that time, Frenda had already been killed by Mugino as a purge for selling out her comrades during the conflict between the Anbu. It was a very sad story for Saten, who was excitedly waiting. Some have suggested that Frenda is still alive, so I hope she keeps her promise to Saten. She has a younger sister who looks just like her.
Frenda's abilities
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
The main weapons used are bombs, which can be used in a variety of ways. He uses gunpowder as a fuse, plants bombs in dolls, and uses remote-controlled bombs, demonstrating his impressive fighting ability and his use of bombs.
Takitsubo Rikou (CV: Suzaki Aya)
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
In the main story, Takitsubo Rikou plays a secondary heroine role. She is a member of the Item group and uses the level 4 "AIM Stalker" skill. This is a very useful ability, and she plays a central role in the item. She is a quiet type who faithfully follows orders. She usually wears a pink jersey, and Kinuhata's most hateful hidden large breasts are...
Takitubo Riko in the main story
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
She has risked her life to save Hamazura, an item, many times, and they have developed a mutual love for each other. During a conflict between the organizations, he challenges Kakine to protect Hamazura, but is defeated and suffers brain damage that limits the use of his abilities. After that, he continues to work with Hamazura, and spends his days full of ups and downs, even fighting with Mugino, who was once his ally. He is usually quiet, but when it comes to Hamazura, he becomes jealous and can raise his voice.
What is the ability tracking (AIM stalker)?
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
The ability is so amazing that once it is memorized, it can track even to the ends of the solar system, and other organizations are quick to target it due to its convenience. Furthermore, it was said that when Takitsubo reached level 5, he would be able to copy the abilities of others and use them in a more powerful form than the original, making him the next top level 5.
Hamazura Shiage (CV: Shimono Hiro)
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
He barely appears in Railgun, and only a few times in the main anime, but he is a member of the Item that will later become a main character. He was originally just a delinquent, and even after joining ITEM he was treated as a low-level member by the regular members. After the conflict between the organizations, he and Takitsubo fell in love with each other, and he shows his sense of justice by trying his best to protect her. Incidentally, like Kamijo, he is a Level 0 powerless person.
Summary of ITEM members!
Source: A Certain Scientific Railgun ©Kamachi Kazuma/Fuyukawa Motoi/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-RAILGUN S
Since they have only appeared a little in the Railgun anime, this time we have focused on their activities in the main story. Basically, they are all beautiful women with a pretty to cute appearance, but they are also unique items that often show a dark side. In A Certain Scientific Railgun, she appears in the Sisters Arc and the Revolutionary Dawn Arc, so if you're interested, be sure to check them out. Thank you very much.
