Anime: Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S

My post ended up being too long for a simple recommendation, so I'll make a review instead.

Don't know what Fairyhimesama is talking about, the amount of scenes from Index S1 being re-used in this show are few. I read Fairyhimesama's recommendation before watching this show, and as a result I expected there to be a lot of rehashed scenes, but there really aren't all that many, though they are there, obviously. Most of them have been redone and altered anyway though (some awesomely so, like Touma's confrontation with Accelerator, which is now world's cooler, and upped in animation and everything. Look forward to it! :D ).

Anyway, I've watched both seasons of Index, and both seasons of Railgun, and I have to say that out of all four of them, this one is definitely my favourite (though parts of Index S2 is very good as well), or, that is, the first 2/3 of the anime is. The final third part is ok, but nothing special. The story and plot in the first 16 episodes is great, and much better than S1 of Railgun. It's also quite emotional compared to the previous season and the Index seasons, and it will likely affect you quite a lot if you you're watching this without having watched Index S1 first, and have no clue what's going to happen. It might affect you anyway really. It's a lot darker and more mature then the other adaptations, so be prepared for that. If you're expecting nothing but happy cheery stuff, with romance and fanservice and such, then you're watching the wrong show (though the latter third part has a bunch of it, and it's a little refreshing and enjoyable after the first 16 episodes I guess). Otherwise, this one is a real treat!

The action is awesome, and (imo) the best so far out of all four of the To Aru Seasons. I don't wanna spoil anything, so I'm not going to mention any specifics, but rest assured that you get to see some really interesting new fights and confrontations in this one, with some very powerful people, including new faces for those who don't read the manga or novels ;-). So look forward to that. The animation, like with S2 of Index, is also a lot better than in S1 of Railgun, and there are stunning visuals and breathtaking vistas. Combined with the great plot and excellent music (unlike what Zaku's review implies, there are actually plenty of new songs in this season. 2 whole soundtracks' worth actually. There were 2 new songs especially that I really liked, and which stood out to me), you get a very complete package, and it certainly seems to me like the production values have gone up substantially compared to S1 of Railgun. They probably had a bigger budget this time around due to the franchise having become even more hugely popular I guess? :-P

Watching S1 of Index before this one will make it easier for you to understand everything and be able to follow along properly, but it is not an absolute requirement. You will appreciate this one better if you do watch Index S1 first though (although this one might have an even larger emotional impact on you if you haven't seen Index S1 first). And watching Railgun S1 is kind of essential. Watching S2 of Index beforehand though, is not necessary. Anyway, I thouroughly enjoyed this one, and heartily recommend it! Especially if you're a To Aru fan, then you need to watch this! The To Aru franchise's anime adaptations are getting better and better imo, and this one is the best one so far! ^^

P.S: What the heck is this zpaulsgame guy on about, badmouthing badass Touma, and calling him "Toaru"? Jeez... -_-

Biribiri returns in an all new production with a not-so all new story. Railgun S, in my mind, might as well just stand for Railgun Sisters as the majority of the show serves to re-explore the sisters arc previously found in Toaru Index. If you ever wondered how the timelines of Index and Railgun were linked, this season does a great job of bridging them. Unlike the first season, this second season is a much more focused, action-heavy story. Rather than spreading attention between the four protagonists in Railgun, this season is dedicated to Misaka and her growth, along with a few surprise cameos by other notable characters.

While this second season has the same drastic improvement in animation quality that we saw in Shakugan no Shana 2, it is luckily blessed with a fittingly good plot line. It is a thoroughly enjoyable and chainable watch that I recommend to all viewers. Knowledge of the first season (and Index) would be marginally helpful though mostly for cameo character appearances. Otherwise, this is a straight up action sci-fi with bits of good tension and character development all wrapped in an electrifyingly entertaining package.

Animation:
The animation in Railgun S is very good, especially considering it's a JC Studio work. While still lacking compared to OVA productions from UFO Table, the show has above average lighting and effects. Some of the cityscape backgrounds are almost K-like. I remember the original Railgun as a pretty light show with lots of happy colors. Railgun S does a good job of mixing these happier moments with much darker scenes to highlight the pressure in certain situations. As with other current shows, it's all about purples and magentas. The overall detail level occasionally dips into the "average" zone, but you can be assured that most of this show is quite well drawn. The characters, for series veterans, are recognizable and basically slightly more HD versions of their former selves. I watched the sisters arc in Toaru Index for comparisons sake and was quite impressed at how improved the quality is now. Though typically not JC's forte, I have to give them credit for giving Misaka good facial animation, extremely important given how much development centers around her.

This show is heavily action focused, if there is any doubt of this the OP will quickly address that. You can expect a lot of cool, new moves from Misaka as well as clever antagonists. If you ever wondered who the other top level 5s of Academy City were, you meet quite a few of them here, often in battle. Speaking of battles, there are plenty of them. Apparently the "Sisters" arc that we saw in Index was only a very small fraction of the full story. I figure the amount of energy discharged by Misaka in this show would probably have been enough to power the city for months; no wonder how she can maintain her slim form. While the tone is not quite as dark as say Kara no Kyoukai, there is significant blood and hints of gore as we witness some of Accelerator's experiments to reach level 6. I must say, Touma looks like he takes a lot more damage in this iteration of the arc.

Railgun was a show with light fan service, mostly in the form of flat-chested jokes and Saten's randon skirt flippings. Though there's no ecchi on account of Touma and only a few instances of Saten's flippings, there is still a bit of Kuroko so perhaps there's still a touch of yuri. And there's Misaka's clone with long hair; that is quite priceless. Overall, however, this is probably not a top hit for ecchi harem fans.

Sound:
The series has two new OPs, one for each of the two arcs. Both works are performed by FripSide, who also performed the OP for the original Railgun. Given the similar instrumentation and singer, both OPs fit very well with the Railgun electric theme. I like the melody of the first OP more but both are decent. The series likewise has two EDs to match the arcs. Both are light rock pieces, the second of which is the better of the two. While there are familiar BGM tunes from the original Railgun, many of the battles and scenes are interestingly free of BGM.

The lack of BGM presence is no issue as the VA cast is very strong. In addition to the main cast, huge names like Ami Koshimizu and rising stars like Maaya Uchida take on some of the antagonist roles. All the main leads do their roles justice in both personality and feelings, which combine to make this a standout work. If anything, I take issue with the antagonists in the second arc, which are given more typical, overused personas.

Story:
Railgun S has a pretty linear storyline with lots of pivotal cliff hangers and action moments. It is an extremely engaging watch once it gets past the initial exposition in the first three or so episodes. I liked the philosophical underpinnings of the issues at hand. The sisters arc is focused around Misaka's "sisters", her genetic clones rapidly grown in incubation tubes and currently mass produced in an attempt to create Academy City's first level 6. The second arc, which reminds me a lot of Kiddy Girl And, is about man-made humans. Both explore the ethical boundaries between science and playing god. Completely missing is the magic vs religion vs science battle that dominated much of Index 2.

In addition to all the action, there is a theme of friendship and the power of relying on others. This surfaces as the sharp contrast in how Misaka deals with situations in each arc. The first, longer, arc is by far the better arc of the two. Compared to the version in Index, the Railgun Sisters arc gives a much better sense of what Misaka is going through (actually getting to hear her thoughts as Touma confronts her on the bridge for example). This is a complete 180 degrees from Index, where she often appeared as just the arrogant, powerful girl. The last arc felt much more rushed, like the finishing minute of a fireworks show with an all-out, unnecessarily grand finale battle that puts the very survival of Academy City on Misaka's slim shoulders. Cheap conclusion aside, the contiguous, entertaining ride was definitely worth its weight in episodes.

Character:
How would you feel if an action you made in the past led to the unnecessary deaths of countless people? How far would you go to rectify that and save however many you can? Biribiri gets some serious explication and development in this work as she learns of how the city has exploited her genetic code. She goes through some pretty heavy mood swings in the course of the series from the blissfully ignorant, happy self in the prequel; to the distraught fighter desperate to fix her past mistake; and to the heroic defender of morality passing judgement upon unscrupulous scientists. Though there are a lot of supporting characters, some unnecessary from my viewpoint (cough Haruue- sorry KanaHana), the story still successfully hinges on Biribiri. Her struggles and efforts truly define the show, and luckily does not degenerate to Shana's cookie-cutter Shana 3 performance.

Value:
Interesting philosophical topics: check. Engaging, contiguous storyline: check. Lots of high-production value action: check. Virtually naked long-haired girl: check. Railgun S is one of those rarities, like Birdy the Mighty 2, where the sequel turns out even stronger than the original. If you haven't figured out what all the buzz is about, fire up your circuits and get ready for a superb show. Two thumbs up.