To Aru Majutsu no Index LN - Genesis Testament Volume 4 Discussion / Poll

[Marina2]

Hmm.....with Dion Fortune as Archbishop, look like Hamazura basically has Necessarius (or entire Anglican Church) backing him up. Even Stiyl might get an order to help him sometime in the future. Heh.

Come to think of it, shouldn't Accelerator worry that Dion can remotely hack 545? Especially if Dion can do more than just talking through 545.

[shmaster]

My reaction:

Fortune is a Hamazura moe buta -> sure, make sense, I can live with that.

Fortune is a Hamazura moe buta who is completely out of her mind -> stop, stopstopstop, who is the idiot that made her new Arch Bishop!?!?!?

[DragonXX]

Originally Posted by Marina2

Hmm.....with Dion Fortune as Archbishop, look like Hamazura basically has Necessarius (or entire Anglican Church) backing him up. Even Stiyl might get an order to help him sometime in the future. Heh.

Come to think of it, shouldn't Accelerator worry that Dion can remotely hack 545? Especially if Dion can do more than just talking through 545.

What if this is all leading to a point were Hamazura will become Accelerator's enemy. Leading to a true fight between Anglican Church and AC because I was said that didn't happen when Crowley and Coronzon started there fight

[Stro]

Spoiler for Spoiler:

So now the world knows about the Misaka clones. Also Mikoto doesn't know how to explain to Kuroko.

[Endscape]

Originally Posted by Marina2

Hmm.....with Dion Fortune as Archbishop, look like Hamazura basically has Necessarius (or entire Anglican Church) backing him up. Even Stiyl might get an order to help him sometime in the future. Heh.

Originally Posted by shmaster

My reaction:

Fortune is a Hamazura moe buta -> sure, make sense, I can live with that.

Fortune is a Hamazura moe buta who is completely out of her mind -> stop, stopstopstop, who is the idiot that made her new Arch Bishop!?!?!?

Why are you guys taking Dion's bluff seriously?

We know that Elizard sent Villian to watch her precisely so a situation like this doesn't occur and also to get her kid an actual job.

There is no chance of Dion actually starting a war if Hamazura dies. She was just taking advantage of Accel when he was in a stressful situation, like she did to Kanzaki.

[shmaster]

I was wondering, is Othinus hinting that she is involved in Operation Handcuffs?

Originally Posted by Endscape

Why are you guys taking Dion's bluff seriously?

We know that Elizard sent Villian to watch her precisely so a situation like this doesn't occur and also to get her kid an actual job.

There is no chance of Dion actually starting a war if Hamazura dies. She was just taking advantage of Accel when he was in a stressful situation, like she did to Kanzaki.

I don't honestly believe she can get England into war either.
But I do honestly believe she'll start her personal world apocalypses plan if Hamazura ever dies.

[Inept Forum User]

Originally Posted by shmaster

I was wondering, is Othinus hinting that she is involved in Operation Handcuffs?

Might have still had her surveillance network up.

[Endscape]

Originally Posted by shmaster

I was wondering, is Othinus hinting that she is involved in Operation Handcuffs?

She's probably still spying with birds.

I don't honestly believe she can get England into war either.
But I do honestly believe she'll start her personal world apocalypses plan if Hamazura ever dies.

Elizard is watching her like a hawk after the last Archbishop revealed their world apocalypse plan. It won't be so easy.

[OH&S]

I've updated the Unified Calendar here.

As for GT4, there are problems that prevent it from being a truly standout volume. But I find that its quality is mostly in line with the previous GT volumes; which means its automatically hovering around 7-8/10.

GT has been pretty consistent so far in terms of quality and plot threads.

Favorite moments:

• The actual investigation (which was thankfully the bulk of the novel)
• Everything in Prologue and Chapter 1
• Everything with the Sisters
• Presidential Shotgun Duel
• Everything in the Epilogue
• F-word jokes

Facepalm moments:

• Kanzaki disappearing from the volume early (its sucks because her scenes were pretty good; Kamachi plz, show her in the epilogue)
• Index playing a minimal role again (Kamachi plz use her; well, at least she didn't turn into a headcrab this volume; so she was just sweet)
• Kamijou being a complete dumbass and Othinus needing to constantly explain things to him (in moderation its fine but this volume went too far; Kamijou-Othinus dialogue is at its best when they are bouncing off each other and not Othinus just explaining things to Kamijou)

"Thank God" moments:

• No lewding of Helcalia (for the most part)
• Minimal Tokiwadai girls (surprised Shirai was actually helpful)

[Twi]

I'm not going to lie, I'm more interested in the fallout with the Sisters reveal. I mean, Mikoto will have to explain how much she knew to her parents and friends, I think Touma was on camera with them so he's going to have to field questions from his involvement to his friends complaining he has a literal harem, Accelerator is probably going to end up in a cell for all of three volumes, and then I'm still worried something is going to blindside them.

I did like Touma walking off as the mother and daughter reunited while thinking he doesn't want to be in the spotlight, only for the clones to immediately start fighting over him next chapter in what will certainly be on social media.

[Doe, John]

I agree with OH&S that Touma didn't have to be this clueless in this volume, even if it is set in the US. I do wonder, though, if this is some kind of subconscious limitation: Touma wants to be normal to an obsessive extent, so he doesn't try to use his intelligence except when he has to.

I also wish that Stiyl's super-sized Innocentius had been illustrated.

[Ksaraf23]

The fact there’s not as much post discussion after this volume must mean this wasn’t everyone’s favorite volume.

[Kuroageha]

Originally Posted by OH&S

[*]Kamijou being a complete dumbass and Othinus needing to constantly explain things to him (in moderation its fine but this volume went too far; Kamijou-Othinus dialogue is at its best when they are bouncing off each other and not Othinus just explaining things to Kamijou)

*Has Yuitsu vs Touma flashbacks*

[OH&S]

Originally Posted by Ksaraf23

The fact there’s not as much post discussion after this volume must mean this wasn’t everyone’s favorite volume.

I guess so. Its mostly because of the unfortunate position its found itself in relation to the main plot. The first 4 volumes of GT are essentially an introduction to the new world after the change in leadership in AC and Necessarius, and drawing the lines for the new status quo (and new potential plot threads) in the wake of Anna (and her group?).

• Almost every semi-important AC character from OT/NT has appeared or been briefly mentioned between GT2-4 (minus Kanou Shinka, the extended Kihara Family, Tsuchimkado and Sogiita)
• Aihana Etsu came out for the first time.
• The organized dark side has been reigned in (but there are some leftover embers such as Frillsand #G).
• The existence of the Sisters has been revealed to the public and Full-Tuning has been mentioned for the first time since SS2.
• The new initial characterizations of the MCs (including Misaka and Shokuhou) have been established for the start of GT (excluding Index annoyingly).
• Whatever global change that Anna was hoping to happen with R&C Occultics intentional collapse will also trigger some new events.
• Aleister is back working behind the scenes.

But can't say much happened within the bounds of the volume. Kamijou got off scot-free this time around:

• no bites on the head
• Othinus by his side for the entire volume (for better or for worse)
• anticipating the double cross by Stiyl
• actually eating food overseas (and with the Sisters as well)
• heroically walking away from the Grocery family reunion with Index by his side
• kiss on the cheek by Melzabeth

Kamijou was extra successful this time around.
Likewise with Accelerator getting the verdict he wanted.
And I guess Hamazura got to live as well.

While this is occasionally fine, its important that Kamachi doesn't let his characters stagnate like he did during the World Rejecter Arc. Index characters are at their best when the MC's characters are challenged on top of the immediate scenario.

Also, Kamachi quickly needs to make clear what's going on with Anna; who is she really and what is she trying to do. i.e. Kamachi needs to set up a new compelling grand plot now that Aleister has vacated his Board Chairman position.

And of course, return to the mystery of Imagine Breaker and Kamijou no Touma. The revised explanation of IB from NT22Re should have some bearing on the plot.

In short, what GT1-4 have set up to come next is promising but only for the future rather than within the volumes themselves (even if the volumes are still generally solid).

Originally Posted by Kuroageha

Has Yuitsu vs Touma flashbacks*

I remember that one moment in NT15 which is still the #1 dumbest Touma moment in the entire series.
In NT16 he was just mostly ineffective.
Even though I regard NT17 (and maybe NT19) as the worst Index LN, Kamijou did end up pulling through by the end.

Speaking of which, WTF happened to Yuiitsu and the World Rejecter!? WTF happened to Fiamma from NT13!?

These were the last remaining dangling plot threads from NT that Kamachi never addressed.

[WyrdMonger]

Out of curiosity, what became of Stiyl and Kaori in this volume?

[Endscape]

Originally Posted by OH&S

Even though I regard NT17 (and maybe NT19) as the worst Index LN

Eh, I kinda liked Fran's epic breakup scene.

Speaking of which, WTF happened to Yuiitsu and the World Rejecter!?

Pretty sure Kamisato harem killed her. The man himself kept World Rejecter on ice and left the city.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Endscape

Pretty sure Kamisato harem killed her

Wasn't what happened to her left unknown?



Although I can't be arsed to go through that volume to check. Kamisato and his stupid harem are pure ugh.....Why do they even exist....

[OH&S]

Originally Posted by Endscape

Eh, I kinda liked Fran's epic breakup scene.

There were parts that I liked within the volume BUT that didn't stop it from being the most difficult novel to get through simply because no one cares about Kamisato's harem.

Originally Posted by Endscape

Pretty sure Kamisato harem killed her. The man himself kept World Rejecter on ice and left the city.

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

Wasn't what happened to her left unknown?

Although I can't be arsed to go through that volume to check. Kamisato and his stupid harem are pure ugh.....Why do they even exist....

Yep, Kamachi left her fate unknown on purpose. I also don't remember him specifically stating if WR went back to Kamisato.

This is one of Kamachi's weakness when it comes to the ending of some of his LN volumes: he doesn't go into detail regarding the events of the novel's denouement. Not all the time but it occasionally rears its ugly head in.

But enough about NT17.

[entei08]

Originally Posted by WyrdMonger

Out of curiosity, what became of Stiyl and Kaori in this volume?

Stiyl went to R&C's headquarters to find everyone there brutally killed. Kanzaki got pulled out of the sand offscreen, definitely could have been handled better there.

I agree we need to dig deep into Anna's motives and goals here. Everything about her so far has been kept vague. We know she's whimsical but that can't be the standalone trait of an overarching villain, it just loses appeal if the reader cannot identify or sympathize with her. Aleister is the perfect example, he set out wanting to prevent more tragedies but down the road twists more into vengeance, it all started because his daughter died a mysterious death, that's a very convincing motivation.

So far we know Anna's tired of leading/teaching other people, believing them to be not worth her time. She's basically a spoiled kid (but she can walk the talk), Kamachi even emphasize this multiple times in the text and in the afterword. She wants to be pampered, to be subservient to someone stronger than her but it's been repeatedly stated that's just not possible, not even magic gods catch her interest. Considering the age group of most of the current Index audience, I don't think a simple spoiled kid is something they can easily identify with, compared to Aleister losing his family or even Coronzon faithfully attempting to fulfill her duties. So far she's more doing things to temporarily stave off her boredom but that's going to run out of steam fast. The reader has to find her ultimate goal to be worth all that she's done.

In this volume, one thing I found interesting was that Touma was simultaneously attempting to deduct whether Melzabeth is a good person and what Anna's motivations are. He ultimately reached the conclusion that Melzabeth IS a good person (and he was right), and that Anna had no one to rely on. Ultimately Anna did not appear in LA at all, and we never got to the bottom of her intentions with Melzabeth in LA as everything was from Touma and Othinus's POV. Basically I want Touma's assessment of her to be wrong even if just slightly.

The last scene with Anna had me interested because it seems to be the first time she didn't go all high and mighty in the presence of others. While she did reprimand Arcadia a bit for her bantering, ultimately they seem to be on better terms than what Anna had with Aiwass, that's for sure. I really want to see a different side to Anna than just talking down on people and/or defeating them without breaking a sweat. In GT 2 Anna did get riled up, but again due to her whimsical nature I can't say for certain if this is also part of her act to lose so she gets put next to Accelerator.

[shmaster]

About Anna's motive, I felt like going back to her comment about Jesus Christ again.

Perhaps she got fed up of teaching people because she saw what that had lead Jesus into?
And she is so picky about finding the right person because she saw even Jesus had fallen as he tried to babysit the humanity?