To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S - Episode 7 Discussion / Poll

[Primary Consult]

Re: wind turbines turning backwards:

After seeing that mentioned this episode, I couldn't help but notice the end credits don't have the ones closest to Misaka-tachi turning backwards .

[Random Wanderer]

I imagined it only happened when she was using her powers in a certain way.... *looks at episode 1 of this season* I guess I imagined wrong. The one she was sitting on there was rotating opposite the others in the scene.

[Sackett]

Originally Posted by Shadrala

Maybe it was just me... But Mikoto's voice at the very end reminded me of Accelerator's @_@

I can see why the slow pace can be frustrating, but I personally thought it was quite refreshing to see another perspective of Mikoto's suffering and how it affects those around her (especially Kuroko).

Yes.

I will admit that I was disappointed because I want to get to the meat of the story. However, I am happy about several things:

1: If you are going to slow down and have an episode about the rest of the cast, then this was correct point in the story to do it. It wouldn't work in a movie, but it can work in a tv series.

2: This means we just had a lot of time spent on the other 3 girls so there won't be the pressure to inappropriately splice them in during the more intense parts of the next few episodes. This decision demonstrates that the production team is trying to handle the several different audiences, and they are doing better then expected.

3: This was the perfect atmosphere for the slow down episode. It's not happy or silly slice of life. It was pensive, wistful, and a gentle melancholy. Perfect way of showing how Mikoto's suffering is impacting her friends no matter how much she tries to shield them.

If you're goal is to just tell the Sister's Arc story... not a great episode, but not terrible either. If you are trying to tell the story of four friends, while focusing this time on Mikoto... then this was well done. I'll give it a 7 out of 10, which is slightly low, but I'm biased in favor of moving on with the story.

Also, was that a Chrono Crusade reference from Saten?

Salvation comes to those that believe?

Or was that just a reference to something Index says?

[Razgriz8492]

I'm an Index-watcher, though not a Manga-reader, but I have knowledge of what's coming, and I'm loving every minute of what we are getting. As long as it doesn't do something to contradict the original source completely, I'm fine with whatever they give us. There's still plenty of episodes to go, so expanding on the other characters, who have always had more prominence in the Anime anyway, is far from a big deal. Especially after the many Misaka focused episodes we've just had.

And with the turbines thing, I assume it's probably her electricity finding it's way back in to the system (those lab machines must be plugged in somewhere) that flows all the way back into the turbines and causes them to spin the other way.

[leukrota]

Originally Posted by Random Wanderer

I liked the episode. Because I don't have any expectations of anything to come. So it all works well for me. I get to actually enjoy myself when I watch Railgun, apparently unlike all you novel/manga-reading Index-watching people.

Sucks to be you guys.

(of course, I hate seeing Accelerator being a dick (which means I hate seeing him on screen at all), whereas you people drool over him, so at least during the current storyline I suspect this is going to even out)

Right, cause not enjoying 1 episode = not enjoying a whole series, as it goes for anyone who reads the novel, it's like a disease. You should be an astrologist.

[alunde]

It doesn't make sense for her to be attacking alone, when she has a roommate who would gladly (and usefully) assist her.

The advantages of using a teleport over just hacking or burning out the locks, seem obvious.

I suppose the combination of a locked room with an unexplained fire of an electrical character would be even more suggestive, but they ought to be able to come up with something better by pooling their skills.

[Shadrala]

Originally Posted by alunde

It doesn't make sense for her to be attacking alone, when she has a roommate who would gladly (and usefully) assist her.

The advantages of using a teleport over just hacking or burning out the locks, seem obvious.

I suppose the combination of a locked room with an unexplained fire of an electrical character would be even more suggestive, but they ought to be able to come up with something better by pooling their skills.

It's not that Mikoto doesn't know how powerful Kuroko's ability could be. It's about the fact that Mikoto doesn't want to drag her junior (or her friends or anyone else for that matter) into her problems. She knows her friends would be willing to help out if she asked, but she feels that she has to take the burden alone- because of the guilt she feels and the possible dangers her friends could get into if they also got involved. Mikoto is also stubborn and prideful, and even though her powers proved to be completely useless against Accelerator, she still feels confident that she can take out the facilities and halt the project on her own with her electromaster powers.

EDIT: Also just mentioning, Mikoto did say something along the lines of "Uiharu-san could have probably kept up the hacking for much longer", acknowledging that she does recognise how helpful her friends could be if she DID actually ask for help.

[leukrota]

Originally Posted by Shadrala

It's not that Mikoto doesn't know how powerful Kuroko's ability could be. It's about the fact that Mikoto doesn't want to drag her junior (or her friends or anyone else for that matter) into her problems. She knows her friends would be willing to help out if she asked, but she feels that she has to take the burden alone- because of the guilt she feels and the possible dangers her friends could get into if they also got involved. Mikoto is also stubborn and prideful, and even though her powers proved to be completely useless against Accelerator, she still feels confident that she can take out the facilities and halt the project on her own with her electromaster powers.

Additionally, she keeps remembering what happened to her clone. She might not mind exposing herself to the possibility of having a similar fate, since as Shadrala said, she feels very guilty for being the origin, but what about exposing her friends?

[Sackett]

Originally Posted by leukrota

Additionally, she keeps remembering what happened to her clone. She might not mind exposing herself to the possibility of having a similar fate, since as Shadrala said, she feels very guilty for being the origin, but what about exposing her friends?

Not to mention that as one of only 7 level 5s in the city she has a level of fame that protects her to some extent against retaliation. Kuroko has much less protection from being retaliated against.

[Random Wanderer]

Accelerator's involvement makes the Level 6 Shift project far, FAR too dangerous to justify involving her friends. She can't risk them coming into conflict with him. Not to mention the potential official displeasure from whoever is responsible for the project. She already has something of a reputation as a vigilante, and they're using her clones in the project, so it makes sense on multiple levels for her to get involved and oppose them. They would have reason to expect that, and might not necessarily retaliate beyond whatever force they consider justified for defending the project. But her friends' situations are an entirely different story. Their involvement could actually attract more official attention, because they don't have Mikoto's justifiable reasons to be hindering the project. They would likely attract a lot more detailed scrutiny from the higher-ups responsible for the project, and the possibility that someone might decide to have them killed in retaliation is much higher.

[Elestia]

Not going to lie, but these side stories really detract from the main story too much and dilutes the atmosphere that the Sister's Arc is suppose to embody.

[HonGFirE]

If misaka can destroy those facility using communication line, why she don't use elevtricity line instead?

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Elestia

Not going to lie, but these side stories really detract from the main story too much and dilutes the atmosphere that the Sister's Arc is suppose to embody.

But they're necessary because, otherwise, the arc would be over in 6 or 7 episodes, and this is a 24-episode show (with at least 12 for this arc). So often I find myself frustrated by stories moving too quickly and being condensed to the bone to fit a really short timeframe. (I used to rather dislike 1-cour shows for this reason.) So I really appreciate that this story is able to operate at a slightly slower pace and flesh things out (and fill out perspectives that help keep continuity with the first Railgun anime's approach). I think that, in the end, these extra perspectives will actually enhance the overall "atmosphere" since it provides a stronger foundation.

When all this is done, I suppose someone ambitious will probably re-edit the content to condense it down into an action-packed movie, and that will no doubt appeal to people who keep wanting the story to move forward. But I also appreciate what they're doing here. They have extra time and they're using it, in my opinion, pretty well. I don't think Railgun was ever trying to strictly be an "action show".

[Marina2]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

But they're necessary because, otherwise, the arc would be over in 6 or 7 episodes, and this is a 24-episode show (with at least 12 for this arc). So often I find myself frustrated by stories moving too quickly and being condensed to the bone to fit a really short timeframe. (I used to rather dislike 1-cour shows for this reason.) So I really appreciate that this story is able to operate at a slightly slower pace and flesh things out (and fill out perspectives that help keep continuity with the first Railgun anime's approach). I think that, in the end, these extra perspectives will actually enhance the overall "atmosphere" since it provides a stronger foundation.

If they want to add-in something to expand the story, can't they at least give us something that related to the sister arc? For example: Mikoto's terrorist scene is what they are supposed to expand from the manga not adding in SOL.

They are "taking their time" in the wrong way.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Marina2

If they want to add-in something to expand the story, can't they at least give us something that related to the sister arc? For example: Mikoto's terrorist scene is what they are supposed to expand from the manga not adding in SOL.

Because they're drawing the focus back to the ultimate front that propels the overall story forward, which isn't "how Mikoto carries out terrorist attacks" (we can guess), but the impact this whole thing is having on her and the rest of the cast. Because, once the whole arc is over, the impact on the characters is a lot more important. It's a story about people (and a group of four in particular), not about an action hero's quest for justice. This is very much "related to the sister arc" in every way.

(That aside, I again lament the horrible misuse of "Slice of Life" as if it has anything to do with this content. )


Edit: Also, let me just say for the record that it's not that I don't get why people don't enjoy this content or change of pace. I just think its purpose/intention is being somewhat misrepresented.

[Entravity]

Meh episode overall. Next episode looks to be good though.

[Suzuku]

Too much filler this episode. This was like a fanservice episode for Kuroko/Saten/Uiharu fans, which has always been my problem with Railgun. Can't wait for ITEM next week though, that's going to kick ass.

[Hamster]

If Misaka has been missing sleep then where are her eyebags dammit!

5.5/10 for no eyebags

[Shadrala]

Originally Posted by Hamster

If Misaka has been missing sleep then where are her eyebags dammit!

5.5/10 for no eyebags

lol... Just pretend those aren't shadows...

Spoiler for image:

[Tranhieu]

Personally I found this episode quite enjoyable, if you cast aside all the future material from the manga. Though I have to admit having that much slice of life just right after such a tensed episode like episode 6 is quite a downer, and that part when they went out searching for a 4 leaf clover is sooooo cliché...

7/10 for this week, should have been 8 if I hadn't watched episode 6.