To Aru Majutsu no Index - Anime General Discussion [NO SPOILERS]

[SMage]

Episode 4

This was painful episode to watch because the melodrama was so forcd an layered with such thick cheese that I was choking by the end of it. Instead of pulling out a sword and going on a cliched rant about friendship, the chick should have said, "the nun has magic AIDS . If we don't treat her soon, she will die." See, that would have taken a minute at most to say and explain; not 15 minutes of angst and drivel with no results. I also don't really know why Touma is so insistent on the nun other than the fact that the plot needs him to be (and the fact that she is loli with a "protect me" sign strung around her neck). Right now, this show needs to get its priorities straight. The nun is moe and the other girls are hot. We need more hot spring episodes (and other forms of fanservice) and more bright, fluid fight scenes, not this pitiable attempt at "drama."

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by SMage

Episode 4

I also don't really know why Touma is so insistent on the nun other than the fact that the plot needs him to be (and the fact that she is loli with a "protect me" sign strung around her neck).

Touma has a strong sense of justice, for better or worse... Usually worse.

I thought it was obvious since the beginning? Did you not catch it ?

[orion]

Originally Posted by KaneDragon

1) Female.
2) I'm not going to try to cuntpunt a woman who has quite clearly demonstrated the power to render me into a fine mist from a mile away.

Touma's fight was really more to prove a point about his determination than anything else. He knew she was holding back big time from the very beginning; there's no way for him to really defeat her even if he could make contact in such a way.

Gender doesn't matter if that person is coming at you with a katana. A hard enough kick would render a female on the ground too. And he was in position close enough to do it. Even punching her in the gut was achievable at that distance as he had a hold on her katana. Touma is just too nice of a guy.

[SMage]

Originally Posted by Chaos2Frozen

Touma has a strong sense of justice, for better or worse... Usually worse.

I thought it was obvious since the beginning? Did you not catch it ?

Well, yes, but the way Touma presents it, it isn't a believable character trai... oh screw it.

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by SMage

Well, yes, but the way Touma presents it, it isn't a believable character trai... oh screw it.

Not really, but it is into the extreme. So much so that it can be considered self-sacrificing.

[KaneDragon]

Originally Posted by orion

Gender doesn't matter if that person is coming at you with a katana. A hard enough kick would render a female on the ground too. And he was in position close enough to do it. Even punching her in the gut was achievable at that distance as he had a hold on her katana. Touma is just too nice of a guy.

By "female" I meant the possible decrease in effectiveness of kicking there, which I still allowed for in my 2nd point.

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by orion

Gender doesn't matter if that person is coming at you with a katana. A hard enough kick would render a female on the ground too. And he was in position close enough to do it. Even punching her in the gut was achievable at that distance as he had a hold on her katana. Touma is just too nice of a guy.

Actually, I've been wondering for awhile now... After seeing how badly Touma was beaten up, why do you think he still has the strength or speed to make any kind of attack, let alone a suprise counter ?

[KaneDragon]

It didn't seem like he had been beaten up enough to be unconscious for three days, though. Magic, perhaps?

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by KaneDragon

It didn't seem like he had been beaten up enough to be unconscious for three days, though. Magic, perhaps?

The other shounen series has spoiled us Anway, the exhaustion of pushing himself might also be a factor too.


EDIT:

Actually, I didn't find this episode as bad as people claim. If I were to point out the one flaw it would be the part in the middle where Kaori spill the beans on everything. And I do believe Touma has a point with everything he said, people just dismiss it because it's something they all heard of before.

[asrielchase]

I don't think Touma would WANT to groin kick Kaori at all, by the time he's in the right position to do that he's already heard her "Index is an important friend of mine" confession. If he still kicks her after that then it's pretty out of character for him.

not to mention at that time he's too beaten up to do any damage to her.

[pparker]

In re similarity to Shakugan no Shana:

Originally Posted by Chaos2Frozen

What the heck? The only thing similiar is the animation.

I think most people would not argue that they feel similar, but anyway... both are:

shonen action/comedy/melodrama combination
magical and sword fantasy
loli female lead
fish-out-of-water male lead with unknown/uncertain power
leads thrown together by magic-related accident
male lead takes on unwarranted protective role for female lead
large cast of variously-powered/gendered/clothed/inked heroes and villains
all after the same weenie, and...
the clock is ticking...

which yes, I just realized could describe about 30 series (somewhat unfortunately)

However:

J.C. Staff animation, especially special effects for fights/weapons/spells, but overall feel.
Most people think of Shana when they hear the OP, sung by same person (probably no accident).
Shana's "fuuzetsu" battle zone and Kanzaki's rune-based zone...
and...
The biz (meaning J.C. Staff) is always trying for another winner like the one before.

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by pparker

I think most people would not argue that they feel similar, but anyway... both are:

shonen action/comedy/melodrama combination
magical and sword fantasy
loli female lead
fish-out-of-water male lead with unknown/uncertain power
leads thrown together by magic-related accident
male lead takes on unwarranted protective role for female lead
large cast of variously-powered/gendered/clothed/inked heroes and villains
all after the same weenie, and...
the clock is ticking...

which yes, I just realized could describe about 30 series (somewhat unfortunately)

Well if you're going to be that vague, then like you've said, 30 other series While you're at it why not insist that they both have the names of the lead female in the titles, right ?


Index follow a different setting than Shana with the introduction of science and magic together in one series, something that very few other series have done.

Sword play has been a bare minimum that it could be considered non-existent in the grand scheme of things.

Touma and Yuuji have different approach to their situations, both are somewhat activate and accepting of their fate, but Touma is on the frontline while Yuuji has to take a backseat.

Touma has to protect Index very well being, Yuuji just mostly accompany Shana. Different forms of protection.

Your point on the villains and allies/heroes is so every other series that it's not a suitable argument.

Originally Posted by pparker

However:

J.C. Staff animation, especially special effects for fights/weapons/spells, but overall feel.
Most people think of Shana when they hear the OP, sung by same person.
Shana's "fuuzetsu" battle zone and Kanzaki's rune-based zone...
and...
The biz is always trying for another winner like the one before.

About that separate space, Suzumiya Haruhi and Nanoha also applies the same technique you know that? It's not a very original idea anymore.

[KaneDragon]

Originally Posted by Chaos2Frozen

About that separate space, Suzumiya Haruhi and Nanoha also applies the same technique you know that? It's not a very original idea anymore.

If I may make another trope link? ( @ me)

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by KaneDragon

If I may make another trope link? ( @ me)

Erm... Yeah... Knock yourself out

Thanks.

[orion]

Originally Posted by Chaos2Frozen

Actually, I've been wondering for awhile now... After seeing how badly Touma was beaten up, why do you think he still has the strength or speed to make any kind of attack, let alone a suprise counter ?

Because he was allowed to rest and get a hand on her katana while emo Kaori explained it all to us. It only takes one well placed kick or punch to floor her at that level. Even going for the kneecaps would do it. If you dislocate the patella, she won't be walking or thinking about an attack. Kaori was hitting his abdomen and attempted a groin shot. I don't see what's so wrong with suggesting that he could have done so too. He was just being too nice.

Of course, I'm watching this for Index.

[pparker]

Originally Posted by Chaos2Frozen

Well if you're going to be that vague, then like you've said, 30 other series

If you don't feel the similarity, then fine. Most anyone blogging the show has mentioned it. Frankly, I'm just surprised to even be arguing that point. I just happen to think as well that the two series have a similar feel, and I'm willing to grant that J.C. Staff has the most to do with it. Especially since Shana was a hit for them in the same vein/genre.

[Ashlotte]

If ever I had the uncontrollable urge to abuse the fast forward button this was one of those times...

I like to think of myself as a patient person, but geez did my attention drift all over while I was trying to watch this episode heh. After the fantastic start this show got off to in the first episode I never would have imagined damn near falling asleep watching it by the fourth...oy...

Well i'll trust in serenade that this thing gets better as we go along...*crosses fingers*

[Guardian Enzo]

"Lovers"?

How old is Index supposed to be, anyway? Biologically speaking. Still - I guess in an anime where a teacher looks like a loli and her apartment looks like Misato's (the only thing missing was Pen-Pen), it's wrong to get hung up on appearances.

[Okashii]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this before, but they should just store the grimoires on hard disk (or other storage media).
This won't solve her memory overload problem but at least she'll have 100% of her brain to use instead of 15%.

[orion]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

"Lovers"?

How old is Index supposed to be, anyway? Biologically speaking. Still - I guess in an anime where a teacher looks like a loli and her apartment looks like Misato's (the only thing missing was Pen-Pen), it's wrong to get hung up on appearances.

Old enough so that we can root for the nun to leave her convent.

Apparently, the minimum age to become a full-fledged nun is 30. Admitted as an aspirant at age 18.(Rules for the Catholic Church. Church of England standards could not be found.) I don't think this anime is following these rules. If it was, then Touma is being surrounded by a lot of older women.