Can I watch this without liking or remembering anything from the main season

Dec 6, 2022 11:52 AM

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Jul 2021

916

So long ago back in 2018, when I first started watching anime I picked up index and thought it was pretty mediocre and boring, I'm not even sure if I really finished S1, but a week ago someone told me it's the best selling LN. So it got me interested in this series again, cause if it's selling so well there has to be some sort of appeal right? And it seems this version is more beloved than the magic version of the series, so is it alright to watch without remembering anything much from S1

Dec 6, 2022 12:07 PM

salad77

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Jan 2021

521

yeah youll be fine

Read the visual novel nerd

Dec 6, 2022 12:09 PM

Sharkrai

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Mar 2021

Honestly, I loved both but Railgun > Index is pretty true, this said I wouldn't just "watch Railgun S1 then S2" and so on because ultimately Index and Railgun's stories are intertwined, regardless you might just like the seasons that follows more. imo the best seasons of Toaru as a whole are Railgun's 2nd and 3rd Seasons, loved S3 of Index as an anime only although it's not the case of everyone. But yeah, either way if you like Railgun there's literally arcs in Index with Railgun's MC and vice versa that are important.

Dec 6, 2022 12:11 PM

Fail_Man_X

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May 2011

1056

Index knowledge is not required to watch Railgun. There are cameos from Index, but they basically amount to "oh, hey, I know that character"

Dec 6, 2022 12:23 PM

krueeeeeeeeeemel

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Aug 2021

The first season of index takes place after the first season of railgun. You're definitely fine watching it without the knowledge.
And tbh, i think railgun > index.

Dec 6, 2022 12:28 PM

Piromysl

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Jul 2015

11375

Technically you can becsuse the franchise overall doesn't care about chronological in Tarantino -esque fashion.

Dec 6, 2022 12:35 PM

Z_Pest

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Apr 2020

175

for index to be atleast bearable to watch, Watch it at chronological order that includes railgun.

Dec 6, 2022 12:40 PM

KingofSUCC

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Feb 2018

Watching in chronological order is overrated. You can watch all of Railgun without watching index. A few things here and there won’t be explained, but overall your enjoyment shouldn’t be impacted.

As far as Railgun goes, while it is my favorite series, it’s not for everyone. Most of the first season is slice of life and not all that action oriented. I adore it, but you may find it slow.

At the very least I’d say give it a try to see if you enjoy it.

Dec 6, 2022 12:54 PM

Cestlavie_

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Jul 2021

916

KingofSUCC said:
Watching in chronological order is overrated. You can watch all of Railgun without watching index. A few things here and there won’t be explained, but overall your enjoyment shouldn’t be impacted.

As far as Railgun goes, while it is my favorite series, it’s not for everyone. Most of the first season is slice of life and not all that action oriented. I adore it, but you may find it slow.

At the very least I’d say give it a try to see if you enjoy it.

by watching in chronological order you mean?
also
I don't mind of SOL things at all as long as it's a different antic every episode/arc

Dec 6, 2022 12:56 PM

#10

RyoushiMorino

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Mar 2019

I watched railgun first and loved it. I like index but railgun is the best by far in my opinion and accelerator is good too

Dec 6, 2022 12:58 PM

#11

KingofSUCC

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Feb 2018

Cestlavie_ said:

by watching in chronological order you mean?
also
I don't mind of SOL things at all as long as it's a different antic every episode/arc

What I meant by chronological order is watching both index and Railgun together following the timeline, or alternating seasons of Railgun and index.

If you like sol, I’d say give it a shot. The first episode is great, but the next few are pretty fanservicey. But when the show kicks into gear, it’s really good.

Dec 6, 2022 2:42 PM

#12

Otako-chan

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Jul 2021

I actually watched railgun before index, so . . .

Dec 6, 2022 3:07 PM

#13

filimaua13

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Feb 2019

269

Its commonly agreed that Index's anime adaptation isn't the best. Ranging from mediocre at best to truly terrible at worst. It has some cool sequences here and there and carries an awesome music soundtrack. But other than that.. meh.
Its tragic that such an awesome source material (light novels) is given such disrespect. But that can be said of any light novel tbh.

Index in particular, with how much care and attention is given to its worldbuilding, power systems and characterization, its honestly impossible to give it a perfect adaptation. I'd tell you to read the novels, but idk if you're interested.

Railgun is a manga, so ofc Railgun would have the better adaptation. It just sucks since its the spin off. Index is the main story and it isn't given the respect its due which is sad to see. If you really want to understand why Index is so beloved, read the novels. You won't regret it.

Dec 6, 2022 3:39 PM

#14

NewestPersonHere

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Oct 2015

979

Sure, you can watch Railgun without Index. But there will be details you won’t understand as they are only explained in Index LN (not the anime).

If you want to get into Index, read the LN, the anime is a one of worst LN adaptations I have seen. Yeah, it is the top selling LN. With SAO being no2. Don’t remember the next 3 but I remembered slime being there.

NewestPersonHereDec 6, 2022 3:44 PM

Dec 6, 2022 3:47 PM

#15

NorthmostIsle

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Jan 2022

1289

I am tempted to say watching the OG series is important to enhance the cameos but upon further reflection I don't think its very necessary.

I think you'll be just fine diving in straight into Railgun. Maybe just read a synopsis of index s1 and 2 or something?

-insert NGE meme here-

Dec 6, 2022 3:50 PM

#16

Usagi-san-chan

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Jun 2016

1029

Yes, the spin off is better than the main. I started by watching this first so I’d say yes.

Dec 6, 2022 4:11 PM

#17

removed-user

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Jul 2018

564491

Yes. I haven’t touched anything Index-related ever aside from the first two minutes of the first episode and a couple memes that I found scattered on 2014 internet. Railgun holds a special place in my heart and I can’t say I was ever confused or put off by any developments.

Dec 6, 2022 4:14 PM

#18

momentie

Amateur Reviewer

Offline

Jul 2016

1154

Yes, i don't why or how but the guy can write railgun to be great, while index is forever meh as heck😅😅

Dec 6, 2022 5:02 PM

#19

Cestlavie_

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Jul 2021

916

NewestPersonHere said:
Sure, you can watch Railgun without Index. But there will be details you won’t understand as they are only explained in Index LN (not the anime).

What makes the index adaptation so bad
What did they leave out that's not in the anime .

Dec 6, 2022 7:03 PM

#20

magus_master

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Aug 2021

How do y’all like railgun more than index, like come on
Railgun doesn’t have nearly as much of Touma-dad

Dec 6, 2022 7:11 PM

#21

SawsyMikey

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Nov 2021

299

magus_master said:
How do y’all like railgun more than index, like come on
Railgun doesn’t have nearly as much of Touma-dad

Pretty much everything is better in Railgun except for the main plot

Dec 6, 2022 8:33 PM

#22

NewestPersonHere

Offline

Oct 2015

979

Cestlavie_ said:

NewestPersonHere said:
Sure, you can watch Railgun without Index. But there will be details you won’t understand as they are only explained in Index LN (not the anime).

What makes the index adaptation so bad
What did they leave out that's not in the anime .

Touma’s character development.
More information on Academy City.
Characters’ perspective on the events happening. A lot of them are cut out.

In Season 3, they squeeze 9 volumes into 26 episodes. That is insane with the amount description cut out.

Dec 7, 2022 11:50 PM

#23

waifuweeb667

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Apr 2022

Well I watched railgun and I didn’t even know that index existed. I had no problems I was aware of. So I think it’s 100%

Dec 8, 2022 8:44 AM

#24

Phantom1412

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Aug 2021

226

index was so boring and i hated watching it. but railgun was peak. it was so fun and enjoyable to watch. you can skip index if you want. the stories and plots are connected but they do not follow the same path as they are apart of their own story within the same city.

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