Okay so I'm just gonna come right out of the gate and preface this by saying this show is one of the best I have seen to date. In fact, I'd go as far to say I haven't seen a show this enticing, this interesting since Durarara!! or even Code Geass. The weird thing is that I can't tell you why I loved this show so much. Yes, I'm going to explain below why this show is so good, but honestly, I felt it just struck a really good cord with me. And that's really amazing, especially given the fact that this is only the first season we're talking about.
Imagine living in a world where the concept of ESPers and Magic actually exists. Yeah, big whoop, it's not like anime hasn't gone there before. I bet you're even assuming that the main protagonist is an OP bad*** that handles every situation with an easy MacGuffin or a Deus Ex Machina sort of event.
You would be oh so wrong.
Touma is the exact opposite. He's literally, on a scale of 1-5 with ESPer abilities, a 0. He only lives in Academy City because he possesses the SLIGHTEST amount of psychic ability. He is also doomed to be the victim of ridiculously bad luck. So what makes Touma special as a protagonist, I hear you ask? Simply the one power he has: Imagine Breaker. With his right hand, he is able to cancel out any magic or psychic power. ANY AT ALL. And this actually leads to some interesting points of conflict and battle scenes that don't go as one would normally think.
Academy City is filled with a hodgepodge of interesting characters. These include your typical tsundere's, token lolis, etc. However, The fact that these tropes are prevalent in many of these characters doesn't bother me. The reason is because they're all so damn memorable. Sure, some characters get way more screen time than other by a long shot, but even characters that are in 2 or 3 episodes have a very significant impact on the show overall. The one downside I will say is that, while this show has amazing male characters in the forms of Touma, Stiyl, and, god bless him, Accelerator, the show is female-dominated. Now, before I get the feminist comments, what I mean to say is simply that the harem is indeed existent, though not to the extent of many other shows (cough SAO). Even so, I enjoyed the female characters to great lengths, every single one of them.
Animation is really good. It's not Fate/Zero. It's not K-Project. It's not even the Irregular. But the show still shows good quality in its animation and the fight scenes, especially those involving magic and psychic powers (so basically all of them) are amazing to watch. Sound design is also quite good, however, I didn't really pick up on certain tracks, which is something I often look out for. There were no "Blumenkranz"es or "Glassy Sky"s, but nothing stood out as bad, so that's a plus. I will, however, make note of the great opening themes. They just feel so unique and fitting to the show and it's quite nice to hear something so fresh.
With each new arc, A Certain Magical Index, in just the first season alone, is a compelling watch. The villains are fresh, the storylines vary, even going so far as to have a previous villain be the central character for several episodes, and it all feels tied together very well while still having different arcs. I loved watching this show and I already plan on starting the second season right after this review. But for now, the positives and negatives.
Positives:
+Best characters in a show I've watched in a while
+Great opening themes
+Quality animation and decent sound
+Unique take on a common concept
+Each episode begins with a recap, which I found helpful for whenever I would go for a few days without watching an episode
+The dub. Holy **** the dub is outstanding
+Varying plots and arcs, while still feeling connected as one show
+Accelerator and Stiyl. 'Nuff said
Negatives:
-The title is kinda misleading, as the character Index usually (though not always) takes a side-role
-The ever-growing-harem aspect (though it is handled better than other shows)
Goddang, this show quickly became one of my favorites. I still can't convey how good of a show it was to me through writing, so just go watch it. You will laugh. You will get emotional. You will enjoy almost every second of this show. At least the first season. Idk, maybe the second season tanked (doubtful)
And that's why I give A Certain Magical Index a 10/10
