To Aru Majutsu no Index is a fairly typical shounen series - The main character is a rather bland 'hero because it's the right thing to do' archetype, there is very little killing of villains, lots of random female characters and ecchi scenes... the list goes on. But what is it that sets TAMnI apart from the rest of these mediocre shounen titles? The answer to that question is - complexity. The depth of both the plot and the characters are a lot more than what it initially seems like. I'll explain it a little more in the individual sections.
STORY (10/10):
The basic premise of TAMnI is the battle between Science and Religion... Just that in this case, the religion side can use Magic while the Science side has Espers. There is a lot of Christian symbolism and scientific explanations. Each arc can be classified as either a science arc or a religion arc (of which the former is usually more interesting). The story takes a fairly long time to really pick up, since it only gets really good from volume 3 (The Sisters Arc, to be specific). The foresight of the author is quite commendable – small, seemingly insignificant details turn up later to affect the story in a big way.
ART (8/10):
No complaints about the art. It does its job and conveys what it wants to fairly well.
CHARACTERS(10/10):
This is the true strength of TAMnI. Though one may be annoyed that enemies are never killed off and are just 'converted to the good side', one must also admit that TAMnI does an amazing job of it. Redemption is a fairly common character trait in this novel, but that actually adds to the enjoyment value rather than anything else.
TAMnI has three protagonists:
- Kamijou Touma: The main protagonist, the one who everything revolves around. Touma is the first protagonist to be introduced and is usually mixed up in every event in one way or another. He is technically an esper without powers (Level 0), but in reality, he has a power that negates all other powers, while bringing him extremely bad luck in the process. He is a 'true hero' who often jumps into dangerous situations for the sake of others. Though he is quite bland and is always surrounded by girls, he is a fairly likable character who you can't help but like.
- Accelerator: The strongest Esper. Accelerator is initially introduced as a villain, but over time, he chooses the path of redemption and chooses to go over to the good side... though his methods remain violent. He is by far the most interesting character in the series and also the one who develops the most. He is often depicted as a 'reluctant hero' or even as an 'antihero', since he is the only main character who has no qualms about killing.
- Hamazura Shiage: The random delinquent. Hamazura is the last protagonist to be introduced and his introduction as a protagonist comes very late in the series. Like Touma, Hamazura is a Level 0... Just that he doesn't have any power at all. Hamazura is yet another 'reluctant hero', though most of his actions are for self-gain. Among the three protagonists, he is usually the one who faces the most overwhelming odds. He is probably the most likable of the trio, since he is the easiest one to relate to.
Honorable mention:
-Misaka Mikoto: Easily the most popular character of the series (Popular enough to get her own series), Misaka, known as the Railgun, is one of the strongest espers in Academy City. She is a tomboy who follows the tsundere archetype, which may seem pretty common, but the execution sets her apart from the rest. She often gets into fights with Touma, since he’s the only one who can keep up with her. Despite being prideful, she will go out of her way to help her friends. She isn't one of the main protagonists, but most of the science arcs deal with her in one way or another.
Enjoyment (8/10):
One issue with TAMnI is the rather erratic pace. For every enjoyable (usually Science) arc, there is a relatively boring (usually Religion/magic) counterpart. While even the slower arcs have a particular standard, they never reach the level of the Science arcs. Accelerator’s arcs are always amazing though.
Overall (9/10):
Overall, TAMnI is an interesting series with surprising depth for a shounen series. While it’s sequel (New Testament) doesn’t really live upto this one, it remains one of the best Light Novels I’ve read.
