Is A Certain Scientific Railgun T any good? – A Review

A Certain Scientific Railgun T is the third season of the A Certain Scientific Railgun television anime series produced by J.C.Staff and directed by Tatsuyuki Nagai. It is based on the manga of the same name and set in the same universe as Kazuma Kamachi’s A Certain Magical Index series.

The series is set in an academic city filled with students who either have superpowers or are conducting research. All characters are rated based on the strength of their powers. Having strong powers has many pros and cons, the biggest con being that more people would want to experiment on you.

This season of the show began airing on January 10th, 2020 but some episodes are delayed due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Quick Review

The third season continues the story that is set in a time when the Daihasei Festival has begun. A prestigious all-girls middle school, Tokiwadai Middle School, is competing in this festival.The main focus is on the protagonist and “Ace of Tokiwadai,” Mikoto Misaka, who is one of the participants.

Though it may seem like a cheerful event, the situation is not to be taken lightly. As it is a festival, Academy City welcomes the outside world where various groups have been lying in wait with schemes to infiltrate the city. Due to her strong powers, Misaka has become their target. As the festival begins, people with sinister intentions start carrying out their plan of action.

A Certain Scientific Railgun T is the third season of the series. The story continues narrating the adventures of Tokiwadai’s Ace and her friends as they dive deeper into the corrupt side of Academy City. The incidents that these girls face are dangerous and deadly ranging from terrorist attacks to inhumane underground projects, nothing is off-limits in this city.

The season’s art and animation are amazing, especially keeping the action scenes in mind. The storyline of the series just gets better with each season creating a more complete and detailed universe.

2. Info Card

3. Is it worth watching?

A Certain Scientific Railgun T is a great addition to the franchise. The soundtracks used in this season are a step up from the previous ones. The third season also manages to give an insight into some unanswered questions from season 2 which keeps the story moving forward.

Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T Trailer (とある科学の超電磁砲 T)

A Certain Scientific Railgun T is a good option for someone interested in action and supernatural based anime. The story is an interesting one and the creators have spent a good number of episodes in world-building so that we get a proper understanding of the universe in which the series takes place.

I. Plot

The main plot of “A Certain Scientific Railgun” focuses on the story of Mikoto, her friends, and the events that occur leading up to A Certain Magical Index. The third season is centered around the Daihasei Festival and the circumstances that the girls must face when Academic city is opened to the dangers of the outside world.

The season does justice to the memorable characters through some seriously skilled animation that portrays each character’s emotions beautifully. The creators succeeded in maintaining the character’s design as well as personalities from the previous two seasons, giving us a smooth extension to the main story.

II. Characters

Misaka Mikoto

Misaka Mikoto is the protagonist of “ A Certain Scientific Railgun” series.

She is the third-ranked Level 5 esper in Academy City and has been nicknamed “Railgun” due to her signature move. Her character is portrayed as someone who is short-tempered, prideful, and a rebellious attitude but has a strong sense of justice. Her superpower is to generate electricity and she is strong enough to cause a blackout in the city using her powers.

Kuroko Shirai

Mikoto’s junior in Tokiwadai Middle School and one of the secondary main characters of the series.

She is a Level 4 ESPer and a member of Judgment, a special public committee group whose duty is to maintain peace and order in Academy City. Her power is instant teleportation, which allows her to teleport herself and anything in her possession with particular specifications.

Kazari Uiharu

Kazari is a supporting character in the series and a Level 1 Academy City student.

Along with her colleague and friend Kuroko Shirai, Kazari Uiharu is a member of the student-formed law enforcement organization called Judgment. Uiharu is usually shy and humble but always friendly. She is an animal lover with a strong sense of justice.

Ruiko Saten

Ruiko is a supporting character in the series.

She is a Level 0 Academy City student and a classmate and close friend of Kazari Uiharu.

Ruiko has an outgoing and friendly personality. Her character is envious of her friends’ abilities as she is a Level 0 and is unable to fulfill her dreams as an esper. As the story progresses, she becomes determined to develop her own abilities.

III. Setting

The series is set in the futuristic Academy City, in which most of the residents are students. Many of these students possess unique powers or research on others who possess these powers. The backgrounds and character design are a visual treat and make the characters stand out.

IV. Theme Songs

The opening theme songs are  “final phase” and “duel existence” by fripSide. The ending themes are “nameless story” by Kishida Kyoudan & The Akeboshi Rocketsand “aoarashi no ato de” by Sanjou no Hana.

The theme songs of “A Certain Scientific Railgun T” focus on the main character Misaka and her fighting techniques. The music sets the tone for the anime while narrating a story of the character’s life and how far she’s come to make it to this season. It acts as a recap of the entire series so far.

V. Action Sequences

Action is a must in a series involving superpowers. The students that possess unique powers also known as “Espers” display interesting powers throughout the series, especially during a fight. In the third season of the series, we learn more about some of the characters’ powers and that utilizing them comes at a cost.

4. Grade: 4 out of 5

5. Final Thoughts

A Certain Scientific Railgun T is the third part of a series that took a decade in the making. As a result, a lot of expectations were placed on this season and fortunately, it exceeded all of them. The plot continues to be unpredictable and wild.

 Season 3 is what you would call a crowd-pleaser with beautiful emotions, an intense plot, and amazing characters. The theme songs of this season are great choices as they fit the mood of the series and elevate the setting perfectly.