A Certain Scientific Railgun
A spin-off manga and anime series set in Academy City.
A Certain Scientific Railgun is a Japanese manga series written by Kazuma Kamachi and illustrated by Motoi Fuyukawa, serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Daioh magazine since April 2007. A spin-off of Kamachi's A Certain Magical Index light novel series, it focuses on electromaster Mikoto Misaka and her friends in Academy City, a futuristic setting where most residents are students with psychic powers. The series has spawned multiple anime seasons, video games, and a light novel, becoming a significant entry in the franchise.
- manga_volumes_published
- 22 (as of June 26, 2025)
Lore & Background
The manga began serialization in the April 2007 issue of Dengeki Daioh, with the first volume released on November 10, 2007. As of June 26, 2025, 22 volumes have been published, and no official end date for the manga has been announced. North American publisher Seven Seas Entertainment began distributing the manga in June 2011. A spin-off manga, A Certain Scientific Railgun: Astral Buddy, ran in Dengeki Daioh from April 2017 to July 2020.
An anime television series adaptation by J.C.Staff aired from October 2009 to March 2010, followed by an OVA in October 2010. A second season, A Certain Scientific Railgun S, aired from April to September 2013, and a third season, A Certain Scientific Railgun T, aired from January to September 2020. No fourth season has been officially announced. The anime has been licensed in North America by Funimation, with the third season also simulcast on Crunchyroll.
The series has five pieces of theme music for the first season, including the opening 'Only My Railgun' by fripSide, which won Best Theme Song at the 2010 Animation Kobe Awards. A visual novel for the PSP was released on December 8, 2011, and a pachinko machine, A Certain Scientific Railgun P, was released on January 24, 2022. A light novel with four stories about the main characters was released in Japan on June 10, 2022.
Reader's Guide
A Certain Scientific Railgun is significant as a successful spin-off that expands the world of A Certain Magical Index, focusing on Mikoto Misaka, a Level 5 esper, and her friends. The series has achieved notable commercial and cultural impact: four manga volumes have appeared on The New York Times manga bestsellers list, with volume 7 staying for four weeks. The opening theme 'Only My Railgun' won the Best Theme Song award at the 2010 Animation Kobe Awards. In September 2020, the anime series garnered over 300 million views in China via Bilibili. The series has also inspired a spin-off manga, a light novel, video games, and a pachinko machine. Its legacy includes multiple anime seasons, with a fourth season announced, indicating sustained popularity. Critical reception has been mixed; Nicole MacLean of THEM Anime Reviews praised the narrative added to the Index franchise but criticized character relationships.
Did You Know?
- The opening theme 'Only My Railgun' by fripSide won Best Theme Song at the 2010 Animation Kobe Awards.
- Four manga volumes have appeared on The New York Times manga bestsellers list, with volume 7 staying for four weeks.
- The anime series garnered over 300 million views in China through Bilibili as of September 2020.
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