A Certain Magical Index, Vol. 2

[Parker]

In Academy City, magic and science coexist in an unwavering power struggle--and Toma Kamijo has been caught up in the middle of it ever since he met Index, a magical nun who has been implanted with 103,000 ancient texts. When Toma learns from magician Stiyl Magnus that a shrine maiden is being held captive at an Academy City cram school, and that someone from the magical realm might be involved, the one-time enemies team up to save the girl. But it isn't long before the rescue mission takes a turn--will Toma be the one who needs rescuing?!

Discuss A Certain Magical Index Volume 2 here!

[Brandon]

So how far along is everyone else on this book? I'm on page 164 since I pretty much blazed through half of it while my friends and I were traveling to Flagstaff.

[Brandon]

Yay! So I just finished volume 2, and I think I like this one more than volume one. I really love how it explored Toma's character after he lost his memories. More than that, I enjoyed seeing the parallel between memories loss Toma and the Toma from before. It's interesting to see the glimpse into his mindset.

And, of course, I love the magic used. One thing I always enjoy about stories like this is seeing how they make the different powers work. It's always interesting to learn the mechanics behind the various powers in a fantasy/sci-fi like this.

[Parker]

It did do some great character exploration. But like I said in an earlier thread somewhere he didn't lose too much since he just met Index, Stiyl, Misaka, etc. anyway. He just forgot how he met them, but he didn't forget a year or years of history with them. That would be really bad.

The mechanics of Ars Magna was great. This was a really intense fight at the end too.

(view spoiler)[
Lastly, you'd think someone else would think of using people in parallel for the chant for that spell. Like seriously.
(hide spoiler)]

[Brandon]

True, but he also forgot everything, not just the stuff with Index, Stiyl and Misaka. He forgot his parents, his friends, Shokahou, everything he's ever done and everything he ever knew was forgotten. That's gotta be hard.

Ah well. At least he still remembers how to use the toilet and stuff.

The machanics behind Ars Magna was definitely interesting. I like how I can actually understand the hows and whys in this story, unlike most magical stories where the mechanics are mostly about "feelings" and "imagination." Toaru actually reminds me a bit of the Nasuverse in this regard.

[Parker]

Yeah his parents would be a big deal.

Or how to cross the street.

Well established magical mechanisms are nice.

[Brandon]

I imagine the next volume will be difficult, since I think that's the Angel Fall volume, right? The one where he meets with his parents and they get stuck in that spell?

[Parker]

Sisters is next. Angel Fall is vol. 4 with his parents yeah. The book has some more detail on that arc too so look forward to it.

[Brandon]

Sisters??? Ah, the one about the Misaka clones, right?

[Parker]

Yep. They're called her sisters.

[Brandon]

I thought volume 4 would be about the sisters. And is it just me, or are we the only ones on this thread?

[Allison]

Brandon wrote: "I thought volume 4 would be about the sisters. And is it just me, or are we the only ones on this thread?"

I just started reading this at lunch today, and was going to hop in, but I feel like, not having finished yet, my input is not crazy useful.

I really like how they explained his amnesia, though. This is the first book I've read where they explain why he forgot people and not basic information, and I've read enough 19th century stuff that I've read a LOT of books with amnesia. The extra information that pops up in these books matters.

[Brandon]

Allison wrote: "Brandon wrote: "I thought volume 4 would be about the sisters. And is it just me, or are we the only ones on this thread?"

I just started reading this at lunch today, and was going to hop in, but ..."

I enjoyed that part as well. I like how everything is explained in the story and we're not just left with a "because that's how it is" kind of thing. Too many stories I've read rely on that and it suspends my reality of disbelief.

[Parker]

Allison wrote: "I really like how they explained his amnesia, though. This is the first book I've read where they explain why he forgot people and not basic information, and I've read enough 19th century stuff that I've read a LOT of books with amnesia. The extra information that pops up in these books matters."

Good details are nice on things that aren't made up parts of the story but actual more-normal real-world stuff. Shows effort on the author's part and makes the story more realistic so he can throw in crazy magic (and I can forgive sci-fi tech that's unrealistic).

Though one thing: does anyone find it strangely convenient that the feather just wiped out all of his memories, but left his "knowledge" and all other parts of his brain untouched?

[Allison]

Parker wrote: "Though one thing: does anyone find it strangely convenient that the feather just wiped out all of his memories, but left his "knowledge" and all other parts of his brain untouched? "

Ohhh, it's way too convenient, but amnesia as a plot point always is. I just appreciate the effort taken in this case.

I finished this book this morning, and am kind of fascinated by memory loss in this series as a whole. Is it a plot point that keeps coming up as a theme of the series, or after this book, is it less prevalent?

I know here there are three prominent amnesias, and then the "undoing reality" stuff, too (I'm not saying more to avoid the spoiler tag), which also less directly undoes memory.

It's a really intriguing pattern.

[Brandon]

Parker wrote: "Though one thing: does anyone find it strangely convenient that the feather just wiped out all of his memories, but left his "knowledge" and all other parts of his brain untouched?"

Well, it would be awfully difficult to write a story about a guy who'd lost all of his knowledge. I imagine there's probably some kind of scientific explanation for that, but as we're reading from Toma's perspective, we're given an unreliable narration. We only know what he knows (except when the POV changes). This means he doesn't know the mechanics behind how he lost his memories, just that he lost them.

Allison wrote: "Ohhh, it's way too convenient, but amnesia as a plot point always is. I just appreciate the effort taken in this case."

I'm personally just glad it wasn't one of those "it was so long ago that I don't remember it" type memory loss stories. Honestly, I've seen so many of those, typically in shonen and shojo romances, that the "I don't remember you because we met when I was 10" bothers me. I hated that about Love Hina, too. Seriously, someone can remember a promise that they would both get into Tokyo-U together, but not who they made that promise to? What? Is the promise itself more important than the girl?

[Allison]

Brandon wrote: "Seriously, someone can remember a promise that they would both get into Tokyo-U together, but not who they made that promise to? What? Is the promise itself more important than the girl? "

To be fair, if you lived in Ken Akamatsu world, would you be able to tell people apart? I think that girls only had one of three possible faces on that show, so I understand the confusion.

Aside from the above snark, I also thought it was funny that even the author was like, "Ohhh, no Mikasa in this book," in the afterword.

[Parker]

Allison wrote: "Ohhh, it's way too convenient, but amnesia as a plot point always is. I just appreciate the effort taken in this case.

I finished this book this morning, and am kind of fascinated by memory loss in this series as a whole. Is it a plot point that keeps coming up as a theme of the series, or after this book, is it less prevalent?

Aside from the above snark, I also thought it was funny that even the author was like, "Ohhh, no Mikasa in this book," in the afterword. "

Good point

It sticks around for a bit as a big point, isn't talked about for a while, comes back, and where the novels are now they've pretty much forgotten about it (pun intended), though it could come up again.

I think he likes Misaka. I mean, there is the Railgun spin-off series.

Brandon wrote:"I'm personally just glad it wasn't one of those "it was so long ago that I don't remember it" type memory loss stories."
..."
Lols. Nisekoi anyone?

[Brandon]

Allison wrote: "Brandon wrote: "Seriously, someone can remember a promise that they would both get into Tokyo-U together, but not who they made that promise to? What? Is the promise itself more important than the ..."

Kazuma is definitely a fan of Misaka. I think he might be into tsundere girls, as he created the Railgun spin-off after this.

Parker wrote: "Lols. Nisekoi anyone?"

Ooohhh~! Don't even get me started on Nisekoi. I love the anime, really, but if I had one gripe to pick with this, it would be the "I can't remember" garbage that is the driving force behind the romance. Seriously, there are 3 different girls it could be, and all of them look completely different! Are you telling me that Raku is so belligerently stupid that he can't remember the girl he made what is apparently the most important promise of all time to?! Gah!

...okay, I feel a bit better. Sorry for the rant. I just needed to get that off my chest.