While the previous two episodes were fairly enjoyable fillers, there was ultimately nothing to really write home about in terms of plot movement (besides the usual Child Error hints). Now that our Margery Daw has made her appearence however, it’s finally time to get the show on the road into the last arc of the season.
Summary (Railgun 20): There has been many earthquakes recently in the 7th District of Academy City, though on this particular night, Kongou Mitsuko of Tokiwadai experiences not only an earthquake, but an assault from her collection of creepy dolls as well. Nobody would know that until next week however, as the episode proceeds to completely forget about her and tends to other businesses first.
The following morning, Uiharu gets assigned a roommate: a transfer student from the 19th District named Haruue Erii (also known as pendant girl from ep17). Mikoto and co. visit Uiharu’s dorm to introduce themselves, and after helping her unpack the boxes, the group decides to go out. Kuroko and Uiharu have to attend a Judgment meeting regarding the recent earthquakes however, so Mikoto and Saten takes Haruue out to meet their good friend, the crepe.
At the meeting, the Judgment members are introduced to Telestina of the Multi-Active Rescue group, followed by a huge technobabble speech that probably nobody but me cares about, as summed below:
- These recent earthquakes are not actually earthquakes, but is an event known as the Poltergeist that resembles an earthquake.
- Poltegeist is caused by the occurence of many RPSK syndromes at the same time.
- RPSK syndrome itself happens when an esper loses control of his ability. Out-of-control abilities in the same area will fuse together to activate a Poltergeist.
Judgment’s job is to suppress idiots (like a certain skirt-flipping girl) from spreading exaggerated rumors of the Poltergeist. After the meeting, Uiharu and Kuroko regroups with Mikoto and co. at the arcade, where Haruue has a blast watching moles go up and down for 10 minutes straight. Saten remarks that Haruue reminds her of the old Uiharu when she’d first entered school.
A poster advertising a fireworks festival piques the group’s interest, so the girls decide to return to their respective dorms and pull out their yukatas. Uiharu puts up a big sister front and tries helping Haruue with her’s, but even with the power of Google, she ultimately had to rely on Saten to fix their mess. Nonetheless, Uiharu notes that she’ll try her best to support Haruue, just like how Saten had supported her back when she failed the Judgment exam.
After narrowly escaping from their dangerous dorm manager, Mikoto and Kuroko joins the girls already arrived at the festival. They notice a bunch of Multi-Active Rescue trucks, probably deployed in case a Poltergeist incident surfaces. As the fireworks get ready to start, Saten takes the group to a secret location for a better view.
All of a sudden, Haruue falls into a trance-like state, and starts walking off with the confused Uiharu and Saten following her. Kuroko seizes the chance to sexually harass Mikoto, albeit she is cut short by a phone call from a Konori who had been researching RPSK syndromes. She reveals that the recent Poltergeists may not be accidents, but are possibly the results of someone deliberately tempering with AIM fields.
That was when a Poltergeist suddenly strikes, causing a lamppost to fall directly towards Uiharu and Haruue. Luckily, Telestina arrives with her horribly designed pink mech just in time to save them. Meanwhile back at the festival grounds, Kiyama gets ready to strip.
Summary (Railgun 21): After the Poltergeist, the MAR applys damage control and makes up a cover story for the press. Upon being questioned by Kuroko, Telestina confirms that the recent Poltergeists are caused by someone intentionally interfering with the AIM field.
Back at the dorm, Mikoto is relieved to hear that Haruue is fine and has returned from the hospital. She proceeds to check old records on the Level Upper incident, and pins the AIM field connection onto Kiyama. Kuroko reassures her that Kiyama should still be riding the bucket in jail however, and is instead more worried about Haruue’s strange behavior prior to the Poltergeist strike. Mikoto adds that since Haruue has transferred to this 7th District, earthquakes in her old 19th District has ceased completely also.
At Uiharu’s dorm, Haruue (who apparently has no recollections of the earthquake) is sleeping soundly while Uiharu thanks Saten for helping her out. Saten leaves soon after, and Haruue wakes up worried that she might’ve caused everyone trouble again. She notes how all she can do is wait, but Uiharu assures her that she’ll definitely be able to change.
The next day, Saten is at the Judgment office for reasons nobody knows, and has just learned that Uiharu is at the park with Haruue. Mikoto and Kuroko are checking up on Haruue’s profile, discovering that although Haruue is a Level 2 Telepathy esper, she is capable of performing abilities greater than her level under special conditions.
Meanwhile at the park, Haruue decides to spill the beans that she has actually been searching for her missing best friend.
Haruue suddenly falls into yet another trance, right before a Poltergeist starts ravaging the park. Telestina arrives in the aftermath, realizing that this one will be hard to pass off as a mere earthquake. She soon encounters Uiharu and takes her and Haruue to the hospital.
Kuroko arrives at the hospital with the others, inquiring Uiharu whether Haruue showed any strange signs prior to the Poltergeist. Uiharu RAGEs at how Kuroko is suspecting Haruue, though luckily Telestina appears out of nowhere to offer a diagnosis of Haruue as a way of proving her innocence.
At Telestina’s doll-filled lab office, she reintroduces herself as the captain of MAR, while each of the girls introduces herself back to Telestina. Uiharu demands to know the results of the diagnosis, but Telestina merely asks Uiharu what her favorite color is.
Uiharu’s favorite color is yellow.
As Telestina leads the group through the hallway, they walk past Kongou Mitsuko’s room, but nobody cares about that.
At the diagnosis center, Telestina checks the results and confirms that Haruue is indeed a Level 2 telepath who can only receive and not project. She also clarifies to Kuroko that the note in the data bank merely refers to Haruue’s partner, whose telepathic signals Haruue can receive no matter what the distance. As Mikoto wonders who the real culprit is, the camera apparently knows something we don’t and focuses in on Telestina’s lips.
Haruue wakes up in a hospital bedroom, and Uiharu returns the pendant back to her. Haruue explains that the pendant is a memory of her friend, although once in a while she can still hear that friend’s voice.
Inside the pendant is a picture of Edasaki Banri, whom Mikoto recognizes is the Ritsu clone from Kiyama’s memories. Haruue confesses that she herself is also a Child Error.
If it’s one thing I’m impressed with Railgun, it’s how J.C. Staff is able to tinker nearly the whole series to revolve around Child Errors and Kiyama. From one of the first episodes when nobody can tell a Level Upper from a washing machine, hints have already been littered in every corner in order to build the series towards the Level Upper arc and its underlying secrets involving Child Errors. The resulting climax of the arc was, of course, pretty damned impressive, but what really surprised me is how effectively the past developments and plotlines are serving as bases to build a whole new (anime original) arc out of. Instead of having Kiyama magically disappearing or writing a completely nonsensical arc about fighting mutant cows and fishes, J.C. Staff opted to extend the Child Error plotline and is even trying to provide a better closure to it than the novel did. The occasional fillers were painful at times, but if the anime is able to expand its central plot so well and provide such strong development for its characters, I personally consider the adaptation a success. But don’t tell the novel readers I said that; I’m too young to die.
And speaking of characters, dang Uiharu was crazy in ep21. I understand it’s the first time she gets to be in the onee-san role and that she wants to help Haruue like how Saten helps her, but she looked pretty damned ready to slap Kuroko for someone she has known for less than a week there. You just know something is spectacularly messed up when I start to feel pity for Kuroko. I suppose in the end it’s all delicious development for Uiharu though, so I can’t complain much.
Next week episode, Mikoto wears her frog mask again. Totally looking forward to seeing that. Oh right, and Kiyama, that too.
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