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A Certain Magical Index and Railgun watch order

Academy City is a city of students with scientific superpowers, in a world where magic is also real. The main Index series and its Railgun and Accelerator spin-offs tell overlapping parts of the same story.

First time? Start with either Railgun or Index; guides disagree. Just watch Index II before Railgun T.

Story order

A simplified story order that several watch guides recommend. True chronological order would switch shows every few episodes, because Railgun, Railgun S and the first Index season happen at roughly the same time. A Certain Item of Dark Side is left out until it airs.

  1. A Certain Scientific Railgun TV, 2009–10, 24 episodes

    Spin-off about Mikoto Misaka, one of Academy City's strongest espers, and her friends. Several watch guides suggest starting here.

  2. A Certain Scientific Railgun OVA (optional) OVA, 2010, 1 episode

    A standalone bonus episode set partway through Railgun's first season. Optional.

  3. A Certain Scientific Railgun S TV, 2013, 24 episodes

    Opens with the Sisters arc, the same events as Index episodes 10–14 seen from Mikoto's side. Fans often call it the best version of that arc.

  4. A Certain Magical Index TV, 2008–09, 24 episodes

    The main series. Touma Kamijou, whose right hand cancels out any supernatural power, meets Index, a nun on the run. Episodes 10–14 tell the Sisters arc that Railgun S covers in more detail.

  5. A Certain Scientific Accelerator TV, 2019, 12 episodes

    Spin-off about Accelerator, picking up after his story in Index's first season. Watch any time after Index.

  6. A Certain Magical Index II TV, 2010–11, 24 episodes

    Second season of the main series. Watch it before Railgun T.

  7. A Certain Magical Index: The Miracle of Endymion (optional) Movie, 2013

    Side story set during Index II that doesn't affect the main plot. Optional.

  8. A Certain Scientific Railgun T TV, 2020, 25 episodes

    Starts at the Daihasei sports festival, which Index II also covers. Watch it after Index II and before Index III.

  9. A Certain Magical Index III TV, 2018–19, 26 episodes

    Third season of the main series. It moves fast and skips more of the light novels than earlier seasons.

Release order

The order the shows came out. Also a fine first watch: it starts with Index and meets the Sisters arc there first.

  1. A Certain Magical Index TV, 2008–09, 24 episodes

    The main series. Touma Kamijou, whose right hand cancels out any supernatural power, meets Index, a nun on the run. Episodes 10–14 tell the Sisters arc that Railgun S covers in more detail.

  2. A Certain Scientific Railgun TV, 2009–10, 24 episodes

    Spin-off about Mikoto Misaka, one of Academy City's strongest espers, and her friends. Several watch guides suggest starting here.

  3. A Certain Scientific Railgun OVA (optional) OVA, 2010, 1 episode

    A standalone bonus episode set partway through Railgun's first season. Optional.

  4. A Certain Magical Index II TV, 2010–11, 24 episodes

    Second season of the main series. Watch it before Railgun T.

  5. A Certain Magical Index: The Miracle of Endymion (optional) Movie, 2013

    Side story set during Index II that doesn't affect the main plot. Optional.

  6. A Certain Scientific Railgun S TV, 2013, 24 episodes

    Opens with the Sisters arc, the same events as Index episodes 10–14 seen from Mikoto's side. Fans often call it the best version of that arc.

  7. A Certain Magical Index III TV, 2018–19, 26 episodes

    Third season of the main series. It moves fast and skips more of the light novels than earlier seasons.

  8. A Certain Scientific Accelerator TV, 2019, 12 episodes

    Spin-off about Accelerator, picking up after his story in Index's first season. Watch any time after Index.

  9. A Certain Scientific Railgun T TV, 2020, 25 episodes

    Starts at the Daihasei sports festival, which Index II also covers. Watch it after Index II and before Index III.

  10. A Certain Item of Dark Side TV, 2026

    Spin-off about ITEM, the underworld squad first seen in Railgun S. Premieres October 9, 2026.

Explained

Index or Railgun first?

Both work, and watch guides are split. Railgun is often called the easier introduction to Academy City. Index is the main story, came out first, and never requires having seen Railgun. If you start with Railgun S, know that Index episodes 10–14 retell its Sisters arc in a much shorter form.

How the three shows fit together

Index follows Touma, Railgun follows Mikoto, and Accelerator follows Accelerator, all in the same city and often in the same weeks. The one hard rule: watch Index II before Railgun T, because Railgun T picks up during events Index II covers.

What's coming

A Certain Item of Dark Side, a spin-off about the ITEM squad, premieres on October 9, 2026. A fourth season of Railgun has also been announced.