A Certain Magical Index: Complete watch order explained

A Certain Magical Index is a set of light novels released sometime in the early 2000s. This series is being discussed by members of the anime and manga communities for its well-designed characters and prevalence of enjoyable lore. With a sudden increase in popularity, the light novel series received anime adaptations, all thanks to J.C. Staff.

Once the anime adaptations gained popularity, the fanbase expanded considerably, and the creators churned out more content. While this is great from a fan’s perspective, the watch order for those who are relatively new to the series is a bit of an ordeal.

One of the main reasons for this is the existence of spin-off shows. It tends to confuse newcomers, which is why this article provides the two best watch orders. One is based on the chronology of events, while the other is based on the order of the broadcast. Follow along with this article to understand the watch order of the show in case you wish to explore light novel series.

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A Certain Magical Index watch order

A still from the anime adaptation of the light novel series involving the protagonist as well the main set of deuteragonists (Image via J.C. Staff)

When we look at the anime adaptations of the light novel series, there are a total of 3 seasons, along with 2 spin-off series. While most anime series can do without the spin-off series, it is advisable to watch the spin-off series in this case.

As stated earlier, the article will list two watch orders. One will follow the order of the show’s release, while the other will follow the chronology of the events that have taken place in the anime adaptation. We suggest the latter among the two aforementioned watch orders.

Watch order based on time of release

• A Certain Magical Index
• A Certain Scientific Railgun
• Canon series season 2
• A Certain Scientific Railgun S
• A Certain Magical Index the Movie: The Miracle of Endymion
• A Certain Scientific Accelerator
• Canon series season 3
• A Certain Scientific Railgun T

Watch order based on the chronology of events that take place in the light novel series

• A Certain Scientific Railgun
• A Certain Scientific Railgun S
• A Certain Magical Index
• A Certain Scientific Accelerator
• A Certain Magical Index II
• A Certain Scientific Railgun T
• A Certain Magical Index the Movie: The Miracle of Endymion
• A Certain Magical Index III

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Where to watch the series

The streaming platform giant Crunchyroll has this series in its catalog. It is noteworthy to mention that fans will not be able to watch the episodes for free. In order to access the episodes, fans will have to avail of the streaming platform’s paid services to watch them.

Additionally, this series is also available on Netflix, Hulu, and Funimation, which is ideal for those regions that do not have access to Crunchyroll.

Another important point to highlight is that fans should read the light novel series as well. It will not only provide more clarity, but it will also provide viewers with ample context since it is the source material that has been adapted into anime series.

Fans can visit their nearest bookstore, such as Barnes & Noble, or order it on Amazon. As of March 31, 2023, only the latest two volumes had not made their way to the West. The rest of the volumes are available for purchase, and fans can avail it from the aforementioned outlets.

Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2023 progresses.