Light Novel Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament by Kamachi Kazuma

[Kaiten]

Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament
By: Kamachi Kazuma
Illustrated By: Haimura Kiyotaka
Publisher: ASCII Media Works

The Third World War has been ended by the efforts of Kamijou Touma. With that, he vanished. With the Magic Side regrouping, the Sabbath for their followers has arrived.

In the headquarters of the Science Side, Academy City's strongest Level 5 Esper Accelerator has washed his hands off the "Darkness." Along with Last Order and Misaka Worst, his days pass by peacefully with no sign of GROUP.

Hamazura Shiage has formed a new ITEM with Kinuhata, Takitsubo and Mugino. Peace has come to the hands of the alumni who have "graduated" from Academy's Dark Side at last... at least until a new evil "first year student" appears before them.

Sequel of Toaru Majutsu no Index

 

[thatguy3331]

Ah, so HERE'S the place where I'll be talking about NT (though in all honesty I'll be hopping back from here to there...)

Quick thoughts on NT volume's 1-3:

Spoiler

Volume 1: While the seires dosn't quite feel complete to me without Touma this volume did a very good job in pushing Accelerator and Hamazura back into action, which speaking of, was great. I sort of wish there were more fights like Hamazura's fight with that other guy in the dragon suit but that's just a nitpick at this point since I'm able to follow the overall flow of the fights alot easier compared to the anime.

Ah Touma, no matter how many lives you saved there'll always be someone to kick you in the balls...

Volume 2: This was hilarious on many levels. First off I loved the fact that this time we're making the 'three hero's' Interact with each other in a more calm setting. I'm not sure if this was really a joke, but I found it hilarious how Birdway's explanation about the magic side required them to take breaks and took many long hours. As a guy who got washed away with the techno babble in the anime and still gets somewhat overwhelemed with how much text can go into explanations this was a nice and subtle jab at itself. I also love how Mugino basically told Frema flad out that she killed her sister in the most non-chalant way Possible. Do I even need to mention how hilarious drunken Touma was? Speaking of whom I really liked his scene in the end with Mikoto, if there is any scene I would love to see animated it would be that one.

Volume 3: I just recently finished this one, and man was this fun! Roborto Katze was hilarious and the action was solid. Since I have the chance to bring it up, I'll just say this now: I really enjoy reading about Touma or Hamazra's battle encounters. While Accel certinaly isn't all powerful (at least in comparison to when we first meet him in the sisters arc) I enjoy seeing the struggles of the chracters who have smaller or no powers go against something that clearly outmatches them. I think what I liked most about Touma's fight with Saronia is that it takes alot of what people complain about Touma's fights and makes sense of it, specifically in the trick to what makes Touma's Blows so effective. If there was anything I was peeved about in this novel it would have to be that Touma still planned to enter the next arc solo even after Misaka said she would help him shoulder some of his burdens. I understand why he has to settle it himself, but back in the sisters arc Misaka had this whole notion that she had to deal with the level 6 expiriment by herself and Touma pretty much Intervined so I only think it's fair he let her help. Ah well on to the next volume!

--------------------------------------

NT 4

Spoiler

Calling this volume 'different' is an understatement. I haven't read the LN of Drrr!! yet, but I somewhat imagine it being like this. As much as I was irritated by the fact that Touma was pushed off to the end of the novel, it was pretty interesting how he was dealt with, treated as this sort of a enigma. BA of the volume award goes to Bersi, or Kihara Kaze, you know aside from Touma when he showed up. Speaking of Kihara's I wonder why having Touma running into one of them would be a bad thing? I mean the first Kihara we saw was fighting ACCELERATOR while LAUGHING. If they don't have any supernatural powers, what threat could he possibly hold towards them? Speaking of threats, here come the magic kami's, just incase shit wasn't real enough for you!

Now I'm almost halfway through NT5, after that it's just two more novels and I'll be caught up! Finally!!

 

[Demonspeed]

I completed the 3 first volumes and just started vol 04.

Volume 01-03

Spoiler

It was good but it lacked Touma at least at the beginning. I like the machines of the Science side, Kamachi is very imaginative, that Dragon Rider's description was so awesome I wanted to pilot it and this fight was one of my favourite of the series. Misaka Worst is my favourite Misaka clone now, she is such a troll! She has also the bust size. Takitsubo became a jealous girl and Accelerator is suspected to be a lolicon, now that I think about it it makes sense. Seriously at the end when Kuroyoru was going to kill Fremea with her final attack I knew Touma was going to appear. WHile reading I was thinking "come out, come out,come out" and finally he appeared. Best volume ending ever! Mugino's CD was good to see and she got lucky because he she had killed Last Order....

The 3 heroes are reunited and Birdway talk them about magic. A lot of comedy but the funniest part where with Accelerator. I always laugh so hard when people are complimenting or making fun of him and when I think about his past it makes me laugh even more, he becomes completely powerless in those kind of situations. Fremea X Birdway interactions were excellent too. The 3 heroes finally work together and Misaka joins the party too. Second best volume ending!

I was very excited to read vol 03. All my favourite characters were present( minus Carissa) and Birdway become one of them. There are many great girls in this novel! I understand Touma now. I like her character. She is quite the chessmaster and she "used" the 3 heroes very efficiently knowing their strengths and weaknesses. I didn't like very much to see Misaka's attempts to seduce Touma at first, because I thought it would ruin their interactions and but I am glad I was wrong. And finally we have the great Roberto Katze who resembles Rider even more than Tabikake and a similar personality. Though I wonder how he won the elections if only a little girl is able to recognize him lol. At the end we learn Mjolnir's creator, appears and we learn she is an original member of GREMLIN. I wonder how the Kihara family will deal with them, Mjolnir alone was a weapon powerful enough to rivalize with Kanzaki. But what I want to know even more are the personalities of that crazy family.

 

[thatguy3331]

NT 5, I'm starting 6 now

Spoiler

Welp Toumas luck is going back to the shithole which is great imo. Thors a pretty interesting fellow as is this fraule girl. Accel and Hamazura had to provide the humor this time as toumas too busy getting crapped on... though I'm surprised that he managed to trick birdway. Seriously Touma you need to take a break after this all this pent up stress( and bullet wound) can kill a guy you know... oh shit the #2...oh shit fruales a brain eater, WTF FRE/NDA!!

My wordings messed up cause I'm typing on a tablet w/o a keyboard.

 

[Demonspeed]

Spoiler

Speaking of Kihara's I wonder why having Touma running into one of them would be a bad thing? I mean the first Kihara we saw was fighting ACCELERATOR while LAUGHING. If they don't have any supernatural powers, what threat could he possibly hold towards them? Speaking of threats, here come the magic kami's, just incase shit wasn't real enough for you!

I think they fear him because Imagine Breaker is not understandable from a scientific point of view, he is also not a Gemstone so he is an enigma for them who embody the science in the world, he also managed to beat Accelerator. And according to NT 04

Spoiler

Kihara Amata's thought pattern is excellent to fight Esper, given how Touma beaten Accel during their 2nd fight and how many persons he beaten with IB alone, I guess it means Touma thought patterns is anti-Esper too, Enshuu even use it to fight now.

I finally completed vol 04

Spoiler

Well, the tournament was perfect until the Kihara attack! And I must say I am quite fascinated by the Kihara-ness I was a little confused by it at first but I understood it can even be considered as an ability, especially when Biyouri said "What Kihara do you have?" I understood they are the embodiment of science and are all gathered in Academy City because of this but I don't think Academy City have to fear the apparition of Kiharas in other countries. First it seems science is natural for them, I guess it's related to their genes(?) and the most fearsome things is also that they have the passion. It would mean that there are Kiharas who are not in the Kihara family but are still Kihara because among all the inhabitants of AC there is obviously talented geniuses who came here because of their passion for science and it's highly possible there are Kihara who aren't in academy city but can't go there because of financial issues etc. Even if AC technology was leaked in other countries it would not be a problem because even if more persons would develop their Kihara potential, they would still be less dangerous than the Kiharas of AC for the reason that AC scientific level would increase while the scientists of the other countries would spend a lot of time to understand fully their inventions, the gap is too large. And because of that gap even the newly awakened Kiharas would want to go to AC. We can say that AC attracts Kiharas. But even with that Kihara family is still very special and clearly above all the others scientists. For me it's because their passion and intellect are by far higher than others. I think the 2 first Kiharas were like geniuses then their children inherited their intelligence and became passionated by science because of their education and so forth, their passion probably became "genetic" as well, like a mental illness.

The lack of Touma didn't really bothered me( most of the times) but when people were talking about him I realized he was way more badasss than I thought. Enshuu was the best new char in that volume for me. Marian also increased the level of violence a lot! All she did was a lot more gruesome than the scene where Accel was killing that sadist pedo in vol 19, I wonder how they'll animate it. Maria was great too but after her apparition she overshadowed the 2 new girls, Saflee did nothing special. What really puzzle me is Kagun/Bersi, he is a Kihara, so the embodiment of science but he was able to use magic... I thought it was impossible. And also who killed the Kiharas? I thought only Biyouri and Kagun were dead, it means Maria killed Enshuu and that Loki and Ransuu(who is said to be the sanest Kihara despite what he did) both got killed with illusion? The weakness of that volume is that there was too many characters and it was as well handled as in volume 15.
Finally the Magic God and the man who should have been the Magic God appeared, things should get more epic now.

Edit: About Sigyn, she didn't appear but I think she is related to Tabikake. When she said "That's right. My nature is to give what I have to others to make up for what they lack. If
I try to be perfect myself, I couldn't make up for what I lack."

I couldn't help but think about him.

---------- Post added August 07, 2013 at 08:53 AM ---------- Previous post was July 29, 2013 at 04:07 PM ----------

Volume 5 completed.

Spoiler

Well, Touma is not in Ollerus neither in GREMLIN's side. It reminds me what he said about good and evil after his fight with Accelerator. He didn't use IB a lot here, he mainly acted as a normal person. It's the reason why I would have liked to see Hamazura more in this volume. Even for comedy he was not here for long, it was mainly about Fremea and Last Order( I guess they'll be in deep shit in the next volume). Ollerus didn't explain a lot things about Imagine Breaker and it made me really feel sad for Terra's death. I don't really understand how someone like Fraulen can exist, she is not really primitive because she could talk before, so is she really protected by God?
I laughed a little when Touma pulled the drill(the only one hero who still didn't use a gun) on Birdway's head because I was almost sure he would have never killed her, it's true she didn't want to harm him too but still.
Mugino seems to act like before... Good thing she didn't try to melt Last Order. And now we have Kakine who came back to life, even before his defeat I still considered his ability as the strongest of all and I was right.
Finally I must mention Thor, who is the best new character of this volume.
It was a good volume but seeing Touma acting like a normal guy made me miss Hamazura too much. He should have just called him... He can trust him at least.

---------- Post added August 29, 2013 at 11:52 PM ---------- Previous post was August 07, 2013 at 08:53 AM ----------

I finally caught up! I will post my thoughts later.

 

[thatguy3331]

Response to NT 5

Spoiler

Yeah, I would like to see Hamazura do something really epic myself, as he is one of my favorites in the main trio of 'heroes', however if this meant we got to give some development to Touma, I would gladly take it. Throughout the series he's been the most static and while its not in the unbelievable sort of sense it would be nice to see him go through things a bit differently.

NT 6

Spoiler

Thor is fucking nuts. I mean really he shot himself in the side JUST to be on 'even standings' with Touma...and he STILL WON! As much as I love seeing Touma IB punch the crap out of someone, I like seeing him loose to, as it's even less shit I have to hear from his haters. On the whole with this volume though it was...odd to say the least. Misaka getting to fight a saint was awesome as well as the other action set pieces too but... the whole thing with the beetle really felt pushed in there to me. Kakaines switch to becoming good was odd enough, but how Last Order and Freima just suddenly became friends with it too...that was way too sudden for me. I know their children and all but even the beetle itself, it's decision to suddenly protect them even got to me. I've never taken the series to be perfect or anything but even by this series standards that was just too odd. I also didn't really know how to feel with Accel acting the way he did towards he copies of the clones either. I mean sure it would have a psycological effect on him, that wasn't just brushed off to the side but still... Oh well at least Mugino got to vocalize my thoughts when she showed up at that part. Speaking of which I found it pretty hilarious when it tuned out that 'ghost Frenda' was just some fat middle-aged dude and she got to torture him for it. (No one tell Hamazura~) This probably was one of the weaker ones impo, but there were a lot of other good bits as well to make it enjoyable.

NT 7

Spoiler

Another odd one... well the oddness doesn't really come til' the end but I'll get to that when I get to it. The first chapter was pretty funny and with this along with the recent railgun chapters (yes despite my widely known disdain towards a few aspects*and Kuroko* I do keep track of that too) I REALLY want to know how Misaki knows Touma! I mean SERIOUSLY!! The second chapter though...it was basically trying to top the question of "How much of a crazy fucker can Tsuchimikado be?" I mean FUCK. It was almost as though I were reading a different story altogether! and then he climbed 50 FUCKING STORIES. FIFTY. FUCKING. STORIES. BY HAND. FROM OUTSIDE THE DAMN BUILDING!! I would REALLY hate to see what he'd do had they actually killed Maika (Yeah I did find that part to be a bit weak, but we never actually saw the body now did we?) While I did like and understand Touma's fight with him and how it went, I can imagine this being really overplayed in the anime with all the viewers rolling their eyes. Still after that the volume was pretty intense, it was really fun to read despite the fact that I still wished Hamazura got to do a bit more(though I did like the brief moment when Touma reminded him not to die because Freima's waiting for him). I think things got wierd for me when it came to Freima's new found power I mean...I'm still confused as to what the heck it's actually supposed to be...

Sneak Previw at NT 8 (which will be out on sept 10th I believe)

Spoiler

The set-up sounds interesting and I am kind of glad Index will be relavent again, I don't love or hate her, but her name is in the frikkin title. Oh look Roborto Katze! Lessar! and will Misaka actually be involved too? Touma's been able to shake her off quite well but this time it seems pretty unavoidable less he put his abilities to act on the spot to really good frikkin use.

Overall thoughts towards NT

Spoiler

Pretty much the old Index series but on roids. Things have a much more epic feel to them and it feels as though every volume is truly relevant, it also feels nice to have a sense of focus with Gremlin as the antagonist. While I feel this improved greatly from the first series I do still think there are some slight issues as there was previously in trying to insert 'epic' scenes in certain places where it may not be necessary but it's a lot less glaring here than last time. I'm also glad the 3 heroes get to interact with each other as well and I hope we get a volume in the future where they do so again, but for now I'll be hoping the volume after this one focuses on Hamazura and Aceel, especially since Accel is getting a spin-off (which I personally find kinda dumb but I'll wait and see what chapter 1 is like.)

Well I've been putting them off forever but I guess it's time to read the side stories...I did read Road to Endymion and in short, it was a fun and decent prologue to the flick(which was fun as well, but cheesy).

 

[Demonspeed]

NT 6 ant NT 7 spoilers

Spoiler

It's good to see Touma lose sometimes but he became really impressive now, his fight against Birdway is one of my favorites. Thor was awesome and I hope he'll be in NT 8. Accel again shown he has the funniest part, the scene where he went berserk for killing Fraulen was funny as hell. Tsuchimikado was good in NT 7 too. But what really pleased me was to see Touma as a main in a Science arc for once, I always wondered how he would act confronted to the darkness. Misaki is becoming more and more interesting, as the last railgun chapters

Me too, I started to read side stories, I only read Railgun SS1( I thought they would adapt this arc but they preferred a filler arc...) I am currently reading Toaru SP, it's very good and Birdway is in it.

Spoiler

With all those characters present in the preview., I hope Kamachi will manage them properly. And finally Carissa comes back. It seems Misaka tried to approach Touma differently for once but Misaki succeeded to trap her.

 

[thatguy3331]

Too busy being a fanboy, I don't give a fuck:
NT 8 color image

Spoiler

 

[Doraku]

Too busy being a fanboy, I don't give a fuck:
NT 8 color image

Spoiler

That's so cool! I hope the translations come out soon. IIRC it's been a long time since Index appeared in the color image, no?

 

[thatguy3331]

That's so cool! I hope the translations come out soon. IIRC it's been a long time since Index appeared in the color image, no?

I know, I'm really looking forward to it, IIRC it came out on the 10th so something ought to come out soon... I suppose...

OBTW, here's a more refined version:
http://thatguy3331.tumblr.com/post/60898813490/better-quality

---------- Post added September 16, 2013 at 10:20 PM ---------- Previous post was September 11, 2013 at 02:29 PM ----------

Well looks like translation has officially begun! We got the prologue out and the behind the lines for chapter 1(which BTW the preview seemed to cover all of) All the LN pics are up too, but I'm saving my eyes for when I read the scenes that go along with them...the color pages though are free gain for me =P


Is that girl in the contents page pregnant or something?

 

[Demonspeed]

Looks like Kamijou-san is in trouble interactions are pure gold in this volume. And all thanks to Kamijou-san and his wonderful lines. I almost feel bad for laughing so much.

 

[thatguy3331]

HOLY SHIT! IS THAT WHAT I THINK IT IS? IT IS!!

Spoiler

IT'S A MUTHA FUKKEN DRAGON!!!

 

[Demonspeed]

Chapter 2 completed I am reading Chapter 3 part 3 right now.

Spoiler

That volume is my favorite actually. Kumokawa joins Touma's team and the war is starting! Kakine is pathetic, I can't help but feel sad for him( that as you wish particularly) and Othinus is strong enough to beat him like that... Glad to see Carissa(and the 2 others of course)again even if they are in trouble
And about that chapter 3, the dragon was surprising and cool but Touma's landing was pathetic as hell. It really sucks to be him. Maybe it was supposed to be comic but I couldn't laugh. Misaka is awesome as always, I find her more lovable when she is in action mode or not so "tsuntsun" at least her interactions with Touma are better in this volume.

 

[thatguy3331]

It's almost fully translated!

chapters 3-4

Spoiler

*Reads updated parts and looks at green color image*

Oh now that I look at it closely I can see the edges of the train... I guess the final part will be over by tomorrow....

I suspect that this will be a multi-parter this time, I had as I read chapter two but now I'm sure... As for Freyja, holy shit this is fucked up.... I mean....damn I don't even know where to start, but I suppose I'll wait for the conclusion of this volume first.

Their enemy was most likely unaware that they now stood in the place they had long dreamt of being in.

Oops the translator made a mistake, let me fix that~

Their enemy was most likely unaware that they now stood in the place the reader had long dreamt of them being in.

PERFECT!

---------- Post added September 26, 2013 at 01:24 AM ---------- Previous post was September 24, 2013 at 08:59 PM ----------

Well then....

Spoiler

 

[Doraku]

By the way, I'm just caught up with the latest Railgun manga, and I've notice something which has been hinted for quite some time..

Spoiler: Railgun and Index Minor Spoiler

So what do you think about the connection between Touma and Misaki? It seems both of them knew each other for quite some time in the past, but the memory loss caused Touma to forget about her completely. I'm looking forward to the revelation about their history in the past, it must be interesting

 

[Demonspeed]

NT 8 completed

Spoiler

“These small fights are such a pain. I think I’ll just end the world.”

Best quote ever.

I knew a Magic God was strong but still, SHE CASUALLY DESTROYED THE WORLD LIKE THAT! They have all been lured and Touma did nothing at all. Now, what will Othinus do? Her discussion with Olerus implied she was lonely. Kumokawa's encounter with Bersi was really touching. Touma finally asked for help and Misaka just mastered the Gatling Railgun. Her father was hilarious too. I thought Touma would have unlocked a new power but the earth had already exploded. It's true that she beaten the thing in his arm easily but with a name like that... Aleister is probably dead too. I don't see anyone beating her, but of course I will be surprised in NT9.

By the way, I'm just caught up with the latest Railgun manga, and I've notice something which has been hinted for quite some time..

Spoiler: Railgun and Index Minor Spoiler

So what do you think about the connection between Touma and Misaki? It seems both of them knew each other for quite some time in the past, but the memory loss caused Touma to forget about her completely. I'm looking forward to the revelation about their history in the past, it must be interesting

Spoiler

I guess she is one of the numerous girls he saved before or a childhood friend. It's really difficult to know since Misaki can do everything with her power, we don't even know her true age... Now, the biggest question is, should we care? Othinus ended the world, all the characters are dead, their relationships are lost. Kamachi could even use that opportunity to replace the protags.

 

[Doraku]

Spoiler

I guess she is one of the numerous girls he saved before or a childhood friend. It's really difficult to know since Misaki can do everything with her power, we don't even know her true age... Now, the biggest question is, should we care? Othinus ended the world, all the characters are dead, their relationships are lost. Kamachi could even use that opportunity to replace the protags.

Spoiler

Even if it's only a trivial things, I will be disappointed if Kamachi decided to wrap the story that way. Too anti climatic for me personally. I don't know if the relationship is significant enough to be a plot device, but I found hints which have been scattered around the franchise is alluring, to say the least.

 

[thatguy3331]

Guys, guys, guys....

Spoiler

who cares about the end of the world? After all:

Spoiler: RAW RAILGUN MATERIAL

right now nothing else matters....

Ok but seriously though, I already had my fun making fun of the 'end of Toaruverse' already on animesuki forums and Kamichi obviously isn't going to end the story in that way, but the question now is obvious; how will he follow this up? Kamaichi has presented alot of interesting and fun things lately but ultimately we have to deal with Onithus (I guess we can assume Gremlin has disbanded at this point) I'm not even going to try to guess where exactly this will take us but regardless I will be looking forward to NT9.

P.S. Photobucket can be a bitch at times.

 

[Demonspeed]

I just thought about something. I know it's crazy but with an ending like that...

Spoiler

What if Kakine had become able to create another Othinus with his Dark Matter? He said he could create Personal Realities with enough time .

Spoiler

Even if it's only a trivial things, I will be disappointed if Kamachi decided to wrap the story that way. Too anti climatic for me personally. I don't know if the relationship is significant enough to be a plot device, but I found hints which have been scattered around the franchise is alluring, to say the least.

Spoiler

He'll probably do something about it. With characters who have the same memories in a new world or something, or maybe they are not dead after all. I don't think he won't explain it since it's a plot point . With that "end of world" he can do everything now... And I think it'll permit to have more interesting arcs in Railgun manga. The actual arc is excellent but after that, Mikasa spends his days to pursue Touma... Unless he planned to write stories focused on the 3 others but it's unlikely after that I can only see an arc with Misaka during the WWIII or maybe they'll adapt some novels,Touma would become a main character otherwise.

 

[thatguy3331]

Someone posted a possible summary for NT 9:

Spoiler

(released by January 10, 2014)

To Aru Majutsu no Index New Testament (9)
Author / Kamachi Kazuma
Illustrations / Haimura Kiyotaka

The world was destroyed by the magic god Othinus. The only thing left in there, is Kamijou Touma whose right hand acts as the reference point and repair point of the world. This, is a story that crushes Kamijou Touma’s heart.

Looks like shits bout to get real....

BTW how long should we hide the conclusion of NT 8 in spoilers?