How to watch

A Certain Magical Index Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch A Certain Magical Index and Railgun in order

Last updated: November 10 2026

Written by: ChronoChris

The Toaru franchise splits into Index, Railgun and Accelerator, with overlapping timelines, making it one of the most confusing anime to start. This guide fixes that.

Set in Academy City, a high-tech metropolis where students develop psychic abilities, A Certain Magical Index follows Touma Kamijou, a boy whose right hand can negate any power, after he meets a nun carrying 103,000 forbidden grimoires. Its spin-off A Certain Scientific Railgun follows Mikoto Misaka, the city's third-strongest esper, and a later spin-off focuses on the number-one esper, Accelerator.

πŸ• Release Order

Release order bounces between the three series and includes the franchise's only feature film.

  1. A Certain Magical Index (2008)
  2. A Certain Scientific Railgun (2009)
  3. A Certain Magical Index II (2010)
  4. A Certain Scientific Railgun S (2013)
  5. A Certain Magical Index: The Movie – The Miracle of Endymion (2013)
  6. A Certain Magical Index III (2018)
  7. A Certain Scientific Accelerator (2019)
  8. A Certain Scientific Railgun T (2020)

The tricky part is that Railgun's seasons run alongside Index's events, so the shows frequently cover the same moments from different perspectives.

πŸ“– Story Chronology

This popular viewing order keeps the timelines roughly aligned: watch each Railgun season after the matching Index season, and save Railgun T for before Index III, whose later arcs it precedes.

  1. A Certain Magical Index (2008)
  2. A Certain Scientific Railgun (2009)
  3. A Certain Magical Index II (2010)
  4. A Certain Scientific Railgun S (2013)
  5. A Certain Magical Index: The Movie – The Miracle of Endymion (2013)
  6. A Certain Scientific Railgun T (2020)
  7. A Certain Magical Index III (2018)
  8. A Certain Scientific Accelerator (2019)

Which Order Should You Choose?

If you only want the core action, release order works and keeps spoilers in check. However, many fans prefer the viewing order above because Railgun T's festival arc happens before Index III's world war storyline. Railgun is also a perfectly good starting point on its own, as it is more self-contained and character-driven than Index. Watch Accelerator after Index III, since it assumes knowledge of that season.

πŸ”— Related Guides

  • Sword Art Online Watch OrderGuide
  • Fate Series Watch OrderGuide
  • Steins;Gate Watch OrderGuide

Did we miss anything? Let us know and we'll keep this guide up to date!