A Certain Magical Index

In a city where science runs on the edge of possibility, a student named Touma Kamijou tries to keep his head down. Labeled a level zero esper, he actually wields the Imagine Breaker, a right hand power that cancels anything it touches. His ordinary life takes a sharp turn when he crosses paths with Index, a runaway from a shadowy magical order called Necessarius. Index carries a massive burden, memorized as 103,000 forbidden grimoires locked in her memory. As rival espers and magicians converge on Academy City, Touma finds that his unusual gift may be the only thing standing between danger and disaster. The clash of science and sorcery threads the town with action and humor.

Released in 2008, this anime draws on Kazuma Kamachi's light novels and is developed with Hiroyuki Yoshino as a creator. It brings a brisk blend of sci fi and fantasy to animated screens, and the setup shows a tight storytelling approach that suits anime pacing.

The show helped popularize cross genre storytelling by pairing high tech city life with hidden magical orders. Its central clash between science and sorcery, anchored by Touma's impossible hand and Index's vast forbidden knowledge, left a lasting impression on fans and has become a reference for urban fantasy blends.

Reception has been solid with a 7.6 out of 10 average from 179 votes. The show threads together themes of power and its limits, the tension between progress and magic, and the value of cooperation when different worlds collide. It keeps a pace that blends humor with danger in anime.

No major awards are listed in the provided data for this title. Still, the series built a dedicated fanbase, sparked ongoing adaptations and spin offs, and remains a touchstone for fans of blending sci fi and fantasy in anime. Its cast and story strands have influenced other shows across media.