Forget ten times, I’d be impressed if you could say that title once without having your tongue stumble over its non-existent feet. Toaru Majutsu no Index: Endymion no Kiseki is a movie set in the always dazzling academy city, home to both the Toaru Majutsu no Index, and Toaru Kagaku no Railgun series. As the title suggests, fans will see Touma and Index. as well as a swarm of other psychic school-students waging war on a new threat to both the magical and scientific presences in the world. Set around a street-performing singer and a gruff, grizzled security agent, Endymion no Kiseki has a big focus on two things: action, and ignoring all its interesting characters.
Like so many other stupid, potential-phobic movies based on anime series, this one immediately dumps its extensive cast of appealing and already well-developed characters, to focus on new protagonists and a new, immortal villain. This wouldn’t be a problem if these newcomers weren’t bland, stiflingly boring characters shoehorned into the endearing roles of benevolent heroine and tortured badass with a gun. Sure she can sing and sure she shoots an immortal loli multiple times until she was writhing on the ground in bloody, gasping agony (I liked that part), but it’s just stupid how they made these half-assed heroes the focus, while Touma and others sit on the sidelines.
Endymion no Kiseki has a massive, awesome cast… and it under-utilizes them dramatically.
When it’s not burbling on about magic-mumbo-jumbo or geek jargon about the worlds first space elevator, the flick does at least have some good action scenes. Chaotic chases scenes between futuristic mechanized spiders and flame-throwing mages meet with crazy choreography and spastic gunfights. Some of the more deadly espers like the vicious Accelerator, or even Sparky herself get so little screen-time it’s sad, but at least Touma gets in a few good hooks with his trademark imagine-breaker beatings. There’s something uniquely satisfying about seeing him charge through hell, just to end it with a simple punch… why didn’t they employ that brilliant feeling more?
Just looking at these screenshots you can see that this flick is at least beautiful to look at. Lighting and particles dance seductively against spotless chrome city-scapes, and explosions leave blazing ashes and smoke to waft through the air. The environment’s beauty is somewhat contrasted by the more modest character animations however, with a few awkwardly implemented 3D-ish moments breaking the flow and looking damn unnatural and strange. Voice acting is up to the series usual expressive, impeccable standard, and that campy 90′s electro-dance style music is always pulsing away in the background too.
Fans of the frenzied scifi/supernatural action and elaborate, over-explained plot lines of the Toaru series will likely enjoy this movie romp. It’s got all the energy, attractiveness and personality of the series, but with lots of fan favorites and stronger roles pushed to the back in favor of some weaker one-off gals. It’s just a let down that the film decided to put it’s iconic, charismatic and simply better characters on the back-burner, and the story suffered because of it. You may be left with a sense of passivity, but at least it’s pretty and well poised… Could have been much, much more though.
Written by ChatterboxZombie.
