Episode 06 - Everyone is Proactive When it Comes to This
On a busy pedestrian street, a small stuffed toy lies in a planter. It seems to collapse in on itself somehow, and a moment later there is a small explosion like a firecracker, startling passers-by.
Later, Kuroko is telling Mikoto that someone has been using graviton energy to turn aluminum objects into miniature bombs. Mikoto is intrigued by the mystery, but Kuroko tells her not to go jumping into Judgement business. Mikoto claims she's more than capable, pointing out that she's easily taken care of various problems before Judgement could even show up, but Kuroko insists that Judgement work is neither fun nor easy.
Mikoto complains about Kuroko's attitude as she and Uiharu order parfaits later at a restaurant. Uiharu mentions that the mysterious graviton bomber has taken to hiding aluminum objects inside things like toys and children's bags. Mikoto is appalled that anyone would do such a thing. Just then, Kuroko shows up and drags Uiharu off to patrol, forcing her to leave her parfait behind. Mikoto notices that Uiharu has also left her Judgement armband, but the two are gone before she can catch them.
Mii Konori comes by and, finding Misaka standing around holding Uiharu's armband, mistakes her for a new member of Judgement. She makes Mikoto join her on patrol; Mikoto is excited at first, but their first job turns out to be simply cleaning up trash. Various other unglamorous chores follow, and Mikoto quickly discovers that doing Judgement work is a lot more difficult and boring than she expected.
Meanwhile, Kuroko and Uiharu return to the restaurant to look for Uiharu's armband, without success. Just as they are leaving, they notice a little girl crying nearby.
Konori and Mikoto take a short break; Mikoto (still pretending to be a trainee) says patrolling is harder than she thought. Konori gets a phone call asking her to look for a small child's bag, which was apparently carried off by a dog. Remembering what Uiharu said about the graviton bombs, Mikoto says they need to find the bag quickly, in case it has one hidden in it.
At the Judgement branch office, Uiharu is looking after the little girl they found, owner of the lost bag. Saten comes in and teases Uiharu about her new child, but then says it's very kind of Judgement to help her like this. Uiharu says that because children in Academy City are living away from their parents, it's only natural for everyone to be proactive about looking after them. Saten looks thoughtfully at a good luck charm hanging from her bag, and smiles a bit wistfully.
As Mikoto and Konori make their way along a street, Mikoto sees a pair of bullies attack a skinny student with glasses. She confronts them, but when they see her Judgement armband, they leave. She asks the student if he's all right, but he just scowls at her and says she should have shown up sooner. Then he turns his back and walks off, to headphones as he goes.
Mikoto and Konori arrive at a park, where Mikoto is surrounded by several kids who pester her with rude questions. Suddenly, a dog wanders past with the missing bag in its mouth. Mikoto chases after the dog and catches it, but the bag goes flying towards a wading pool. Still worried it might have a bomb, Mikoto does a diving save, catching the bag but ending up in the water. The bag turns out to be harmless, and Konori contacts the Judgement office to let them know it's been found.
Kuroko and Uiharu bring the little girl to the park, and are surprised to discover Mikoto, soaking wet and wearing Uiharu's armband. The girl thanks Mikoto, who is embarrassed but says she's welcome.
Back at the dorm later, Mikoto says she sees Kuroko in a new light now after realizing how tough Judgement is. Kuroko misinterprets this (of course) and tries to throw herself on Mikoto, foiled only when the Dormitory Supervisor barges in to complain about the noise.
Some time later, several Judgement officers carrying blast shields burst into a convenience store, announcing that gravitons have been detected there. They spread out to search the store as the frightened customers are evacuated. One girl trips and falls; a Judgement officer goes to help her, but notices a suspicious toy hidden under a nearby shelf. As he watches, it collapses in on itself and explodes. This blast is much larger than the previous ones: glass shatters and shelves go flying. The girl screams and the others rush to her side. The Judgement officer shielded her from the blast — and now he lies, bloodied and lifeless, on the floor...
Tropes
- Book Ends: The episode begins and ends with a graviton bomb exploding. The first one is little more than a harmless firecracker. The one at the end... is not.
- Call-Back: Konori and Mikoto take a break by visiting the crepe stand from the first episode.
- Chekhov's Gun: Saten's good luck charm, which will be symbolically important in later episodes, makes its appearance here. Saten looks at it pensively when Uiharu mentions how children are separated from their parents when they come to Academy City.
- Chekhov's Gunman: While we see Mikoto trying to help various people throughout the episode, the scene with the male student in glasses being assaulted stands out enough that it should be no surprise when he turns out to be important next episode.
- Complaining About Rescues They Don't Like: Kaitabi's only response to Mikoto asking if he's OK (after she gets rid of the bullies) is to snap that she should have shown up sooner.
- Headphones Equal Isolation: Kaitabi is wearing these and seemingly oblivious to his surroundings as a result. On the surface, it's used to set up his accidentally bumping into one of the bullies; on a meta level it also serves to highlight the character's isolation. It's also a major Chekhov's Gun regarding Level Upper.
- Impersonating an Officer: Mikoto poses as a member of Judgement in front of Konori by putting on Uiharu's armband.
- In Another Man's Shoes: Mikoto spends the episode in Kuroko's (or rather, Judgement's) shoes.
- Recognition Failure: Konori seems a bit off her game here, failing to realize that an electromaster named Misaka from Tokiwadai is the famous Railgun. Lampshaded when she mutters that the name Misaka seems familiar somehow.
- Running Gag: This is not the first time that Uiharu is unwillingly parted from a delicious treat she was about to eat; nor will it be the last.
- The Stinger: The first episode to have one — the scene with the convenience store bombing takes place after the end credits.
- Trailers Always Spoil: The next-episode preview makes it pretty obvious that Kaitabi, the guy with the glasses, is the graviton bomber.
- Wham Shot: The episode's final shot has a glimpse of the unfortunate Judgement officer lying motionless and covered in blood. note
