# Where to Watch A Certain Scientific Railgun **A Certain Scientific Railgun offers a self-contained entrance to Academy City through its students, psychic rankings, and concealed experiments. Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix, and Tubi TV are the named legal streaming services, with Tubi TV offering free viewing supported by ads. This finished 2009 TV season has 24 episodes of about 24 minutes each, so its friendships and investigations get room to develop before the larger conflicts take over. Also released as Toaru Kagaku no Railgun, the series suits viewers who enjoy action that grows out of an ongoing mystery instead of arriving as a string of disconnected fights. Mikoto's high standing in the city's power system gives her access and confidence, but the story stays interested in the students who live farther down that scale. The result mixes school life with an increasingly uneasy look at what Academy City does in the name of research. Start here if Mikoto's perspective interests you most. The season explains its setting well enough that prior knowledge of A Certain Magical Index is optional.** ## Where to Watch - [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/a-certain-scientific-railgun) - [Hulu](http://www.hulu.com/a-certain-scientific-railgun) - [Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/title/70308190) - [Tubi TV](https://tubitv.com/series/2312/a_certain_scientific_railgun) Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix, and Tubi TV are the legal streaming options listed for A Certain Scientific Railgun. Tubi TV is the free choice, although its viewing is supported by ads. ## Synopsis A Certain Scientific Railgun follows Mikoto Misaka, a powerful student whose ability has earned her the Railgun name and a place near the top of Academy City's ranking system. Life with her friends keeps pulling her toward strange rumors and incidents connected to the city's research culture. What first appears to be a polished center for developing esper abilities begins to look harsher when students are treated according to their measured power. Mikoto can meet many dangers head-on, yet the problems around her cannot always be solved through force. The story keeps its focus on how each discovery affects her friendships and her view of the city she calls home. ## Fast Facts - **Format:** TV - **Episodes:** 24 - **Premiered:** 2009 - **Studio:** J.C.Staff - **Score:** 7.5 ## Watch Order Start with A Certain Scientific Railgun, then move into its sequel seasons to continue following Mikoto's experience of Academy City. A Certain Magical Index shares the setting and presents its magic-focused side, but it is not required before this first season. - Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: Misaka-san wa Ima Chuumoku no Mato desu kara (side\_story) - Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: Entenka no Satsuei Model mo Raku Ja Arimasen wa ne. (side\_story) - Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S (sequel) ## If You Liked This - **[A Certain Magical Index](https://hozuna.com/anime/a-certain-magical-index)**: A Certain Magical Index shows the shared Academy City setting from a magic-facing perspective. It is the natural next choice for viewers curious about events and conflicts outside Mikoto's immediate circle. - **[My Hero Academia](https://hozuna.com/anime/my-hero-academia)**: My Hero Academia likewise places ability rankings inside everyday society. Its attention to how measured power shapes opportunity should appeal to viewers interested in Academy City's treatment of its students. - **[Charlotte](https://hozuna.com/anime/charlotte)**: Charlotte follows students whose unusual abilities draw institutional attention. Pick it for another story concerned with the personal cost of adolescent powers and the people who seek to control them. - **[Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul](https://hozuna.com/anime/made-in-abyss-dawn-of-the-deep-soul)**: - **[Shangri-La Frontier Season 2](https://hozuna.com/anime/shangri-la-frontier-season-2)**: - **[Dragon Ball Super: Broly](https://hozuna.com/anime/dragon-ball-super-broly)**: - **[Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind](https://hozuna.com/anime/nausicaa-of-the-valley-of-the-wind)**: - **[Shangri-La Frontier](https://hozuna.com/anime/shangri-la-frontier)**: ## FAQ ### Where can I legally watch A Certain Scientific Railgun? A Certain Scientific Railgun is carried by Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix, and Tubi TV. Tubi TV provides the free, ad-supported route for anyone who wants to sample the season without a subscription. ### How many episodes are in the first season of A Certain Scientific Railgun? The first season contains 24 episodes, each running about 24 minutes. It establishes Mikoto's side of Academy City before sequel seasons continue her story. ### Do I need to watch A Certain Magical Index before A Certain Scientific Railgun? No. A Certain Scientific Railgun introduces its own central cast and explains Academy City from Mikoto's viewpoint, so it works as a starting place. A Certain Magical Index can come later if you want the shared setting's magic-focused perspective. ### Is A Certain Scientific Railgun finished? Yes, the 2009 TV season is finished. Its 24 episodes make up the opening season, and sequel seasons continue beyond it. ### What kind of anime is A Certain Scientific Railgun? A Certain Scientific Railgun is a manga-based TV anime from J.C.Staff in the Action, Fantasy, and Sci-Fi genres. It combines esper conflicts with school life and questions about how Academy City's ranking system affects its students. ### Is A Certain Scientific Railgun a good place to start? Yes, especially if Mikoto and the science side of Academy City are your main interest. The first season builds its cast and setting without expecting prior knowledge of the related series.