Level 5

is currently the highest esper level to be accomplished in Academy City. Only seven out of the 2.3 million students currently participating in the Power Curriculum Program have officially achieved this rank, indicating the immense level of difficulty involved in reaching it. Prologue
==Principles==
===Characteristics===
====Abilities====
Level 5s are espers who hold tremendous amounts of supernatural power, their talents far exceeding that of other espers.
They can be somewhat divided between those having unique abilities (also referred to as ), and those who possess the ultimate version of a common sort of power (also referred to as ), such as Telepathy and Electromaster.
Some of the most powerful Level 5s are among the few espers capable of using their abilities to exert control on the planetary environment or largescale climate, with Accelerator's vector control and Misaka Mikoto's high-voltage electricity capable of doing this.
====Personality====
A particular object of notability of all the Level 5 espers is a recurring instance of mental instability, be it comedic or serious. Mikoto, the first Level 5 seen in the series, has a comedic obsession with defeating Kamijou Touma, although she has been referred to as the sanest one out of all the Level 5s.
Sogiita Gunha believes himself to be an ally of justice and purposely acts in accordance of superheroes in fiction. Accelerator, Kakine Teitoku, Mugino Shizuri, and Shokuhou Misaki all demonstrate more sociopathic or psychopathic tendencies with the willingness to hurt people on a whim, though this may be more related to their background more than anything else. However, both Accelerator and Mugino have become less violent lately because they feel guilty about all the harm they've done. Misaki has also demonstrated that she does care about her friends and is willing to go out of her way to save them.
Due to this, only Mikoto is the one apparently competent enough to be used as a marketing mascot or demonstrator for Academy City.Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS2: Ability Demonstration Trip Chapter 1 Part 1 Even then, it is not unheard of for any of the Level 5s to be requested for demonstration.
That said, the essay The Wall Between Level 3 and Level 4 from Toaru Majutsu no Index no Subete seems to reject this premise, stating that gaining high level powers like Accelerator and Mikoto did is the result of having strong minds and firm ideologies and principles.Toaru Majutsu no Index no Subete/The Wall Between Level 3 and Level 4
In addition to this, many of the Level 5s are not on good terms with each other, although they would still sometimes form alliances if the situation called for it.
===Circumstances in Academy City===
Because the Power Curriculum Program is part of Academy City's curriculum, the strongest of its espers are most likely to be honor students. Chapter 4 Part 8 This is exemplified by both Mikoto, who is one of the top students of Tokiwadai Middle School, and Accelerator.
Due to the immense power of the Level 5s' abilities, their primary applications are banned in the Daihaseisai.
Most of the currently known Level 5 espers have been attributed a nickname that is either the name of their esper ability or related to it. Currently, Accelerator is known solely by his nickname.
====Promotion and Ranking====
Promotion to Level 5 is approved by the Academy City Board of Directors.
The ranking of the Level 5s is dependent on the worth of their abilities to the ongoing researches rather than based on the relative strength of their power. It is unknown what the initial rankings were and how they got their current ranks: the only known cases are Misaka Mikoto and Shokuhou Misaki, both becoming Level 5s soon after reaching middle-school.Toaru Kagaku no Railgun - Misaka Mikoto Maniax Misaka Mikoto's Big, Big, Big Secrets Exposed! Q&A 30 Shokuhou was initially of a higher ranking than Mikoto, who was the lowest-ranked at the time, before she surpassed her a few months after the two entered Tokiwadai, with the two having acquired their current ranks by August of that year.Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker Chapter 5 Part 5Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker Chapter 5 Part 10Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker Chapter 6 Part 7 Prologue Chapter 1 Part 1
====Research and Countermeasures====
Level 5 espers have specialized research facilities that are dedicated to them; Chapter 1 Part 3 for example, Accelerator being part of the Special Ability Institute, Dark May Project, and many more. Chapter 3 Part 3 Most Level 5s participated in or were subjected to inhumane experiments.Ogino Kentarou (Railgun editor), Twitter. Retrieved on 7 May 2021.Ogino Kentarou (Railgun editor), Twitter. Retrieved on 7 May 2021.Ogino Kentarou (Railgun editor), Twitter. Retrieved on 7 May 2021. Misaka Mikoto however is one Level 5 not associated with any research institute,Ogino Kentarou (Railgun editor), Twitter. Retrieved on 6 October 2020.Ogino Kentarou (Railgun editor), Twitter. Retrieved on 6 October 2020. partly due to her own effort and partly due to complementary education of Tokiwadai Middle School, which possesses its own subsidiary facility for Level 5s. Level 5s most likely get paid with the most money amongst their other esper peers as part of the curriculum's payment program for the espers as being part of the experiment. Chapter 1 Part 8
Because of their overwhelming power and the fact that their developing minds can make them act based on emotions rather than logic, the higher-ups of Academy City view Level 5 espers as a potential threat. To rest easy they created Rensa, a cyborg that can use the abilities of the #1 up to #6 in order to deal with them in the case they decide to go against the city, supposedly capable of defeating all seven of them. Chapter 4 Part 9 Other, more specialized, individual countermeasures have also conceived and developed by various parties.
The Five Overs are a series of experiments and technologies developed to replicate and exceed, hence the name, the power of the seven Level 5s, with principles based on macro engineering technology rather than micro quantum mechanics that produce esper abilities. Chapter 3 Part 4 Besides the main series, which uses similar methods as the original ability to reproduce their power, there is also the Five Over Outsider sub-series which uses methods different from the original ability to reproduce the phenomena, resembling the original esper power rather than closely replicating it. Chapter 3 Part 4
Other creations have been made based on research of the Level 5 abilities and incorporate their principles, with some directly incorporating the abilities themselves (e.g. Exterior being a giant brain grown from a cultivated cerebral cortex sample to use Mental Out, Equ.DarkMatter and Sample Shoggoth being created from and utilizing Dark Matter etc). Chapter 11 Part 2 Epilogue Period.21 Epilogue Between the Lines 4
===Previous Generations===
Although there are seven officially recognized Level 5 espers in Academy City in the present day, there have been other Level 5s in the past.
Of note, the first modern esper, the Beginning Child, was developed before the current Level system was implemented, officially "disappearing" but being secretly frozen as she couldn't be controlled with the technology of the time. On witnessing her ability after her revival, including her manipulation of climatic weather conditions as part of her environmental modification and localized terraforming, Kamijou Touma and Kumokawa Seria speculated that she would be classed as Level 5 if ranked on the current system.Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker Chapter 5 Part 9
A Level 5 (who claimed to be the former #1) of the mysterious and rarely mentioned "previous generation" before the current one, and "past" at least one year before the main story (given a conversation between Kamijou Touma and Shokuhou Misaki), left behind a legacy in the form of two Relics, which manifested their will and power, their ability to manifest Shadow Metal and control a special territory created by enveloping space and filling it with nanometal particles, heralded by a chill in the affected area. These Relics were connected to events occurring around the same time as Shokuhou Misaki's participation in Tokiwadai's student council presidential election, with a group connected to that generation and symbolized by two squares (cubes) on the move (seeking both the Relics and cubic crystals of Shadow Metal), and the influence of the Relics themselves being exerted through several individuals. Besides the Relic wielders, one of the election candidates, Kamino, had square-shaped eyes and used a spatial control ability affecting a cube-shaped area, the usage of which provoked a feeling that reminded Shokuhou of the past Level 5, though any exact connection is currently unknown.
===Other===
On the magic side, Saints have rankings akin to the Level 5s, Profound Destruction based on their level of contribution to society.Toaru Majutsu no Index: Miracle of Endymion - Dengeki PlayStation Interview with Kamachi Kazuma
==List of Level 5 Espers==
===Current Generation===
Rank	Name 	Epithet/Ability	Notes
1 	Accelerator 	Accelerator 	
Former subject of the Special Ability Institute, participant of the Level 6 Shift Project and member of , later the second Board Chairman. Currently the only Level 5 with the potential to achieve a stable Level 6.
Only known by the name of his unique ability, Accelerator can control the vectors of anything he touches, including automatically reversing and redirecting the vectors of things that would touch him.
2 	Kakine Teitoku (Original)Kakine Teitoku (Beetle 05) (Current)	Dark Matter 	
Leader of .
His ability allows him to create an unknown matter that does not naturally exist and does not follow the normal laws of physics, controlling both the 'Dark Matter' and the phenomena it gives rise to. Chapter 5 Part 3
Dismembered by Accelerator and preserved using Dark Legacy, Chapter 4 Part 4 later grew a Dark Matter body with his ability but was usurped by a creation and buried aspect of his personality, Beetle 05, that broke free of his control and assumed his identity. Epilogue Chapter 5 Part 12 Chapter 7 Part 12
3 	Misaka Mikoto 	Railgun 	
Student of Tokiwadai Middle School and the strongest Electromaster. Genetic source for the Sisters developed for the Radio Noise Project and then the Level 6 Shift Project.
Mikoto can sense, generate and manipulate electricity, with a maximum output of 1 billion volts, as well as phenomena connected to electricity, including electromagnetism, electromagnetic waves and Lorentz force, with a high degree of power, control and versatility, for numerous applications. The name is derived from her signature technique of firing metal objects at supersonic speeds.
4 	Mugino Shizuri 	Meltdowner 	
Leader of .
Mugino's ability allows her to control electrons in a state where they are both particle and wave, and fire them off in highly destructive beams of light, with the technical classification of 'Particle Waveform High-Speed Cannon'. Chapter 4 Part 7
5 	Shokuhou Misaki 	Mental Out 	
Student of Tokiwadai Middle School, former subject of Clone Dolly, and the most powerful mental esper.
Her ability manipulates moisture in order to control the distribution of fluids and chemicals in the brain and alter the mind, with a wide variety of applications.
6 	Aihana Etsu 	Number Six 	Possesses the ability to give others power and make them into their imagined 'ideal self' under certain conditions, Chapter 3 Part 5 often approaching others himself or via proxy, offering power and lending them his name and identity on acceptance. Epilogue
7 	Sogiita Gunha 	Number Seven 	The most powerful Gemstone esper.Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS2 Chapter 21 His ability is currently unexplained and has a wide variety of applications.
===Previous Generation===
Name 	Ability 	Notes
"Senior"	Unnamed spatial control and Shadow Metal manifestation ability	
A Level 5 of the "previous generation" whose will and power persists in the cube-shaped Relics (one of which introduced themselves to Kouzaku Mitori as her academical and claimed to be the previous #1 Level 5).
The Level 5's ability allows for the manifestation of Shadow Metal, which can act as a medium for their thoughts, and control of a special "territory" created by enveloping space and filling it with nanometal particles, its signature being an indescribable chill felt by anyone who enters the affected space. The exact name of the Level 5's ability in its original state is unknown, but of the Relics, one is associated with a power referred to as , while the other one has a power called .
===Level 5 Candidates===
Name 	Level	Ability 	Notes
Beginning Child 	N/A 	Unnamed environment modification ability	She is the first and oldest modern esper; whose development was used as a basis to construct modern Academy City. Has been stated that under the modern era's system, she would probably be ranked as a Level 5; with her control of weather conditions being stronger than even Accelerator and Misaka Mikoto. Her ability proved too powerful for Aleister Crowley to control with the technology of her time; thus her body was frozen.Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker Chapter 4 Part 5Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker Chapter 5 Part 10Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker Chapter 5 Part 11Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker Chapter 5 Part 13
Hokaze Junko 	4 	Rampage Dress 	Stated to have the potential to become a Level 5, as the researchers of Ideal detected within her powers, but her subconscious defensive instincts prevent her from drawing out her full power.
Maidono Hoshimi (false name)	4 	Telekinesis 	Her power has been optimized by modifying her body to produce Level 5-class destructive output, but as its only application is destruction, it is less versatile and useful than the actual Level 5 powers. Chapter 3 Part 4 Chapter 3 Part 6
Mitsuari Ayu 	3 	Mental Stinger 	In the past, she and Shokuhou Misaki were roughly equal in power and Tree Diagram calculated that both had the potential to reach Level 5. However, only one could do so while the other would plateau and improve no further. Following the conclusions of the Parameter List, the higher-ups of Academy City decided to devote more resources to Misaki's development and kept Mitsuari as back-up in the event of the former's death, but permanently stuck at Level 3. Chapter 3 Part 6 Between the Lines 3
Musujime Awaki 	4 	Move Point 	Was a Level 5 candidate two years prior to the story's first year. Her school, Kirigaoka Girls' Academy, was actually pushing her to become a Level 5, to make her the strongest Teleport esper possible, but during one of these trials, she teleported her leg into a wall, severely injuring herself, Between the Lines 4 and giving her a trauma that now prevents her from teleporting herself more than 2 or 3 consecutive times without getting sick as well as requiring 3 seconds to do it. Chapter 4 Part 1 Her trauma also stopped her improvement completely, meaning her path to becoming a Level 5 has been closed. According to the author, her power at Level 5 might be something similar to Almighty Thor. Afterword
Shundan Kimi 	0 	Unnamed ability involving black holes 	Has the potential to become the 9th ranked Level 5 and has been theorized as being a Holistic Esper. Her use of her ability creates a black hole somewhere in the universe.
Takitsubo Rikou 	4 	AIM Stalker 	Has the potential to become the 8th ranked Level 5, Chapter 4 Part 5 which would enable her control over the AIM Diffusion Fields and Personal Realities of other espers, enabling such things as increasing or decreasing Levels, give or rob powers, or even making Dual Skill possible, all of which would render the Power Curriculum Program and Academy City obsolete, leaving only Takitsubo as a so-called . Epilogue However, her power had difficulties blooming, which led to her being made to ingest Ability Body Crystal in the hopes her potential would manifest if overloaded.
==Trivia==
*When discussing the existence of Anna Sprengel with Kamijou Touma and Accelerator, Aleister Crowley uses the term "#0 Level 5" as comparison, showing the mystique and persuasive ability of "a missing superior rank". As it was only an example, it is unknown if the 0th Level 5 exists even after Anna Sprengel was proven to be real. Chapter 1 Part 11
**At the time of this analogy, the existence of the Beginning Child, the first modern esper developed before the present-day ranking system and speculated to qualify for Level 5 under the current scale, had not been revealed.
*The light novel volumes and manga chapters in which each of the seven Level 5s debuted are as follows:
Rank	Name 	Epithet/Ability	Debut
1 	Accelerator 	
Accelerator 	
*
*
*
*
2 	Kakine Teitoku (Original)Kakine Teitoku (Beetle 05) (Current)	Dark Matter 	
*[O]
*[C]
*[O]
*[O]
*[O]
3 	Misaka Mikoto 	Railgun 	
*
*
*
*
4 	Mugino Shizuri 	Meltdowner 	
*
*
*
*
*
5 	Shokuhou Misaki 	Mental Out 	
*
*
*
*
6 	Aihana Etsu 	Number Six 	
*
7 	Sogiita Gunha 	Number Seven 	
*
*
*
==References==
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