Takitsubo Rikou

is a character introduced in Toaru Majutsu no Index. She is a member of , a mercenary group in the dark side of Academy City. Despite her lethargic appearance, she is the core of the team due to her AIM Stalker. After constant use of the Ability Body Crystal, and the dark turn their leader Mugino Shizuri takes culminating with the execution of Frenda Seivelun for her betrayal, she becomes estranged from the group, and later flees and falls in love with Hamazura Shiage, the third protagonist of Toaru Majutsu no Index. Much of the story that focuses on Shiage revolves around his and Rikou's struggle against the Dark Side of Academy City.
After the events of World War III, Mugino Shizuri reconciles with the remaining members and reforms the group. The organization becomes the only known faction from the Dark Side of Academy City that fought in the factional war on October 9 to have not been disbanded after the war.
==Appearance==
Rikou is a high school girl Chapter 1 Part 4 who often looked tired. Her black hair was cut evenly at shoulder length.
In her original appearance, she is usually seen wearing a pink track suit,According to Ainame Caroline's analysis in early August of the year before the main story, Takitsubo's pink fitness track suit is from the Robe of Feathers brand and her sneakers are a limited White Noise edition from Victoria, of which only 100 pairs were made. Between the Lines 1 that functioned as casual wear and sleepwear for her, Chapter 1 Part 2 to the point where Shiage believes that she would probably wear it to a wedding or funeral. Prologue According to Saiai, Rikou's track suit is "overflowing with practicality," likely indicating that Rikou chooses her clothes based on functionality and not on appearances.
In her appearance in Toaru Kagaku no Railgun, she only wears track pants with a white shirt. Her large breasts are apparently hidden by her track suit.
==Personality==
Paired with her tired looking appearance is her lethargic demeanor and is referred to be an airhead, Chapter 2 Part 7 often shown in illustrations as staring blankly into space. She can also sleep with her eyes open. She has shown to rarely express her inner-thoughts, and when she does, she sometimes does it without any emotional expression, an example of this is when she nudged Shiage that they should leave the family restaurant they were in as Mugino Shizuri needed to visit Frenda's grave. Chapter 1 Part 1
Despite this subdued demeanor, she truly does care about her fellow members, rooting for them when they are down as with the case of Frenda failing to stop Misaka Mikoto when they arrive to back her up. In fact, though the others can easily act as the most casual during non-missions, her subdued demeanor belies her kind nature. She is described as a valorous girl, Chapter 3 Part 7 despite her involvement in the Dark Side of Academy City. This indicates that she retains her humanity despite her involvement. This is backed up by Shiage's observations of her after she let him escape and how she may have been affected by Shiage's lamentations regarding nameless corpses being burned in the Dark Side of Academy City and how he might end up as one. Chapter 4 Part 4 Moreover, not only is she kind but quite selfless, as exemplified in the aforementioned sentence as well as showing in many opportunities she offers herself as a bait to lure out enemies while her friends escape regardless of her own physical state; in other times she refutes the possibility of being rescued from danger as the risk is too high. It is likely because of this selflessness that Hamazura Shiage wants to "bring happiness" to Rikou if possible. Epilogue
Rikou is in love with Hamazura Shiage and has shown to be quite possessive with him, willing to argue with a child over him, and has shown strong behavior towards any sign of unfaithful behavior unbecoming of her, to the point where Hamazura described that attitude as "a dangerous light in her eyes." Moreover, she has shown to be quite impatient towards Fremea Seivelun, often warning Shiage of threats of violence against her when she acts brattish towards them, forcing Shiage to calm her down, an example of this is her wanting to perform an iron claw on her. Chapter 5 Part 8 Finally, as of Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index, they seem to act like two married couples with Fremea as their child. This is shown by a dialogue with them while walking Fremea back to her dormitory regarding the need for detergent, at which point Shiage comments on how her attitude lacks sex appeal. Chapter 2 Part 2
==Background==
Not much is known about her past, but she herself states that is the only place she belongs to, which might imply that she is a Child Error.
As she is an esper, she likely went through to the Power Curriculum Program. After discovering the rare potential of her AIM Stalker of making her the 8th-ranked Level 5 or even something much greater than that, researchers ran a simulation on her with Tree Diagram but it found that making her one had conditions that were too severe. As such the researchers were forced to turn to the research of the Kihara Family, specifically the Ability Body Crystal as it had similar effects. However, according to the helmeted woman, simulations using the Ability Body Crystal had hopeless results. Despite this the researchers continued to tamper with Rikou's body as the possibilities of her power were too valuable. Chapter 12 Part 7
At some point, she was framed for a crime she didn't commit and arrested on these false charges. This was presumably a plan by some lab to get a hold of her or test the Ability Body Crystal, using her arrest to get her thrown in prison and then make her disappear once interest in her faded. However, Mugino Shizuri saved her, getting the charges against her dismissed through some unknown means, and subsequently recruiting her as support since Meltdowner is too powerful. Chapter 3 Part 2 She's been with Mugino the longest out of all members of . Chapter 2 Part 12
Her entry into , with Mugino Shizuri giving her Ability Body Crystal, was, unbeknownst to them, part of the research on Rikou. Epilogue In fact, it concerned both, with Academy City trying to see who between Mugino and Takitsubou would be perfected as a Level 5 capable of creating more Level 5s, while the other would be discarded. Due to her knowledge in the inner-workings of Rikou and her AIM Stalker, it is likely that the liaison was the one recruited her into for this purpose, though she implies Director Nakimoto Rizou had a hand in the false charges that led to the two meeting.
==Abilities==
===AIM Stalker===
Toaru_Kagaku_no_Railgun_S_E09_13m_13s.jpg|Rikou activating her AIM Stalker ability in the Railgun anime
AIM Stalker1.jpg|Rikou activating her AIM Stalker ability in the Index anime
AIM Stalker2.jpg|Full view
Takitsubo Rikou's ability is , a passive power derived from Clairvoyance and , Chapter 4 Part 10 which she uses to record other espers' AIM field and track them down. Rikou herself boasts that as long as she recorded their AIM diffusion fields she can track them down even if they were to leave the solar system. The ability also allows Rikou to accurately gauge the distance and direction of the target, as exemplified by Mugino utilizing it to hunt down Mikoto from a safe distance. So useful is her ability in that she is essentially its core, much more than Mugino Shizuri who is a Level 5. Chapter 4 Part 5
Initially, she required the consumption of the Ability Body Crystal to use her powers, as it was one of those abilities that can apparently be used when she is overloaded. Her continued use however have worn her body down to the point where she will collapse and become seriously ill if she uses it again. What's worse is that it can also be fatal. Under the effects of the Ability Body Crystal her eyes widen and enable to use her power. However, prolonged usage of her power eventually tires her out. During the events of World War III, she was eventually healed by Elizalina when she and Shiage managed to escape into the Elizalina Alliance of Independent Nations. Chapter 7 Part 1 She would then later use the powers on Mugino Shizuri, and later be able to search espers with the ability without the use of drugs, as for example when she searched for Fremea. Chapter 4 Part 5
Later, it is shown that, strangely, Rikou's esper power can also sense magic in some ways. She gets sick from Orsola Aquinas fused with Isis-Demeter passing nearby her, prompting Niang-Niang to call her a "connective type" and advising her to not "channel" that. Chapter 4 Part 1 She could also sense the presence of Annie Horniman and Westcott, Chapter 2 Part 12 as well as Madame Horos. Chapter 2 Part 12
===Potential===
Rikou has the potential of becoming the 8th ranked Level 5 esper. This is because of the potential her ability has, which has overturned the idea that there can only be seven Level 5 espers. Both Mugino Chapter 4 Part 2 and Kakine have stated that her ability allows for the control of their respective powers; they claim this to be done by reversing the flow of their AIM diffusion fields. Mugino further speculates that she could strengthen an esper and force them out of control if she desired.
During World War III Rikou was able use her ability to help Mugino's erratic Personal Reality with Meltdowner and in turn, that move was used to save Shiage's life. Chapter 11 Part 2 Much later, During the Ichihanaran Festival as Kakine he loses control of the Dark Matter due to Beetle 05 rebelling against him, and now was no longer being recognized as the originator he recalls on Takitsubo Rikou presence in the group when he attacked them for the first time. He also recalls the information on her ability and that she also had the possibility of using others’ AIM diffusion fields to distort their Personal Realities. He then theorized that she might have, either consciously or subconsciously, incited the change in Beetle 05. Chapter 7 Part 12 This seemingly backed up when Kihara Yuiitsu comments on Takitsubo Rikou's progress, referring to it as going "exceeding well" tagging her interest with her as gold. Epilogue
Knowing her potential researchers have speculated that if she becomes the 8th-ranked Level 5, her AIM diffusion field would be able to use as an intermediary to freely control other espers' Personal Realities, beyond Mugino's speculation. As Personal Realities were the source from which espers powers and phenomenon were brought into the real world, controlling it would not only mean increasing or decreasing an esper's level, it would also mean she could give different kinds of powers to anyone, switch powers between espers, or remove esper powers all together. For example: Hamazura Shiage would be given the Meltdowner while Mugino Shizuri would be brought down to being a Level 0. Moreover, Dual Skill a previously impossible phenomena would become reality. Furthermore, she can do it freely at any place she wanted to. According to the helmeted woman, if Rikou's potential is realized she alone could out every function that Academy City does, becoming an and practically making the Power Curriculum Program obsolete.
The problem with Rikou was though she had a rare potential, getting her to "bloom" was difficult. Hence the reason for the Ability Body Crystal, apparently to force her to show her potential through overloading her ability, though even this wasn't enough. During the course of the series, her relationship with Shiage and the struggles she had to face with him has opened up the path to her realizing her full potential as the 8th-ranked Level 5.
==Character Art Designs==
===Design Evolution===
Rikou's overall design remained the same for most of the series, having larger eyes and bigger heads as Haimura's style evolved. Rikou was designed to have the least presence amongst her colleagues.
===Gallery===
rikou15.jpg|Rikou's outfit from .
Ruikorussiaoutfit.jpg|Rikou's winter clothing from the 20th Light Novel Volume.
 Genesis Testament outfits.png|New winter clothes design for Takitsubo Rikou and the rest of by Haimura Kiyotaka for Souyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index.
Black Bunny Girl Takitsubo (Twitter).jpg|Rikou in a bunny girl outfit, drawn by Haimura Kiyotaka
Item at the spa.jpg|Rikou in an onsen bathrobe, drawn by Haimura Kiyotaka
c20130524_rgss_04_cs1w1_720x.jpg|Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S anime Character Design
Takitsubo Rikou-RailgunSBooklet.jpg|Takitsubo Rikou's character profile for the Railgun S anime from the fourth BD/DVD booklet.
Takitsubo Rikou (Index III Anime Design).png|Toaru Majutsu no Index III anime Character Design
==Quotes==
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==Trivia==
*Rikou cannot swim, though she can float.
==Notes==
==References==
==Navigation==
zh:泷壶理后fr:Takitsubo_Rikoues:Rikou Takitsubo
Category:Characters
Category:Science Side Characters
Category:Espers
Category:Level 4 Espers
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Category:Level 5 Esper Candidates