A Certain franchise is further expanding with a new spin-off anime, Toaru Anbu no Shojo Kyosei (A Certain Dark Side’s Shared Life (ITEM)), focusing on the dark and dangerous side of Academy City. This announcement was made during the Dengeki Bunko Winter Festival 2025, alongside the confirmation of A Certain Scientific Railgun Season 4.
While Railgun will continue to explore the lives of espers in Academy City’s surface society, Toaru Anbu no Shojo Kyosei focuses on the ruthless world of underground factions, particularly ITEM, a group of elite operatives who handle morally gray missions. The series was first serialized on March 10, 2023 by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko publishing imprint. The spin-off is written by Kazuma Kamachi, featuring illustrations by Nilitsu.
You can see more details about the series and the announcement trailer for the upcoming anime below.
What is A Certain Dark Side’s Shared Life (ITEM)?
Toaru Anbu no Shojo Kyosei (A Certain Dark Side’s Shared Life (ITEM)) is a spinoff set in the darker side of Academy City, focusing on the infamous underground organization ITEM.
Who are ITEM?
ITEM is one of Academy City’s dark side factions, consisting of high-level espers who take on covert and often deadly missions for the city’s ruling powers. While they operate as a team, their relationships quite complex. The team consists of:
- Shizuri Mugino (CV: Ami Koshimizu) – A Level 5 esper and the group’s leader, known for her powerful Meltdowner ability and explosive personality.
- Riko Takitsubo (CV: Aya Suzaki) – A Level 4 esper with AIM Stalker, an ability to track other espers, though at a big cost to her own health.
- Frenda Seivelun (CV: Maya Uchida) – A combat specialist who relies on traps and explosives rather than esper powers.
- Saiai Kinuhata (CV: Chinatsu Akasaki) – A Level 4 esper who manipulates nitrogen with Offense Armor, making her nearly invulnerable.
Unlike the protagonists of A Certain Scientific Railgun, ITEM’s members aren’t heroes as they operate in morally ambiguous territory. You can meet the 4 main ITEM members in the anime announcement trailer below.
The original author of the series commented on the anime.
Kazuma Kamachi (Original Author) on ITEM’s Anime Adaptation
Both A Certain Dark Side’s Shared Life and A Certain Scientific Railgun are getting animated! These characters are finally going to move and talk non-stop!”
Despite both stories focusing on privileged girls, their morality is completely different. It could be fun to compare them! One major contrast is teamwork—while Mikoto collaborates, ITEM’s dynamics are much more volatile. Interestingly, Mugino is actually far more dependent on her teammates than one might expect. But when she takes the lead, there’s no one left to stop her…
On the other hand, Mikoto’s personality shifts depending on who she’s working with, revealing different sides of her character. That’s something to watch for! I hope you enjoy both series!
The Legacy of the A Certain Series
The A Certain franchise originated from Kazuma Kamachi’s light novel A Certain Magical Index (Toaru Majutsu no Index), which first began in 2004 under Dengeki Bunko. The story is set in Academy City, a futuristic metropolis where scientific advancements allow for the development of esper abilities. It follows Toma Kamijo, an unlucky student with the mysterious power “Imagine Breaker,” as he gets mixed up into all sorts of trouble.
Following its immense popularity, the franchise expanded with multiple anime adaptations and spin-offs, including:
- A Certain Magical Index (2008–2019) – The main series, following Toma’s battles against magical organizations and Academy City conspiracies.
- A Certain Scientific Railgun (2009–present) – A spin-off focusing on Mikoto Misaka, a Level 5 esper, and her battles to protect Academy City.
- A Certain Scientific Accelerator (2019) – Another spin-off centered on Accelerator, Academy City’s strongest esper, as he struggles between his past sins and his newfound desire to protect others.
With Toaru Anbu no Shojo Kyosei (A Certain Dark Side’s Shared Life (ITEM)), the franchise is also bringing focus to the Academy City’s underground world, introducing dark organizations and their relationship with the espers.
Source: A Certain Official YouTube
© Kazuma Kamachi / Illustration by Nilitsu
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