First Impression – Shakugan no Shana III Final
Sorry, no melon bread here…yet.
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Well it is finally here the first episode of the final Shakugan no Shana series! And now it is time to give the hard core fans another chance to listen to Rie Kugimiya, as the short and tsundere Shana of course. So will this first episode bring us back to the original excitement of this long ass series!? I guess we have to find out! Time to give my first impression with Kara! Hope you enjoy this review. |
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Oh hi there, Fosh! So yeah, this is out pretty late (the second episode is already floating around). Why? Because I had to go read summaries of the last two seasons to remember what the hell happened in them. The minute I saw Yuji with long hair, I had to stop before I got even more confused and that was only within the first 3 minutes of the episode lol. I think I now have a pretty good grip on what happened though, so on to the review! |
So like I said before, the final season of Shana begins with a battle between Shana and Yuji (who’s hair is at least 3 times it’s original length). Apparently Yuji wants to change Shana’s fate and decided that having longer hair was the only way to accomplish this. Flashing back to the end of season 2, which was Yuji having to choose between Shana and that other girl who I don’t care about because she’s not Shana Kazumi during Christmas Eve. Shana sees Yuji for a brief moment at the meeting point, but then he disappears. He was never seen again.
Some time later, Shana now trains in Yuji’s (former) backyard every day and hangs out with his mother because she’s pregnant. She also notes that everything related to Yuji is gone and so are people’s memories of him because that’s what happens when a Torch disappears.
Kazumi also remembers Yuji, yet no one else at school can. Flashing back to Christmas Eve, Kazumi was waiting for Yuji as well and had thought that he chose Shana. However, Shana ran and flew her over to Yuji’s house, where they watched his stuff disappear. They both are pretty depressed. However, hope is not lost and the two have reason to believe that Yuji is still alive.
Flashing back to Yuji’s side of things, he has Flame Haze and Guze no Tomogara on the mind. Talking to the deep voice in his head, he asks if all Flame Haze are destined to fight forever. The voice says that the Flame Haze must fight in order to stop the destruction of the world that the Guze are causing.
Moving on to the rest of the characters, Margery Daw and her magical talking book partner, Grimoire. They talk about how Shana has been learning magic from Margery (because she’s THE magic character) and how it’s all because Shana believes that he’s still around. They also talk about Bal Masqué, the evil organization from the past seasons and how Yuji’s disappearance is probably their fault. This is the reason why they’re still staying in the same city. Also, they’re looking for The Silver that resides inside Yuji’s Reiji Maigo.
Margery also mentions that Satou has become part of Outlaw (the Flame Haze network she’s part of) as a messenger. Satou tells Oga that he’s going to Tokyo to work with Outlaw and apparently both of them remember Yuji as well.
Meanwhile, Wilhelmina is researching Bal Masqué and their attacks on Outlaw while trying to figure out their motives. She figures that they’re planning a huge attack and that the Reiji Maigo has something to do with it. While worrying about Shana, she comes home and tells Wilhelmina that Yuji’s seat disappeared. However, she mentions that the letter is fine still.
I thought maids were supposed to clean or something
Wilhelmina suggests writing a letter to someone named Sophie Sawallisch (a leader of sorts within Outlaw). Shana seems to like this idea and after she leaves, Wilhelmina explains that Sophie is one of the few people Shana can tell her problems to.
So while trying to figure out what to write, Shana pulls out a letter written by Yuji that her and Kazumi received. This is significant because they both got it AFTER Yuji had disappeared and so as long as the letter still survives, they both believe that Yuji is still alive.
On to Shana’s training, Margery and her have a magic battle. Shana uses her flame magic to create an arm made of fire, but she says that it’s still not complete and that she needs to condense it.
Back to Yuji, he decides that he wants to change. He joins with the voice in his head (the Sairei no Hebi), which gives him a new outfit and causes his hair grows to a ridiculous length. He’s last shown with Hecate (I thought she died in the last season), Bel Peol and ….some other guy as the new commander/leader of Bal Masqué.
I’m adding in extras for once~!
Alastor: An excuse for close ups of Shana’s (lack of) chest
“COME AT ME BRO!”
Magical arm wrestling! GO!
“You mean we STILL haven’t resolved the love triangle yet?!”
Whoooaaa this first episode was awesome! I loved the first few minutes watching Shana fighting and the fire effects I remember those were always impressive in this series and Yuji!? Dude your hair is so longggggg bro and you want to fight Shana? Well I know it really isn’t him but still I think he will get his ass beat. I did enjoy how the story picked right back up with the previous season with the Christmas episode, I was really happy that we got some recap to fill in the blanks for us. So good work JC Staff! You didn’t blow the episode on a full explanation of what already happened.
Oh that opening!? The best thing about Shakugan no Shana were the opening videos and music much like IndeX and Railgun JC Staff does great openings and sometimes great endings. It was really sad to see Yuji’s mom and other friends forgetting him! Oh the drama and Shana actually was sad! Well she did end up falling in love with him before the second season ended. And it wouldn’t be a Shana episode without a bath scene because we know that is key to any anime plot right? I am not sure which girl I actually like, probably more team Shana because she actually can fight unlike Yoshida who pretty much cries all the time, I really hope they do something with Yoshida this time.
So I guess we can see there was some sort of a contract made between Yuji and Sairei no Hebi! Well I that guy is the leader of the Bal Masque aka the really bad dudes for this series. Ohh almost forgot! Shana using her powers in a new way! I was really impressive watching Shana training a bit with her fire abilities I wonder what else she can do with them well we all know she can fly and stuff like that but what else! You know what I would love to see? Some sort of IndeX and Shakugan no Shana crossover because Shana is basically a mage right? However the only real connection would be through Margery Daw.
If you’re new to the whole Shakugan no Shana thing, do yourself a favour and watch the other seasons before trying to tackle this one. Even after reading a summary, I still don’t know half of what’s going on. I completely forget what Bal Masqué’s motives are/were. Hell, even the characters themselves don’t know what they are. And I thought Hecate was DEAD. …Or maybe she dies this season? She wasn’t even that interesting of a villain, so I don’t really care about her anyways. Hell, I don’t really think I cared about any of the characters when I watched the other seasons… Which raises the question: Why did I watch them again…?
At least Yuji is less useless now, though I really wish he would cut off that ridiculous looking braid. Also, with Yuji gone now, who will Shana tsundere around with?! What a dilemma. Also, Kazumi, give it up. You were amusing for maybe a couple of episodes, but it’s pretty much confirmed that Yuji is doing this for SHANA. Were you the one he went to see before going MIA? NO. So MOVE ON and go with that Ike guy. Seriously. I don’t even know what compelled him to write her that letter. She’s been useless. It’s been obvious since the end of the second season that the whole love triangle thing is pretty much over and it’s all YujixShana from here.
This was a pretty good introductory episode overall. They recapped some things and while I wish they had recapped more (for once), it’s probably best just to move on. No one wants an episode wasted on flashbacks. Moving on, the special effects used for the magic were pretty to look at as always. I really love those burning ashes that surround Shana. The OP was classic Shana material as well (you gotta love KOTOKO). Also, it was composed by Ryo!!!! I’ll probably watch the other two seasons before continuing on with this, but I do plan on watching eventually.
About Tag Team
We live, laugh, enjoy and strictly believe on "more the merrier". When together, we usually come up with very chatty, conversation-based episodics and interesting posts.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 131 comments
Uhh… if my memory serves, those letters that Shana and Kazumi have are ones THEY wrote to Yuuji, where they both tell him their feelings, and to meet him at a certain place on Christmas Eve if he is going to answer one of their feelings. The letters, supposedly in Yuuji’s possession and therefore part of his existence that’s supposedly gone, have come back to the original sender, serving as their beacon of hope and yadayadayada.
Anyway, I thought Yuuji looked rather cool with the long-ass braid. And I feel rather sorry for Ike here – Kazumi, I don’t know why you’re making do with Yuuji when you can just give it up and take the adorable megane-boy. 😛
And I’m glad that so far, Shana hasn’t done that annoying “urusai-urusai-urusai” thing. It was cute the first time she did it, but I wanted to tell her urusai every time after. Seeing as she and Kazumi are still angsting I suppose it’s only appropriate.
Anyway, I think it was a strong start to the final season, though no one who hasn’t watched the previous seasons (or at least, read through a summary) can understand what the hell’s going on. There’s a lot to be digested and as a fan I love the volume of it.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
…Well that explains why the one Shana got was pink. I really need to get on with rewatching so I actually know what’s going on.
YES. THE ADORABLE MEGANE BOY.
I don’t think Shana will be doing much tsundereing in this season since there’s a lack of Yuji.
Ahaha I thought a summary would be enough, but I guess not. I’m sure I would have enjoyed it more if I had come straight out of season 2 and the OVAs, so I’ll probably just watch this episode again after I go and do that.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Wooooo hoooo power of love! Or believing in you that blaw blaw blaw you know the rest…
Long haired Yuuji ftw! I like this “evil” version of him well that guy is just “borrowing him” for now I have a feeling he will fight for control before Shana gets to far.
SOON! Just you wait the shut ups are coming, I picture Shana doing that mid battle at evil-Yuuji lololol.
Great season so far! JC Staff loves Shana so much so they will roll out some amazing stuff, even if the story falls apart at least it looks great! Right?
POWUH: 1100-1199 and Meta's Evil rice-flour Product with 1137 comments
When i saw this come out, i marathoned Shana 1 and 2, cuz i figured if it had a third season it had to be half decent. It was okay, nothing special, but seeing as i’ve just spent 50 or so episodes of my life on them i might as well finish it and watch this season
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
…And that just about sums up why I’m watching this. (Well, planning to watch this)
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Shana is a odd series for me! I loved both seasons even thou I remember they were sort of fail for the most part with great action and animation…But nothing else really story always seems to fall apart so fast T__T
Agreed! If you have survived both seasons and those POS OVA’s you can sit through more derp-ish Shana <3
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
Yuuji’s hair sold me. Season 2 was entirely forgettable imho, the OVAs even more so, that I had to refresh myself with the ending of season 2 so I could understand the beginning of the third season.
As long as he keeps the fabulous hair and it doesn’t turn into a Shana whine-fest I’ll watch it for a bit longer… season 2 and the OVAs left a really bad taste. Kind of how endless eight just ruined Haruhi for me. I approached the new episodes after endless eight with a “meh” feeling – although the movie was really well done.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Ahaha well that makes me feel better about pretty much forgetting about it.
I’m on the fence about his hair. Though it does make him look badass. The OVAs were alright (I actually remember those), though they are in a weird spot since that’s back when Shana still didn’t care about people and etc.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Long hair always makes you more bad ass! Seriously take a page from Ichigo and his final hollow form = Super long hair. The OVA’s were terrible! All those were for the most part fan-service and Yuuji and Shana swap bodies for one of them…
Can’t forget Shana! She has amazing hair when it catches fire <3 <3
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
Yeah, I never finished season 1, so I wasn’t going to check this out, but what the hell, right?
It made little sense, even though I was familiar with most of the characters. It looked pretty, though. That’s one thing that the Shana franchise really has going for it, it is a good showcase of J.C. Staff’s ability to do nice artwork and animation. Unfortunately this show just isn’t going to make sense to me until / unless I watch the rest of season 1 and the second season (and the various movies and so on?). Maybe some day I’ll have a chance to come back to it.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Ahhh yeah I don’t think you are missing to much without season one, I can’t remember anything dramatic happening…
Yeah JC Staff does love their Shana series! IT really does show off their designs and animation! Like the fire effects I always loved that about Shana. Well if you want the full Shana experience then you probably are better off finishing season one and two, movies not sure on but the OVA I know were pretty terrible to me
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 25 comments
xD you know I was speaking with my best friend about this.
“So Yuji decide to be on the bad side.” “Oh well… yeah..”
Then we both “BUT WHY THE LONG HAIR?!”
xD laughed a lot… I think he looks ridiculous!
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 109 comments
he became bad becouze he wanted to change shana fate as flame haze and end the war between the falme hazes and the denizens
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
[…] “This was a pretty good introductory episode overall. They recapped some things and while I wish they had recapped more (for once), it’s probably best just to move on. No one wants an episode wasted on flashbacks. Moving on, the special effects used for the magic were pretty to look at as always.” – Metanorn […]