Shakugan no Shana III (Final)

[Empty Overture]

Why am I not suprised that Mizu made this topic?
Anyway, I didn't care too much at first, but as of the past few months, the anticipation has been building up slowly. I guess I should go finish Shana S before october happens~

Considering I got spoiled by Mizu because he loves to rant about Shana when the oppritunity presents itself, I can legitimately say, I am REALLY looking forward to the final season.

[Animeruko]

If there was any filler to be had, it would have to be pulled out of their ass. .

That is usually where filler comes form lol. If what you say is correct though then it should be pretty good.

[Mc-Taz]

Shana being one of my favorite shows thus far, I definitely can't wait for the final season.
I'm very excited. Hopefully it will be able to exceed expectations. Though I do have to say that JC Staff has been dropping the ball quite a bit as of late.

I really wish that they will take their time with this one and do it right. The fans deserve a masterpiece finale!

[MizuMikomi]

So far this season has been absolutely amazing, I mean seriously!
No filler, 99.9% action, it's following the novels 100%, is likely the best anime of the season as far as I'm concerned.

[myskaros]

As I posted in another thread, "Shana 3: You Aren't Cool If Your Title Takes Less Than 30 Seconds To Recite"



I feel like the third season is just completely a different setting from the first 2 seasons. Before, you had a small set of super-powered people supplemented by a manageable set of humans, and bad guy arcs. It was easy to digest, easy to delve into complicated backstory without alienating the viewer, and easy to show off the various elements of the story (Flame Haze powers, Tomogara powers, magic, etc).

However, in season 3, we all of a sudden have Outlaw and the Tomogara army. We've been introduced to 50 new characters with names and titles and powers and partners (who don't move when they're speaking, making it frequently confusing to tell who/what is speaking when they don't zoom in on the object and you're not yet familiar with the voice). And, apparently there is worldwide conflict that was either absent or barely mentioned in the previous seasons.

Of the characters we've known from the first 2 seasons, only 2 make regular appearances (Yuuji- who is for all intents and purposes a completely different character, and Shana), and everyone else has been pushed to the side in lieu of watching 2 armies bulking up, pretending they're important when, to someone with no knowledge of the light novels, they're all brand new minor characters with forgettable names.

The only new character whose name I can remember is Sophie because they mention her name often enough that it's been ingrained, and Decarabia, because he has a ridiculous title (and the name happens to be used in Persona, which I've played recently). Stag beetle guy? No idea. Chick with the explody bracelet? Nope.

Am I still watching? For sure, I want to know how the series ends. Am I enjoying it? Yes, but not to the degree of most other anime I'm watching right now. Maybe the transition between seasons 2 and 3 is smoother in the novels, but it's quite jarring in the anime.

EDIT: Perhaps it would have been a good idea to rewatch the first 2 seasons + the OVAs before settling into the third season. However, that should not be a prerequisite for enjoying S3.

[Obake]

Yuuji's actions caught me totally by surprise at the start. Now, at least I get the "why", if not really the "how."

Episode 9 was AWESOMMMMEEE!

Spoiler:

Kashim finally fights, and we get to see why everyone thinks he's a badass. Tenmoku Ikko has a short-lived return as well, he's also cool as hell. And up next we have the return of Shana the Flame Haze.

So yeah, this has been great, one of the top 2 anime this season with Fate/Zero.

Question: will this really be 24 episodes long? I can easily see this arc finishing up the series in the next 3 eps, is there that much more to tell? I could also see

Spoiler:

the God of Creation getting his body back, and that going another 12 eps, but I don't think I'd like to see Yuuji as the antagonist for that long.

[MizuMikomi]

You bring up good points!
Which you can blame on JC Staff. For the majority of Seasons 1 and 2 they refused to follow the novels. In the novels Shana never used tenpa Jousai, at the end of season 1 she used it.

Fumina Konoe from season II is anime only.
Season two should have been more action packed, dealing with the events leading up to this. They took too many liberties, and the second season suffered because of it.

Shana III however is directed by the original novel author, and he is keeping it true to the story. The Shana anime we all know is nothing how the story really goes, I've been following the novels since I was made aware of them. And I would love them to reboot the anime using the legitimate details from the novels instead of bullshitting 99.9% of Season II, and taking too many creative liberties in Season I.

Overall JC Staff ruined seasons I and II, with II being the worst offence. Pheles did indeed appear at the festival, but Konoe did not exist.

Spoiler:

And all throughout the season two arcs in the novels Yuji was in contact with Snake of the Alter.

In total he and Snake have at least fifty conversations throughout the manga leading to Season III. Sophie was introduced in season I novel wise. And they skipped a bit in season III as well.

[spoiler]Yuji being mentored by Snake, spending countless hours in his library and researching strategies and tactics. The most we saw was him take the thrown in the Seireiden in episode one.

I am disappointed, as Season III was originally rumored to have around forty-eight episodes, which would have been more than enough for the last eight novels; what season III is all about. Unfortunately it seems they are going with just twenty-four.[/spoiler]

@Obake- The how is because JC Staff

Spoiler:

omitted Yuji's conversations with Snake in season II. As I said above there were fifty in total. Yuji is the antagnoist for the entire season, until the very last bit of the story where he pretty much mind fucks everyone with 'the truth".

It will be twenty four episodes long, and it won't be drawn out, at all.
There are still three major battles, the battle from the beginning of the first episode when Yuji was standing in front of Shana.

So far the arcs left are:
Current: Snake's true body, Shana's escape and rescue.

Spoiler:

-War against the Bal Masque in China + other Flame Haze wars
-The Bal Masque s' true ambition, and the truth behind the order of the world, Flame Haze, Snake, and the Bal Masque, which leads to the ending.

The current arc will take three ~ four more episodes, and the final two will take around six apiece
There's about nine Flame haze that have yet to appear, each of them is very very important to the story.

Spoiler:

The first episode is the battle RIGHT AFTER THIS ARC, where it shows Shana facing off w Yuji, with Snake's true form moving behind him. This current arc is about Shana finding herself; which is why she went Flame Haze without Alastor because that moment awakened HER powers, as Sophie said in her letter during the first part.

There are many more elements than you'd expect, plus the Bal Masque's true ambitions.

Now I will spoil the ending here so be wary:

Spoiler:

Yuji, the Bal Masque, and Snake wins.
Shana and Yuji live happily ever after in the brand new world created by Snake and Yuji within the eternal rift: Xanadu

Snake and the Bal Masque never fought because they wanted to, but only because the flame haze attacked them. Bal Masque was never evil, they desired to changed the natural order of the world to remove the need for Tomogara to eat power of existence.

Corpse Collector Lamies was a key factor in this, and Xanadu is created by the Reiji maigo and all the power of existence he collected over the years. The sole task that was assigned to him by Snake many years before the series began.

The way it ends is amazing, and I CAN'T WAIT to see it animated.

Fun fact: The ending allows for a slice of life anime sequel detailing life in this new world. As Yuji and Shana are assigned by Snake to protect the order of the world, and handle relations between the tomogara and former flame haze.

It's an amazing series, so if you don't want it spoiled, don't read that last quote, or the one about the arcs that are left. However, I only paraphrased, and left out a ton of details. xD

Edict: Actually now that I re-read about it, it seems the ending is left WIDE OPEN.
It's a great ending, but because of what does happen, it... well yeah.

The main series is over, but the author said he is "Considering his options", meaning he will likely make a new series based after the ending.

[myskaros]

You bring up good points!
Which you can blame on JC Staff. For the majority of Seasons 1 and 2 they refused to follow the novels. In the novels Shana never used tenpa Jousai, at the end of season 1 she used it.

Fumina Konoe from season II is anime only.
Season two should have been more action packed, dealing with the events leading up to this. They took too many liberties, and the second season suffered because of it.

Interesting. Too bad that I've only been exposed to Shana via the anime, then, since I liked both seasons. It looks like the first 2 novels were released by VIZ in the US, anyone know if they are planning on releasing more, or if another company picked up the license?

[MizuMikomi]

You bring up good points!
Which you can blame on JC Staff. For the majority of Seasons 1 and 2 they refused to follow the novels. In the novels Shana never used tenpa Jousai, at the end of season 1 she used it.

Fumina Konoe from season II is anime only.
Season two should have been more action packed, dealing with the events leading up to this. They took too many liberties, and the second season suffered because of it.

Interesting. Too bad that I've only been exposed to Shana via the anime, then, since I liked both seasons. It looks like the first 2 novels were released by VIZ in the US, anyone know if they are planning on releasing more, or if another company picked up the license?

Not sure, Viz did release volume three a while back, but I cannot find it anywhere. I have the first novel and it is MUCH different than the Friagne arc in the anime.

I was exposed via anime, but I started losing interest after Season II, and decided to research the far more superior novels. Although they are not full translations, the story just from summaries is a lot more robust than JC Staff makes it look.

If there is an anime that follows the end of Shana, I hope they actually bother to talk to the novel creator and follow his instruction. Shana III so far is a masterpiece as far as I'm concerned.

Oh and for the record... the action only gets more intense from here on out. :3

[Obake]

Thanks a lot Mizu! It makes much more sense now. Really looking forward to how the rest of it plays out.

It looks like the first 2 novels were released by VIZ in the US, anyone know if they are planning on releasing more, or if another company picked up the license?

That would be great. I believe I have those first 2 sitting around, never did read them tho. Would be nice if the rest came too.

[MizuMikomi]

Thanks a lot Mizu! It makes much more sense now. Really looking forward to how the rest of it plays out.

It looks like the first 2 novels were released by VIZ in the US, anyone know if they are planning on releasing more, or if another company picked up the license?

That would be great. I believe I have those first 2 sitting around, never did read them tho. Would be nice if the rest came too.

No problem!
When it comes to Shakugan no Shana, I am much more knowledgeable about the story than any other anime. Save for To Aru Majutsu no Index and Yumekui Merry, I am addicted to those too just as much as Shana.

I am hoping the author decided to stay 100% true to the story, since there's A LOT they have to cover.

I want to find the second volume, I've looked around everywhere but I never see it.
However they are still releasing the Manga, as I bought the most recent volume earlier this year.

I might go and check what arc that is at, as I kind of ignored it. Lol

[myskaros]

So you would recommend the manga, if that's the next best option? Unfortunately, they're only at the Lamies arc, and no new English tanks have been released in over a year.

[MizuMikomi]

So you would recommend the manga, if that's the next best option? Unfortunately, they're only at the Lamies arc, and no new English tanks have been released in over a year.

It's the next best option, but it's slightly watered down.
However, it does indeed follow the novels, so yeah... it's the next best option.

And I see, I thought it was somewhere around that. I might have been getting fan translations mixed up with official releases. I am a little scatterbrained right now, I'll do some research and see if anyone has bothered to release the next novels. Or give any information of possible releases.

I do know Funimation has rights to Season II, the Movie, S, and Season III now. So maybe we'll see something on that front soon?

[MizuMikomi]

Singer Mami Kawada confirmed on Sunday that she is performing the new opening theme song "serment" for the Shakugan no Shana III (Final) television anime series. ("Serment" is the French word for "oath.") The single will go on sale on February 1. Kawada had performed theme songs for the first two Shakugan no Shana television series and related projects.

Squeeeeeeeeeee!

Mami is back! Expected it, but still, it wouldn't be a season of Shana without Mami Kawada doing an opening theme!

Looks like ALTIMA will be doing the second ED theme as well... that was unexpected, since KOTOKO normally does, but I guess change is always good.

Source: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interes ... ning-theme

[MizuMikomi]

Finally! Episode, ten, the one I had been waiting for!
It's right on cue too, so that's even better ~

Two more eps for this arc, and then we will get to the midpoint, and then the real action picks up. But if shit got real last time, it was flung at the fan this episode!

Spoiler:

Shana defining who the Enpatsu Shakugan no Uchite really is, then saying it's herself, and utterly RAPING that Guze No Tomogara. JUST YES.

True Crimson!
Soaring Flame!
JUDGEMENT!
CONVICTION!

All four of those release parts of Alastor, she pretty much is using a light form of 'Tenpa Jousai', where she releases his entire being. True Crimson is his arms, Soaring Flame is his wings, Judgement is his eye(s), and Conviction is a miniature Tenpa Jousai. Alastor leaves her body for a split second, when she uses it ~<3

This was BY FAR, the BEST episode in the series, EVER.

Best scene this episode! JUST WOW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXDIzbKK ... e=youtu.be

Shinku! Hien! Shinban!
DANZAI!

This episode was amazing.