Shana: Volume 5

Introduction

I can hardly believe that we've reached the penultimate volume of Shakugan no Shana; it seems like just a few weeks ago that I was eagerly looking forward to sampling the first few episodes of this series. Of course it's not really the penultimate volume, as Shana is a series that has ventured beyond the first season, spawned an OVA and a movie. But Geneon in the US, before it went pfft, licensed just the first 24-episode season of Shana, along with the OVA episode. It's yet to release that OVA in the US, while MVM in turn got the first season of Shana from Geneon. Whether that OVA is released, whether subsequent seasons of Shana are licensed, and whether the movie ever comes to the West all depends on how loud and vocal the fans get. That in turn depends on how the first season turns out. So Shana has the final two volumes to impress UK fans with a story and a conclusion that elevates the show to instant, must have classic. At the end of volume 4, my impression of the show was that it was pleasantly agreeable, so it still has a way to go yet. Here's hoping it can pull a rabbit out of a hat over the next eight episodes.

Shakugan no Shana tells the story of high school student Yuji Sakai, and what happens when Shana enters his life. Shana is a Flame Haze, whose purpose is to fight the Denizens of the Crimson World and the Rinne they send to do their bidding, and stop them eating the lives of the people in the real world, who remain blissfully unaware. She isn't always successful, which is where the Torches come in. The balance of the world would be destroyed if people suddenly started vanishing, so Shana creates Torches to take the place of the dead, short lived replacements who eventually vanish from the world, along with any memory of their or the original's existence. When Yuji walks into the wrong place at the wrong time and dies, it's the start of a really bad day for him.

At the end of volume 4, we had just concluded a flashback that showed us Shana's origins and how she became a Flame Haze. So it's all change with a new story at the start of volume 5, complete with 4 episodes courtesy of MVM.


17. A New Chapter
You'd think it was a nice relaxing day at school, the sun shining and some fun moments in the pool, but suddenly attraction is in the air, and everyone is getting angsty. Yuji is training alone because unbeknownst to him, Shana is learning how to cook so she can prepare a lunch for him. A Flame Haze doesn't make that sort of commitment for just anyone. At the same time, Yoshida is preparing to confess her love to him, and starts by working up the courage to ask him out to the summer Misago Festival. They really should pay attention to bigger things, as another Flame Haze, Khamsin is in town. He's detected the distortion due to the recent disturbances and the number of Torches in the area. His mission is to correct the distortion and restore reality to what it should be. To do that, he needs a local who knows the area to help him, and he chooses Yoshida. Suddenly the timid girl is introduced to the world of Flame Hazes, and learns of the mayfly existence of Torches. At the same time, Sydonay's group Ball Masque is up to no good, with another plan in the offing. With Yuji as a Mystes, and with at least some foresight, Shana tells him that it may soon be time to leave the city and his old life behind. At the same time, Marjory Daw is getting itchy feet, and when her student assistants Tanaka and Sato hear this, they offer to go with her.

18. Shattered Wish
Everyone is hoping that their dreams will come true and their hearts be revealed at the festival, but the truths that are unveiled when Professor Dantalion launches his intricate plan are truths that no one is expecting. Yoshida's terrified of finding out that Yuji is a Torch, but accompanies him to the festival anyway. That means Shana is left waiting for Yuji, and when she goes to the festival to find him, she can't handle what she sees. Yoshida's distraught, Shana's jealous and Yuji, caught between the two winds up hurting them both. Meanwhile, as Dantalion's plan unfolds, and the most complex reality warp yet occurs, Khamsin is determined to correct the increasing distortion. He needs Yoshida, he finds Shana.


19. Within The Battle
Shana rescues Yoshida from the flock of Rinne attacking the area, but our heroes are wasting time coming to terms with the truths they are learning about themselves, and each other. Professor Dantalion's plan unfolds as he creates the Sacred Chapel in the skies over the city. He's operating from an approaching Zeppelin, but this time Shana won't have Yuji at her side when she goes into battle. Shana feels the distance between them stretch into a gulf, as he remains behind to comfort Yoshida.

20. Heartless Wirhelmina
While the Professor's plan may have failed spectacularly, it doesn't mean that his goals haven't been accomplished, and the members of Ball Masque are confident that the foundations to their plan have been laid. Shana still believes that she has lost Yuji to Yoshida, while Yuji is actually steeling himself to say goodbye to his hometown. The lack of communication is ominous. It's true also for Margery Daw, who leaves Tanaka and Sato without saying goodbye. But Shana's mentor Wirhelmina is in town looking for the Mystes. She knows that the Midnight Lost Child is what is attracting the Denizens to the city, and the quick way to deal with the problem is to destroy the Mystes' vessel and hide it in a more secure location. She wants to kill Yuji, and Shana isn't arguing with her.

Picture

Shana gets a nice 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer. The image is clear and sharp, and the transfer is impressive, showing just a few of the typical NTSC-PAL telltales. There is the slight judder during pans that is evident, but that's it. The character designs are simple but memorable, and the animation is vibrant and effective, blending CG and traditional 2D animation with what has come to be typical anime style.

Sound

You have a choice of DD 2.0 English and Japanese, with optional translated subtitles and signs. It's a surprise to see an action show forgoing the chance to show off its surround goodness, but the stereo tracks are effective enough with discrete placement of effects. The English dub is Ok if you like that sort of thing, although I didn't find it to be the best dub in the world. They changed the end theme in the previous volume and now in this one they change the opening theme as well. Neither are as catchy as the first tunes.

Extras

There are more extras to enjoy this time around, beginning with the usual trailers for Black Lagoon and Daphne In The Brilliant Blue. You'll find the Production Art Gallery, a 2-minute slideshow of images from the show. You'll also find the second textless opening sequence.

There are two Naze Nani Shana Videos on this disc, running to a total of 8½ minutes. In it, chibi Friagne and chibi Marianne return to offer some more insight into the world of Shana. This time the topics under the microscope are Flame Haze Khamsin, and the Ball Masque group.

Conclusion

Technobabble! I never knew how annoying it was, and this comes from someone who took his Star Trek intravenously. It's typical for your average sci-fi fantasy show to come up with its own lexicon, its own language to describe that particular universe. It makes that world seem real, more believable somehow, if rayguns are referred to as phasers, ships are propelled by warpdrives and hyperdrives, and transporters are energised. Occasionally Trek got a little too much, with a particle of the week, and whole reams of script just labelled 'Tech' for a random word generator to fill in. There are moments though, where Shakugan no Shana actually makes Star Trek look restrained. Everything, and everyone has an arcane title. The pace of the show is such, and the sheer deluge of terms is so overwhelming that I very quickly lose track. With terms like 'Unrestricted Systems, unrestricted method, Chanter Of Elegies, Midnight Lost Child, Ball Masque, Mobiliser Of Ceremonial Equipment, Steadfast Sharp Peak Behemoth and Sacred Chapel', Shana is turning out to be meaningful for about 40% of the time, and 'Blah' for 60%. I've given up trying to hold on to the little details, despite the Naze Nani Shana seminars tacked on in the extras.


What's odd is that I still find the show enjoyable. I suppose it's because at the heart of it all, and despite the nonsense, there is the strong emotional core set up by Yuji and Shana's relationship. When you care about the characters in a show, it turns out that you can forgive quite a lot. It does however mean that this still isn't a show that will have me sending off e-mails, starting online petitions, writing letters, and knocking on doors, demanding that the rest of it be licensed ahead of all other anime. It's one of the shows that if more is forthcoming, then I will humbly partake, but if no more is ever released after this first season, then I won't waste much energy in lamenting the lost chance.


In all respects, it's back to normal service for Shana, as the flashback diversion of the previous volume is put aside, and the on-off relationship of Shana and Yuji takes centre stage once more. The teen angst collides with the nefarious plans of the Denizens once more, as Yoshida and Shana vie for Yuji's affections, with Shana coming the worse off, as she gets an uncharacteristic attack of jealousy. At the same time, the truth about the Crimson Realm and the part that everyone is playing in the battle becomes clear. Yoshida has her own crisis when she learns that the Yuji that she fell in love with has been dead all this time, and the current Yuji is a Torch that replaced him. Another Flame Haze turns up to complicate matters, while the Professor, a comedy villain if ever there was one, tries clumsily to put his plan in motion.


I have to admit that the Festival story was a bit befuddled for me. The three-episode arc was overloaded with characters, confused in narrative and a little overcooked. There was a little too much cutting between characters and mini-arcs, and the central trio of Yoshida, Yuji and Shana fared a little badly for it. Their wrought little triangle just didn't make the impact that it should have. It does deliver in terms of developing the series villains, and ensuring that their threat will hang over the conclusion of the first season. It's really only the final episode on the disc that impresses in terms of character development and story, when the prim and proper Mary Poppins from hell, Wirhelmina arrives to take charge of the situation. The reason why the city is falling victim to attacks from the Crimson Realm is clear, it's Yuji, or rather the Mystes containing The Midnight Lost Child. Her solution is simple and straight to the point, kill Yuji. Of course a lack of communication complicates matters. Yoshida thinks that she has a future with Yuji, while Yuji has come to accept that his life as a Mystes will mean leaving home with Shana, while Shana thinks that she has already lost Yuji to Yoshida. So when Wirhelmina comes up with her kill Yuji plan, Shana doesn't throw up as many objections as you would expect. It doesn't hurt that Wirhelmina was the most interesting character to be introduced in the flashback story, and seeing her abrasive decorum confronted with the caring nature of Yuji's mother is priceless.


Shana may be back to the main storyline with the fifth volume, but the first three episodes on the disc are probably the weakest so far of the series. They're still enjoyable, and if you have been collecting the series, you'll have pre-ordered this disc already. Recommendations are really moot at this point.