Shakugan No Shana – Review

Shakugan no Shana is one of the most famous action anime from the 2000s. It started as a light novel series in Japan which was written by Yashichiro Takahashi and illustrated by Noizi Ito. The anime details about the two parallel worlds, the Crimson Realm, and the human world, which a conflict exists between the inhabitants.

Other than an anime, the show has also been released as a radio drama, a manga, and even a video game featuring the characters. The writer also wrote the anime A/B Extreme.

These are the main characters in this series:

Yuji Sakai (坂井 悠二 Sakai Yūji) is the male protagonist in the Shakugan no Shana series, a Mystes who has the Treasure Tool Midnight Lost Child inside of him. The story of Shakugan no Shana revolves around his life, both as a high school student and as a Mystes involved in the battle between the Flame Haze and the Crimson Denizens, alongside the Flame Haze Shana.

Eventually, he merges with the powerful Crimson God called the Snake of the Festival and becomes his “substitute body” (代行体 daikō-tai?) until the completion of Bal Masqué’s Grand Order. With this, he aims to eliminate the never-ending conflict between the Flame Haze and Crimson Denizens.

Shana (シャナ Shana) is the female protagonist of the Shakugan no Shana series. She is an unnamed Flame Haze, usually referred to among other Flame Haze by her title “Flame-Haired Burning-Eyed Hunter” (炎髪灼眼の討ち手 Enpatsu Shakugan no Uchite?), or as “The Flame Haze of the Nietono no Shana” (贄殿遮那のフレイムヘイズ Nietono no Shana no Fureimuheizu?) after the name of her sword. She has entered into a contract with the Crimson God Alastor, “Flame of Heaven”.

Kazumi Yoshida (吉田一美 Yoshida Kazumi) is Yuji Sakai’s classmate and a resident of Misaki City. She eventually becomes rivals with Shana for Yuji’s affection and is one of the few notable humans from Misaki City who has knowledge of the existence of Flame Haze and the Crimson Realm. Kazumi is a young woman with short light brown hair cut above her shoulders and bangs which come down to her eyes. On the left side of her head, she usually wears two orange hair clips and a large white ribbon which she entwines through a bunch of her hair to form a cross above the ribbon bow. Kazumi has brown eyes and a light complexion. She also has rather large breasts, though they’re not really noticeable unless she’s naked or in a swimsuit.

Margery Daw (マージョリー・ドー Mājorī Dō) is tall, “well-endowed” and mature Flame Haze with a drinking habit. Her title is “Chanter of Elegies” (弔詞の詠み手 Chōshi no Yomite?). She uses the book Grimoire, which is the Vessel through which the Crimson Lord Marchosias, to whom she is bound, expresses his will. Eita Tanaka and Keisaku Satō look up to her because she saved their lives once. Her reason for becoming a Flame Haze is to get revenge on a Denizen with a silver-colored flame. Even before her installation as a Flame Haze, she lived only for vengeance. Later on, she no longer lived for vengeance after she discovered the truth about the Silver. She is also known by the nickname “Murderer” for her slaughter of many Crimson Denizens. The color of her flame is ultramarine.

Alastor (アラストール Arasutōru) is the God of the Crimson Realm to whom Shana is bound. His true name is “Flame of Heaven” (天壌の劫火 Tenjō no Gōka), but he is also referred to as the God of Retribution (天罰神 Tenbatsushin?) and is greatly feared by Denizens. Alastor is the strongest of all Lords and Denizens, a “God that can kill Gods (神をも殺す神 Kami wo mo Korosu Kami) who is considered the only being capable of destroying the “God of Creation”, Snake of the Festival. Even so, he tries to keep the Denizens from consuming Power of Existence.

Alastor is a common and interesting name for a demon, and is used as the name of the radio demon in Hazbin Hotel.

What’s the plot of Shakugan no Shana?

It starts off a bit dramatic and sudden. Sakai Yuuji is dead. He was a normal high school student with a normal life. He expected to live a normal amount of time and always be normal. But he’s dead now. On his way home he witnessed a world that suddenly frozen and people were englufed by flames and swallowed by a monster. Things got crazy. And just as the monster was getting ready to eat Yuuji, a young girl with a sword and decked out in all black came to his rescue. She had beautiful red eyes and a bright red fire hair. The flame haze would hunt the creatures from another world that were consuming people. It’s a fight for the world’s survival yet again!

Shakugan no Shana is a very interesting anime and it touches a lot of otakus all around the world because of it. If you haven’t watch it yet, better try it out. Action & fun is guaranteed!