Shakugan no Shana’s latest comes carrying the heroine helpless, incapable to stand up for herself against a charming Denizen – accompanied with the usual confusion and doubt trademark to the series.
After the first climatic segment of Shakugan no Shana Final. Overpowered overlord Yuji managed to completely turn the tables as he kidnaps Shana – believing himself to be akin to a heroic prince, rather than a mere criminal, within this mislead tale of flashbacks and ever-ridiculous plot twists.
As Shana sits meaninglessly held captive in a castle like a maiden awaiting her prince’s rescue, either that or another idiotic spiral into the depths horribly planned plot – Margery Daw lay devastated with the truth behind “The Silver” she so selfishly sought since season one. The entity merely existed out of her suppressed hatred towards the people from her past – essentially murdering them through her own desires.
Unable to cope with the pressure on her mind and suffering a literal mental breakdown, she now lays in recovery. With theory that Satou’s return would aid Margery’s condition, a character nearly as indecisive as Yuji when to comes to whether or not he should associate with Margery Daw, Tanaka, and a nuisance of a book named “Marchosias” (the vessel bound to Margery) wait it out.
As one can come to notice is the standard every episode, there has been a recurring pattern of a certain average everyday item receiving exceptionally copious amounts of screentime. For this episode, that item in question is the rectangular unit of slumber also known as a “bed – which JC Staff seems to be quite excited about implementing.
Firstly as the violent goblet Margery Daw lays unconscious, a bed is not too shockingly there. That’s all fine and dandy, yet as you come to see the others thrown in, it’s clear someone went a little over the top. Upon a flashback in the midst of her dismay, Shana reflects upon when she was but a young Flame Haze under Sophie’s care, and we see her preparing her bed as if she had not long awaken. Soon after a brief discussion however, Shana is in fact sharing a bed with the famed Commander of the Flame Haze.
By this point, surely enough is enough – Shana in bed with a woman? After several seasons of the detestable tactic dubbed “cockblocking” taking place results, one would only anxiously hope JC Staff has in the least decided on producing some female on female results. Yet instead they back down only to deliver what they should have since season one – Sakai Yuji forcing himself upon Shana as she’s collapsed on the bed. As much as it is fanservice, this does bring out a moment of humanity in Yuji.
He obviously cares for Shana, and her adorable yet flat chested lolita body, further leading to the idea that he’s brainwashed to an extent by Sarei no Hebi somewhere along the lines.
Afterwards, we finally get to see Lamies, the “Corpse Retriever” from season one as he walks in on the commotion uninvited.
Meanwhile, the our gluttonous Team Rocket of SnS have been preparing their next moves, and looks like there will soon be another fight for territory. And to top things off, Dantalion, the mad professor of the Bal Masque appears to have been working on another crazy invention to use in the forth coming plan.
Not much has happened this episode at all. Again, it seems like JC Staff take the preparation for the main event far too slow – only to blow out all the action pent up over that time on a single episode. One can only hope this upcoming single episode do well in the way of not failing as tremendously as the action centric ones to come before it. The insignificant fights in between hold not much in the way of making you feel satisfied – however, this episode was by no means a bore.
While there were flashback of yore, it wasn’t over the same old squabble between the love triangle that Yuji tangled himself in. But rather to enhance certain elements of an impression a character gives off. Here we have Shana held captive like a lost, trapped little loli. Her flashbacks also reflected well as to show how vulnerable, and powerless Shana feels, as she finds herself as a child, trying to find her way out of what appears to be a small warehouse or a large storage bunker.
While these different flashbacks are a refreshing change, they aid but to only halt the progress of the main story itself. And it’s clear that Shakugan certainly doesn’t need any more flashbacks than it already has – especially when considering this is truly the final season of the series, unless JC Staff are hiding but a short extension to this highly anticipated Final for Shana.
Next episode, we are teased with Satou’s arrival at Outlaw, only to find he’s potentially turned himself into a bargaining chip as aims to maybe shift the motives of other characters. He is seen accompanying a snake of a character, who by face you know can visibly determine cannot be trusted. We reckon that Satou won’t be returning home anytime soon.
