Shakugan No Shana Second 24
What Must Be Protected (Final Episode)
Boy am I behind! Already I’m watching first episodes, and I haven’t blogged the final Shana. It was a good one too. Except for the lines I can’t get out of my screenshots. What the hell?
Yes. Who knows, Kazumi may live.
Recap
Shana and Wilhelmina battle Hecate and Sydonay, while Yuji tries to get to the Silver, and thus the Reiji Maigo, before he uses all his life fighting.
Imagine you never watched any Japanese cartoons. Now look at this. Weird, right?
He’s tossing around the Blutsauger even as he gets weaker and weaker, but Shana finally breaks through the crazy clock tower to go after him desperately. It’s sad just how crappy the high school episodes are, because I know they serve to make moments like this more dramatic, as Shana’s feelings for Yuji come to a head and seem to fill the previously-uninterested Yuji with the power to go on.
Aw.
As the clock tower tomogara begins its march, Marjorie uses the last of her failing energy to cast a Fuzetsu around it to protect the city, then flies out to save Kazumi from certain doom.
More importantly, I can’t believe you’re saving Kazumi.
The Silver proves pretty tough to beat, but I called it (not that that’s any huge achievement) — Hecate was the wild card. The scene a while back with the birds was obviously a hint, and here it all comes back to blow up in her face.
Birdies...
The memories and emotions she collected as Konoe make the silver try to enjoy some birds himself, giving Shana and Yuji the chance to kill him and get the Reiji Maigo. Hecate is further baffled when she finds herself tearing up.
Salt water? From my FACE? Oh GOD!
Thoughts
I’m glad to see the series end so well. It almost had me giving up, but I’m actually glad that I didn’t. The last few episodes really brought everything home — fast paced action, creative fight scenes, touches of fanservice, and the tying of the half-baked drama back into things. I don’t think the Konoe thing was a deus ex machina, since it was obviously planned.
Then you’ll just have to KILL YOURSE — I know, I know. Didn’t happen. Probably won’t.
Most significantly, though: the Yuji Choice Maneuver from last week was restarted, and the end of the episode treats us to sad-face Kazumi and happy-face Shana, so… could it be?
Yay END THIS PART OF THE STORYLINE NOW
I’d like to think so, but this show manages to make backwards progress an integral part of its story, so I wouldn’t be that surprised if the Love Triangle With No Sharp Edges continues.
Also, bonus screenshot because it was funny-looking.
- otou-san out!
April 8th, 2008 at 1:30 am
Somehow when they inevitably announce Shana III, they’ll tell us that Yuuji never really went to Shana, he got bored and went home (or alternatively, Wilhelmina / Margery End … promising) and Shana’s just happy because a melonpan truck overturned in front of her.
But the last few episodes were strong at least, I agree … although Yuuji and Shana should be embarassed that Konoe of all people saved the day.
Well, enough sarcasm, I know I’ll still be onboard for Shana III if they pull out episodes like these.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Ha! I was trying to think of how they’d get around that, melonpan truck must be it.
As much as I hate what they did to me for so much of the season, I still love the show and those last couple episodes are why.
April 9th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
If they pull something like last season where Yuuji is like, “Oh, did I choose you for something? I don’t remember,” I am going to scream and punch my monitor. Being misled is one thing, but resetting is much worse.
BTW are you getting a bug where the / slash appears after your apostrophes?
April 9th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Yes actually I am, now that you mention it. WordPress 2.5-related no doubt. I’ll have to take a look at why those are escaping instead of changing to entities. Or whatever the hell they’re doing.