First Impressions / Shakugan no Shana

Summary:

Unaware that two Tomogara called Zarovee and Bifrons have been sent after him, Yuuji continues his training under Margery’s instruction. Earlier, Wilhelmina had suggested that he was cut out to be a skilled user of unrestricted methods like Margery since he has a lot of spirit of existence. They weren’t sure if Margery would be willing to train him, but Yuuji had been adamant about getting her help because he wanted to be able to fight in that manner too. Margery had indeed been willing, especially since Yuuji’s silver flame is a clue for her, and she now has him form a ball of flame and hit a floating paper charm. Yuuji succeeds, but he also gets hit in the face afterwards because there was still some power left in his hand. After he quickly masters the training she gives him and wants to do more, Margery warns him not to get carried away. She does, however, give him Blutsauger to carry around in paper charm form, and before she leaves, she tells him that resolve is decided in the heart, not the head. Because Yuuji responds by pointing out that getting this resolve is nevertheless still the same, Margery decides to call off training on the following day so that Yuuji can cool his head.

On the way home, Shana asks Yuuji if something happened because she’s noticed how different he’s been acting lately. Yuuji admits that the things that happened at the festival made him realize the nature of his existence, including how there’s something unknown inside of him. He knows that he can’t stay there forever as just Sakai Yuuji because he’s already on the Flame Haze side of things, and for him to move forward together with her, he feels that he has to become stronger. After parting ways for the night, Shana thinks that she should be happy because of what Yuuji said, but she realizes that she’s not. Yuuji meanwhile returns home and finds his mother sick, so he ends up taking time off from school the next day. Shana and Kazumi find out about it from their teacher, and Shana rushes over immediately after school to see Chigusa. Kazumi, on the other hand, tells Ike that she doesn’t want to use this as an excuse and worries that she’d be troubling Yuuji. Ike thinks that she’s thinking about it incorrectly and urges her to go help Yuuji if that’s what she truly wants because that’s what’s important. Realizing the truth in Ike’s words, Kazumi applies this idea to her using the Hougu that she got from Pheles as well – what’s important is that she wants to use it, and so if she wants to save Yuuji, she’ll do it.

At the Sakai home, Shana finds Yuuji’s mother in bed, but she’s in good spirits. When Chigusa says that Shana coming to see her is enough to make her happy, Shana promises to come the following day too and promises to bring Wilhelmina along. Yuuji walks Shana home afterwards, and, along the way, he admits that all this has made him think about what would happen to his mother if he disappeared. His father is rarely home, and they don’t have relatives, so he somewhat worries about what would happen to her if she collapsed while by herself, but he feels that it can’t be helped because he won’t be able to stay at her side. This bothers Shana because she knows that he’s right, yet she doesn’t agree. The next day, Wilhelmina sends Shana to the Sakai home with a package of medicinal herbs for Chigusa. When Shana arrives there, she finds Kazumi already at the door trying to give Yuuji some more food, but Yuuji, who had earlier decided that he couldn’t leave things with Kazumi unresolved forever, actually rejects it. Because he’s decided that he has to leave with Shana, he feels that he can’t depend on Kazumi’s kindness or trouble her any more.

When Yuuji tries to apologize, Kazumi surprises him by saying that she’d be okay with her love towards him being a bother and that she’d accept if he rejected her because that would be his answer to her feelings. However, the answer he just gave her isn’t like that, and she doesn’t want him apologizing for her own feelings. Kazumi then runs out, and in trying to chase her, Yuuji bumps into Shana who had overheard everything. Shana says that she understands Kazumi’s feelings of anger and suggests that she has felt the same way since yesterday. In short, she thinks that Yuuji is lying about leaving with her and about his lack of concern for his mother, and she declares that she doesn’t want to go anywhere with him right now. Yuuji doesn’t understand why Shana and Kazumi are acting like this though, particularly now that he’s finally realized his true self. He goes for a walk by himself and is passing by the river when a mysterious man suddenly appears and comments on how unhappy Yuuji looks. There are four exact copies of this person who introduces himself as Zarovee, and Yuuji realizes too late that he is a Tomogara.

Preview:

I feel like I should be happy that Yuuji is finally taking a more confident stance, but the way he approaches the idea of leaving everyone except for Shana and the other Flame Haze behind is kind of frustrating. Maybe I’ve been watching too many shows like Bleach which make heavy use of the nakama (friends/comrades) idea, but I think that after all this time, Yuuji should know that his friends are one of his greatest assets. I suspect he won’t understand this better until either Kazumi sacrifices herself to summon Pheles using that Hougu or something similar to that happens. Still, I am glad that he’s getting character development along with some new skills to use, and hopefully the upcoming battles will showcase some of those abilities. Zarovee and Bifrons seem to be pretty unique enemies, and like I’ve noted before, I’m really looking forward to Yuuji kicking some ass with the Blutsauger like he appears to be in the current OP animation.

39 Comments

  15. I don’t think that’s a Saber-like outfit. I mean if you mean the tie and shirt, then perhaps, but that’s a large number of choices. The typical white shirt with matching tie/bow isn’t that uncommon…

    Shut up ~Desu.
    Reply

  21. I’m positive they’ll use this image () in an episode of Shakugan no Shana-tan, with a slashable subtext XD. They even have that slashable Shana-tan with the old man basically doing Yuuji, lol.

    Reikalover
    Reply

  28. @dark
    If the DVD sales for the second season keep rising, we’ll see a third season in 2009, and I’m thinking summer (or fall) of 2009, because they should keep the novels running to get enough material. To keep the fandom raging, a second movie with a side story should be premiered in spring 2009, and an OVA/Special this Christmas.

    Reikalover
    Reply

  29. Reikalover: Unfortunately, signs seem to point to the opposite happening, at least with the novels. There’s a VERY large chance the next book will be the last one in the series (it’s part of the seinen genre, after all, not a Shounen series that can go indefinitely). At most, a 12-episode half season and an OVA to wrap things up.

    Myssa Rei
    Reply

  31. @Myssa Rei

    Well, depends on where the Novel Stories are. If the Novel story has a few more arcs after what we’re curretnly watching, we could see a possible 26 third season or even a 4th season.

    Anyways, Yuji, is getting way to hot headed. He’s forgetting something important by constatnly thinking he’s just a mystes now. He forgets that he always wanted to be Sakai Yuji. He’s denying his own identity uncousciously to the point that he doesn’t even sound like himself. Hence Shana caught on a good point that he’s lying to everyone and himself. Possibly could have to do with Silver slowly possessing him, but who knows. Either way, Shana, beat him back into sense please. Onegai Shimas 😛

    Sora no Kaze
    Reply

  35. @Andrew
    thanks, that’s a lot further than I thought it’d be.

    With only 6 episodes left, I’m hoping that it won’t stop at another midpoint, and reaches a conclusion, though that might be hoping for too much and might cut out an arc or two. Not that I think it’s gone on too long, more like I lack the patience to wait for another season, if and when it comes out.

    blah
    Reply

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