「星黎殿へ」 (Seireiden E)
“To Seireiden”

Things just keep getting better and better in this third and final season of Shakugan no Shana. Building on the momentum that last week’s episode created, there was a good balance between story-telling and straight up action.

Ever since Shana was captured, I was certain that she wouldn’t just accept being a prisoner and would somehow figure out some way to escape the shackles that were holding her down. The thing is, I felt a little let down when Nietono no Shana or more specifically Tenmoku wielding Nietono no Shana and not Shana herself ended up being the key to unlocking her restraints; especially after we’ve seen Shana use more wit than brawn with her insane powers sealed away.

That said I don’t mind the random help that comes to those who are truly in need. The look on Shana’s face as she was bashing that Rinne’s head combined with the constant screaming voiced by Kugimiya Rie made for one of the most depressing scenes I’ve seen from this show. And to be fair, two things were accomplished when Nietono no Shana headed back toward her. Not only did Tenmoku obliterate everything in front of it but who would have thought that he’d take Fecor down as well? You’d think that the Guardian of the Seireiden would be a bit more powerful! But more importantly, I’m honestly glad that Tenmoku physically carried the sword back to Shana instead of it just flying straight to her after she yelled its name out.

Like I said last week, wouldn’t it be great if Wilhelmina was actually trying to pull off a stealth operation while Rebecca and Khamsin were wreaking havoc on the Seireiden? Lo and behold, with the power of a stealthy unrestrictive spell, Wilhelmina is navigating through the halls of the Seireiden to save Shana. Seeing how Shana doesn’t really need saving, maybe Wilhelmina will get the chance to show off some of her stuff just like Rebecca and Khamsin have been.

In terms of the entire war that’s being raged across the world, I thought it was a little ironic how both sides are unintentionally bringing their strongest warriors to a single location. Seeing how both sides are taking precautions to avoid facing the other’s trump card, I just couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of a huge battle occurring in the last place anyone thought it would. But with the God Gate shattered, I wonder if it’ll have any effect on Yuuji and the Trinity’s return. I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

P.S. Good luck for everyone who are taking their Finals this week (or next week)! I hope you ace them and enjoy a wonderful Winter (or for people in Australia -cough-Rei-cough- summer) Break!

 

Preview

39 Comments

  1. I’m not sure Fecor is down for good, it would be a tad anti-climactic, especially since he’s one of the few members of Bal Masque other than the Trinity and Sabrac that we met before this season.

    Also, I looooove that Khamsin’s golem form has a freaking Rocket Punch.

    With four of the most powerful Flame Hazes wrecking Seireiden, and more on the way, Bal Masque is surprisingly finding itself in a pinch. I have a feeling that the “mid boss” of the series will be Decarabria, he’s fairly prominent in the group Bal Masque shot at the end of the OP.

    Fencedude
    1. What I don’t like about that is that Fecor is a reasonably powerful Guze no… (Ou or Tomogara?) but Tenmoku owned him without breaking a sweat. Shana, on the other hand, doesn’t seem as powerful as Tenmoku.

      Maybe Tenmoku needs a better master, haha.

      suff
      1. Last time Shana met Fecor, she was a little preoccupied, with the whole scene of Yuuji disappearing and Johan coming out. She was more panicked that Yuuji might have been gone for good – I don’t think she even attempted a swing at Magnesia. And Hecate was there, too. Fecor’s Magnesia was out at the God Gate this time too, so he was totally unarmed, and as the wiki says, Tenmokuikko’s existence isn’t detected by Guze folks. I wouldn’t say he’s overpowered, the circumstances were just really shitty for Fecor.

        Eclipse
  2. Hmm… might be just me but it looked like they shattered part of the sky that cloaks the whole place and not the gate itself because his rocket punch didn’t fly into the ever so fancy looking gate but into the starry sky.

  3. Having never read anything about Shana I doubt that the end of Fecor, I thought that while he was a weasel he was supposed to be rather strong too. Then again Tenmoku was pretty boss.

    Also Shana in that dress with her powers back……its a crime to look that good.

    Thundershock81
  4. Fecor is not weak but his luck run out when he meet Tenmoku, the reason that Tenmoku can slide through the ultimate defense like butter is that nieto no Shana can ignore effect of unrestricted method the reason that Tenmoku can slide through the ultimate defense like butter is

    Hayate-sama
    1. I may have to agree with you on this, but I think it might be the colour palette for the dark background the character is placed in. Let’s wait and see her blast off, eh? Which is how I wanted this ep to end.

      theskylion
  5. What Khamshin shattered was not the God Gate but the protective veil that surrounds Bal Masque. Its was the cloak that keps the castle hidden from the outside so no one can see it, but now that its gone its in plain sight once again.

  6. remember, Snake gambled everything on recovering his body – and presumably full powers…
    it is equivalent of Sauron getting the one ring, and arguably even loss of half troops and Seireiden would matter not then…

    ewok40k
  7. I am the only who wishes for Yuuji’s and Bal Masque’s victory? I have the feeling that Yuuji is the antihero and Outlaw are the devil ones, with Shana between, and don’t know what to do

    Abyss
    1. You asked this last week, too, yet every episode makes it more obvious that the grey area between the two “good and evil” forces is obscuring greatly. The writer WANTS us to doubt the traditional relationship of one side being malicious and the other side being righteous, and as it progresses, I can’t imagine how anyone is still expecting Flame Haze or Guze to be a “victor”. Good versus evil just not the case here, and it’s been pretty obvious due to many aspects: The very fact that Yuuji, Shana’s lover, is leading Bal Masque to “change the fate” of the world while still openly reminding us his ultimate goal is to be with Shana, the parable of Khamsin’s story about loving the monster and inevitably killing it in spite of their relationship, the link between Sereiden and Tendoukyu that has yet to be fleshed out, Alastor and Snake’s opposite roles as the gods of creation and destruction, the appearance of the Four Gods of the Earth, and their role as neutral parties [if this were truly a “good vs. evil” story, a neutral party would not be feasible], Rammie’s yet unknown reasons for joining Sereiden’s plan despite him being heavily implied to be Alastor’s friend… the list is huge, and I for one love how messy and complex it’s getting.

      Eclipse
    2. This is also why I asked the question about the difference between Guze no Ou and Tomogara. So far it seems that most of the Guze no Ou we have met so far are on the “good” side, while as the Tomogara are antagonists. However this no longer seems like the case.

      This show has mentioned this kind of issues before. For example Shana never had much hatred for the Guze no Tomogara Lamies, while as Magerie did. Also, Yuuji has been, since the beginning of the show, having issues with the concept of “Flame Haze”, preferring to call Shana by the name he gave her instead of “enpatsu shakugan no uchite”. I believe Yuuji probably chose this path so he can sever the hatred between Guze no Ou and Tomogara. Well, or at least sever the hatred between the Flame Haze and Seireiden… considering many residents of Seireiden are actually Guze no Ou as well.

      suff
    1. Yandere is what you are, not what you do. Shana is in the process of ‘becoming on with herself’ and finding she has to get good and pissed off to do it. Her pissy attitude for two seasons previous were strictly amateur hour.

      skylion
  8. Ha thanks for the good luck on the finals, it’s gonna be great… Anyways who else thought the last picture of Shana was epic. It was just the way the fire was animated in her hair that caught me eye.

    Zangkin
  9. sorry, I tried hard but really can’t recall who Tenmoku is and why is he calling Shana “master” (from season 1 or 2? been years since I’ve watched them). Almost thought he was a “summon” inside Nietono no Shana who was released after Shana’s cry LOL. Anyone care to enlighten me?

    nagi
  10. Now that’s some of the most insane and intense screaming I’ve ever heard from Kugimiya, captures Shana’s exploding frustration pretty well there.

    Just a recap for some of the uninitiated: Tenmoku no Ikko was once a very devoted swordsmith. Fascinated with the Crimson World, he voluntarily imbued his entire existence into his ultimate blade Nietono no Shana, and became a Mystes, taking the form of a sword-wielding armour in order to seek out a worthy owner for it.

    As a Torch, his existence cannot be sensed by Denizens and Flame Haze, making him virtually invisible and thus extremely deadly when he sneaks up behind them. He vanished upon recognizing Shana as the sword’s owner. But now, he returns once again, answering his mistress’s summons.

    https://randomc.net/image/Shakugan%20no%20Shana/Shakugan%20no%20Shana%20III%20Final%20-%2009%20-%20Large%2004.jpg
    This Denizen – Gavida is the creator of both Tendoukyuu and Seireiden, the twin floating cities. Seireiden he gave as a gift to Bel-Peol while Tendoukyuu he gave to Alastor. Overall, he’s a “neutral” Denizen much like Pheles and Rami that prefers mingling with humans more than rampaging mindlessly and sucking their existences unnecessarily. Though he seems to trust Alastor and co more than Bel-Peol when he divulged the secret portal that links the two floating castles whenever they’re in close proximity only to Wilhelmina.

    More of Gavida’s backstory can be found in the prequel manga Eternal Song and novel volume 10.

    Kinny Riddle
  11. Dammit hope the flame hazes lose! They don’t even plan on finishing off the denzins for good just making sure they don’t start a war again. THATS TOTALLY FUCKED UP!! The only ones who lose out on this are humans. The flame hazes just want to continue this never ending cycle of denzins killing humans and flame hazes coming in to kill them!! Those bastards i hope yuji wins and changes this shit!

    Zero

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