First Impressions / Shakugan no Shana

Summary:

Sparring with wooden poles as part of training one morning with Shana, Yuuji comments on how good it feels to move around after so long. Wilhelmina isn’t helping with the training but is instead going over all the information they have, and Alastor thinks that they should entrust things to her, including how to deal with Margery. Looking at Shana, Yuuji remembers the vow he made, and as he tries to follow her up the nearby stairs, he trips and falls. After checking to see if he’s okay, Shana runs on ahead to school. Back at her apartment, Wilhelmina decides that they can’t keep this a secret from Margery because they might need her help if Pheles is after the Reiji Maigo. She thus goes to see Margery at Keisaku’s house, and all it takes is Wilhelmina uttering one word to cause Margery’s anger to flare up. Meanwhile, today is the day of the festival, and Yuuji and friends all don their costumes for the parade. The girls in the class are so impressed by how Shana looks as Dorothy that they suggest she start thinking about a victory speech for the grand prix.

The parade soon begins, and along the route, Yuuji notices his parents are watching. Eita and Keisaku are disappointed that Margery didn’t come too, but to their surprise, Shana knows that she’s here and points her out in the crowd. Indeed, Margery came with Wilhelmina and wants to know what Wilhelmina has to say, but Wilhelmina insists on keeping it under wraps until tomorrow night when everyone is together. After watching Shana, Yuuji, and all the others putting everything they have into their performance along the parade route, Margery agrees to wait until then, but she wants no more delays or secrets. By the time the group reaches the end of the parade route, Yuuji is helping prop an exhausted Ike up, but they then get mobbed by classmates and Ike faints. The rest of the day for them is spent manning the class’s crepe stand and historical exhibit. At one point, Wilhelmina and Margery visit the stand due to Ogata dragging them there, and Shana has Wilhelmina taste a crepe that she made. Wilhelmina then shares this crepe with Margery, and though Margery finds it too sweet, she doesn’t mind for such a day.

While the others get a chance to explore the festival, Yuuji and Kazumi are left to man the historical exhibit. Thinking about what Yuuji’s mother and father advised, Kazumi suddenly asks Yuuji if she can wait. She admits being greedy and feels that it’s not enough just to like him – she wants happiness for both of them. That’s why she wants to wait for him until he decides. Yuuji doesn’t get to answer her because the festival committee interrupts them with an announcement over the PA system about the nominees for the best costume prize. It turns out that Yuuji, Kazumi, and Shana are all chosen, and Shana decides to publicly tell her feelings to Yuuji. Around this time, Konoe is eating on the side of the school building when she feels a wind and realizes something. Unaware of what’s coming, Yuuji and the gang are at the prize ceremony, and Shana ends up winning first place in the women’s category. Before Shana can finish announcing her love to Yuuji though, his hand accidentally touches the girl next to him, and an unrestricted method activates. This leads to a giant twister forming, and from that twister appears Pheles.

Preview:

So if you’ve gotten tired of all the school life and relationship development stuff, they’ve now created the perfect storm for next episode. On one side, we have Margery who’s bound to go berserk when she sees Yuuji’s flame color, and on the other, Pheles is after what’s inside Yuuji. Shana, Wilhelmina, and Yuuji are caught in the middle, and that looks to set up a potentially very exciting three-way battle. Plus, the preview hints at something happening to Ogata, which isn’t something I was expecting. Heck, if they then throw Konoe into the mess, then it could be utter chaos. That might not be too far fetched an idea though, if her reaction to the wind was any indicator.

Unfortunately, what makes this cliffhanger so frustrating is that we’ll have to wait until January 11th for the next episode because of a two-week break (just like most other shows are also taking).

59 Comments

  4. Damn why do they have to end like that it just increases the tension and the excitement, of all the time why does Pheles have to appear nearing the end of the show. This is just like CLANNAD.

    setsuke
    Reply

  17. “Whoa, eyecatch! I didn’t realize she had a long (looooong) axe.”

    Actually I think it’s a polearm of some kind, not showing the whole thing in that picture, There’s a spear-tip at the very end.

    Newprimus
    Reply

  19. @golthin: I believe Pheles is a Tomogara, but she’s without a doubt the hottest in Shana so far.

    Finally thinks are getting wild. Even Konoe seems to be about to shed her mask. Now I can’t wait for Yuuji to go wild. Pheles or Margerie, which one is he going to fight?

    bearzerger
    Reply

  20. Pheles is not a Flame Haze, golthin. She’s a Crimson Lord… or a “King of Guze” if you follow Eclipse’s subs. Sorry to correct you. It’s just… it was so obvious.

    … I’ve commented too much here. Think I should stop for a bit, until there’s more pages of comments.

    I’ll just say that this episode was very well written, but I’m still expecting all the anti-slice-of-life folk to come on in and call it terrible.

    And Konoe has shown the final proof she’s not human… like we needed it anyway.

    Tokkan
    Reply

  21. Uh, Konoe isn’t human? How?

    Looks like it might be a potential three-way fight involving the Mystes Yuji, the Flame Haze Margery, and the Guze Queen Pheles. (Heh, I know she’s termed a King of Guze but I tend to take gender of the titles into consideration.)

    capoexecutor
    Reply

  28. Where in this episode did Konoe shed her human identity? I can’t tell from the pictures. I’ve always thought she was going to do so the same time Hecate was first scheduled to appear. But she’s going to do so earlier?

    Well, personally I’m certainly glad to be fully rid of the school dating-sim arc. Next up should be awesome 2-on-2 fight! I hope the animation quality for the next episode is top notch.

    Meh
    Reply

  35. might be why the two week break is in. the production team is looking for either Kotoko or perhaps some other J-pop singer.

    When that girl touched Yuji’s hand, the Kaze no Tenrin activated and that might have drawn Pheles to appear via apparition in the Unrestricted Method.

    Geez, where’s the Blutsauger when Yuji really needs it as Margery catches sight of his Silver flame?

    capoexecutor
    Reply

  36. @capoexecutor at 8:32 pm on December 20th, 2007

    Uh, Konoe isn’t human? How?

    Looks like it might be a potential three-way fight involving the Mystes Yuji, the Flame Haze Margery, and the Guze Queen Pheles. (Heh, I know she’s termed a King of Guze but I tend to take gender of the titles into consideration.)
    _________________________________________

    Your a fucking idiot o.o you SERIOUSLY

    Daiske
    Reply

  37. @capoexecutor at 8:32 pm on December 20th, 2007

    Uh, Konoe isn’t human? How?

    Looks like it might be a potential three-way fight involving the Mystes Yuji, the Flame Haze Margery, and the Guze Queen Pheles. (Heh, I know she’s termed a King of Guze but I tend to take gender of the titles into consideration.)
    _________________________________________

    Your a fucking idiot o.o you SERIOUSLY couldn’t tell that bitch wasn’t human? For gods sake dude I already knew what kind of being she was in the first episode they introduced her she’s like a god damn pigeon or something she had a feather in her hair which was apparently extremely hard to take out and she was obsessed with birds in a park and for some reason she mysteriously becomes Ill every once in a awhile and I am sure there are many more clues I can’t remember off the top of my head but…hmmm I wonder….could it be because she has to maintain her human form? No no that couldn’t be it that bitch has to be human o.o your a fucking genius man

    Jesus christ dude what is your IQ 80? I’m surprised you can distinguish between genders but congratulations you achieved something nearly everyone in the world has including most handicapped you should feel real fucking proud.

    I’m tired. So for some reason I actually cared about his stupidity that or I’m EXTREMELY bored xD

    Daiske
    Reply

  41. Easy there, Daiske. The J.C. Staff’s slice-of-life content tends to deter interest from certain key elements. Wow, and to think idiotic comments could draw quite a rant from someone like you.

    No, I’ve had chairs and two-by-fours smashed on my head when growing up as a kid in a very abusive family so my brain never developed that well.
    How I’m able to type like this is beyond me.

    capoexecutor
    Reply

  44. The fact that they’ve already tried to prove that she wasn’t human and that she gave out blood instead of power of existence is evidence that she is human. But who knows, infact I don’t think she was suppose to be part of the original Light Novel in the first place. Correct me if I’m wrong. This is what i’ve just heard.

    All though, capoexecutor you are quite correct that there is some evidence that could hint out there might be some way to give a human form rather then that of a Tomugara/Mystis. Btw, is it just me or do Flame Haze bleed blood rather then power of existence when they get a cut injury?

    Sora no Kaze
    Reply

  46. @ Sora no Kaze

    Yeah, they bleed blood. Shana’s multiple injuries ranging from the Blutsauger that Sorath used to getting impaled by Wilhelmina’s ribbon javelin in Season 1.

    Then in season 2, you see Yuri spewing blood when Sydonay slashed at him.

    Flame Haze are still human.

    capoexecutor
    Reply

  50. @Sora no Kaze

    You’re correct. In the novels, Konoe did not exist. And Hecate has not yet appeared in person at this point either. Basically, there was only school-life stuff between Wilhelmina trying to kill Yuuji and the appearance of Pheles, with the exception of a flashback that the anime is apparently skipping over(I won’t mention details in case they actually decide to put that back in).

    And I believe(memory’s failing me here) Flame Haze are still technically human. It’s just that they can use power of existence to heal/protect themselves.

    Meh
    Reply

  52. Oh my… The preview monologue was very ominous. If Ogata is consumed by Pheles (along with a good chunk of the school populace, probably), then she’s going to be the first 1st-season character in SNS to kick the bucket.

    When it happens… Angst. You know it will come.

    Myssa Rei
    Reply

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