In 2005, Japanese studio J.C. Staff aired the first season of Shakugan No Shana. The hit anime series took fandom by storm, and slowly gained popularity across Asia. Through Animax Asia channel, viewers from neighboring Asian countries were able to stream the show in real-time.
Shakugan No Shana is a three-part series. Its last season aired in 2012. The story follows the ordinary life of Yuji Sakai, a normal high school student living his mundane existence until he met a Flame Haze named Shana. For die-hard fans of the show, Shakugan No Shana delivers an excellent plot full of twists so we compiled a list of reasons why it’s the best anime series of the last decade!
10 Original Plot
It’s not every day that we come across a show that’s a mixture of slice of life, shoujo and the fantasy genre. Shakugan No Shana’s storyline extends an ordinary life into worlds beyond his understanding. It's also a polytheistic setting, referencing many gods and their respective servants.
Aside from the otherworldly creatures featured in the show, the series also has its own terminologies that are unique to the show. The roster of characters is diverse and complicated, and the franchise has its own universe.
9 Romantic Love Triangle
Romance rivalries are a common theme for anime shows. What sets Shakugan No Shana apart from the rest is its complexity. Kasumi is a student from Yuji’s high school and she is obviously in love with him. Shana, on the other hand, refuses to acknowledge her feelings towards him. That leaves Yuji circling in confusion.
It’s obvious that Yuji has feelings for both of them but he is not ordinary anymore and he needs the kind of protection only a Flame Haze can give.
8 Shana As Tsundere
A tsundere is a character who starts off as cold and complicated in the beginning of a series. This character, as her story begins to unfold towards the end of the show, reveals her soft spot.
Shana is the perfect example of a tsundere. When she met Yuji, she always rants about how useless and stupid he is. She doesn’t like it when he speaks too much. At the end of the show, extending to the second season, Shana became more concerned with Yuji, just as she was supposed to protect him from harm.
7 Badass Official Soundtracks
The official soundtracks used in Shakugan No Shana offer no less than stellar performances. Japanese artists like Mami Kawada and Kotoko lent their talents to accompany the anime’s opening and closing credits. Powerful jams like “JOINT”, “Hishoku No Sora” and “Being” are some of the major fan favorites.
The songs are major headbangers and will rock you to your bones. Most of the songs used are from Mami Kawada’s albums while some were originally composed for the series. If you’re looking for something new to listen to, get a copy of the whole show’s official soundtrack!
6 Flaming Katana Wielder
We have seen a lot of sword users in various anime shows but what sets Shana’s katana, called Nietono No Shana, apart from the rest is its sentimental value. Shana used to be nameless but after she introduced the sword to Yuji, he named her after the sword.
The katana was forged and crafted by a blacksmith who was reborn as Tenmoku Ikko, its previous wielder and also a Mystes like Yuji. He has been obsessed with finding the strong one, a successor who is worthy of wielding the katana.
5 Female-Led Series
There are quite a lot of female-led anime shows in the market boasting about women empowerment and gender equality. While most shows feature men as protagonists, Shakugan No Shana tells the tale of a young girl who can kick ass and save the world, one swing of a sword at a time.
Shana is characterized as the stereotypical woman warrior and at the same time exudes innocence and sophistication. She is also portrayed more of the story’s heroine than an object of the male gaze, which is a positive decision.
4 Huge Fan Base
With so much merchandise released after each and in-between seasons, Shakugan No Shana became a successful franchise. Aside from securing a three-season deal and an original video animation, its final season was also simultaneously aired on Animax Asia. The show hit a glorious rating, ending the television franchise on a high note.
Aside from toys, collectibles, and games, Shakugan No Shana also became a favorite source for cosplay characters. Lots of cosplay convention-goers dressed up as Shana, complete with her signature sword, Nietono No Shana, and melon bread, her favorite food of all time.
3 Full-Blown Series
Shakugan No Shana received an order of 24 episodes per season, making it a full series. The show is lucky to have been granted a whole season because other anime series only last for 10 to 15 episodes per season. This is also due to public demand and the range of its fan base.
Each episode of the OVA lasts for about 24 minutes, enough to cover important scenes from the script and not too long to bore the audience. The pilot episode received high praise and the succeeding episodes continued blasting off the ratings.
2 Summer Slam Show
Usually, summer shows tend to become the most hyped in television, mainly because it’s the season when it attracts more viewers. Shakugan No Shana premiered as a summer show and the studio definitely knew how to take advantage of its circumstances.
The anime series has an English version dubbed by American voice actors. It also has a movie version that was released in 2007. The studio claimed that it is not a sequel to the anime series but an adaptation of the events from the first volume of the novel.
1 Based On A Light Novel Series
Since most anime shows nowadays are adapted from their manga counterparts, Shakugan No Shana was also based off its Japanese light novel series written by Yashichiro Takahashi and illustrated by Noizi Ito.
Currently, there are 26 novels published between November 2002 and 2012. The first two volumes were translated into English but the rest were left out of print. While both the anime show and movie were based on the novel, some parts in the film were not present in the series. Despite this, both of them covered most of the important parts of the books.