You know, it’s funny how everyone and their brother is giving up on the second season of Shakugan no Shana, because I just recently gave up on the first season.
My first exposure to the series came at Comiket, of all places. It was about a month before the first season premiered, and Geneon was advertising the hell out of it. I still have a lot of promotional material boxed away somewhere. The first episode aired around the time I returned to the States, and with plenty of other stuff to watch and the series not looking like something I’d be all that interested in, I passed on it.
Fast forward a year, and I found myself having second thoughts, courtesy of Zero no Tsukaima. Friends dissuaded me, however, so I kept on ignoring the show. And everyone else kept on talking about it. Not like it was the first time I had skipped watching a popular show for lack of interest.
With the arrival of the second season last month, however, I decided, “enough is enough,” and gave the first season a try. It started off well enough. In fact, it got off to a great start, which would only make the show’s flaws all the more conspicuous in later episodes. I think it was around the time the french kissing twins showed up that I realized I should have just continued ignoring the show like I always had. I didn’t care about the characters, the animation stunk, the story was like something out of a high school creative writing class, and I couldn’t stand Shana.
And that last one proved to be the final nail in the coffin. After all, I’m generally fond of Kugimiya Rie tsundere characters (I have a thing for Louise, for crying out loud!), but Shana was so simultaneously bitchy and boring that I cheered every time she got her ass handed to her. I’m really surprised by how popular a character she is; perhaps she grows more interesting with time, but I wasn’t interested in sticking around to find out.
So, thirteen episodes in, and I was out. But, before I put the show to rest for good, I think it’s only prudent to ask: does it get any better? Or am I better off not knowing?
If the show didn’t have you by about 7th episode, then forget about the rest, as Shana series more or less remains the same after that. The newest novel tried to fix it by having ***** becoming a uber *****, but it feels like the authors are trying too hard to impress without much materials to leave impression. I’m watching the 2nd season only for the Harem action, and see how much Chigusa can manipulate all the flame hazes.
Don’t even bother, as maglor said, if the first season didn’t catch you, then the second would only make you break down in tears of pain… It sadly quickly turning into an emo fest with Shana at the helm. There’s no story, no character growth, nothing but stagnation… so yeah, long story short, you’re just fine ignoring it and moving on. (and i was a fan of the first season)
I actually watched the first episode of the second season. It was like one of those show finale things where they just reuse the scenes from the series’ past (except I guess they reanimated parts, I dunno why). I figured that was enough and I gave up on the second season.
We all have a thing for Louise :P
lets just say that this anime has left me rotten. I enjoyed the first season, but now it seems the end is near for it.
But still I have hope. Next episode seems convincing. Ike confesses his love to Yoshida or fails to do so? Well can’t wait!!!! I’m gonna try to finish this season. I believe it will get better!!!!
Shana pretty much carries her series. Either you like her and like the show, or hate her and hate the show.
Except the second season. Even if you like Shana, you probably won’t like it lol.
Since you had expressed boredom against the 1st season, I wouldn’t vouch for you to continue it. As you’ve said, the story is something out of a high-school essay, albeit a better written one (something along the score of B+).
I’ve not watched the second season, out of the fact that I shuddered on the realisation of how some sequels (read: not all) plays along the original series’ success and subsequently lost their appeal to fans. This is one.
So in short: skip it. You’ve better shows to watch.
I gave up on the first season after the twelfth episode. First few episodes had great concept (the whole ‘what would you do if you thought you were just going to fade away?’) but it tailed off.
I remember it being pretty bad until around maybe episode 14, when we start getting flashbacks. Unfortunately, after the flashbacks we have some more emo boringness until the last few episodes. Looking back, I forget how boring it was, but going through my entries makes it seem like it was quite a struggle to make it through the series. Shana is just as annoying now, and she pretty much stays the way she is consistently throughout the series. Season 2 is reminding me of just how boring season 1 was, but I am hoping for the payoff in the middle of the series, the conclusion of the season, and in the eventual Shana-tan omakes which are absolutely hilarious.
Watch the movie and be done with it heh.
Like what most have said already, If you didn’t like the series till the 13 episode, you will not like the rest.
My suggestion is: watch some other popular series which you haven’t watched in the past. it may turn out better than Shana :)
P.S. btw, do you even like the action genre? becuase most of the shows you blog/talk about belongs to different genres.
Fun request: make your top 3 or top 5 of your most favorite anime action shows.
It’s basically a burned melonpan covered in moe so you can’t tell what’s inside - unless you see past the moe. I guess old farts like us see past the moe easily hence why we get bored. Frankly I watched for my usual “romance factor” hoping Shana x Yuuji would happen and sinec season 1 failed, I was hoping for something good season 2. But when they introduced yet another annoying character and the fights when from lame to non-existant I had to drop it.
You made a good decision.
You’re correct in that I don’t watch a lot of pure action series, Arcanes. But I do watch some shows with action elements. I’m not even sure how I’d classify Shakugan no Shana… it’s sort of an action/horror/school life hybrid. I found the action fairly boring, since the battles were mostly of the “stand around for ten minutes talking and then decide it all in five seconds,” variety. That sort of thing only works when the director knows how to build suspense. And I wasn’t feeling much suspense.
Anyway, a “favorite action shows” post might make for interesting reading… once I figure out what to list, that is.
Oh, and Hinano… I actually didn’t see past the moe as much as I didn’t see the moe in the first place. I like tsundere characters (well, mildly tsundere characters, at least), but Shana just annoyed me. In fact, the only female character I found remotely interesting was Margery Daw.
I went through Season 1 asking myself “Is it going to get better?”, but it didn’t. I found Shana more grating than Louise (or rather first season Louise). Though for interesting females, Chigusa is pretty much awesome.
Eh, I still like the second season. It isn’t as good as the first (which I liked quite a bit) but it isn’t nearly as bad as Zero no Tsukaima was to me. Actually, the reactions of the fanbase are pretty much the same complaints Zero fans were saying about that season 2. Does the company have problems with sequels or something?
And my basic rule is, if something hasn’t grabbed you by episode 8 (usually the shock episode) then you can give up on it.
Anyone can agree that Shana goes from potentially excellent to relatively stupid greadually over the course of the show. However, whlle it wasn’t perfect, I found it entertaining enough to continue.
However, the second season takes all the mistakes, repeats them, and makes them a thousand times more glaing >_>
I’m waiting(eagerly) for that list Jeff. and of course the yearly top 10 list as well :)
Louise, mmmm…
With Shana, I’d say it is alright, but wouldn’t recommend it as a priority. I blasted through the series during last year’s xmas vacation and did find it entertaining, but what was there to look forward to? Shana being a whiny tsundere has some moments, which is subjective. The love triangle is okay, fun at times. In terms of story and action, it’s decent but there’s quite a bit of fluff and nonsense.
I think the meat of it all (the Bal Masque stuff, Flame Haze universe or w/e) could have been packed tighter in fewer episodes, but the whole aspect of the producers seems to be “milking” with just enough entertainment.
For the second season, it seems slow, quite slow. Its much slower than say the typical Shounen Jump series, but that is how season 1 was. Until something magnificent manifests (I’ve not read the l.novels so this may not happen), I’d hold back. With ZnT there’s much of the same “intended” entertainment (tsundere, mistrusting, loli in love) as Shana, but with less riff raff and less view time. Bang for the buck/time!
I should have added … “with special abilities” to that last parenthesis.
I actually think both series are pretty bad, but I still watch and enjoy them. It’s the character designs…
…and Kasumi.
I like how you mention the Kugimiya Rie angle. To use the same examples you did, there’s one major difference between Louise and Shana for me. Louise pissed me off but I still loved her. Shana just pissed me off.
Same goes for their respective series. I stuck with the whole first season of Shana despite its mediocrity so I could follow along with the decently hyped second season, and now that I can’t bring myself to watch the rest I’m almost regretful that I started it in the first place.
But then again, I guess it’s better to know you don’t like it than to be left wondering.
I was never much interested in the show, but a lot of the promotional art is really striking (Jeff’s got a good example at the head of this post).
I agree about the promotional art. Unfortunately, it only makes the low budget animation in the show itself all the more frustrating. The first episode looks incredible, but after that…
Anyway, sounds like I’m better off letting Shana go.
Having praised the art, why doesn’t Shana have a right foot in that image?
Ha. There was a sword accident, see…
The show splits into distinct thirds.
The first 8 episodes are fantastic. The second 8 episodes stink. The last 8 episodes pretty much split the difference between the other two sections — not as bad as the second 8, but not as good as the first 8.
The potential was there for this to be a superb fantasy horror series, but the mangaka actually wanted to tell stories about high school romantic angst, and that’s why it sucks.
An accident with photoshop huh.
Shana TV isn’t worth watching past episode 4 or 5.
The movie, on the other hand, is a more excellent adaptation of the novel, chiefly being that Shana’s character is way more pure, instead of bitchy in the TV series. The TV team doesn’t their tsundere well.
It’s just a flesh wound.