Shakugan no Shana III (Final)

If you're not already an established and fully-caught-up fan of the franchise then this series is not for you. Full familiarity with the entirety of the first two series is assumed; newcomers will likely be thoroughly lost.

One of anime's defining and most enduring tsundere characters is back for yet another go-around in what is supposed to be the franchise's concluding installment. The regular episode content picks up exactly where the last shot of the second TV season left off, this time clarifying the mysterious scene with the footprints that trail off: Yuji suddenly disappeared on Christmas Eve night as he went to meet Shana, as if he had flickered out of existence like all normal Torches do. Those involved in Flame Haze affairs remember him but no one else does, and the only hint to his continued existence is that the love letters that Shana and Kazumi simultaneously sent him still exist and have specifically been returned to them. Unsurprisingly, Bel Masque seems to be directly involved, as a very different-looking version of Yuji appears amongst them as their new leader.

The new version of Yuji is, by far, the most startling and exciting element in an episode that otherwise doesn't do much beyond laying the groundwork for where this new season will go, though seeing various supporting characters continue to move on down the paths that they chose during the course of the first two TV series is a welcome sight. Other fresh elements include Shana developing an entirely new application for her flame power (which will doubtless play a big role later on) and indications in the opener that a few new faces will eventually pop up, while the Next Episode preview suggests that at least one prominent old face will return. The absence of Shuji in the normal world also (thankfully!) suggests that this series will not get bogged down in the run-of-the-mill school life antics which dominated the second series. The various Shana series have usually been at their best when immersing themselves fully in their supernatural elements, and this continuation has little choice but to concentrate on that.

The minor disappointment is that J.C. Staff's artistic and technical efforts have not improved in the 3½ years since the last TV installment; in fact, the first episode looks rougher in some places than what fans are used to seeing. Still, that shouldn't be enough to discourage franchise fans, who finally get their long-awaited continuation.