Shakugan no Fail Second

Author: nova

I normally try my best not to write stuff like this because it’s just pointless ranting about a series that isn’t even close to finishing yet. However witnessing Shana Second episode 14, reading the novel and rewatching the movie fueled the ranty bastard inside me to the point at which containing it became impossible.

What I watched…

So we got a tsundere loli with a flaming sword and hair, who kills spirit-like beings from another dimension, falling in love with a normal human dude who is unfortunate enough to end up being the target of these said spirits due to something special he has. The basic recipe on Shana is pretty simple and kinda clichéd, but the first season of anime was something that really got me all fired up about an anime show. Naturally I was thrilled to know that the second season was on its way, especially since the ending of the first wasn’t very conclusive. There was no way, I thought, that the second season could go horribly wrong.

…what I expected…

It took me a while to admit it, but right now it has occured even to myself that I have made a mistake. Shana Second is not a good series. It is not entertaining to watch nor aesthetically pleasing. I wasn’t one of those who screamed out in hate and agony when the first dozen episodes were insignificant, poorly animated and yawn-inducing teenage relationship mishmash. I wanted to give the show a chance because I knew how much potential it had. But now that the show has passed the midpoint of its run I have come to the miserable conclusion that the show is pretty much a screwup, and a spectacular waste of not only strong potential but perhaps the greatest OP of the past season.

…what I got.

In fact Shana Second up to episode 14 isn’t exactly Shakugan no Shana at all. It’s more like a spinoff of the original series in pretty much same manner as FMP! Fumoffu. With the exception that Fumoffu was actually entertaining, and Shana Second for most of the time is not. The fights were definitely the highlight of the first series and while I dislike shonen-style fight-per-episode, I think Second is needlessly stingy when it comes to action. Instead we get some half-assed school romance drama and unfunny comedy attempts, something that could be covered with a few filler episodes.

Generally romance drama is ok, but in Second’s case it isn’t even very successful and manages to mostly just bore the viewers. The tension between Kazumi and Shana over Yuuji is dissolved into some sort of bland mix of mutual tolerance and pseudo-romantic phraseology. Since I’ve come all this way, I am going to finish the show come hell or high water, but for people out there yet unfamiliar to Shana Second I cant’ really find any reason to watch it. Read the novels or manga, but I can’t really advise to bother with Second.

Rant concluded. Now let me get back to World in Conflict, somehow I feel the desperate need to blow up and burn stuff.