Shakugan no Shana

Shakugan no Shana

  Synopsis      :   Yuji Sakai, a high school student, expected his very normal life to last forever. However, this expectation is quickly shattered one day while on his way home. The world suddenly freezes in time, leaving Yuji to watch in horror as blue flames engulf the people around him. Soon a monster resembling a large doll appears and begins sucking the flames into its mouth, until it notices Yuji. Surprised with Yuji's insusceptibility to the time-stop (fuzetsu), it jumps with glee. Just as the monster prepares to consume Yuji, a sword-wielding girl in black attire with flaming red eyes and hair appears, swiftly and confidently destroys the monster, before noticing Yuji moving freely. The girl calls herself a "Flame Haze" who hunts the "Denizens of the Crimson Realm" and the "Rinne" they send to do their bidding. When Yuji notices a blue flame in his chest, the Flame Haze tells him that the "real" Yuji died some time ago, and that he is a "Torch", a temporary replacement for erased humans. Torches take on the forms of those erased persons, but after a period of time, they will vanish from existence and the memories of the living. Unfazed by his apparent death, Yuji befriends the strange girl and names her "Shana" after her sword. The reason Yuji was able to move in the fuzetsu is that he is not a normal Torch, but instead a special kind called a "Mystes": he has a treasure inside him, known as a "Hougu", a device possessing special abilities of sorts, and an extremely powerful and valuable one at that. The hougu inside Yuji allows him to remain in existence rather than fading away like other torches. Shana resolves to protect Yuji from the Denizens, who would use the treasure to disrupt the balance of the world, and Yuji decides to join Shana in her fight.

Shana's fight is actually a long-standing struggle between the Lords and Denizens of Guze. The Denizens steal Power of Existence, the energy that forms the basis of the world, from living people and utilize it for their own selfish ambitions. Some Lords inhabit humans creating Flame Hazes in an attempt to retain balance by hunting renegades from Guze. Flame Hazes create Torches in place of the consumed to save the world from the disruption of many existences being lost at once, allowing the Torches to gradually burn out over the course of time.

 Main characters

1. Yuji Sakai (坂井 悠二 Sakai Yuji) (Mystes) / "Silver the Second" (銀二番目) (Crimson Lord)

Yuji, the main male lead of the series, is just an average high school student. However, his world is turned upside down when he discovers that he is already dead and does not have much time before he disappears. Fortunately, Yuji is a Mystes who contains a treasure known as the Reiji Maigo (零時迷子, "Midnight Lost Child"). Unlike normal torches, the treasure inside him restores his Power of Existence every night at midnight. With the Reiji Maigo, Yuji has the possibility to live on like an average human as long as he makes sure that his Power of Existence does not run out before midnight. Later, he begins to learn to use the yet untapped potential of the treasure kept within him. Once he began using this power, the antagonists recognize him as "Silver the Second". He cares deeply about Shana, but does not make any advances in their relationship due to his feelings of inferiority as a Torch and his view of Shana as someone who is beyond his reach. He also starts to see Shana from her old former perspective of the world, where he is just a Torch and she is just a Flame Haze. With this going on, he distanced himself from the closeness that the two originally shared, leaving Shana hurt with the new feelings of love she has developed but cannot explain. However, Yuji and Shana have since repaired the damage to their relationship. As of volume 16 of the novel series, he has verbally acknowledged that he is in love with her.

2. Shana (シャナ) / "Flame-haired Blazing-eyed Hunter" (「炎髪灼眼の討ち手」 "Enpatsu Shakugan no Uchite") (Flame Haze)

The main female lead of the series and a Flame Haze. Initially she is concentrated solely on her duty as a Flame Haze, going as far as to not bearing even a name. She sees Yuji only as a Torch, an object, and is marginally interested only because of his status as a Mystes. However, she slowly opens up to Yuji, coming to think of him as a person, despite being a Torch, and eventually comes to love him. Until she met Yuji, she was identified by only her Flame Haze title "Flame-Haired Blazing-Eyed Hunter," or her nodachi, Nietono no Shana (贄殿遮那, "Vairocana of the Offering Room"). Yuji, in his need to humanize her, chose to name her "Shana" after her sword. Shana has a habit of saying "Urusai! Urusai! Urusai!" which means "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" whenever Yuji asks her questions or makes remarks that disturb her original point of view. But in reality they really care for each other. She has a great fondness for melon bread. Shana later comes to the startling conclusion that she loves Yuji, and even confesses it to him in the last episode of the first anime series when she thought she was going to die, but he does not hear what she said. Shana is continually torn between her mission to protect the balance, and her love for Yuji. Due to a decision she made near the end of the first season of the anime version, the closeness they once had begun to erode as Yuji kept a distance from her because of it. Yuji adopts a viewpoint similar to Shana's in the beginning of the series. However, Yuji comes to realize that he was wrong, and their relationship seems to be restored.

3. Alastor (アラストール Arasutōru) / "Flame of Heavens" (「天壌の劫火」 "Tenjō no Gōka") (Lord of the Crimson Realm)

He is the Lord of the Crimson Realm to whom Shana is bound. He expresses his will through a divine vessel called the Cocytus, which (in Shana's case) takes the form of a pendant. His name is actually the name of a demon in mythology. Alastor is considered to be one of the strongest of all Lords or Denizens; in fact being one of the true Gods of the Crimson Realm. But even so, he tries to keep the Denizens from consuming Power of Existence.

4. Margery Daw (マージョリー・ドー Mājorī Dō) / 

"Chanter of Elegies" (「弔詞の詠み手」 "Chōshi no 

Yomite") (Flame Haze)

Margery is a tall, "well-endowed" and mature blond Flame Haze with a drinking habit. She uses the book Grimoire, which is the divine vessel through which Marchosias, to whom she is bound, expresses his will. Her specialty seems to be Power of Unrestraint, and her main powers focus around chanting spells and turning into a werewolf. She casts spells by chanting an "Improvisational Poem of Slaughter" (屠殺の即興詩 Tosatsu no Sokkyōshi). Eita and Keisaku look up to her because she saved their lives once. Her reason for becoming a Flame Haze is to get revenge on a Denizen with a silver-colored flame (who is somehow linked to the Reiji Maigo within Yuji). Even before her installation as a Flame Haze, she lived only for vengeance. She was once a daughter of a landlord in medieval time, but after countless betrayals, her father was killed and she had ended up in a brothel. She gained a chance to avenge for her misery and humiliation on her enemies, only to see them be destroyed by the Silver. Her fury from being stolen of the last reason to live had attracted the attention of Marchosias. In the anime, Margery's focus shifts from fighting simply to eradicate Crimson Denizens to fighting to protect the Balance. She notes her fighting skills are no less for the shift in focus. In the light novels, Margery would not only face the Silver in an unsuccessful battle, but would later realize that the Silver had been acting on her wish for revenge in her life of misery prior to becoming a Flame Haze before she nearly got killed by Silver the Second. Margery eventually recovers when Keisaku kisses and confesses his love for her, giving a new meaning to live forward before kissing Keisaku back in return.

5. Marchosias (マルコシアス Marukoshiasu) / "The 

Claws and Fangs of Violation" (「蹂躙の爪牙」 "Jūrin 

no Sōga") (Lord of the Crimson Realm)

Marchosias is the Crimson Lord to whom Margery Daw is bound. He expresses his will through the divine vessel Grimoire, which takes the form of a book. He talks wildly, makes comments without remorse, and often teases Margery, often earning a retaliatory punch. He does genuinely care about her, however, perhaps not in the form of friendship but as a companion in battle. The dynamic of their relationship is quite different than that between Shana and Alastor; Marchosias will serve as Margery's vehicle from time to time and occasionally suffers physical abuse at her hands, but they seem to be equals in their quest. In the anime, Marchosias craves battle more than protecting the balance. He has an 'ultimate attack' called the "Flame of Illusion", which summons a dragon-like form around his Flame Haze instead of the usual werewolf form; this shape is powerful enough to cause damage that can pierce a Timestop Seal. In the anime, when Margery temporarily sinks into apathy, Marchosias displays at least a measure of wisdom and understanding for her plight. Nevertheless, he is quick to re-ignite Margery's spark so they may continue their battle against the Denizens and is not above using trickery to do so.

Terminology

Power of Existence (存在の力 Sonzai no Chikara)

As its name suggests, Power of Existence is a fundamental power that is contained within any biological or magical entity and functions as "fuel" for one's very existence. Thus, it is not limited to reside in living humans. Crimson Denizens can drain it from humans and Torches, while Flame Hazes are able to use the remaining Power of Existence from Torches. When all of the Power of Existence from a human or Torch is lost, the very existence of the human or Torch is annihilated. Because of this, all humans who had memories associated with that human or Torch will have those memories erased; however those who know of the hidden workings of the real world retain all of their memories, such as Crimson Denizens, Flame Hazes, and humans and Torches who have been exposed to the hidden balancing rules of the real world and the Crimson Realm.

Torch (トーチ Tōchi)

A Torch is a replacement entity for a human, whose Power of Existence has been significantly depleted (meaning he or she is on the verge of death in the human world). Torches are "shock-absorbers" for the sake of the balance between the real world and the Crimson Realm. They are only temporary, and will disappear after a certain amount of time, eradicating all traces of existence, including memories related to them.

Mystes (ミステス Misutesu)

A Mystes is a special kind of Torch, who contains a Treasure Tool. The main character Yuji is an example, albeit a special one who can sustain his existence indefinitely due to the ability of his Treasure Tool, Reiji Maigo. But in general, a Mystes will eventually be extinguished like a normal Torch, unless the Mystes drains Power of Existence from Denizens or Flame Hazes, like Tenmoku Ikko did to replenish his Power of Existence, though it is very unlikely for anyone else to have this ability.

Flame Haze (フレイムヘイズ Fureimu Heizu)

A Flame Haze is a servant whose duty is to maintain the two world's balance. Each Flame Haze has contracted a Lord of Crimson Realm, with exceptions like the Flame Haze "Archer of Aurora" (極光の射手 Kyokkō no Ite) whom has contracts to twin lords. Flame Hazes mostly fight against Crimson Denizens who consume great amounts of Power of Existence and endangers both worlds, although some work to restore the balance of the worlds that has been disturbed.

The Lords use Flame Haze as their medium because if they are to exist like other Denizens, they will also require Power of Existence. However, the Lords can manifest in the human world, although this means they will consume a vast amount of Power of Existence (aka Tenpa Jōsai). This sudden surge of Power of Existence will usually exceed the limit their Flame Haze may contain, and will result in the death of the Flame Haze. When someone becomes a Flame Haze, they will have their existence burned, making them as if they never existed before. Flame Hazes become a new existence and live solely to protect the balance of the worlds.

Crimson Denizens (紅世の徒 Guze no Tomogara)

Crimson Denizens are mostly evil entities who usually do not care for the balance of the two worlds, collecting and using Power of Existence for their own purposes. Unfortunately for the few that respect and do not seek to upset the balance, some Flame Hazes do not distinguish between them, and thus become targets. As in the human world, some Denizens will stand out and are known as Lords (王 Ō).

Lords of Crimson Realm (紅世の王 Guze no Ō)

Lords of Crimson Realm are Denizens whose power stands out among their peers, such as the Trinity of Bal Masqué, Friagne, Pheles, or the Lords that bind themselves to Flame Hazes. Most of the Lords in the series inhabit Flame Hazes and work to maintain the balance, but some are similar to the Crimson Denizens and use Power of Existence for their own purposes.

For the Lords of Crimson Realm who work to maintain the balance of the two worlds, they take care of it by monitoring the Power of Existence and utilizing their contracted Flame Haze to terminate those Crimson Denizens who harm the balance. Lords represent themselves as magical objects, in Shana's case, a pendant. They can manifest fully, but to do so requires tremendous amounts of Power of Existence. Lords that are even more powerful, such as Tenjō no Gōka (天壌の劫火) or Sairei no Hebi (祭礼の蛇) are known as Gods (神 Kami) of the Crimson Realm, and each of these Gods are bestowed upon the duty of materializing the very laws of the Crimson world; for example, Alastor is known as the God of Atonement (天罰神 Tenbatsushin), while the Snake of Festival is the God of Creation (創造神 Sōzōshin), each having abilities that suit these names.

Rinne (燐子 Rinne)

Rinne are created servants for the Tomogara (Crimson Denizens). They are unstable existences and require Power of Existence from either their master, or living humans and Torches in order to survive.

Power of Unrestraint (自在法 Jizaihō)

Also known as Unrestricted Spells or Unrestricted Methods, they are powerful magic spells. These spells can be used for any purpose, from restoring the fragments of a long-lost painting to transforming normally untransferrable objects in a whole city into a big hunk of Power of Existence, however they are mostly used in battle in the series. They can be invoked by chanting (some high-class Unrestricted Methods may require centuries of work to activate), and consumes Power of Existence. An Unrestricted Spell can be seen as a blue insignia upon casting.

Treasure Tool (宝具 Hōgu)

Treasure Tool is the name of magical objects which can provide special abilities or even an Unrestricted Spell. A Treasure Tool is created when a single Denizen and a human, each representing their own world, has the same desire to one another; if worked out with the right Unrestricted Spells and physical materials, a Treasure Tool for the sole purpose of fulfilling that desire will be created. For example, Reiji Maigo, which is sought by many for its ability to replenish its owner's Power of Existence at midnight every day, was originally created by the Lord-Mystes lovers, Pheles and Johann, under their desire of "being together forever", using a single whole clock tower for the physical material part. Most Denizens, Flame Hazes, and even humans who aid them possess one or more of these, and would try to acquire as many as they can for many reasons, like getting an upper hand in critical time during battles.

Seal (封絶 Fūzetsu)

Seal is the most common of all Unrestricted Spells, and it also refers to the special dimension the spell creates; here the Crimson Realm and the real world intermingles, and all sorts of causalities, including time, is stopped for ordinary living beings. The mad scientist Lord Dantalion originally created the complex and flawed version of the Seal; later, the genius spell creator Denizen Leanan-sidhe developed it into the easier modern version, which quickly spread over all related beings in the world. Flame Hazes are able to create such Seal at will, as may Crimson Denizens. However, battles in the Seal can damage real world objects, and harm the paused living beings, though it is possible to reverse the effects, if one uses enough Power of Existence. However, if the Seal is ever unlocked during a battle, the damage is irreparable.

Crystal Altar (玻璃壇 Haridan)

Crystal Altar is a Treasure Tool that functions as a miniature projection of the real world. It can be used to observe the location of Torches and Power of Unrestraints, and other things related to Power of Existence. From Margery's story, it is told that Crystal Altar was made about three millennia ago by a God-class Crimson Lord called the Snake of the Festival (祭礼の蛇 Sairei no Hebi), who had taken a liking to the act of "ruling". He created a human city and then watched over that city using the Crystal Altar. However, he was sealed in an alternate dimension after many battles with various Flame Haze. Friagne, who discovered and took possession of the Crystal Altar then brought it with him to Misaki city. While one may be deceived that it looks like the city's replica, the Altar itself is actually shaped like a small bronze mirror, hidden inside Friagne's enormous pile of Treasure Tools.

The Crystal Altar was originally intended to be used with the Gehinnom, an enormous stone bowl found inside the Bal-Masque's headquarters filled with iron grain which moves to make quick, accurate replicas of the desired area nearby; but as the Altar is missing, it is normally seen containing the three weapons of the Trinity, who are none other than the closest subjects of the Snake of the Festival.

Outlaw (外界宿(アウトロー) Autorō)

The facilities or organizations that support the activities of Flame Haze with finance, information, transportations, etc. They were merely hotels each with Treasures called Tessera, the regular dodecahedronal objects that conceal the presence of Flame Haze. Then a half-retired Flame Haze became the keeper to one of the Outlaw and made improvements, turning it into a place to trade information. The plan turned out successful after many years later as many other Outlaws had followed and thus the networks and connections were established throughout the world.