Regardless, I felt somehow compelled to check out the opening episode of the new Shakugan no Shana S OVA. So what did I make of it? I'll answer that in just a second, but right now I've got the 1980s on the phone... Apparently they want their body swap concept back.
Yes, that's right, this first episode of Shakugan no Shana S sees Shana and Yuji inadvertently swapping bodies, after the latter discovers some kind of telescope with special powers as the pair hunt for something belonging to a Hunter. That's basically a summary of the entire episode's plot in a nutshell, so you can probably guess the rest - Shana gets annoyed at Yuji's subconscious moves to touch "his" chest, Yuji in Shana's body gets into embarassing situations such as walking in on a bunch of girls changing, and so on.
All in all, the entire thing is highly predictable, but to be fair the fact that it only lasts for a single episode keeps the idea just about fresh enough to make it fun without running into a dead end or overly abusing the potential for fan service. Perhaps more importantly, both Shana and Yuji's voice actors seem to have genuinely enjoyed the experience of voicing one another's personalities, and while neither party gets the others character quite right there was probably more amusement to be had out of Rie Kugimiya trying to play mild-mannered Yuji and Satoshi Hina trying to do "the tsundere thing" than the actual body of the episode itself.
I suppose if you're a big Shakugan no Shana fan, then this series is aimed at you from the start - I can't deny that there was some fun to be derived from this otherwise tired old scenario, but hopefully the remaining episodes of the OVA will have a little more meat to them.
Your a philistine for not loving this series, but I loves you anyways. ;)
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNERS!!!!
... I have nothing to say to you... there was no problem with this first episode at all... it kept the same actions, thoughts, and emotions they would of used from the other series to not change them too much... ok it was NOT CLICHE, it was enjoyable, your comment was over the top and stupid for someone who watches the anime. PLUS EVERYTHING ANYWHERE HAS PROBABLY BEEN USED BEFORE SO LEAVE IT ALONE DOUCH. I HAVE NO PROBLEMS, if u can post such a thing then you shoudlnt be watching this anime, u are a bad critic, enjoy life.
ReplyDelete"I have nothing to say to you"
ReplyDeleteThe rest of what you had to say to me suggests otherwise. ;) Not cliche?! Are you seriously telling me you haven't seen the body swap plot device done to death in pretty much every visual medium known to man?
Oh, and douche has an "e" on the end. Thanks for the feedback! :)
this OVA series is ginog to be great, although the body swap has been done a million times in every thing ever video taped or other wise it is always fun to watch, although i personally prefer a plot where the guy turns into a girl rather than a simple body swap.....but thats me....i cant wait i have waited forever for them to revive the shana series....
ReplyDelete*cough, i have never used this website before, my reason to not add "e" was incase it had a filter to blur my word or something, and your response is rather plain, would you like to add detail and explain yourself to how what ive said is "otherwise". Here's my example of what u did to me - your response is pathetic... dot.. dot ... dot... explanation? thank you, enjoy learning how to type better responses, On top of that find a way to make people look worse then only coming up with stating they have spelling errors you fool. As I already told you, having things done original or cliche as u refer isnt always bad, since most of EVERYTHING has been used before, maybe some people would be interested of how they would react in this situation, just like my prime example above me. "although the body swap has been done a million times in every thing ever video taped or other wise it is always fun to watch"... cough
ReplyDelete"would you like to add detail and explain yourself to how what ive said is "otherwise""
ReplyDeleteYou said you have nothing to say to me, but then manage to write two long, borderline incoherent rambles. That's a whole lot of nothing, my friend. ;)
In case you haven't noticed, the point of a 'blog such as this one is to post my *opinions*. Now, it's always interesting to hear from others who have differing opinions and why, but "you're a douch" isn't exactly an expertly penned deconstruction of why *you* enjoyed the episode.
Now, if you can explain why this episode was in fact some magnum opus of the animated form then feel free (and I assume you believe this to be so, otherwise why would you be arguing with my own assertions that the episode was simply fun?), but right now you're just looking like a rather shameful Shana fanboy.
OMG CHOCKING ON LUAGHTER, so much spouting of stupidity i have to tell you here, first off, after we've already sent 2 comments to each other you decide to turn back to my first one? On top of that you must have the mind of a child to be one of the few people to not notice how obvious me saying "I have nothing to say to you" is an expression meaning that all of what you said is so messed it makes me not want to talk to you, for you to take it so literal to use it in a diss where it makes no sense, shows me how desperate you are, out of ideas, and maybe undeveloped your mind is.
ReplyDeleteNow stating how I called you a name, once again, very underdeveloped mind to not see how I'm "NOT" talking about the episode right now but your highly critical answer which was a little too bold, and this also leads back to you still using old comments as ideas.
I never said anything about the episode being an "amazing piece of anime", just that your comment about it was very harsh especially to the creators who are continuing shakugan no shana and trying to capture large popularity just like from the other 2 series, with such messed complaints like how "cliche", what do you expect? its called original for a reason, its continuously used for a reason, BECAUSE ITS LIKED and there was already the above person who commented on how it is used alot and yet it is always good.
Last thing... shameful shana fanboy?... I'm complaining about what you've said because of how harsh I'm saying it is, if you have the guts to call me this, then this really is showing me how you must be a really big fanatic with shana to name me that with such big authority. Once again I'm only helping out the creators with how harsh your being with your comment, especially when you aren't thinking things through, why would I need to explain anything of myself when I haven't stated this being a godly episode.
This may be your little blog, but obviously your not alone, that's why there are "people" to "comment" (good or bad) on what you've posted, so stop being so shocked if everyone doesn't yell "WE LOVE YOU".
On top of that I read your age and I'm a few years younger, and yet to see you type those faces on almost all your posts is making me think your rather sad if you think this makes you look more dominant then young. *>8D
Don't be complaining if I type alot since there's so much errors in what you say that I need to fix most of it, I;m using more detail which you lacked using in earlier posts.
We Love you Hanners!! :D
ReplyDeleteignore that idiot! haha...
ROFL the funny thing is I know thats you already Hanner you fail in secretly making me look bad, read what I typed, your doing all of what I said you do and expect. Lol if all you can do is hide your identity without typing something back you just showed me that I;ve pretty much won the arguement unless you'd like to be anonymous again and call me a poopie head? X) enjoy your blog, I will since Your comebacks are amazing child
ReplyDeleteWow, paranoia much? I am not anonymous, nor am I legion, particularly not at 4:30 in the morning UK time. I'm also most certainly not hiding my identity behind a veil of anonymity, unlike someone else in this discussion.
ReplyDelete"first off, after we've already sent 2 comments to each other you decide to turn back to my first one?"
That'll be because you asked me to. :)
"your comment about it was very harsh especially to the creators who are continuing shakugan no shana and trying to capture large popularity just like from the other 2 series"
So, we should give every anime studio a free pass because they're trying hard? That would make Strike Witches good as well, and I'm sure neither of us want to go there.
"This may be your little blog, but obviously your not alone, that's why there are "people" to "comment" (good or bad) on what you've posted"
Absolutely - Most of them manage to do so without resorting to petty name-calling though, which is why their opinions tend to garner my respect. :)
I can only apologise for using emoticons however, I didn't realise there was an age limit to their deployment.
By the way, just for future reference there's no filter here against the words "choking" or "laughter", so feel free to use them without spelling them completely wrong to "beat the filter".
the message time was around only a few hours earlier to your last post, plus it included a smiley face which i included was sad, just liek your using now, and it is using the sarcasm of "OMG HANNER WE LOVE YOU" either way, I know this wasnt made by chance, even if it isnt your time, or you edited it, or you just got someone to do something, the chances of there being only post after me and that it is around the time IN GENERAL when you would of already ceommented back is too obvious. Also, even if this anonymous has nothing to do with you, saying ignore the idiot is funny as if they already know everything of our comments or practically, "your" exact feelings. If this doesn't include you, then I would like to giggle at the random attention wanter in the middle of this. Either way, I'm right about what I said for "whoever" this is.
ReplyDeleteRather lame to point the finger at me with "I'm also most certainly not hiding my identity behind a veil of anonymity, unlike someone else in this discussion", if your memory was right, you should of known how I commented about reading what you first had. I would rather not waste my time making an account, what does your name being Andy tell me? and your age? I still have no idea who the hell you are, and I never used this website until i found this blog on google so I'd rather not waste my time using a random name for 1 blog like "dargis".
Your doing it again.. I asked you to do what? if your gonna accuse me, give me the details.
God, I forgot to type this which I would of added to avoid you stating such things. Just like how I already said that stuff about you to expect negative and positive comments, if I said that as an instruction or quote or watever you want to call it, I would obviously mean to follow through my own words with other subjects, like how your stating I should give them a break and praise them for trying there best and whatnot. The way you worded the comment made it seem more harsh then an opinion, especially with such a classic statement "the 1980's called...." also I know strike wiches from various comments on other sites, and pictures, however I'd prefer to not even try watching a video based on what I know.
Can't call any of what I say as petty since I always include details of why I say this, my first "douch" comment was because I needed to at least put one name to describe how I felt about your comment, and now that it's escalating this far I have only used names with reasons for using them. Douch was just my first one post without having to include any explanation since I wasn't expecting to have to start using so much detail as this continued.
Alot of the people too are just asskissers for your respect just because you made a blog and gave an opinion.. be warned...
I'ts not that I'm saying there's an age limit... but to use it as a comeback in a "fight" is rather childish.... everywhere else is not. The only times I used them which was about twice, was when I was stating or showing how lame it is.
Lol, I can't turn this part against you, however I can't be much blamed either, if you can "decode" on the time I typed the comment,i t was night, so I had all my lights off, and was trying to type it fast before ending the night, especially during the caps part to be my only spelling mistake, it should make you think I was typing this part with alot of enthusiasm which could of also led to the spelling mistakes. Thanks again for using my only 2 spelling mistakes as a lame way to find a diss against me... "Choking" "Laughter"
Um, hi I already typed that I didnt know about the filter in an early comment so by now, "I KNOW" that I can type however, and my reasons for the mistake are already above. The most of a chance of me spelling something wrong would be in a swear word, since I prefer to avoid being unkowingly filtered and for the comment to seem less... ass like, if i prefer to spell it different, or I'm just typing faster to avoid taking long, which was not a reason.
reading back on this now however, I have spelling mistakes now. It wasn't me typing so fast but my keyboard effing up and becoming so sensitive that I need to force the button, then when I go back to press the key I meant to, I press the wrong one.... Be warned...
ReplyDeleteWell, considering this post has now dropped off the front page (because there's plenty of other cool anime to be discussed), I think it would be best to wrap this one up - Besides, there can't be *that* many more excuses for your spelling, grammar and "creative" sentence structuring beyond content filters, the dark, excitement and time constraints. Then again, maybe I'm actually you posting against myself. No, wait, maybe we've... SWAPPED BODIES. *cue Twilight Zone music* :p
ReplyDeleteAnyway, to sum this entire and altogether too long comment thread up - I thought this episode of the Shana OVA was fun, but a little lazy in the plot device it used, mainly because it could have done far more with said device (i.e. Yuji in Shana's body having to use all of her powers to fight off an enemy, or something along those lines).
You on the other hand think that it was beyond fun, and into the realms of actually being good. That's fine, it's your opinion and I can appreciate that. The fact I don't entirely agree still doesn't make me a douche though. ;)
Nice blog, Hanners :) I personally loved the episode because I'm a sucker for light hearted comedy (or black comedy like in Gintama - either is good), however I have to agree that the major plot device featured in this episode was not fleshed out as well as it could have been. Yuji as Shana fighting an enemy? An epic idea. Yuji's mother forcing "shana" to take a shower? Even more epic.
ReplyDeleteAs for the immature Anonymous dude here, smoke some of the good stuff and calm down. Life's a party so chill out and hang loose - don't go around rambling on about things in some nonsensical version of English unless you're telling everyone you love them ;)
Anyone know when the 2nd episode of S is coming out? It *IS* coming out, isn't it? Or am I going to be lucky and find out Shakugan no Shana III starts tonight?
I normaly don't bother commenting but I want to say something:
ReplyDeleteMr Anonymous: Shut up.
There, I've said my peace. ^_^
Now that I'm typing I'll go ahead keep going. Hanners, this is the first time I've read your blog but your awesome all the same. If I were you I'd have just told off and ignored that troll after his second post. He's just drama stirring after all.
Personally I liked both seasons of shakugan no shana, but I do agree with you that the body switch thing is over used. Really I was kind of expecting a better first episode. You know, something to set up the plot for the rest of the season or atleast something to draw the viewer in and hook us once again. Insted it seemed more like a filler with nothing added to the plot and nothing gained exept for maybe listing off the characters in case we forgot any. I meen, it wasn't bad at all... but I'd expect to see that sort of thing part way though the series and not on the first episode. Still, I'll keep watching.
Btw, do you know when thay are releasing the next episode by chance?
to say wrap this up and still continue stating things to be victorious in the end isn't a way to finish off a fight, even with the points I already gave you and yet all you still do is mock my spelling ooo.
ReplyDeleteI'm done with this too then, but to all of you pathetic people interfering with a fight that DOES NOT at all include you unless you see me mentioning any of you, honestly, get some freinds or something, cause unless your all hanners, backing him up over the internet while its supposed to be just him and me makes him look bad. Go find your own little comments to talk about and not meddle in random peopl's, not as if you are the ones I'm talking to anyways so stop being nosy and I love your comments of "shut up Mr anonymous" since none of these comments of ours include any of you, and that smoking comment... the most immature thing ever.. who says you smoke things over the internet.. I don't need to explain that.
OMG Hanners is my freind lets be like back ups and invade on everything he does, nosy people, I don't care if you agree with Hanner's comments, don't start invading in the middle of it you losers, find a better past time, at least when I typed, it involed me and him.
Enjoy, hey maybe I'll start going into your comments and type random crap, can't be wrong since thats all you guys did.
enjoy the life of fanatics, if I were you I'd make a new thread of this it already got destroyed.
ReplyDeleteWow I never comment on anything but the way this anonymous person is attempting to seem mature by forcing a fight first then cheering and patting himself on the back because Hanners understands the reason for a blog is appalling. I personally liked the episode but maybe it's because I am a fan of the franchise. I honestly saw that concept probably 3 days before in another anime and i do believe it is overused but I think the situations weren't as predictable as you say they were. either way it was an excellent post keep sharing YOUR opinions and feel free to do so i don't believe you are a "douch" for doing so. Ok maybe reusing the spelling error was a little distasteful but don't get to upset it is after all just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteomg 2 little runts killing each other and i missed it. So the ep was a little dry u don't have 2 stab each other in the chest with a jagged knife. not every ep is going 2 be golden and u don't have 2 bring Ur own personal drama into it either its a anime blog not a make the other guy look stupid blog.
ReplyDeleteI just like how anon kept coming back to a "blog which he doesn't ever come to" to argue some moot point. And his attitude on how these 'fights' should be handled, without emoticons and 1 on 1 were hilarious. Note: it's a public blog, if you call someone out on something, be expected to be called out as well.
ReplyDeleteI am a fan of the series, and when I heard season 3 was going to start I was happy. To hear it was actually a very short OVA made me sad. Then to see the first episode being filler leaves me even more depressed, it's going to be the first half of season 2 all over again.