“Shakugan no Shana S: OVA Series” features four episodes about how Shana has been affected by living among humans. From her relationship to Yuji, Wilhelmina and her earlier years as a Flame Haze, this OVA series is recommended for fans of the “Shakugan no Shana” series!
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TITLE: Shakugan no Shana S: OVA Series
YEAR OF MOVIE RELEASE: 2009-2010
DURATION: 4 episodes (110 Minutes)
BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0, Subtitles: English
COMPANY: FUNimation
RATED: 14+
Release Date: January 22, 2013
Directed by Takashi Watanabe
Series Composition by Yasuko Kobayashi
Music by Ko Otani
Original Work by Yashichiro Takahashi
Original Character Design by Noizi Ito
Character Design by Mai Otsuka
Art Director: Shin Okui
Sound Director: Jin Aketagawa
Director of Photography: Shingo Fukuyo
Anime Production: J.C. Staff
Featuring the voices of:
Rie Kugimiya/Cherami Leigh as Shana (“Enpatsu Shakugan no Uchite”)
Satoshi Hino/Josh Grelle as Yuuji Sakai
Ayako Kawasumi/Brina Palencia as Kazumi Yoshida
Hitomi Nabatame/Colleen Clinkenbeard as Margery Daw
Masashi Ebara/Kent Williams as Alastor (“Tenjou no Gouka”)
Mitsuo Iwata/Justin Cook as Marcosias
Find out what happens when Yuji accidentally triggers a found Treasure Tool while it’s pointed at Shana! Then, Yuji teams up with Wilhelmina to stalk their fiery friend – whose secrecy has become unsettling. Finally, in a two-part special, Shana tracks a Denizen’s trail by sorting through a Torch’s memories for clues. Her sleuth skills reveal a teenage girl’s heartwarming last days and a predator with a serious identity crisis!
In 2002, Yashichiro Takahashi and illustrator Noizi Ito created the Japanese light novel series “Shana”.
Published by ASCII Media Works from 2002 through 2011, the light novel series would receive two manga adaptations serialized in “Dengeki Daioh” and “Dengeki Maioh” and in 2005-2006, a PS2 and Nintendo DS video game and would also receive an anime series adaptation by J.C. Staff in 2007-2008 and a movie released in 2007.
A second season titled “Shakugan no Shana Second” was aired in 2007-2008, followed by a four-episode OVA in 2009-2010 and most recently, a third season titled “Shakugan no Shana Final” airing in 2011-2012.
With FUNimation releasing the first two seasons and the animated film on Blu-ray and DVD, the anime company released the four-episode OVA “Shakugan no Shana S: OVA Series” on Blu-ray in January 2013.
“Shakugan no Shana S” features four OVA’s with individual storylines that were released four months apart.
The first OVA titled “Reshuffle” revolves around Yuuji and Shana going through Friagne’s old pile of treasure tools. When Yuuji uses a telescope and looks at Shana, the two automatically switch bodies with each other. Unfortunately, they lose the reshuffle object and now must try to find it and try to live life especially at school and pretend to their friends that nothing is going wrong, until they can do a switch.
The second OVA is titled “Domicile” and revolves around Shana behaving strangely. With Wilhelmina concerned about Shana’s behavior, she and Yuuji begin following Shana to find out what may be going on.
The third OVA is titled “Overture (Part 1)” and takes place during Shana’s earlier days as a Flame Haze. Shana has taken the identity of a Torch named Junko Ogami and tries to find out who may have killed her, but meanwhile learning more about Junko’s life.
And the fourth and final OVA is “Overture (Part 2)” and finds out that Junko had a relationship with a boy named Yukio and a Denizen is now going after him. Shana must stop and kill the Denizen before it’s too late.
VIDEO:
“Shakugan no Shana S: OVA Series” is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:78:1). It’s important to remember that these are OVA’s and are not TV series and thus there is an improvement on the overall picture quality. Characters have much more shading, art backgrounds are much more detailed and the film looks more vibrant and colorful than its TV series counterpart. Some scenes tend to be re-used, especially classroom scenes but for the most part, the animated film looks good with the newer footage or backgrounds featuring more detail.
AUDIO:
“Shakugan no Shana S: OVA Series” is presented in English DolbyTrue HD 5.1 and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0. The animated film tend to have more dynamic range and better use of the surround channels compared to the TV series. So there is an improvement thanks to the lossless soundtrack. Voice acting is well-done on both soundtracks but its important to let people know that the original “Shakugan no Shana” series was dubbed by a Canadian cast from the Geneon release, while the film (and the second season) features an all new cast courtesy of FUNimation. But for the most part, FUNimation did a very good job at casting because the new voice actors are not so far off from the original Geneon voice talent. The English lossless track has better dynamic range as can be expected since it has the 5.1 track versus the 2.0 Japanese lossless track.
Subtitles are in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Shakugan no Shana S: OVA Series” comes with the following special features:
- Shakugan No Shana-Tan G – (4:05) Featuring anime shorts with regular and super-deformed versions of the characters. In Japanese with English subtitles. Came with the OVA 1 release in Japan.
- Shakugan no Shana-Tan Dos – (7:12) Featuring anime shorts with regular and super-deformed versions of the characters. In Japanese with English subtitles. Came with OVA 2 release in Japan.
- Shakugan no Shana-Tan Tri - (6:45) Featuring anime shorts with regular and super-deformed versions of the characters. In Japanese with English subtitles. Came with OVA 3 release in Japan.
- Shakugan no Shana-Tan Frontier - (5:35) Featuring anime shorts with regular and super-deformed versions of the characters. In Japanese with English subtitles. Came with OVA 4 release in Japan.
- Textless Opening Song “Prophecy”
- Textless Opening Song “All in Good Time”
- Trailers – Featuring FUNimation trailers.
EXTRAS:
“Shakugan no Shana S: OVA Series” comes with the Blu-ray and DVD version of the film.
“Shakugan no Shana S: OVA Series” is extra episodes for fans who have enjoyed the first two seasons of the animated series.
The first OVA is actually a bit significant as Alastor confronts Shana’s feelings towards Yuuji. Typically in the past, Alastor has not been to supportive of it but he realizes that these two do care for each other, they just aren’t good at communicating it. But it’s rather interesting to see what happens when the two switch bodies.
The second OVA is interesting that it focuses on the relationship between Shana and Wilhelmina. The relationship between both individuals has been more like trainee and apprentice but with Shana observing human customs, she’s starting to show this caring side that Wilhelmina has never seen from her. So, a little nice surprise between Shana and Wilhelmina in this episode.
And the final two OVA’s are pretty much about Shana and her earlier life as a Flame Haze and lessons she learned after taking the identity of Junko Ogami and human customs and emotions in general. But more or less prequel episodes before she met Yuji.
As for the Blu-ray release, as one can expect from OVA’s, they are much better detailed and look better than the TV series. Picture quality is good, while the lossless soundtrack definitely is much better in the English dub track as it has a better dynamic range courtesy of its 5.1 soundtrack versus the Japanese 2.0 lossless track. And as for special features, there are no audio commentaries but you do get the Shaku-Tan special features and Japanese opening and ending themes.
Overall, “Shakugan no Shana S: OVA Series” are four episodes that revolve around Shana and seeing how her time with humans have affected her. From her being around Yuji, her and Wilhelmina and her earlier years as a Flame Haze and getting to know the parents of Junko Ogami, the girl/torch that Shana has taken over identity.
We know that Shana has changed a lot since meeting Yuji and she is starting to enjoy the life that humans get to experience and this four episode OVA series is pretty much about that.  One should not expect anything too deep from this OVA series but if you are a fan of the series and have purchased the first two seasons and the animated film on Blu-ray, then you will probably want to give “Shakugan no Shana S: OVA Series” a try!
