I can see where people are calling this anime similar to bleach, how saki can see dead people and everything, however this anime really does differ a whole lot. I've watched about like 250 eps of bleach, and i can tell you this anime has some differences. To start off, romantic feelings are displayed (however they are slight, if you want to see the most romantic bit of the anime, the end of the final ep of season 3 should do it for ya ;D). Anyways, i think this anime can be cute at times, and has a nice balance of action, and i guess what you can call romance. I started watching this right after watching Zero No Tsukaima (Familiar Of Zero) and i love how the two main characters are the same voice actors. Its funny, sometimes it sends me back to ZnT. Anyways imo this is a great anime and is well worth the watch, if you feel like there isn't enough romance for you, ZnT would probably suit you better. (show less)

There are few stories that will keep me fully interested.. however I realized by episode 12 I was loving every moment of this series.

In short its epic... not in a dynamic sense but in a fundemental and sincere sense The Story is one that others have touched on before but deliveres it very new.. Ironically I found it a bit like soul eater.. even gives off simular vibes.. however just like that one.. its so original in its delivery which doesnt make sense. Its things we always hear about in Japanes anime... however its so detailed so fresh that its tottally new. The story takes a new phaze and untel around episode 3 you cant even really simpithize with the main heroine.. the turn around behind this is brilliantly developed on. It may seem slow at first but developes a story that is strong, fresh and oddly inthralling.

The Dialogue is brilliant. Every character seems to have a one set voice.. or what I like to call character voices. Unlike other anime that choose voices for a particular prowess it seams this one was chosen to tipify a specific type of voice. So almost imidiatly you can find the right emotion behind every character and indeed gain insights to a character before they really develope into them. further more is makes it really easy to understand modivations even when watching it in subs. Its masterful.

The Animation is a bit difficult to describe. In short is Wonderful. The powers and flames of each character are notably awesome.. as is indeed the facial expressions. I can honestly say even in the comedic parts they dont get lazy at all. Its quite nice. I dont hate on shows that like to go cartoonish to create an effect of comidy but its nice not to get disrupted from the flow of the show. I also like how the animation itself has a character.. its like the Old Animated Batman. the Animation is alive... each giving a cast to the situation. In the later episodes I didnt like the forboding backdrawn dark castle atmosphere but again it delivered the paranoia of the cloak ticking down on a suspensful situation.

The Entertainment is awesome. It is a bit differnt to see a guy sit back while a female is the main "warrior" but its done wonderfuly while the main character or indeed most characters are not totally reduced to "cheering" from the sides. Indeed I find how they practically dont forget any character at all is amasing. The show is catchy and will pull you to it. If you love comedy, slice of life, a slow building romance set, and Action.. this show literally has it all. Its a bit hard to follow at first but once you grasp the world of the setting everything seems to go better and just steam roll into epic.

I recomend as one of the best Animations. (show less)

Now, I will have to say that this anime has placed first in the list of anime that I watch that are not naruto, bleach or any other widely known anime. The story is practically the only place where I find any fault at all; the romantic part of the story takes a back seat far too much to the explanation of enemy characters. The fight scenes between the opposing sides are a spectacle to behold, especially for 2005 animation. The best part in my opinion just happens to be CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. Generic ideas can be very useful in creating a unique character, much to the masses chagrin. But the overall profile for each character radiates a creative ambiance. In other words, a must see! (show less)

Authors notes:
Well, Shakugan no Shana was one of my "radom picks". By that I mean, I randomly pick an anime, Watch at least 5 eps and go from there.

As I've said perviously. i <3 my gory anime. I'm a big horror ANYTHING fan. So that is my challenge to you all(Because I think allot of you need to get outta your boxes). Go out and randomly select a anime you've never seen, Don't read the description.. Just download it and watch.. Try to find the good things and the bad things about it.

Don't just say you hate it. I mean, I didn't like Death Note, but I still gave it the positives based on simple facts, rather than my own opinion.

Those who take up this challenge, Best of luck. ^_^

Review:
Shakugan no Shana. First off, the story is at first kinda the same old stuff. Hero beating bad guys .. Nothing exciting there. Though the story does progress into more than simply just Good vs bad(I wont say more about that simply because it may spoil it for those that have never seen it). Personally I liked this story(So much so I ended up buying the novels. No I wont tell you what happens in the 3rd season[coming soon?] so don't ask). It developes into a much deeper story line than simply Good guys vs Bad guys etc. As far as characters go, You'll probably end up hating a few of them.. Shana and Yugi aren't the ones I'm talking about either. So, the music, well it's all in time and where it's supposed to be. So nothing more to say on that. The action is rather good, in both seasons(even though the fights slow down a bit in the second season).

Truth be told, Shakugan no Shana was an anime I expect nothing from and got allot of entertainment out of. It's not really for those that just simply love battle scenes. The real entertainment of this anime comes from the story. So if you just like your fights and don't wanna pay attention this isn't for you. (show less)