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Forum - View topicREVIEW: Shana DVD 1
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v1cious
 Posts: 6235 Location: Houston, TX |
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so it's finally on dvd huh? you're actually right. the first few eps are the best.
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Godaistudios
Posts: 2075 Location: Albuquerque, NM (the land of entrapment) |
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I've seen the whole series at this point, and it's nice to finally start getting it on DVD.
It really is an enjoyable series. 
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Whearn9999
Posts: 211 Location: Texas City TX |
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This was definitely under my radar. I believe after reading the glowing review I'm gonna have to pick this one up. Sometimes the un-hyped series are some of the best you'll see.
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Richard J.
 Posts: 3367 Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis. |
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That was a very informative review. I watched fansubs of Shagukan no Shana up to episode 13 (It didn't occur to me that Geneon being listed in the credits meant it was all but guarenteed to be licensed. Or I was just too busy looking at Shana to notice.
 )
After managing to stop myself from watching further, I have been painfully awaiting the release over here. I'm having to wait even longer than I would like because I'm waiting for a combo pack of the first DVD and the soundtrack to ship. Having very little first hand listening experience with most of the cast (except for Janyse who I didn't even know was in this one as Margery. Man that makes me grin since I adore her as Kagura  ) Mostly I've been concerned about Tabitha St. Germain. Now I know I can rest easy. I'm not going to hate her voice. If the reviewer's on board with her, then I should like her quite a bit.
Thank you very much for a very reasuring review! One thing though:
I don't think it was made clear in her first appearance, but I'm pretty sure Margery is the only person who calls Marco "stupid." Alastor (Shana's pendant) gave him a title, spoiler[something like "Fang of Destruction," when they met up.] Anyway, great review and I can't wait to get this in! Also can't wait for volumes two and three when I'll get to once again enjoy the spectacles of spoiler[a drunken Margery (Janyse doing drunk should be hilarious) and the twisted siblings Tiriel and Sorath (I think that was their names.)] *Don't read the spoilers if you've never seen the series. They're mild, but trust me, you should go into this series blind and enjoy the ride! |
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11449 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Awesome, I love Dobson and Jaud. They were great villains in Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture and InuYasha. And though they're not quite a tandum in this one, it's still great just to have them around.
I've always enjoyed Dobson for his sly and cunning tone of voice for the characters he plays, and Jaud has a real sultryness to her voice as well, which is excellent for playing those sexy characters (man, that's a sexy voice  !).
It really is a well-balanced series, though, possessing a good amount of action, comedy, and drama, aside from all the moe/lolita fanservice throughout and the "ending." I'm sure it will do fairly well, if not very good, in the market. Heck, I'm sure this would even do well on [adult swim] at some point. With essentially the same voice cast, this could replace and succeed over InuYasha any day in my book. Unfortunately, I don't plan on buying this until I see a release with some kind of artbox  . Maybe they'll release one with the last volume. If not, I don't mind waiting for a box set either, but I definitely would like to add this to my collection at some point. As Godai said, it's very enjoyable.
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Strategos
 Posts: 91 Location: Ohio |
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This hasn't been under my radar as much as me being on the fence for starting this series. The lack of fansubs killed the hype a little, so I haven't heard much about it. I may take the dive though and give the first volume a shot at least. I've heard very good things about it, besides just this review I mean. I have heard the ending song though, which is awesome in my opinion.
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Swissman
Posts: 798 Location: Switzerland |
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The show isn't for me then because after just seeing the first episode, I was bored to tears. I mean, a boy who is drawn into a parallel ghost world (something happens to him) and encounters a mysterious sword-fighting girl with an attitude. A giant ghost monster of the day is destroyed by the heroine, a mysterious psychotic bad guy in the shadows (holding a cute doll) seems to be the mastermind ..... haven't we seen all that somewhere somehow before? ... I sure do (just don't ask me titles because I wouldn't know them by heart). One thing I have to give the first episode credit for is the well-made animation and sleek (moe) character designs. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18498 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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That part of it most certainly has been done before, I agree, as has the story gimmick of the male lead being killeed and revived in some complicated manner by the heroine within the first episode; off the top of my head I can think of at least three series where that happens. What set this one apart is the whole "you're only a remnant of the real, dead you and soon you'll fade from existence and memory" angle (which is strongly brought home in the second episode) and Shana's uncaring attitude about Yuki's fate. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11449 Location: Frisco, TX |
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It goes well beyond that, though I won't say how because it involves a lot of character interaction that would be better enjoyed firsthand, rather than me hinting at this and that. All I'll say about the villains is that this series does not follow a "monster of the week" forumla, and that "mysterious psychotic bad guy" is just a chump compared to the other villains/hardships that Shana and Yuuji face later on. It's pretty much a shounen series, though it isn't officially categorized as one in the Encyc. And besides, one episode to pass judgement is pretty harsh, especially for that genre I just compared it to. But Key is right. The first few episodes do a splendid job of setting up a premise, leaving more room for action, comedy, drama, or whatever later on in the series (which it does well, in my opinion). |
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Swissman
Posts: 798 Location: Switzerland |
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The problem is, I usually don't like the shounen genre, for multiple of reasons. And the case of Shana, I don't like her character. She's reminds me too much of a certain fanboy character-type to appeal me. I'll bet she'll go from uncaring "tsun tsun"-default mode in the first episode(s) to "dere dere" later on in the series - leaving room open to tender moments in a beach episode, matsuri episode, and such. Anyway, that were my first thoughts after I read the intro of Key's review. Nothing against the review as such, it's objective and well written - maybe I'll give the series another chance by buying the first dvd. |
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Seiitsuno Megami
 Posts: 24 Location: ...STALKER! :o |
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Ooh, I only got to see the first 2 episodes before it got licensed (and volume 1 of the manga...), and I'd already gotten addicted to it. <3 I'm gonna have to check out the dub.
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Richard J.
Posts: 3367 Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis. |
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I don't know if there's a "beach episode" later in, but there is one set poolside. I won't say anything about it beyond this simple statement: Tender and Shana do not mix. As I said in an earlier post, I watched a little more than half the series fansubbed and Shana's not given to tender moments at all. Temperamental moments, maybe. Tender? No. Although, going by most of your comments, you'd probably not like this series much anyway. Still, I just thought I should mention this in case that was more of a sticking point than it appears. If the premise isn't interesting to you and you're not sure you even like the characters, you're probably better off waiting until you've heard more about it from people who have tastes similar to your own. I figure this series is going to be around a while. I'd expect a boxset at somepoint. |
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Malintex Terek
Guest
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Good to hear Geneon's dub was good. Shakugan no Shana was an excellent series, above-average even for a generic shounen plot (with a twist); I'd credit the atmosphere and character designs as contributing to this, not to mention Shana's personal quirks.
I'm surprised to hear it was under-hyped, though. It's far superior to that disgusting paste of spit and vomit that is Fate/stay night, which just goes to show (I guess) that a lot of anime viewers are just far too submissive to the reviews of other people. |
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Shiroi Hane
Encyclopedia Editor
 Posts: 7584 Location: Wales |
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There was a review of the DVD in the latest Newtype USA as well (by Megatokyo's Dom as it happens)
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WesW
 Posts: 144 |
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I watched the fansubs of Shana and Fate/Stay Night at the same time, which may have been a mistake since they have similar plotlines. Shana is very enjoyable, though not quite as deep and meaningful as Fate.
I have some trouble figuring out the target audience for series like Shana- is it tween boys or college-age Otaku? I mean, you have a pretty clean series as far as blood, sex and language, and then up pops spoiler[the incestuous twins. There was even a station-break pic of the sister sucking on a banana while batting her eyes at her brother, which was just a little bit disturbing coming from a prepubescent girl, in addition to all the french-kissing they engaged in, complete with long saliva-lines when they unlock. When Shana calls them on their, in her opinion, disgusting behavior, the sister answers that she simply loves her brother and only wants to give him whatever support he needs, be it sexual or whatever.] Since the other characters in the show find their behavior disgusting as well, I have to believe that the series' creators share that viewpoint, I just wonder what the purpose was in having it in the first place, if not to titilate the lolicon segment of otaku-dom. I don't know if the creators can get away with this in a mainstream series because the twins aren't human, or what. I would be interested to hear from some of you who are informed on the intricacies of Japanese broadcast standards. I don't bring this up to turn people off of the series, as there was nothing else objectionable or immoral about it. I'm just genuinely curious as to why this behavior was included, since it seemed that the creators were trying to raise serious questions about the nature of love in a way which didn't fit in with the overall nature of the rest of show. |
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