灼眼のシャナⅢ（Final）Episode 03
Shakugan no Shana III (Final) – 03

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Yuuji returns to Misaki City by train to “move on” while in the city, Tanaka thinks of Satou’s words, citing his business with Tokyo Outlaw. Tanaka’s thoughts are interupted by a call from a frantic Satou, telling him that a Guze-no-Tomogara is on its way and he should man the Haridan but not use Margery’s bookmark. The fearful Tanaka reluctantly agrees to this.  Meanwhile, Margery is drinking wine and not amused with Marchosias jokes.  However, Marchosias senses the powerful Tomogara in town and remarks on it.  Margery wonders why so many Tomogara continue to come to Misaki City when Tanaka bursts in to Margery’s surprise.

Elsewhere, within a Fuzetsu, Shana trains with Wilhelmina and has improved on her new technique a great deal, though not enough for Shana’s standard. After the training, the two sense the Tomogara’s presence, which Alastor believes is a Guze King.  Wilhelmina takes a call from Margery, who’s planning to do some scouting on this new Tomogara and wants the other two Flame Haze to wait a bit. They agree, so Shana takes Wilhelmina’s phone and calls Kazumi. After being briefed by Shana, Kazumi tells her she will her that she’s not running away and will go to the Hariden, where Tanaka is going. Kazumi’s decision pleases Shana as Kazumi meets up with Tanaka outside the Haridan.

Meanwhile, Yuuji stops to look at the clock tower and remember Christmas Eve and gives a silent apology to the girls, wondering if the letters got to them. His movements are observed by Margery and Marchosias, who confirms that this is the Tomogara they’ve been sensing. Margery makes a call to Shana to inform her as Yuuju wanders the city, visiting the place he remembers being caught up in a Fuzetsu and meeting Shana for the first time. Yuuji then visits the place he and Kazumi had their first date.  He recalls meeting Rammie, Margery Daw, working with Shana to defeat the Tomogara Friagne, learning he had the Hougu “Reiji Maigo” within him, how Kazumi got involved in this, and more.

Back at the Haridan, Tanaka and Kazumi finally arrive while Shana positions herself on a bridge leading out of the city. Yuuji continues thinking as he walks, knowing that his life will be replaced by the younger sibling his mom will eventually give birth to, thus his parents will still have a child. After saying a silent apology to his mom, a group of high school girls in P.E. attire, running down the path he’s on, catches his eyes. One of them is Ogata, who seems to briefly recognize Yuuji even though his presence has been wiped but continues running with the group. Yuuji comes to the bridge, where he thinks of how he couldn’t climb up before and now easily does so. Though he is on the traitor’s path, it is the one he’s chosen because he loves Shana.

As the sun sets, Yuuji reaches the top of the suspension bridge tower and faces the other tower, where Shana has been waiting for him.

Thoughts/Review:

Wow.  Just wow.  I really didn’t expect such an emotional episode here, but that being said, for as much flashback and recapping that happened, this episode was quite good and well handled to set up what’s coming next. ^_^

For starters, there’s Yuuji.  I was wrong about him clashing with Shana this episode. ^_^; However, I didn’t think that Yuuji would spend an entire episode wandering around Misaki City and recalling some of the major events from Shakugan no Shana and Shakugan no Shana Second.

I didn’t remember Kazumi and Yuuji going on a date in the first series.  Then again, it has been a LONG time since I’ve watched it.  I did remember everything else shown in the flashbacks.

I felt pretty sure that Yuuji wouldn’t have done what he did unless it was for Shana and this episode confirmed that. Yuuji’s dream is to be with Shana, as seen when he imagines the two of them walking hand-in-hand. Because he loves her, he has joined forces with the enemy. Question is, what will Yuuji do to protect Shana? What will Shana do? I can’t imagine her agreeing to anything Yuuji has agreed to because he’s now Bal Masqué.  I suppose Shana could drive out the Silver but at what cost?

I loved how Shana’s first thought after getting word from Margery Daw about her scouting plans was to call Kazumi and give her a choice.  Those two have long been rivals for Yuuji’s love and Kazumi lost (which is still makes me sad even though I like Yuuji with Shana best), but Shana has come to respect Kazumi. I think Shana knew what Kazumi’s choice would be — help the cause by working with Tanaka in the Haridan.

Oh. That reminds me, from a pure “evil Tomogara” perspective, it seems that tactically, Yuuji would remove the Haridan as an asset for the Misaki City Flame Haze. I’m not saying Yuuji would harm Kazumi or Tanaka, but I thought he might take it out. The fact that he didn’t says that no matter what happens, the Tomogara of Bal Masqué may end up being betrayed by Yuuji.

And speaking of Tanaka, I like that the writers got him back into things. Yeah, he’s still fearful that something bad might happen to Ogata, but he can’t protect her if he runs away, even if he runs away with her.

Finally, there’s Margery Daw.  The flashbacks reminded us that when she was introduced, she was an opponent of Shana’s for a bit. Since then, she’s become Shana’s and Wilhelmina’s ally and unlike most Flame Haze, the three are quite the team. Considering Margery’s desire for revenge against the Silver, she has come a ways to put off attacking Yuuji and alerting Wilhelmina first. Then again, when Yuuji had the Silver just within him, that was one thing. Now, he’s a Guze King and maybe Margery knows she can’t fight such a one alone.

So, a really good, emotional episode that sets up the battle that looks sure to happen next episode.