Animation Quality: 10
yay! more battle scene... during season 1 and season 2, there's only one battle that I actually enjoy and that's when they're fighting against Sabrac...
hey! this season got many badass battle... even the final battle is very good
badass God of Earth... emotional battle between Shana and Yuji... and the war...
EPIC!!! so J.C. Staff can make stuff like this...
for fanservice : I will choose loli-goth Shana and white-dress Shana... lol
Voice Actors: 10
Hino Satoshi and Rie Kugimiya will be a legendary seiyuu for me... both are my favorites.... that's all. I want to see more anime when both of them are acts as hero and heroine again (like in Zero no Tsukaima and SnS)
Script: 9
I must agree with everyone's review... J.C. Staff messed up in previous season. That's why we suddenly surprised with huge amount of new Flame Haze and Tomogara. I always complain since previous season about lack of character (bored with that Flame Haze trio + Khamsin and Trinity stuff)
I never predict Shakugan no Shana will be an intense battle. The story become very mature and heavy... that's why I always lurking around here to discuss
but, this is my favorite plot. I want a plot like this where romance and action merged into one story. Not another filler and fanservice episode (which is J.C. Staff specialty)
Since Yuji's disappearance (first episode) until the kiss (final episode), the story is magnificent!
Soundtrack: 10
To be honest, I dislike first opening... lol! but when I hear "I'll Believe", I'm dying waiting for full version
then, come the second opening.... honestly! my eyes got teary when I see it for first time.. Serment and the animation is just perfect.... Then second ending is also awesome....
not only that! I must say that Light my Fire's piano version and I'll Believe's piano version are always ringing on my head.... Other songs like u/n and Akai Namida are also put in correct way... and that last song.... wow! beautiful!
Character Development: 10
too many characters... but most of them are not very important... Gods of Earth, Sophie, Samuel Demantius, Haborym, Mammon, Ribesal, and rest of new characters are actually not focused
BUT! I will highlight some touching scene : Samuel's death is a great scene... Centerhill's sacrifice is also another great scene...
Yuji is always the same Yuji... When he make up his mind, he will pursue his plan... He only changed in the end when he finally realized that he underestimates love too much. He is a responsible person from the beginning but he is very mature in leading Tomogara together with God of Creation
Margery finally got her own development in this season.... She finds her true feeling and finally can put away her obsession with Silver after realizing Silver's true nature... Saito Keisaku is also another interesting character in this season
Wilhelmina can show her feeling more in this season... We can see clearly her true nature and reasoning because most of her past are revealed. In last episode, when I see her teary eyes, I realized that she isn't cold-blooded Wilhelmina from first season anymore
I'm Yoshida Kazumi's hater (sorry, Kristen!). But in this season, she becomes my favorite character. As the only human who witness all of scenes in final war, she plays her role well. She isn't a selfish girl because losing her beloved Sakai Yuji but can cooperate without involving her personal feeling.
Talking about Kazumi will remind us about Khamsin. Khamsin shows much care to Kazumi because he's afraid Kazumi will got mental breakdown due to Yuji's rejection of her love. But in the end, Khamsin himself can realize lots of things and his death will always be remembered as one of the biggest sacrifice for Xanadu's plan
last is our beloved main character, Shana. She isn't a selfish girl with her 'urusai' and melon pan anymore. She already developed a lot since first season but she shows another maturity in this season (even more than Sakai Yuji). She can struggle against her emotion and thinking straight.
In the end, she really put on her title as Enpatsu Shakugan no Uchite and God of Destruction's contractor well by developing a plan to fight Sairei no Hebi (she is the only Flame Haze with that resolution... others are just sulking their defeat and can't think of any plan)
Emotional Involvement: 10
Watching this season is really like watching Romeo and Juliet...
They love each other... but must fight each other because of same goal but different path. My friend said that he wish for Romeo-Juliet ending but I said don't give any bad idea to J.C. Staff
That happy ending is really worth to be remembered
I got teary eyes when I see the kiss... omg.. waiting for long time to see that scene