Shakugan no Shana 24

Final episode summary:

Wilhelmina Carmel and Bel-Peol have their fight, and Bel-Peol seems to be getting the better of it. Margery and Shudonay are having fun battling each other. Shana arrives in Hecate's chamber, but she's nearly done soaking in Yuuji's feelings and memories. Hecate basically has an orgasmic moment as she's filled with Yuuji's sp... special feelings, and energy rises out of her corporal form and powers up the surrounding equipment. Shana tries to attack but is repelled at all attack points by Hecate's force field.

Meanwhile, down below, Eita and Keisaku see bad things happening to their city. Kazumi's hanging on to her balcony's railings, looking up at the Seireiden, and announces faith that everyone will return safely.

Back in Hecate's chamber, Shana finds her attacks hopeless. Alastor says their only hope is to cut Yuuji free. Shana sprouts wings and is about to go for it. Yuuji, meanwhile is continuing his conversation with Hecate. He asks if she's satisfied filling herself with his feelings and memories. She says that she's been hoping and praying for this all this time. The thoughts of when Yuuji named Shana and declared himself as Yuuji is most on Hecate's mind. She said that she's been wanting to know herself and find herself. Yuuji agrees that at first she was empty. And she says she's different now... with so much feelings. Yuuji says it's with his thoughts. But Hecate says they are now her feelings and memories. But Yuuji points out that they are not her feelings and thoughts. Beings have to experience and collect their own thoughts and feelings. She points out that he's just a torch himself who had filled himself with the original Sakai Yuuji's thoughts. He admits that when he met Shana, he was just a torch, but since that time he's experienced so much, felt so much worries and emotions. Thus, he'll say it again clearly and strongly: "I am Sakai Yuuji. Who are you? Where is the uniqueness that makes you you?" With those words, Hecate is confused and distraught. Shana's attack with all her might at that moment, and she breaks through Hecate's barrier and breaks into the vessel encasing Yuuji using the vampire sword Blutsauger. Yuuji gains consciousness and his and Shana's eyes meet. She says his name is happiness and runs towards him but stops. He's happy to see her. Hecate, gives out a frightened cry and says that the thing that was filling her up is disappearing. Yuuji says that she's wrong... from the very beginning till now, she's empty. He then picks up Blutsauger and faces Hecate... she's even more distressed, but he turns around and strikes the machine creating the fountain of existence. It causes a huge explosion and the fountain stops.

Yuuji gets up from the blast and asks if Shana's okay. He apologizes, saying it was all his fault. Shana says that she was asked to bring him back by the two guys (Eita and Keisaku) and... Yoshida Kazumi. Yuuji says that everyone was worried for him. "Yes, but I was the one most worried and wanted to bring you back," she says with a smile. (Yes, baby! I was saying to myself at this point... she was finally honest with herself and Yuuji). "Shana!" says Yuuji, happily.

Hecate, meanwhile is reeling from Yuuji's words that she's still just an empty shell. She loses it and lets out a scream from the heart. Shudonay hears it and flies toward her. Margery yells that there was supposed to be no running away and chases him. Energy, meanwhile, emanates from Hecate and all hell breaks loose. Alastor explains that Hecate is now spewing out all the power of existence that she had been sucking up all this time. The town is in even greater danger than before. Alastor says that there's nothing they can do at their present state. However, there is one way. "Really?" asks Yuuji. "Yes," replies Shana, and explains that if the Empatsu Shakugan no Uchite releases her contract with Alastor, it will release his form and he can consume the energy. However, it will destroy the vessel that is the Flame Haze.... in other words, Shana will die.

Wilhelmina runs towards their location; she has a bad feeling about what's about to happen. Yuuji makes a decision. He grabs Shana's hand and says they'll go together. He said in the beginning he said he'd go wherever she went; his feelings have not changed. "Yuuji!" she says. They hold hands, and walk toward the light, hand in hand. She holds the Alastor pendant in one hand and says, "Tempa Jousai." Energy begins to fly out of the pendant. As they continue to walk, Shana turns to Yuuji and says, "I love you." Yuuji closes his eyes in happiness. A huge energy ball is released. Wilhelmina stops in shock. Tiamat confirms it's the tempa jousai. Wilhelmina collapses to her knees in distress and doesn't try to flee from the destruction. Fortunately for her, Margery flies down and helps her up and they flee together. Shudonay finds Hecate, grabs her and they fly off. "I don't have anything..." says Hecate. "It's okay, Hecate," says Shudonay, "You are you." Somehow, those words comfort her. Bel-Peol smirks once before disappearing herself. Margery watches the destruction of the Seireiden and softly says, "Chibi-jari" (her nickname for Shana: "little graveling").

In the quiet, Shana hears Yuuji's voice calling her name and telling her to wake up. She opens her eyes and finds that they are not dead. "Why..." she wonders. Alastor says that her container was large enough for Alastor and didn't break. He said he had felt so when they first made their contract. As for Yuuji, he had Friagne's ring that protected him. She only has a sheet of cloth around her, which falls as she tries to get up. Yuuji brings attention to it and she embarassedly summons her cloak to cover herself. "You looked, didn't you" she demands. "I didn't" protests Yuuji. "You did! You looked!" "I didn't!" he says. "Urusai urusai urusai!" he says and the end music plays.

As the ending credits play, we see small epilogues. Wilhelmina finds Shana and Yuuji, says, "Pardon me," then hugs Shana fiercely. Margery goes back to stay with Eita and Keisaku for awhile. Khamsim looks on the town from afar. Lamies does the same and walks away... who knows what he's thinking or planning? Yuuji's mom Chigusa sends off Yuuji and Shana to school, waving... Wilhelmina waves too, but doesn't like being caught in the act by Chigusa. Ogata and Eita blush as they see each other before school; Keisaku sees something up between the two. In school, Hayato Ike is challenging Yuuji for Kazumi; Kazumi tells Shana that she's not giving up.... she may have won round 1 but she'll go for round 2... Shana says she'll not lose. End of the series... but wait! A movie plan is announced! Whoo hoo!

I gotta say that at first I thought this was just a Bleach clone at first, but this has come to be one of my favorite animes this past season. I loved the dramatic music, decently consistent animation, and quick moving storylines. I'll be sad not to see more episodes, but I have the comfort of reading the novels.

Pics (click to enlarge):