Shakugan no Shana , also known simply as , is a Japanese light novel series written by Yashichiro Takahashi with illustrations by Noizi Ito. ASCII Media Works published 26 novels from November 2002 to November 2012 under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. The ...

'' is an

anime is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...

series including three

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...

, original video animation (OVA) episodes, and

bonus Bonus commonly means: * Bonus, a Commonwealth term for a distribution of profits to a with-profits insurance policy * Bonus payment, an extra payment received as a reward for doing one's job well or as an incentive Bonus may also refer to: Plac ...

shorts Shorts are a garment worn over the pelvic area, circling the waist and splitting to cover the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to the knees but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they ...

. The episodes are based on the

light novel A light novel (, Hepburn: ''raito noberu'') is a style of young adult novel primarily targeting high school and middle school students. The term "light novel" is a '' wasei-eigo'', or a Japanese term formed from words in the English languag ...

series of the same name written by

Yashichiro Takahashi is a Japanese novelist best known for the creation of the ''Shakugan no Shana'' series. ''Shakugan no Shana'' was adapted into a radio drama, manga, anime, and a video game. In addition, it was adapted into an anime film on April 21, 2007. Takaha ...

, with illustrations drawn by

Noizi Ito is a Japanese light novel and video game artist. She is employed by the H-game maker UNiSONSHIFT and is a part of the circle Fujitsubo-Machine. Unlike most romanized Japanese words and names, Noizi Ito's name uses the Kunrei-shiki romanization f ...

. Produced by the animation studio

J.C.Staff , is a Japanese animation studio founded in January 1986 by Tomoyuki Miyata, who previously worked at Tatsunoko Production. The studio's first release was ''Yōtōden'' in 1987. They have produced several well-known anime series, such as '' Food ...

, the episodes are directed by

Takashi Watanabe is a Japanese animator, storyboard artist, and director. He is best known for directing the anime series ''Slayers'', '' Boogiepop Phantom'', and '' Shakugan no Shana''. Filmography Director *''Aria the Scarlet Ammo'' *'' Boogiepop Phantom'' *' ...

, written by

Yasuko Kobayashi is a Japanese anime and tokusatsu drama screenwriter who has been involved in various television shows throughout her career, beginning in 1993 with ''Tokusou Robo Janperson''. In September 2022, Kobayashi launched a new manga series with illus ...

, and feature character design by Mai Otsuka who based the designs on Ito's original concept. The sound director is Jin Aketagawa, and the soundtrack is composed by

Kow Otani is a Japanese composer. He is best known for creating the soundtracks for the Heisei ''Gamera'' trilogy, '' Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack'', ''Mobile Suit Gundam Wing'', and ''Shadow of the Colossus''. Biogra ...

. The story follows Yuji Sakai, a high school boy who inadvertently becomes involved in an age-old conflict between forces of balance and imbalance in existence. In the process, he befriends a fighter for the balancing force and names her "Shana". A 24-episode TV series aired in Japan between October 6, 2005, and March 23, 2006, on

TV Kanagawa (tvk for short) is an independent television station in Japan serving Kanagawa Prefecture and parts of the Greater Tokyo Area with favorable reception. The station was founded on April 20, 1971 and began broadcasting on April 1, 1972. Its call si ...

, and aired at later dates than TV Kanagawa on

TV Saitama abbreviated TVS, doing business as is a Japanese fee-free terrestrial commercial television broadcasting company headquartered in Urawa-ku, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Its intended coverage is Saitama Prefecture but with some s ...

Chiba TV , doing business as , is a Japanese commercial terrestrial television broadcasting company headquartered at 11-25 Miyako-chō 1-chōme, Chūō-ku, Chiba serving Chiba Prefecture but spill-over is received in the neighbouring prefectures. It is a m ...

MBS TV JOOY-DTV, virtual channel 4 (UHF digital channel 16), branded as (formerly until 23 July 2011), is the Kansai region key station of the Japan News Network, owned by Mainichi Broadcasting System, Inc. Programming * Animeism * * * Hist ...

TV Aichi JOCI-DTV, branded as , is a television station in Nagoya, Japan operated by the Aichi Television Broadcasting Company, Ltd. (TVA; ja, テレビ愛知株式会社, Terebi Aichi kabushiki gaisha) and is an affiliate of the TX Network. Broadcast ...

, and

Animax , stylized as ANIMAX, is a Japanese animation satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. The channel also dubbed other cartoons in Japanese language. A subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan, it is headq ...

. A DVD titled ''Shakugan no Shana: Prelude to Shana'' containing promotional material for the anime was released in September 2005. The series was later released by

Geneon (abbreviated as NBCUEJ) is a Japanese music, anime, and home entertainment production and distribution enterprise headquartered in Akasaka, Tokyo, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Minato, Tokyo. It is primarily involved in the production and distributi ...

to eight DVD compilation volumes from January to August 2006. Two DVD box sets containing 12 episode each were released in January and February 2011. A Blu-ray Disc (BD) box set was released in June 2011. Later, an OVA episode titled ''Shakugan no Shana SP'', which takes place after the events of episode 13, was released on December 8, 2006. The series was licensed for North American distribution by Geneon, who released the series on 6 DVD volumes from September 5, 2006, to July 3, 2007. After Geneon withdrew from the North American market, Geneon and

Funimation Entertainment Crunchyroll, LLC, previously known as Funimation from 1994 to 2022, is an American entertainment company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony as a joint venture between Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Aniplex that specializes ...

announced an agreement to distribute select titles in North America. While Geneon still retains the license, Funimation assumes exclusive rights to the manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution of select titles. ''Shakugan no Shana'' was one of several titles involved in the deal. A DVD box set was released by Funimation in September 2008, and was re-released in September 2009 under Funimation's "Viridian Collection". Funimation later re-licensed the first series and re-released the series on a BD and DVD combo pack in August 2012.

began broadcasting the English version in South and Southeast Asia on July 1, 2009. The same core production staff who produced the first season of ''Shakugan no Shana'' returned for later projects. The 24-episode second season, titled , aired between October 5, 2007, and March 28, 2008, on MBS, and aired at later dates than MBS on CBC, TBS,

Bandai Channel is a distributor and broadcaster of anime by broadband access. It was established on March 1, 2002, by Bandai in coordination with Sunrise, Bandai Visual was a Japanese anime, film production, and distribution enterprise, established by Ba ...

, and Animax. The series was later released by Geneon to eight DVD compilation volumes from January to August 2008. Two DVD box sets containing 12 episode each were released in February and April 2011. A BD box set was released in September 2011. In the Philippines, TV5 was the first to telecast the second season in

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...

between November 10 and December 25, 2008. A four-episode OVA series titled ''Shakugan no Shana S'' was released on BD/DVD from October 23, 2009, to September 29, 2010. The 24-episode third season, titled , aired between October 8, 2011, and March 24, 2012, on

Tokyo MX JOMX-DTV, branded as Tokyo MX (officially stylized as TOKYO MX), is an independent television station in Tokyo, Japan, owned by the . It is the only television station that exclusively serves the city. It competes with Nippon TV, TV Asahi, NH ...

, and aired at later dates than Tokyo MX on Chiba TV, TV Kanagawa, MBS, CBC, AT-X, and BS11. The series was released by Geneon to eight BD/DVD compilation volumes from December 2011 to July 2012. Funimation licensed the second and third seasons, and the OVA series. A series of 15 bonus shorts depicting Shana

super deformed Chibi, also known as super deformation, or S.D. is a style of caricature originating in Japan, and common in anime and manga where characters are drawn in an exaggerated way, typically small and chubby with stubby limbs, oversized heads, and m ...

under the collective title ''Shakugan no Shana-tan'' were also released. The first two were available to those who reserved copies of the first and fifth Japanese DVD volumes of the first season. Both episodes were included in the sixth English DVD volume. A similarly themed short featuring Hecate was released on a DVD bundled with the ''Anime Shakugan no Shana no Subete'' guide book. Another short was released with the ''Shakugan no Shana SP'' OVA, and one featuring Wilhelmina was shown in Japanese theaters with the film. A ''Shana-tan'' short was included with the limited edition version of the film's DVD. Two more were available with the limited edition versions of the first and fifth Japanese DVD volumes of the second season. ''Shakugan no Shana-tan Revenge'' was included with the ''Anime Shakugan no Shana II no Subete'' guide book. Four more were included with each of the ''Shakugan no Shana S'' BDs and DVDs. Another short was available with the limited edition version of the second Japanese BD and DVD volume of the third season. There was also a series of 20 animated shorts featuring Friagne and Marianne called .

Anime series

''Shakugan no Shana'' (2005—06)

''Shakugan no Shana Second'' (2007–08)

''Shakugan no Shana S'' (2009–10)

''Shakugan no Shana Final'' (2011–12)

Mini-specials

''Shakugan no Shana'' specials

''Shakugan no Shana Second'' specials

''Shakugan no Shana S'' specials

''Shakugan no Shana Final'' specials

References

{{Shakugan no Shana

Episodes Episodes may refer to: * Episode An episode is a narrative unit within a larger dramatic work or documentary production, such as a series intended for radio, television or streaming consumption. The noun ''episode'' is derived from the Greek ...