Shana

Shana is the titular heroine of of Yashichiro Takahashi's light novel Shakugan no Shana. She is a "Flame Haze", warriors who have contracted themselves to inter-dimensional entities called "Crimson Lords". The character is named after her katana "Nietono no Shana" by the main character Yuji Sakai, and is referred to by her epithet "Flame-Haired Burning-Eyed Hunter" among other Flame Hazes. Shana is contracted to Alastor, a very powerful "Crimson God" who resides in a pendant.

Shana gained huge popularity in the anime / otaku fandom because of her highly moe characteristics, such as tsundere, petite figure, appetite for melon breads, and her signature triple "Urusai!" catchphrase. She is credited to have popularized an archetype of tsundere characters who share her common traits. As a result, Shana enjoyed a powerful presence in the otaku-oriented 2channel's J-Saimoe and Anizone's Korea Best Moe, spending much of the 2000's as a favorite to win both tournaments. However, she failed to win a single title despite multiple appearances in the final rounds. Both events eventually became defunct during the early 2010's, leaving behind a legacy of broken promises and a reputation as one of the biggest chokers in saimoe history.

After the demise of J-Saimoe and KBM, the International Saimoe League was considered Shana's last chance for championship glory, as it was the only remaining major tournament where she still has a chance to win. The blazing-eyed hunter finally extinguished her past demons by winning the Heavenly Tiara in the shortened 2016 contest - her 9th Main Tournament appearance.

Shana is one of the most storied and successful girls in the International Saimoe League, having won a joint-second most necklaces with seven, appearing in three finals (2009, 2010, 2016), and becoming the first girl to reach 300 regular season wins. However, she is the least popular competitor in ISML's Tournament of Champions due to her dated status, placing last in most of her ToC appearances to date.

Shana will be eligible for the Main Tournament again in ISML 2025, two decades after her anime debut.

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Contest profile
Shana is the namesake of the anime archetype known as "Shana Clones", because she popularized the concept of a female character defined by these characteristics:


 * Short, petite physical stature, with long hair and a flat chest. May border on loli.
 * Wears thigh-highs showing grade-A "Zettai Ryouiki".
 * Is either rich, or possesing supernatural powers, or both.
 * Most importantly: the character is a tsundere, the main character's love interest, and voiced by Rie Kugimiya, who is often typecast to this kind of roles.

This type of character proved very popular with anime fans, and by 2006 Shana blazed a trail (pun intended) in the Saimoe Tournaments, reaching the semi-finals of both Japanese and Korean contests in her first year. She would establish a constant presence in both of these tournaments, always appearing in the latter rounds for the better parts, but unfortunately, she would end up never winning any of them.

Among these harrowing losses includes one of the closest ever finals match in a major tournament: a loss against Hinagiku Katsura in Korea's 2007 edition by a score of 2013-2015, a vote difference of just 2 votes. Hinagiku would later steal Shana's championship again in the same fashion in ISML 2009, torturing the Flame Haze by a score of 2106-2117, a margin of just  11 votes. Shana would later return to the finals two years later, only to lose in a heated match-up against the super-charged Mikoto Misaka by a score of 8052-9208.

Shana continues to perform decently well in ISML's Nova / Stella Era, reaching the postseason from 2012-2014, but her chances for Tiara contention have been sidelined in favor of other girls from more popular series; and she entered a state of decline in 2015 because she failed to make the postseason that year.

All is not lost however, as the Nova / Stella era divisions were merged, a new tournament format started to emerge in ISML 2016. The year saw a drop in voters, making the 2016 edition's numbers on par with ISML's early years. Shana's strength was reignited in this year, winning the Amethyst necklace (her first in 5 years) and finished as the 2nd seed in the regular season. In the final group stage, she finished first in Group B, before defeating Rin, Yukino, and surprise finalist Illya in the playoffs. After a decade of chasing major championships, she finally attained the most prestigious prize she rightfully deserves: the 2016 Heavenly Tiara.

Shana is virtually unknown in Bilibili Moe and r/anime's Best Girl Contest.

Trivia
 * Shana is the only girl with the most finals appearances in all of the major tournaments with four: three of them being losses (KBM 2007, ISML 2009, and ISML 2011) and the last one being a win (ISML 2016).
 * Shana holds the joint-most number of pure necklace rounds won in International Saimoe League, winning a total of seven (7) necklaces. The majority of them came from the double-elimination era (2008-2010) which includes three wins from 2010, the most in a single year.  She is the reason why from 2011 onwards, girls can't win multiple necklaces on the same year.
 * If Nova and Stella Circlet gems are counted, then she is tied for second with seven gems won, alongside Kanade Tachibana (5 necklaces, 2 circlets).
 * In 2020, Mashiro Shiina has broken the record for most gems won with eight (7 necklaces, 1 circlet), after she won that year's ruby necklace. This award equalized Mashiro's tally with Shana in terms of pure necklaces.
 * Shana has the ISML's record of 300 regular season wins, and is the first contestant to ever reach that many wins.

2008

 * Shana > Tamaki Kousaka (240-70)
 * 4th (59-0-4)


 * Shana > Suigintou (722-535)
 * Shana > Kyou Fujibayashi (614-562)
 * Fate Testarossa > Shana (807-734)
 * Konata Izumi > Shana (656-615)

2009

 * Shana > Yuki Nagato (1947-1359)
 * 1st (62-0-0-1)


 * Shana > Rin Tosaka (1524-1108)
 * Shana > Kyou Fujibayashi (1549-1386)
 * Hinagiku Katsura > Shana (1677-1395)
 * Shana > Tomoyo Sakagami (1601-1157)
 * Hinagiku Katsura > Shana (2117-2106)

2010

 * Shana > Mikoto Misaka (2879-2565)
 * Shana > Kyou Fujibayashi (2894-1946)
 * Shana > Taiga Aisaka (3553-3139)
 * 1st (48-0-1)


 * Shana > Hitagi Senjougahara (4221-3047)
 * Shana > Haruhi Suzumiya (3406-2835)
 * Mikoto Misaka > Shana (3434-3279)
 * Shana > Hinagiku Katsura (3806-3659)
 * Shana > Azusa Nakano (4017-3961)
 * Mikoto Misaka > Shana (3522-3478)

2011

 * Shana
 * Other Necklace Match


 * 5th (45-0-4)


 * Shana > Yui (5418-3630)
 * Shana > Nakano Azusa (5508-5107)
 * Shana >Tachibana Kanade (7624-6929)
 * Misaka Mikoto > Shana (9208-8052)

2012

 * Stella 2nd (33-0-2)


 * Postseason Phase 1 Stella Division
 * Shana > Illyasviel von Einzbern (5405-3108)
 * Saber > Shana (5029-4818)
 * Postseason Phase 2 Final League
 * Eucliwood Hellscythe > Shana (5771-4994)
 * Shana > Hasegawa Kobato (6606-4596)
 * Akiyama Mio > Shana (5871-5031)
 * Shana > Nakamura Yuri (6015-4228)
 * Yui > Shana (6693-6635)

2013

 * Stella 7th (28-0-7)


 * Postseason Phase 1 Stella Division
 * Kousaka Kirino > Shana (5033-4703)

2014

 * Stella 8th (29-0-6)
 * Postseason Phase 1 Stella Division
 * Final League
 * Final League
 * Final League
 * Final League
 * Final League



2006

 * Shana > HinaIchigo > Momo Katagiri (712-459-125)
 * Shana > Nagisa Aoi > Kotona Elegance (884-638-296)
 * Shana > Ana Coppola (1057-942)
 * Shana > Aruruu (961-832)
 * Shana > Eri Sawachika (1210-1059)
 * Suiseiseki > Shana (1473-1431)

2007

 * Shana = Evangeline A.K. McDowell > Karen Minazuki > Yuzuha (754-754-179-174)
 * Shana > Evangeline A.K. McDowell > Kanaria > Kallen Kouzuki (975-811-213-177)
 * Shana > Izumi Segawa (1152-644)
 * Nagi Sanzenin > Shana (1086-1068)

2008

 * Shana > Miyu Kuonji > Ai Kaga (723-279-224)
 * Shana > Otoha Sakurano > Nona Yuuki (672-273-218)
 * Shana > Nanoha Takamachi (987-969)
 * Tamaki Kawazoe > Shana (1058-898)

2010

 * Shana > Yuri Nakamura > Rinko Kuzaki > Selnia Iori Flameheart (450-397-117-69)
 * Shana > Nazuna > Ryou Fujibayashi (453-236-122)
 * Shana > Nanoha Takamachi > Isumi Saginomiya (816-719-109)
 * Nodoka Haramura > Shana (946-890)

2011

 * Yuuko Nishi > Shana > Shouko Kirishima (340-316-110)

2012

 * Shana > Izumi Akazawa > Mizuki Himeji (293-252-95)
 * Shana > Kuroyukihime > Nano Shinonome (288-224-81)
 * Shana > Airi Kashii (291-287)
 * Shana > Sena Kashiwazaki ((263-257)
 * Hisa Takei > Shana (328-289)

2006

 * Shana > Akari Mizunashi (497-176)
 * Shana = Suiseiseki (420-420)
 * Shana > Konomi Yuzuhara (639-326)
 * Shana > Teletha Testarossa (572-446)
 * Suiseiseki > Shana (598-411)

2007

 * Shana > Isumi Saginomiya (910-820)
 * Shana > Nanoha Takamachi (1010-1009)
 * Shana > Maria (1145-1128)
 * Shana > Nayuki Minase (1545-1048)
 * Shana > Suiseiseki (1665-1348)
 * Hinagiku Katsura > Shana (2015-2013)

2008

 * Shana > Kagura > Sakura Kinomoto > Tae Shimura (2178-1941-1931-221)
 * Shana > Ran Mouri (5015-2166)
 * Shana > Kagura (4103-4085)
 * Shana > Nagi Sanzenin (3715-3382)
 * Holo > Shana (4507-4147)

2011

 * Victorique de Blois > Shana > Yuina Wakura (189-136-48)

2012

 * Shana > Asuha Touhara > Inori Yuzuriha (128-66-65)
 * Hitagi Senjougahara > Shana (144-89)

Honours
Total Wins : 15 + 3 = 18


 * 1) Korea Super Best Moe 2007
 * 2) LOLI BATTLE 2007
 * 3) DM123 AnimeFans Saimoe 2008
 * 4) TOBUS China Moe 2008 (ft. Co-Winner C.C.)
 * 5) DMZJ Chinese Moe 2008
 * 6) Anime of the Hong Kong XD Forum Moe 2009/2010
 * 7) Baidu OTAKU Animation: Summer Girl's Battle 2010
 * 8) DMZJ Super Moe 2011
 * 9) Baidu AST 2012
 * 10) Facebook Moe Moe World Battle of the Moe 2012/2015
 * 11) Baidu Xiaomeiyenfayan(=Homura Akemi present) Moe 2013 tieba blog
 * 12) ISML 2016 Heavenly Tiara ★
 * 13) Facebook Lolimouto 2016
 * 14) ACGN Miss Anime 2016/2020
 * 15) FACEBOOK Crossing Void - Global MOE CONTEST 2019

Runner-up Lists
List of runner-up finishes = 8 + 1 = 9
 * 1) KBM 2007
 * 2) TGBUS Chinese Moe 2008
 * 3) PTT C_CHAT Moe 2009
 * 4) ISML 2009 & ISML 2011
 * 5) Facebook WeLoveACG Saimoe 2011
 * 6) 2012 Baidu @HeizhangZhiba(lit. Dark, Deep & Straightforward) Moe
 * 7) Youqing Xiaozhan Moe(lit. Blog for Friendship) 2014
 * 8) (Secretsreviewer) Anime Tsundere Female Tournament 2020