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Shakugan no Shana Anime Celebrates 15th Anniversary With A Certain Magical Index Smartphone Game Collaboration

The Shakugan no Shana anime first debuted in October 2005, meaning that it is celebrating its 15th anniversary this month. To mark the occasion, the classic Dengeki Bunko light novel series is making a small-time return in the form of a collaboration with another classic light novel hit: The A Certain Magical Index franchise.

The A Certain Magical Index: Imaginary Fest smartphone game launched its crossover event with Shakugan no Shana on Monday. The limited-time event introduces Shana and Wilhelmina Carmel as battle characters, and Yūji Sakai, Margery Daw, and Hecate as assist characters. The story event quest will run until October 22 and will feature full voice acting from the Shakugan no Shana and A Certain Magical Index casts. The story follows Touma and Index after they stumble into the Crimson Realm and encounter Shana.

The game's Twitter account released videos previewing Shana's and Wilhelmina's battle animations:

On the official website, Shakugan no Shana creator Yashichiro Takahashi left a comment stating that he felt it was a great blessing to hear the characters being voiced again after eight years. Shana's voice actress Rie Kugimiya spoke of how happy she felt to reprise her role for these kinds of collaborations, and how she feels Shana's earnestness whenever she takes up the role anew. Both Takahashi and Kugimiya expressed their hope that fans will enjoy the collaboration event, whether they are pre-existing fans of Shakugan no Shana or are experiencing it for the first time.

Yashichiro Takahashi launched the Shakugan no Shana light novel series in 2002 with illustrations by The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya illustrator Noizi Ito. Takahashi published the 22nd and last of the main novels in 2011. A new story was published in 2016.

The novels inspired three television anime series. The first series premiered in 2005. Shakugan no Shana Second, the second series, premiered in 2007. The Shakugan no Shana III (Final) anime series aired in 2011 and adapted the novel series' ending.

A Certain Magical Index: Imaginary Fest launched in 2019. The "academy supernatural powers battle role-playing game" based on the A Certain Magical Index franchise is free to play, but there are optional in-game charges. Last month, the game held a collaboration with the KONOSUBA - God's Blessing on This Wonderful World– Legend of Crimson film.

Source: A Certain Magical Index: Imaginary Fest official website