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'''Alan McLoughlin''' (born 20 April 1967) is an [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] coach, and former player, of [[association football]] (soccer).
'''Shakugan no Shana''' (Japanese: 灼眼のシャナ) is a Japanese fictional work originally available as a series of novels written by Yashichirou Takahashi, but now have both manga and anime adaptations. It stars Yuuji, the main character, and Shana, who is called the "agent with flames for hair and blazing eyes." The title roughly translates to "Blazing-eyed Shana."
McLoughlin began his career as a trainee at [[Manchester United F.C.]], before joining [[Swindon Town F.C.]] in August [[1986]]. However, he didn't fit in well with manager [[Lou Macari]]'s long ball style, and just seven months and nine appearances later, he moved to [[Torquay United F.C.]] on loan.
==Story==
An ordinary high school student, Yuuji Sakai, living an ordinary life, has a run in with the extraordinary, and meets a girl in the process. Her name is Shana, the flame-haired blazing-eyed agent. She is a Flame Haze whose task is to hunt down Crimson Denizens (Guze no Tomogara). After letting him know that he is an existence that shall soon be gone from this world, she protects Yuuji, who is actually a special "Torch," from those who hunt him.
His Swindon career looked to be over when he returned to Torquay at the start of the following season for another loan spell, but following suspensions to other players McLoughlin was given another chance in the first team and soon established himself.
These Crimson Denizens are beings from the Crimson Realm and steal the energy that forms the basis of this world, Existence, from the people living in this world and utilize it for their own selfish ambitions. One of their hapless victims was Yuuji. Flame Hazes are the ones who seek the destruction of those Crimson Denizens. By the hand of the Flame Hazes, these erased persons are turned into Torches in order to repair the strain on reality resulting from the actions of the Denizens. Torches take on the forms of those erased persons, but before long, they will vanish from the memories of the living.
It was under Macari's sucessor as manager, [[Ossie Ardiles]], that McLoughlin really blossomed. He was an ever present in Ardiles' first season, and scored sixteen goals. He capped off a fine season by scoring the winning goal in the Play-Off final at [[Wembley Stadium]] against [[Sunderland AFC]].
==Characters==
McLoughlin's performances won him international recognition, and he was named in the [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Ireland squad]] for the [[Football World Cup 1990|1990 World Cup]] in [[Italy]]. He made two appearances in the tournament, coming on as a substitute in the matches with [[England national football team|England]] and [[Egypt national football team|Egypt]].
===Yuuji Sakai (Mistess)===
The main character of the story. He is just your average guy but his world is turned upside down when he discovers he is already dead and it is a matter of time before he disappears. However, he is a mistess. Unlike normal torches, his flame has the ability to relight itself. Other information about what kind of torch he is is still unknown to us at the moment. Even though he knows he may die and be forgotten, he is kind and puts others before himself. This causes Shana to be really annoyed at him.
However, before the next season began, Swindon were demoted by the [[Football League]] for making irregular payments to players. With the club in financial trouble, players had to be sold, and McLoughlin's left for Southampton in December 1990, for a club record £1 million.
==="Enpatsu Shakugan no Uchite" Shana (Flame Haze)===
The female lead of the show and the flame haze that is suppose to protect Yuuji. Although, she may seem uncaring at first but she is slowly opening up to Yuuji and will eventually start to like him.
She is also called by the term "enpatsu shakugan no uchite," meaning roughly The Avenger with Flaming Hair and Burning Eyes. The name of "Shana" is created by Yuuji because of the name of her sword "nietono no shana," which rougly translates to [[Vairocana]] of the Offering Room.
However he failed to show the level of form that he had at Swindon, and he was loaned to first [[Aston Villa F.C.]] then [[Portsmouth F.C.]]. The latter were impressed enough by McLoughlin to make a bid for him, and so in Febuary 1992 he moved to [[Fratton Park]] for £400,000 after making only 29 appearances for the Saints.
==="Tenjou no Gouka" Alastor (Crimson Lord)===
He is the Crimson Lord to whom Shana is bound. His true name is "Tenjou no Gouka" that means "Conflagaration upon Heaven and Hell." He expresses his will through a divine vessel called the Cocytus, which takes the shape of a pendant.
It was at Portsmouth that he enjoyed his finest years as a player. Whilst at the club McLoughlin represented Ireland at the [[Football World Cup 1994|1994 World Cup]].
===Hayato Ike===
Yuuji's friend since Junior High School. Carries the title "Megane-man" or "Glasses Man."
In December 1999 he was sold to [[Wigan Athletic F.C.]] for £260,000. However injuries prevented him from making a major impact and he moved on a free transfer to [[Rochdale F.C.]] in December 2001, having made only 12 starts (plus 10 as a sub) for Wigan, scoring one goal.
===Chigusa Sakai===
Yuuji's mother. She can seems gentle but she's strong.
The person that she loves, Kantarou, lives outside the country without family.
With his career winding down McLoughlin joined [[Forest Green Rovers F.C.]] as a player-coach for the 2002/03 season. At the end of the season McLoughlin retired from playing to concentrate on coaching with the club.
===Kantarou Sakai===
Yuuji's father.
He was capped 42 times for the Republic of Ireland.
===Kazumi Yoshida===
Yuuji's classmate. She has a crush on him, but is a bit shy to directly tell him.
===Yukari Hirai===
Yuuji's classmate. She likes Ike (Yuuji's friend), but she died when a Rinne appeared on her way home. Shana makes a Torch of Yukari Hirai but the next day her flame burned out and she disappeared. Shana uses an illusion so that she appears to be Yukari to everyone except Yuuji.
===Margery Daw (Flame haze)===
A tall, "well-endowed" blonde Flame Haze who is bound to Marchosias. She uses the Grimoire, which is the divine vessel through which Marchosias expresses his will. Her real name is "Chanter of Eulogies" and her main powers seem to focus around chanting spells and turning into a werewolf. She casts spells by humming an "Improvisation (Poem) of Slaughter." Her name comes from a certain Mother Goose rhyme, as well as what she hums. She also has a drinking habit, and both Satou and Tanaka look up to her because they where saved once by Margery.
==="Jyuurin no Souga" Marchosias (Crimson Lord)===
The Crimson Lord to whom Margery Daw is bound. He expresses his will through the divine vessel Grimoire, which takes the form of a book. His name is actually the name of a [[Marchosias|demon]]. His real name is "Jyuurin no Souga" that literally means "violating fangs and claws" or more figuratively as "the right-hand man of violation."
===Friagne (Crimson Denizen)===
Known as "The Hunter" and "Flame Haze Killer", he is a powerful Crimson Lord arrayed in robes of untarnishable white. He has a vast collection of Treasures (powerful tools or implements contained within Mistess).
===Marianne (Flamelet)===
One of Friagne's Flamelets (servants). Friagne seems to treasure her a bit more than is healthy for him. She usually takes the form of a doll.
===Ramie (Crimson Denizen)===
Hes complete name is Shikabane Hiroi Ramie (Corpse Retriever Ramie). He is a Crimson Denizen (Guze no Tomogara) with the shape of an old man, that collects "Powers of Life" (Sonzai no Chikara) from the torches.
==Terminology==
===紅世/Guze (Crimson world)===
An strange world that in this world is "A door that you cannot cross".
==Media==
===Novels===
There are currently 12 novels out for Shakugan no Shana. They are numbered from I through XI, along with a prequel novel O. These novels are called light novels, and feature not that much text and occasional illustrated black and white images. Yashichirou Takahashi wrote the novels and Itou Noizhi (of the game company Unison-Shift) illustrated them.
===Manga===
The manga is currently serialized in the monthly Dengeki Daioh. The first bound volume hit shelves October 27, 2005.
===Anime===
The anime airs weekly, starting October 5, 2005. Geneon Entertainment of America has secured distribution rights for this show in North America and will be bringing it soon to region 1 DVDs. In Japan, the first DVD will be released on 1/25/2006 with the first 3 episodes. The price of this DVD will be 6,825 yen (including taxes). There's also a promotion DVD in Japan named Shakugan no Shana "Prelude to Shana" that was released 16/9/2005 to promote the series. It has a trailer of the series and some collectable pictures. The price is this DVD is 1,260 yen (including taxes).
====Staff====
====Cast====
* Shana - [[Rie Kugimiya]]
* Yuuji Sakai - [[Satoshi Hino]]
* Alastor - [[Masashi Ebara]]
* Kazumi Yoshida - [[Ayako Kawasumi]]
* Chigusa Sakai - [[Tomo Sakurai]]
* Margery Daw - [[Hitomi Nabatame]]
* Marchosias - [[Mitsuo Iwata]]
* Friagne - [[Jun'ichi Suwabe]]
* Marianne - [[Kimiko Koyama]]
* Yukari Hirai - [[Masumi Asano]]
====Music====
* Opening Song - "Hishoku no Sora" (Scarlet Skies) by Mami Kawada (I've) (CD Single Release Date: 9th November 2005)
* Ending Song - "Yoake Umarekuru Shoujo" (The Girl Born from the Dawn) by Yoko Takahashi (CD Single Release Date: 26th October 2005)
===Episodes===
* Episode 1 「全ての終わり、一つの始まり」 "The end of all, one beginning"
* Episode 2 「灯る炎」 "The lit flame"
* Episode 3 「トーチとフレイムヘイズ」 "The Torch and the Flame Haze"
* Episode 4 「惑いのフレイムヘイズ」 "The confused Flame Haze"
* Episode 5 「それぞれの想い」 "Their respective feelings"
* Episode 6 「交錯・発動・対決」 "Complication, Invocation, Confrontation"
* Episode 7 「二人のフレイムヘイズ」 "The both Flame Haze"
==External Links==
* [http://www.shakugan.com/ Official Shakugan no SHANA Anime Website]
* [http://www.geneonanimation.com/ Geneon Entertainment USA]
* [http://www.geneon-ent.co.jp/ Geneon Entertainment JP]
* [http://www.geneon-ent.co.jp/rondorobe Rondo Robe]
[[ja:灼眼のシャナ]]
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