Kraken (海魔 Kurāken, "Sea Demon") is a term used to address Crimson Denizens that take the form of sea monsters and attack sailing ships, devouring passengers on board.[1]
Appearance
As Krakens do not have a reason to blend in with people like Crimson Denizens on the mainland, they do not take on human appearances and manifest in their true forms.
Background
Krakens are troublesome enemies for Flame Haze since ancient times. In the enclosed and isolated spaces on the ocean, if Flame Haze were not aboard, ships' crew and passengers would have virtually no chance of survival. On the other hand, ships carrying Flame Haze would never be attacked by Krakens.[1]
In earlier times, Krakens were more commonly found in regions such as the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, making their detection and confrontation by Flame Haze relatively manageable. However, with the advent of an era where large ships sailed at fixed intervals, it became largely a matter of chance to prevent Krakens from attacking. The significant numbers of Outlaw near ports reflect not only the practical convenience of transportation, but also as an evidence of Flame Haze's long-standing struggle to counter Krakens.[1]
Even after the development of the Fūzetsu, Krakens have retained their old-fashioned methods of attack. This is likely due to the unique environment of the sea; they neither take human forms as there was no need to blend into the crowds, nor did they use Fūzetsu as there were no area to place Torches, or things to restore.
Throughout the 19th century, Flame Haze put a lot of effort into the Kraken extermination in every oceans.
In the early 20th century, Krakens took advantage of the annihilation of the Outlaw Hawaii Branch and launched a massive invasion to bring the Hawaiian Islands under their control. This resulted in a widespread devastation across the archipelago, indiscriminately affecting both Flame Haze and its inhabitants.[2]
In response to this crisis, Outlaws in Europe, led by the "Kubelík's Orchestra" and "Monteverdi Choir", mounted systematic campaigns from both the eastern and western Pacific Ocean to methodically eliminating Krakens. The conflict culminated in a significant battle led by Rebecca Reed and Ernest Flieder known as the Hawaii Liberation War (ハワイ解放戦 Hawaii Kaihōsen), which marked the turning point in reclaiming the Hawaiian islands. The two Flame Haze made their names widely known all over the world from this battle.[2] Later on, the mystery of the Outlaw Hawaii Branch's destruction and its reconstruction were investigated and conducted by Seere Habichtsburg and Chiara Toscana[3], while the majority of Flame Haze and Outlaw personnel were focusing on the mainland where another war had ravaged.[4]
After that, there were great efforts to eradicate Krakens in the years leading up to the 1930s. The measures included enhanced vigilance and proactive strategies. For instance, Flame Haze stationed at nearby Outlaws were deployed to board regular shipping routes as a preventive measure. This led to the near-complete eradication of the Krakens. In those recent years, reports of Kraken-related incidents had become exceedingly rare.[5]
Still, there are Krakens survived and one of them was Rahab, the octopus-like Denizen that attacked the ship Yurī Chvojka and his family were aboard to go to New York in the 1930s.[6] Yurī made a contract with Valac and easily struck Rahab down shortly after the ship was wrecked.[7]
Plot
After the new world Xanadu was created, Margery Daw, who remained behind to track down the remaining Denizens in this world, reportedly encountered a Kraken resembling an ancient dinosaur who lurked in the depths of the sea.[8]
Trivia
- Kraken is the name of a legendary sea monster of enormous size and akin to a cephalopod. It is said to appear in the sea between Norway and Iceland. It is believed that the legend of the Kraken may have originated from sightings of giant squid. It becomes a subject of sailors' superstitions and myths.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Shakugan no Shana Light Novel Volume S page 70
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Shakugan no Shana Light Novel Volume 15 page 45-46
- ↑ Shakugan no Shana Light Novel Volume 15 page 43
- ↑ Shakugan no Shana Light Novel Volume 15 page 50
- ↑ Shakugan no Shana Light Novel Volume S page 70-71
- ↑ Shakugan no Shana Light Novel Volume S page 72
- ↑ Shakugan no Shana Light Novel Volume S page 73-76
- ↑ Short Story Future, Shakugan no Shana Light Novel Volume SIII page 318