"Shadow House" has gained popularity thanks to its many fascinating characters. However, in contrast to the unique appearances of the living dolls, their masters, the Shadows, are often less popular because their faces are unknown. However, perhaps the work's distinctive, distorted style is only possible because of the Shadows, whose faces and every other part of their bodies are shrouded in black. If you think about it, characters whose expressions are completely invisible, as in this work, are extremely rare. Therefore, perhaps the presence of these Shadows is one of the work's identities? In this article, we'll take a closer look at the Shadows that appear in this work. These characters are the product of the author's many creative efforts, so be sure to take a look.
What is the Shadow Clan?
So, who exactly are the Shadow Clan? From here, I'd like to briefly introduce the Shadow Clan's background as told in the series. There's no doubt that these characters have particularly complex backgrounds throughout the story, so let's review their basic background without overlooking anything.
Noble Status
Unlike ordinary humans, the Shadow family lives a secluded life in a vast mansion. Their secluded lifestyle, without any labor, is reminiscent of medieval aristocracy. In fact, the Shadow family calls themselves a noble family with a long and distinguished history, and it's clear that they live a life far removed from that of ordinary people.
Grandfather
The head of the Shadow Clan, known as "Grandfather," leads this unique family. In the story, the Shadow Clan and their living dolls are depicted rejoicing every time Grandfather appears, demonstrating the Shadow Clan's extraordinary reverence for Grandfather.
Living Dolls
Living Dolls are inseparable from the Shadows. Each Shadow is assigned one Living Doll, and they act as their caretakers. As the story progresses, shocking facts about these Living Dolls are gradually revealed, so for more details, please see Anime Miru's article introducing the Living Dolls.
Soot
Shadows possess a special ability known as "Soot Ability." This ability varies depending on the Shadow, and some Shadows never awaken it, making it a skill heavily dependent on luck. The soot that powers this ability, and the soot abilities that utilize that soot, play a crucial role in the story, so be sure to keep an eye on this ability.
The true identity of the Shadow Clan gradually becomes clear
Now, I'd like to introduce the identities and backgrounds of the Shadows, which have been revealed throughout the story. The following content contains many spoilers, so if you don't want to be spoiled, I recommend you go back to your browser.
Morph
First, let's talk about Shadow's true identity. Shadows were not originally human like Kate. Instead, they appear to be parasitic fairies known as Morphs. These Morphs transform into the same form as their target creatures and eventually possess them. Shadows eventually parasitize (combine with) living dolls, starting with Emilico.
Relationship with Living Dolls
In this way, the relationship between living dolls and shadows is not originally intended as a master-servant relationship. Rather, the living dolls live with shadows in order to nurture the bodies that will eventually become shadows' bodies.
Reason for Living One-on-One
Shadows' sense of self and physical characteristics are influenced by nearby living creatures, which is why they lived one-on-one with the living dolls in such an extremely closed room.
Is the brainwashing of the living dolls due to the soot ability?
However, this raises the question of why the living dolls don't resist their masters, the Shadows. In fact, the living dolls are regularly treated to coffee by their grandfather as a bribe for their labor, and this coffee appears to have a brainwashing effect. Since there is also a Shadow who possesses the ability to influence the emotions of living dolls, it's possible that this coffee is mixed with the soot powers of the grandfather or someone close to him.
Shadows and the Evolution of Living Things
Now, I'd like to explain what the shadows that appear in this work represent. Naturally, every character contains a metaphor that conveys a message to the reader. From here, I'd like to consider what the mysterious Shadow Clan, who appear in this work, is a metaphor for.
Shadow's evolution closely resembles the evolutionary process of living organisms
First, pay attention to Shadow's evolutionary process. Unlike creatures appearing in other manga, Shadow and his friends have undergone a rather twisted evolutionary process. The story depicts the evolutionary process of a tiny, unconscious creature that eventually grows into a complex organism like a human. This characteristic evolution is strikingly similar to the evolutionary process of living organisms from primitive life to the present day.
What is Biological Evolution?
This is because it is believed that we organisms originally began as extremely monotonous microorganisms without morph-like ego. The origin of our species is the evolution of these monotonous microorganisms into complex organisms through repeated, small, gradual changes.
Symbiosis and Biological Evolution
Another area worth noting is the evolutionary process known as symbiotic evolution. Symbiotic evolution occurs when two organisms, which were originally separate, somehow combine at the cellular level and evolve into a new organism.
A Surprisingly Familiar Way of Evolution
This is an evolutionary phenomenon that we don't hear about very often, but humans were able to extract oxygen from the air and generate energy because we were able to merge with an ancient organism that was able to extract energy from oxygen.
The Evolution of Morphs and Their Secrets
Considering this process of symbiotic evolution, doesn't it make biological sense that, in order for a monotonous organism like a Morph to grow faster, it would merge with a light-loving organism like a human?
Is Shadow a protist?
When you consider the evolutionary history of these creatures, you can see that the evolutionary process of morphs is extremely similar. From this, perhaps morphs are actually a type of surviving protozoan that has been surviving since ancient times? The secrets of morph evolution will likely be revealed in more detail later in the story, so it's definitely something to keep an eye on.
The Mystery of the Shadow Clan
As explained above, the mystery surrounding the Shadow Clan can be speculated on from numerous perspectives. However, no matter how much we speculate, there are many hidden mysteries that remain completely incomprehensible. From here, we'll delve deeper into the mysterious Shadow Clan.
Grandpa's True Identity
First and foremost, we're curious about Grandpa's true identity. Who exactly is Grandpa, the leader of all the Shadows? And what abilities does he possess? So many mysteries remain about him.
Where did he come from?
Furthermore, the origins of Grandpa and the other Shadows remain a mystery. While there's a scene in the story where the Shadow family suddenly appears, their origins haven't been explained in detail yet. I'd love to see this mystery explored in more detail.
What is their goal?
Not only are the reasons for the Shadow Clan's emergence and the true identity of their leader, but their ultimate goal remains a mystery. They use their soot powers to brainwash the local residents and use them as their living puppets. What other plots lie beyond? It remains to be seen.
Summary
What did you think? This time, we've introduced the mysterious and large characters that appear in this work: the Shadow Clan. These characters are dressed entirely in black, a style not seen in other manga works. Their appearance makes it a little difficult to understand their emotions, but they do seem to have distinct emotions. Therefore, we need to infer their feelings from their conversations and actions. I hope this article will inspire you to put yourself in Shadow's shoes and pay more attention to him than ever before.
