Shadow House features a mysterious entity called Shadow, whose true face is never depicted, making up roughly half of the characters. I'm sure many readers have been captivated by this mysterious and mysterious series' mysterious charm. While the series didn't receive much attention when the first season of the anime aired, the manga's popularity skyrocketed, leading to a stunning second season. However, I'm sure there are many new fans who missed the first season of the anime. To my shame, this was true for me, too... It was a bit of a mistake. I never realized how interesting Shadow House was until I read the manga. So, in an effort to catch up, I've been desperately reviewing the contents of the first season of the anime, and I'd like to summarize it so that anyone who missed the first season can easily understand it! Be sure to check it out from season two onward to enjoy the series 100%!
Relatively Slow-Pace Progression!
First of all, the beginning of this work is written at a fairly slow pace. Since the story features a unique entity called Shadow, who is completely black, it may be taking a while for readers to become accustomed to the setting. Therefore, even readers who thought this work was difficult will not find themselves losing track of the setting midway through.
Living Doll Emilico
This work depicts the daily lives and twisted customs of the people living in the Shadow House from the perspective of the protagonist, the living doll Emilico. For this reason, the opening scene begins with Emilico objectively observing her master, Kate.
Alone with Shadow-sama
As such, the beginning of this work is quite closed off, with only Kate and Emilico as characters, making it relatively easy to watch. However, just because it's closed off doesn't mean there aren't many hints or details. There are many puzzling hints that become more mysterious the more you ponder them, and the more you read, the more you'll appreciate its depth.
A plot that leaves many mysteries unsolved
After the opening, the storyline of this work no longer revolves around Emilico and Kate, and numerous other characters and settings emerge. It's this messy and complex story structure that makes it so appealing.
A Living Doll Eating
What makes the situation particularly difficult is the fact that Emiriko is a living doll. Although she is referred to as a living doll in the story, she eats and sleeps. In other words, there are almost no doll-like aspects to her character. As you can see, there are many puzzling aspects in this work, so take a moment to think about them whenever you come across one.
The Outside World
In the early stages of the film, very little is said about the world outside Shadow House. In fact, the horror of not even revealing the full extent of the interior of Shadow House is precisely what makes Shadow House, the setting of this film, so fascinating.
The Shadow Family and Their Ranks Appear One After Another
In addition to Kate and Emilico, many other Shadows and living dolls live in the mysterious Shadow House. After the opening scene, Kate and Emilico finally meet the other Shadows.
Shadow in a Robe
During these repeated encounters, he encounters a mysterious robe-wearing Shadow, nicknamed "Robe-sama." He (or she) appears to be operating secretly within the Shadow House, causing numerous incidents without the knowledge of the other Shadows. What is his purpose? Why did he come into contact with Emilico and the others? These mysteries are the central theme of the first season of the anime.
Grandpa's Presence
Another mysterious figure is Grandpa, the powerful figure in Shadow House, the setting of this work. While regular shadows, like Kate, have names, Grandpa, the master of Shadow House, is simply referred to as "Grandpa." This is because he is recognized as an absolute authority by those around him, even without a proper name. Why did Grandpa gain power in Shadow House? The mystery of this mysterious Grandpa will gradually be revealed in Season 1 of the anime.
Unveiling
Among the storylines in the first season of the anime, one particularly noteworthy event is the "Unveiling." The Unveiling is an event in which young Shadows present themselves and their living dolls to adult Shadows, and it serves a similar purpose to our coming-of-age ceremonies. However, unlike our coming-of-age ceremonies, the safety of Shadows who fail the unveiling is not guaranteed. Emilico and Kate must endure this fear as they face the unveiling.
Unique Classmates
Of course, Kate and Emilico aren't the only ones taking on this thrilling "Debut" event. Shadow and the Living Doll, two classmates who play important roles throughout the story, also make their debut in this unveiling. This is truly an event where all of the series' important characters appear at once.
A Trial Testing the Bond with the Master
This unveiling, however, tests the bond between living doll and master (or, more accurately, the strong master-servant relationship). This episode also further develops the relationship between Kate and Emilico throughout the story.
Soot Ability
And what's most noteworthy is that this "unveiling" episode marks the first time the series' key ability, the "soot ability," comes into play. Whether it's "Stands" in "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure," "Ki" in "Dragon Ball," or "Nen" in "Hunter x Hunter," every work has its own unique abilities, which define the series' identity. In this work, the "soot" generated by Shadow is the source of the ability. This soot ability is a complex concept, so if you don't pay attention to it early on, you'll likely lose track of the story later on.
A Brilliant Survival
It was a show packed with highlights, but Emilico and Kate managed to survive, even though they came in last place.
Even the classmates who dropped out,
While the unveiling ended with such a happy outcome, the show also depicted the living doll and Shadow who unfortunately dropped out. It's no exaggeration to say that the living doll "Ram," who was arguably Emilico's closest friend in the first season, was eliminated here. As a character who is extremely popular in the series, many fans were likely disappointed.
The Stage Moves to a New Building
After this happy yet sad unveiling, the story moves to a new building. Instead of the building where the child Shadows were staying, Emilico and Kate will be moving to the building where the living dolls and Shadows who successfully passed the unveiling are active.
Meet the new Shadows and Living Dolls!
In this new environment, Emiriko will interact with senior living dolls who are a little different from her previous peers. This is sure to be a phase where she can further immerse herself in the depths of this work that she didn't notice in the children's building.
The truth about Shadow House gradually becomes clear
As Emilico approaches the core of Shadow House, she gradually becomes aware of its unique characteristics. Small incongruities accumulate, and the sense of unease and fear eventually becomes real. From this point on, the story develops with a slight horror element.
The True Identity of the Robed Shadow
The long-awaited mystery of Robe's true identity is finally revealed. It turns out that Robe is actually Shadow, the one who cared the most about Emilico and Kate. This Shadow, Marie Rose, was one of the most popular characters in the series, so many fans were probably shocked.
Battle with the Villain Edward
Through numerous incidents, Kate and Emilico begin to question Shadow House. They soon come to share the goal of overthrowing the Shadow House's flawed system. However, a living doll is aware of their distrust, and Edward and Kate, two of the most powerful figures in Shadow House, find themselves at odds.
Anime-original developments?!
This is a brief summary of the storyline depicted in the first season of the anime. While the plot generally follows the original manga, the final part of the anime seems to have some original twists. The plot isn't too twisted, so it's likely that the second season will follow the original manga's progression from a long-term perspective.
Summary
Did you enjoy this article? This article covers the first season of the popular manga "Shadow House." If you keep this information in mind, you'll be able to enjoy the second season even more, so be sure to review it.
