"Shadow House," a series serialized in Weekly Young Jump, has been a hot topic on Twitter and elsewhere. The reason for its popularity is not only the fact that it's being adapted into an anime, but also the shocking plot twists that are revealed as the story progresses. Today, we'll be revealing some secrets about Shadow House, including those shocking plot twists!
Shadows and Living Dolls Living in Shadow House
Shadow House is home to a clan of shadows, each with a black shadow-like body, and living dolls who serve them. Each shadow is partnered with a living doll. Shadows are like nobles, and the living dolls' jobs include caring for and cleaning their shadows. Shadows and living dolls generally live in private rooms and faithfully follow prescribed rules. Eventually, Shadow and living doll will undergo a ritual known as the "unveiling."
The abnormalities of Shadow House gradually become apparent
At first, the story depicts the heartwarming daily life of Shadow Kate and the living doll Emilico, but upon closer inspection, the abnormalities become apparent. For example, Shadow and the living dolls basically live locked up in their own rooms. They are given food, but to put it bluntly, their lives are close to confinement. However, neither Shadow nor the living dolls question this. Shadow House has many rules, and both Shadow and the living dolls abide by them. These rules include the morals that "the Shadow family are great aristocrats" and "living dolls are happy to serve the Shadow family," as well as the rule that "you must not question what the Shadow family does." To put it bluntly, it's brainwashing. It's brainwashing just like the kind you'd find in a black company.
Secret spoiler #1: What exactly is Shadow, anyway?
Shadow's true identity is a parasitic fairy called a Morph, skilled in mimicry and imitation. A Morph gains a personality through interactions with a Living Doll, resulting in a Shadow. Most Shadows are not interested in their origins, as they lose their memories of their Morph days upon acquiring a personality. However, there are some Shadows, including the protagonist Kate, who retain memories of their Morph days.
Secret Spoiler #2: What exactly are Living Dolls?
Living dolls behave as if they were tools, describing death as breaking, and are at odds with human ethics. These living dolls are actually "human," and the reason they lack normal ethics is because their memories have been wiped and loyalty to Shadow has been instilled in them. Shadow House is a facility where human children are brought in, brainwashed, and forced to work for Shadow.
Secret Spoiler #3: What is the role of the living dolls?
The Living Doll's role is to be Shadow's partner, assist him, and act as his face. However, since Shadow is a Morph whose personality was acquired through interactions with the Living Doll, personality development is a major role of Shadow's. For this reason, they are forced to live together in an isolated space. While the reason why the Living Doll must be a child is unclear, it is thought that personality development is more successful in children than in adults, and that children are easier to brainwash.
Secret Spoiler #4: What if it doesn't work out?
Just as humans have different personalities, living dolls also have a variety of individuals. Some are passive and have difficulty communicating. This prevents the shadow from acquiring a personality and eventually disappears. Living dolls that lose their masters for such reasons are destined to perform odd jobs around the mansion as faceless dolls, completely erasing their memories and sense of self through the master's specialized brainwashing techniques. The "faceless doll" that appears early in the story is the fate of a living doll that has dropped out.
Secret Spoiler #5: The Secret Brainwashing Technique Behind Shadow House!!
In addition to brainwashing education, Shadow House prevents the creation of rebels by establishing a strict controlled society. Potential rebels, Shadows and Living Dolls, are eliminated. Only good Shadows and Living Dolls are those who do not rebel or question. They have built a controlled society reminiscent of a black company or a dystopia, but they are able to do so thanks to a dangerous substance called "Grandpa's Sooty Coffee." When a Living Doll drinks this, they are instantly brainwashed and become dominated by loyalty to Shadow. Some of Shadow's soot has mind-manipulating properties, and the power of "Great Grandfather," who reigns supreme over Shadow, is extremely powerful, likely connected to his power.
Secret Spoiler #6: How do they source their children?
The living dolls are brainwashed human children, but where do they source these children in the first place? That raises the question. They're not kidnapping children. They're not doing anything violent; they're simply brainwashing entire towns. Some of Shadow's soot has mind-manipulating properties, and he mixes it with the soot emitted by steam locomotives and scatters it around town. The soot's effects lightly brainwash the townspeople, robbing them of their ability to make decisions. Shadow then offers up sooty coal as a bargaining chip. Sooty coal has a much greater energy value than regular coal, and this coal is shared. This is why the adults in town were happy to offer up their children.
Secret spoiler #7: The reason why excessive brainwashing measures were necessary! The living dolls were human sacrifices!!
The control system and brainwashing carried out at Shadow House are extremely strict. However, there is a reason for such strict brainwashing. It is what can be said to be Shadow's reason for the existence of living dolls, and that reason is the ability to become one with the living doll. By merging with a living doll, Shadow becomes an adult (complete being). This is equivalent to Shadow taking over the living doll's body, and after merging, the living doll's ego disappears. Because this effectively marks death, it is impossible to accept it without extensive brainwashing. Furthermore, if the integration fails, both Shadow and the living doll will die.
[Shadow House] Secret Spoilers
Here's a spoiler-filled explanation of the secrets hidden in "Shadow House"! Shadow House begins as a heartwarming comedy set in a slightly unusual, closed-off space, but its abnormal nature is eventually revealed, leading to a suspenseful, shounen manga-style plot as the characters confront the mystery. More secrets like this may be revealed in the future. The Shadow House anime will air starting in April, so be sure to tune in!
