This anime almost fell through the cracks for me but I am so glad I found it. It is filled with action, cults, multiple story lines and some humor. You definitely can’t take the main character serious because all he wants to do is see the story progress as he continues to be a regular background character but a big deal in taking down a cult.
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Meet The Characters
A Beginning
The season begins with a glimpse through Akane’s perspective. She’s haunted by the trauma of being a young celebrity in middle school, a disturbing incident from her past. At first, Akane didn’t like the Minoru Kagenou. He seemed like an ordinary student with below-average grades, always got her name wrong, and hardly noticed her. He was, to her, like a nameless NPC in the game of life. However, everything was about to change.
Minoru was determined to become more powerful. He even did grip workouts during class. His chance to shine comes when he saves Akane from kidnappers on her way home. He fancied himself a “stylish roughen slayer” and took on the kidnappers with a crowbar. But, after this rescue, he realized that to become the Eminence in Shadow, he needed more than a crowbar and some brawn. His journey for power was only beginning.
In a twist of fate, Minoru, with newfound determination, remembers Akane’s name and starts to look her in the eye. But this newfound connection is cut short when he finds himself training, trying to fly, being hit by a truck, and dying.
Reincarnation - A New Beginning
In the aftermath of his accident, he was reborn as Cid Kagenou into a new world with incredible powers. This time, he’s born into a family of aristocrats with a history of producing Dark Knights who enhance their magical abilities. The Cid grows up in the shadows, concealing his true strength.
One day after fighting off some bandits, he stumbles upon a mysterious, rotting lump that, with his expertise, becomes a girl elf he names Alpha. Together, they form the “Shadow Garden,” an organization dedicated to dealing with the secretive Cult of Diablos and bringing an end to their sinister schemes. He calls himself Shadow the leader of Shadow Garden. All of which he made up at the time but happened to be real.
A few days before his older sister Clair was scheduled to attend the Midgar Academy for dark knights in the royal capital, she was kidnapped by Olba a member of cult of Diablos. Out of shear luck Cid throws a pen on a map and guessed Clair’s kidnapers location. With his growing Shadow Garden Cid, as Shadow, defeat her kidnapper. Once things went back to normal the members of Shadow garden part ways with Cid due to the Cult of Diablo being enormous and operating on a global scale.
Attending Midgar Academy
The story then takes us to Midgar Academy, where, at the age of 15, Cid enrolls and tries to maintain a low profile while building connections and strength. His friends set him up to confess his “feelings” to Alexia, a princess, and a popular girl due to him losing a bet. To his surprise, she agrees to date him, but it’s not a romantic gesture. Alexia has her own motives, including avoiding an arranged engagement to Zenon Griffey.
An unexpected breakup follows, and Alexia goes missing. While attempting to find her, Cid and the Shadow Garden encounter the Cult of Diablos, opening up a new chapter of their mission to fight the secretive organization. Cid is initially interrogated for Alexia’s absents but with no evidence, is later freed.
With 114 new mobilized Shadow Garden members, Cid was able to find Alexia’s kidnapper Hakui no Otoko, a crazy scientist working for the cult of Diablos. They find out that the true mind behind this was Zenon and that the Cults intention was to acquire Alexia’s royal demon blood to resurrect the demon in the modern day. Even though Zenon took power enhancing pills provided by the cult, Shadow was able to defeat him by going nuclear and creating a huge explosion. After this day Iris, Alexia’s older sister also known as one of the best swordsman, creates her own group of knights that she trust called the Crimson Order.
School Hostage and a Reckoning
The anime takes an intense turn when the Cult of Diablos orchestrates a hostage situation at the school to acquire the pendant that was found after the fight between Zenon and Shadow. With their evil intentions, they put the lives of students at risk, including Cid’s friends and students he deems to be main characters.
The Cid’s unique abilities and strategic thinking come into play as he takes on the cult.We find out that the cult has created the Children of Diablos. Orphan and no names that’s they brainwash into think they are Shadow Garden. They use these members to confuse the public and take the academy hostage. The real shadow Garden arrives to help the academy and defeat the cult members behind this.
Sherry uses the pendant to nullify the cults artifact that reduced the student magical powers. With that out the way the students fight back and master mind in knight garb sets the buildings on fire and tries to escape. Cid, as shadow, fights Lutheran Barnett, assistant Principal of Midgar Academy for Dark Knights, because he was the man in the knight garb and behind the hole hostage situation in order to get the pendant.
Sherry, a student and the adopted daughter of Lutheran, sees Shadow kill him. Not knowing that Lutheran was her mothers killer for his own selfish reasons. With the aftermath the school decides to close for summer break and Sherry decides to study abroad. We later see that she does this to learn more about Shadow and get her revenge. Cid decides to stay at the dorms during this time.
Sacred Land of Lynworm
The “Sacred Land of Lynworm” arc brings ancient battles, trials, and a reckoning with the past. This city hosts the Goddess Trials once a year were those who enter can fight the spirits of ancient warriors, if the spirits decide to fight them that is. Rose Oriana, a noble Princess at the academy and a person Cid saved during the hostage situation, promised her heart to him and entered his name in the trail so he could look good for her family. Even though he is not interested in her. When called he used magic to distract everyone and arrived as Shadow to confuse everyone and to not show his actual power as his Cid character. The extremely powerful Aurora the witch of calamity answered the fight request. Showing that Shadow is indeed very powerful to have called upon a powerful warrior.
He wins the battle, leaves, but is followed by a door. He decides to enter and another door appears at the arena. Alpha, Delta, beta n some more secret garden members go into the door at the arena n they take the new arch bishep, Jack Nelson, n beta n some more secret garden members. Rose and Alexia jump in right before it closes as well. They are all taken to the Sanctuary.
We see that Alpha resembles the great knight Oliviya, one of the few children to survive the experiments of inputing diablos demon cells into them, done by the cult. We also find out why there is only 12 highest cult members. They use the cells of diablos to create pills that increase power and make them immortal but they can only produce 12 a year and it has to be taken once year. The Secrete garden was able to collect information while Shadow defeated Jack, who turned out to be one of the 12 highest cult members. Also, Cid was able to complete Auroras request and free her spirit.
Meanwhile, Rose, Alexia, and Natsume (Beta) form a formidable team, pooling their strengths and knowledge to decipher the mysteries surrounding the cult. Their collaboration becomes a beacon of hope, demonstrating the power of unity in the face of adversity.
Busheen Fighting Festival
Returning from the Sacred Land of Lynworm, the Cid’s creates a persona, Mundane Man and has a clay mask and magic change the look of his face. His goal is to have no one suspect he could be powerful. He beats many strong opponents including Iris.
During this time we find out that Rose has stabbed her fiancé Lord Perv, due to him controlling her father and having him under a spell. She is beginning to be possessed (turned into a blob like how alpha was) and as she is wondering underground as a way to hide she hears Shadow playing the piano. He gives her power and heals her of her possession so she can continue to fight the cult.
Rose shows up at the festival and asks her dad for forgiveness before she kills him. Lord Perv commands his security, which are cult members, to capture her. Just before Rose can kill herself Mundane man breaks through the viewers glass and reveals himself as Shadow. With all the the other security taken care of by the Shadow Garden, Lord perv asks for anyone to take care of Shadow, while he runs off.
Beatrix, the goddess of war that was there to fight and look for an elf that looks like her (Alpha), offers to fight Shadow mercy because she is intrigued by his power. Being furious that Shadow was actually Mundane Man, Iris grabs the mythro blade that has ancient runes and is an artifact, and joins the fight. An epic fight scene with Iris and Beatrix both fighting Shadow simultaneously. Sadly they are both defeated and Shadow shows off his power by putting a magic bubble around entire city as if he was going to go nuclear again but instead laughs and vanishes.
Rose is left not knowing where to go and decides to take up Alphas offer and fight alongside the Shadow Garden. We see their head quarters located in the Ancient capital Alexandria. She told that she must cast away her name and everything from her past life. This includes her memories of Cid and the burger wrapper from the burger her gave her. She is now Shadow Garden 666.
Shadows and Light
As ‘The Eminence in Shadow’ Season 1 concludes, viewers are left in awe of the intricate storytelling, the depth of the characters, and the pulse-pounding action that defines this anime. From the shadows of the past to the blazing battles of the present, the series explores themes of identity, resilience, and the enduring power of hope.
The characters’ journeys, filled with trials and triumphs, create a compelling narrative that resonates with audiences. This anime is over the top with a sprinkle of comedy. I’m excited to start watching the next season and can’t wait to see how Cid will navigate being Shadow and a student now that Shadow is wanted.