The Fall 2023 season’s episode reviews start with me continuing my episode reviews on this title from last time around. I will also be episode reviewing The Apothecary Diaries once it debuts and maybe a third title if I have time, so you will see a lot more content from me this season.
Rating: B
The first episode of The Eminence in Shadow‘s second season (which is reviewed in the seasonal Preview Guide) was arguably the series’ signature episode, as it perfectly embodied the very spirit and essence of the series as well as all of its conceits and gimmicks. Hence, that the second episode would be a bit of a drop-off should be no surprise, though I didn’t expect quite this much of a drop-off.
The difference here is that this episode plays things almost entirely seriously, rather than just straight. The series’ flippant attitude only really shows up in a couple of brief moments, and its best running joke – i.e., that Shadow keeps repeating the very cliche-sounding catch phrases that Cid picked up from Mary last episode – is starting to lose its impact. The action scenes are also decidedly less ambitious here and take far more shortcuts, as if the series needs to dial things back to a normal level after showing off last episode. Since Cid had his dramatic entrance in the conflict between the leaders of the other towers at the end of last episode, his entrances here don’t have quite the same flair. He has to be a little disappointed with himself.
That said, the episode does not entirely lack its flippant attitude, and is far from lacking accomplishments. Shifting from “arriving stylishly late” to “setting the tone by arriving early” is typical Shadow dramatizing, and amusingly, he actually does arrive in time to blast the villain before he finishes setting his dastardly plan in motion. But he’s not the only one in on the action this time around, and doesn’t even have the biggest role. That goes to the Claire/Mary team-up. They prove here that they make quite the efficient fighting team, and they get time to share with each other and bond a little, too – sorta. Mary is, unsurprisingly, a vampire herself, and her history with Blood Queen Elisabeth lies at the foundation of the current circumstances. Claire, meanwhile, still thinks she’s a Possessed, and she at least believes that she’s trying to get Cid set up well before she loses it. (She stated back in episode 2 that she did not believe that Cid had cured her of that, and apparently she’s believed that all along.) Rose needing to suck a little of Claire’s blood to revive herself sets up the series’ first yuri-vibed scene, and it’s not the only fan servicey moment in the episode, either.
The other significant development is both Claire and Mary encountering Shadow Garden for the first time – specifically, Beta. Doubtless this will have some consequences down the road, but the most important aspect of that here is Rose’s debut as Shadow Garden Member 666. While it’s possible that name is just another one of the series’ name jokes – this is the series with a villain named Perv Asshat, after all – Istill have to think that some further meaning is intended for this later on. The notion raised here that the Possessed and vampires have the same origin is also an interesting bit of world-building that hopefully will be expanded upon eventually.
Shadow’s actions at the end of the episode would seem to put a stop to this whole Red Moon affair, so I am curious to see what more will come of this. Somehow, I don’t think resolving the Blood Queen part is going to be quite that simple, though.
USA Anime 