The Eminence in Shadow (Episode 24) – The Mask of Falsehood

Mitsugoshi has dominated the market since Gamma established it, but that has upset other traders who are determined to learn their secrets by any means necessary. Meanwhile, Cid has started working with Yukime!
The Eminence in Shadow (Episode 24) – The Mask of Falsehood
What did you watch?
With my regular life doing all sorts of weird things, I have had to put a couple of shows on hold. Of course, when I was working out what to continue and what to take a break from, The Eminence in Shadow was a guaranteed survivor. This show is just too good to have it spoiled by all the online revelations. Plus, it’s far too much fun to remove from my weekly schedule. So, with that in mind, let’s look into the latest episode which will no doubt start a new arc. What could Cid possibly get up to now?

What happened?
Mitsugoshi, the company created by Gamma was continuing to dominate the market with exclusive items. It was doing incredibly well and that hadn’t gone unnoticed by the other large corporations. They were determined to discover Mitsugoshi’s secrets and eventually run them out of business. Cid had been shopping with Po and Skel when he noticed something different about the paper currency they were using at the market. He soon realised that the other corporations had been able to create their own banknotes and they weren’t as well made as the Mitsugoshi ones. Suddenly, Cid had an idea…
Since the business in Lawless City, Cid has been in regular contact with Yukime. She revealed that she was waiting for the corporations to take down Mitsugoshi and when they did she would swoop in and destroy them too. For that, she had hoped to have Shadow on board. However, since Shadow is involved with Mitsugoshi, he has taken another alias – John Smith so that he can destroy everything and rebuild it from scratch. The girls had been using his ideas and he was sure they wouldn’t mind working for him. Delta was pretty keen on the idea as if meant they got to hunt bandits together. Maybe, she could even convince him to become the chief of her clan…

What did you think?
I was wondering how things would change after the last arc and this is an interesting development as it appears to have Cid going his own way, which could put him at odds with Alpha. I don’t think for a second she would ever fight back as they appear to have such unwavering loyalty that whatever he does will be accepted. Of course, Cid is just thinking about money which is understandable as the girls have profited off his memories. However, if he just asked them for some of it, they would undoubtedly give it to him. I think this arc is going to be a far more cloak-and-dagger sort of affair, but then the other corporations will no doubt have ties to the Cult of Diablos… They always do!

What was your favourite moment?
So, Cid was excited about making counterfeit money. He’d tried to do it with a photocopier when he was a kid in his previous life, so when he saw how easy it would be to copy the new money introduced by the other corporation, he ran to Yukime to explain his plans. Of course, Cid being Cid, he tried to sound mysterious and clever. Yukime agreed that his plan was good but the amount they could make would be insignificant. That upset Cid who jumped up to challenge her assertion. She froze in his presence and then tried to see another side to things. She realised that they could devalue the money significantly and if they took control of the gold beforehand, they would not only benefit from the money but the market would collapse, destroying the big corporations. Cid walked off the train without saying a word. He was probably still disappointed about the lack of a photocopying racket. This was another great example of how Cid is misunderstood and it ends up working out.

Who was the most impactful character?
Hooray! Delta is back. I had to laugh at how Delta showed up next to Cid as he was eating at a food cart like a stray dog begging for food. He appeared to absentmindedly feed her before realising it was her. Of course, she appeared to be still wearing her sleepwear, which isn’t much at all. She revealed that Alpha sent her to the city to hunt bandits, and since Cid loves hunting bandits, she wanted to know if he would come with her. The thing I love about Delta is the way she sits on him and leans over his face. She acts like a cat which is perfect. I can’t help but see her idea of Cid becoming the chief of her village somehow materialising in the near future which would be hilarious. Obviously, there is the mysterious Gettan the Sword Devil who is obviously a therianthrope too. Could he also be related to Delta? Only time will tell.

What have you learned?
I’ve noticed the world in which this story slowly becoming more and more modern. It’s interesting that we were first teased with that sort of thing in the original OP when we saw the girls of Shadow Garden looking like a group of superheroes, flying between glass skyscrapers. I remember the trains appearing and the department store. It’s as if this world is going from medieval to modern in a matter of years. I like how it has been handled and now that Cid is even noticing people wearing modern suits. Remember it wasn’t that long ago that Alexia went shopping for underwear and came away with something incredibly modern… Anyhow, it’s good that we are seeing the world change from Cid’s influence, even if it’s not him leading the change.

Other posts in the series
Series Information
English Title | The Eminence in Shadow |
Japanese Title | Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute! |
Author | Daisuke Aizawa |
Artist | Anri Sakano |
Genres | Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai, Magic |
Demographic | Seinen |
Anime
Season One
Season | Season One |
Released | Fall 2022 |
Animation Studios | Nexus |
Episodes | 20 |
Bonus Posts
Analysis | How Much Does Cid Know? |
Lists | Five Best Fights |
Season Two
Season | Season Two |
Released | Fall 2023 |
Animation Studios | Nexus |
Episodes | 12 |
21 | The Lawless City |
22 | The Haven |
23 | The Hour of Awakening |
24 | The Mask of Falsehood |
25 | He Who Pulls the Strings |
26 | John Smith |
27 | Something Precious |
28 | The Dragon’s Tears |
29 | The Key |
30 | Caged Bird |
31 | Determination |
32 | Highest |
Manga
Volumes | Ongoing |
1 | We Lurk in the Darkness and Hunt Down Shadows |
2 | I Am Atomic! |
3 | Hidden Normie Technique |
4 | Battles Are Like a Conversation |
5 | A Memory I Never Want to Lose |
6 | What Beautiful Swordplay… |
7 | A Fancy Bandit Slayer |
8 | The True Aberration!!! |
9 | He Who Destroys All and Rebuilds it Anew! |
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I’m not sure what’s more powerful: Cid’s overwhelming magical might, or his accidental rizz. Yukime has probably known very few men who could make her feel overwhelmed by their mere presence.
Yeah, she was absolutely flustered by his presence in that scene. I laughed that she thought that if she had just rambled on about something he would have been frustrated with her, when that’s kind of what she did to get the answer she believed he wanted to hear. Although, I still think he was just annoyed at not being able to make counterfeit money. She was like the convenience store manager telling him not to photocopy money. I love all the misunderstandings and accidental story development.