The Eminence in Shadow (Volume 1) – We Lurk in the Darkness and Hunt Down Shadows
He was obsessed with getting stronger while remaining an unimposing character. However, he would always be vulnerable if he couldn’t find a way to transcend normal conventions. He died in that pursuit and was reborn…
The Eminence in Shadow (Volume 1) – We Lurk in the Darkness and Hunt Down Shadows
What happened?
This new world offered him something his past life has been missing – magic. He was born into a fairly low-ranking family as the second child. His older sister, Claire Kagenou was expected to inherit the family name and become a powerful Dark Knight. That worked perfectly for Cid who intended to remain in the background and fight the evils of this world from the shadows. One day while testing his skills and new slime weaponry on some bandits, he came across someone that had been possessed. Their bodies are slowly taken over by a growth that messes with their magical output. The church cares for these poor souls… well, it takes care of them…
Cid decides that he will attempt to revive the girl by experimenting on her. Amazingly, he cures her, returning her to normal. He’s stunned to see that she was a beautiful blonde elf-girl of similar age to him. Deciding to make the most of the moment, he invents a story about the Cult of Diablos who seek to revive the demon and how he is creating an organisation to stop them – Shadow Garden. She’s inspired by his passion and hopes to stop more girls going through what she did so she joins him. Cid calls her Alpha and trains her to become a powerful warrior. They’re only kids after all so he might as well have some fun.
What did you think?
I watched the anime a while back and got completely sucked into it. It was fantastic and mostly because of the ambiguity around Cid. Did he know what was going on or didn’t he? How was he always in the right place or making the right guess? I’m not sure, but I put together a post outlining some of my assumptions and observations. So, when I found the manga, I thought it would be the perfect thing to dive into. Maybe it had more answers. I find that manga tends to give more away than anime.
I was not disappointed. The first volume didn’t exactly reveal anything that hasn’t been guessed or discussed from an anime point of view, but it definitely clarified a number of things. It’s clear that Cid is making up a story for himself. Why and how is another question. Sadly, we don’t have the answers yet, but I’m determined to get to the bottom of things. This was a fun read and a great addition for anyone that has seen the anime and wants to know more. Even if you’ve not seen it and enjoy isekai stories, then I recommend you check it out… and then make sure to watch the anime too.
Volume highlights
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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