High atop a cliff sits the mansion known as Shadows House, home to a faceless clan that pretends to
live like nobles. They express their emotions through living dolls that also endlessly clean the home
of soot. One such servant, Emilico, aids her master Kate as they learn more about themselves and the
mysteries of the house.
(Source: Funimation)
#~~~ _This review is spoiler-free._~~~ The appeal of mystery series to many revolves around the formula of a worthwhile buildup where questions are posited, followed by a satisfying conclusion where most questions are answered. It is a tried and tested formula that has been replicated successfully many times to create some true classics. Even in the Spring 2021 season, Odd Taxi became an instant hit mostly due to how refined its take on the mystery formula was. However, the main drawback to the mystery formula is due to how difficult it is to implement into a story. Both the buildups and the payoffs need to work in complete tandem with each other in order to make each feel justified in their existence. If the buildup to the payoff isn’t intriguing, then the payoff can’t reach the heights that it may want to. Conversely, if the payoff to the buildup falls flat, then the entire show may have not felt as if it was worth it by the end. The latter form of screwing up hurts way more due to how disappointing a series with that quality inherently is. I really don’t want to see this happen with nearly any mystery series, or really any series of any genre, that I have ever seen. That is why it pains me to say that Shadows House very well falls into that category. With an intriguing buildup that hooked me at Episode 1, it eventually tumbled into the realm of disappointment. ~~~img(https://external-preview.redd.it/vq17W2lddTHgf_p4DGxq30sslEjQUx2WDQmwQfdvgkg.jpg?auto=webp&s=691dc2985ad9e5ca371f9299ddc50250af754b45)~~~ To understand why I was so let down by the series by a certain point, it is important to know what pulled me into the series in the first place. The first few episodes managed to captivate me so greatly in its ability to stir up curiosity of how the world actually works. Since it starts at a point in media res, the viewer early on has a good idea of what is happening in the microscale of the individual episode, but not exactly the macroscale of the whole series. With holes in the architecture of the story being placed at such meticulous spots, it boosted my engagement nearly immediately. The phrase “don’t fret over trivial matters” alone got me questioning every mysterious aspect even more. The early episodes were made in a way that instantly hooked from the start. I did start to notice some cracks in certain places, but my level of intrigue was high enough at the early stages for me to be able to easily ignore them. However, before I knew it, the cracks eventually became as wide as a ravine. The buildup that Shadows House sets up for its grander narrative is absolutely stellar. Maybe it is a bit too stellar for its own good. A mystery story can’t just rely on a thick fog of questions to carry its story. The answers to those questions need to be just as good as what those questions bring up. This is the point where Shadows House starts to falter massively. Shadows House continually promises that its holes will be filled in in a satisfying manner, but it became obvious as time progressed that it had an inability to get even remotely close to filling them properly. When reveals do eventually start to get dropped in the second half, they are presented at the wrong place at the wrong time. The reveals themselves are generally sloppy in their execution as well, since even if they were foreshadowed, the light in which they are presented leads them to feel like asspulls. It is a flaw that becomes apparent when the series’s hand is forced to provide at least something to chew on. What makes this problem completely baffling to me in the grand scheme of the show is that it is in complete awareness that this problem exists. However, instead of trying to actually solve it, the series instead tries to hide it underneath the carpet by attempting to leverage its biggest strength, intrigue. In doing so however, Shadows House unintentionally creates its biggest flaw. img(https://wherever-i-look.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Emilico-Shadows-House-Season-1-Episode-2.jpg) As much as I praised the allure that the series has, the reason for that was due to it having meaning in the context of the story. Providing a sense of interest will only work if the context that it is placed in calls for it. For a while, Shadows House understood this. It is why the early episodes were so appealing to me. That is the case up until the Debut arc. It is at this point when Shadows House hides its inability to effectively provide answers for its own mysteries by hiding them behind the intrigue it has thrived off of thus far. This action by the series forgets the fact that the reason that the intrigue worked so well in the first place is due to its meticulous placement. By placing it everywhere, it misses the whole point of even having it in the first place. The Debut arc features way too many self-imposed roadblocks that the characters solve immediately to even really count. After the first episode of the arc, nearly every single conflict that arises feels just like mindless obstacles that the characters have to get over. It feels more like busy work than anything. The intrigue that was supposed to be imbued into this arc just made it all of the more exhausting and tedious, because it isn’t intriguing to have a question or a roadblock be presented only for the characters to get over it in such a short time. The series trying to hide the fact that it couldn’t answer its own questions satisfyingly caused the effect that nearly every moment became way more dragged out than it really should’ve been. The important information of the Debut arc could have been conveyed in only 1-2 episodes compared to the 5 episode slog that we got. About halfway through this arc, nearly all of my engagement was lost, due to how bored it left me feeling. There was a certain point where my only enjoyment of the series was just waiting for the incredible ED to finally come on. img(https://static2.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Horizontal-Shadows-House-Children-Dancing.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=960&h=500&dpr=1.5) Eventually after the Debut arc, the pacing turns around from way too slow, to something that seems a bit more reasonable. However, this shortly perceived reasonability quickly turns to a breakneck pace that exhibits the big problem of being unable to answer mysteries on full display for the world to see. This is because of a trait that is frighteningly common in CloverWorks anime in 2021, rushed/anime original endings. This is far from the most egregious case of this happening, since it didn’t create any new flaws that weren’t already there. But even still it heightens one of the series’s greatest problems to a far higher degree. While the signs of this problem were still there before Episode 10, they were ignorable enough so that there was still ample opportunity to enjoy what was already there. However after Episode 10, it sticks out like a sore thumb. All of a sudden there are way more odd conveniences with what feel like weird breaks in consistency in the moments where it really counts. A mystery story vitally needs a type of tight writing that can permeate throughout every minute, but Shadows House feels like it does the complete opposite of that at times. It is like it is learning how to fly a plane when it is already 20,000 feet in the air. The CloverWorks original content this time around more so just accelerated the severity of the series’s problems by just removing the veil that the show had previously put on it. Considering the absolute nightmare happening at CloverWorks in this current year, I find it to be a miracle that the general production of the Shadows House manages to actually be somewhat decent. The visuals of the series provide enough of a sense of atmosphere straight out of the Victorian era to enhance the better moments with a slight tinge of moodiness, but not nearly enough weight to bring up a lot of the worst moments. This applies to the score as well. The music provides a greater sense of this exact same atmosphere, but it isn’t nearly enough to save the crumbling plot around it. img(https://otakukart.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Shadows-House-Episode-2-Preview-and-Recap-.jpg) There are series that stay a consistent level of mediocrity throughout that I could probably call worse than Shadows House. There were some very good episodes in the series that set up a truly great series. However, what sticks out in my mind about Shadows House is that that truly great series doesn’t exist, and probably won’t ever exist. Shadows House is a prime example on what steps to take to not make a mystery series that can intrigue to the end. With the nature of the mystery series, I can’t ignore the later episodes and just enjoy the earlier ones because of how the two of them are supposed to work in tandem. It is a symbiotic relationship that unfortunately didn’t exist with this show. Shadows House led me on with a promise. A promise of something truly glorious on the horizon. But when the rays shined the brightest, all of the lights turned off, and I was left in complete darkness. ___ _Thank you for reading to the end of the review if you did. I really appreciate the willingness some of you have to get to the end of a review that probably disputes your own opinion. If you have any criticisms with how this review was made, you are free to message me to critique what I had to say._
~~~__Every Season there are various anime that instantly become popular, but then there are also anime like "Shadow's House" which are unfortunately not so popular, despite being AMAZING gems!__~~~ ~~~img500(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/834396154095468584/860968767303319632/unknown.png)~~~ Before starting this review, I would like to point out that my review __might contain minor spoilers__ of the first episode of shadow's house. In my option Shadow's House is a major masterpiece, it finds the perfect balance between mystery, horror and light hearted scenes. Each scene for me was memorable, and from the start of the anime, there were always hints of a much darker plot being slowly approached with every passing episode. I am happy to say it did not disappoint, furthermore, with the absolutely stunning visuals, amazing animation and some of my favorite music scores this Season, there wasn't a single moment where I felt bored watching this anime, especially as the story progressed. Below I will delve into the main categories of this show, without spoiling anything major; ~~~img500(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/834396154095468584/860968985573982238/unknown.png)~~~ # ~~~__Story 10/10:__~~~ The Story revolves over a large number of unique characters, with each character having their own Shadow Master to serve, some characters are similar to the Shadows, some are quite different. I will not get into detail, but this made an absolutely amazing narrative. Furthermore, I have never ever seen an anime that is remotely similar to this anime, and as such I must praise the author of this story for coming up with something very unique and very interesting! ~~~img500(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/834396154095468584/860972290031222824/unknown.png)~~~ # ~~~__Art 10/10:__~~~ As previously mentioned, the art was absolutely outstanding! When I look at art, I mainly look into 2 categories, the Aesthetics (i.e. how the characters, and world look like.) as well as animation. And this show delivers both perfectly! All scenes are made in high detail, and every single time I would happen to pause the anime for some reason or another I couldn't help but be shocked by the pure level of background detail. Furthermore, all animations that I have noticed within the anime are all very smoothly animated, and there was never any scene that felt out of place. ~~~youtube(https://youtu.be/wrVUrvYIDKg)~~~ # ~~~__Sound 9/10:__~~~ There are a good number of really well made OSTs in the show, I have left a link to the anime's outro above, just so you can get an idea of how great the music is. (Along with the artwork.) # ~~~__Character 9/10:__~~~ The Story took a lot of time introducing each character properly, topping this off with amazing narrative, the anime was able to change how I felt about characters (From hating to loving, and vice versa) with pure ease. Furthermore, each character feels unique and special. To a point where I genuinely have fun seeing the characters interacting with each other. # ~~~__Enjoyment 9/10:__~~~ I overall enjoyed watching this anime, and I would gladly re-watch a second, perhaps a third time. The only thing going on through my mind after watching this, is "When are we getting another season?" # ~~~__Overall 9.5/10:__~~~ The author of this anime's story made a magnificent job writing a completely unique, yet wonderful story. Furthermore, the Studio responsible for this masterpiece did a wonderful job visualizing the author's creation. ------------------------ ~~~[If you enjoyed this review, please feel free to read my other reviews](https://anilist.co/user/LordReno/reviews)~~~ ------------------------
~~~__OVERVIEW__~~~ From the same studio that adapted A Promised Neverland, CloverWorks brings us another gem that deserves to be more than just a shadow of the aforementioned A Promised Neverland. But enough of these crappy shadow puns, let's get into the review! Shadow's House is adapted from the manga of the same name, and is a phenomenal combination of moe and dark fantasy. While I am a massive fan of this so called "gap moe", I think that this show will have enough of a dark setting and mystery to bring in people that are not big fans of moe. Since these themes are also prevalent in A Promised Neverland, I think that this show will be unjustly compared to it in many ways. However, that's where the similarities begin and end. While A Promised Neverland (the anime at least) is slow and painful, Shadows House gives us just enough information to keep us engaged in the mystery of the House, while also giving us some tension to rival even the best sports anime. So go into the show with an open mind, knowing that this is probably one of the most unique premises ever in the medium of anime. ~~~__STORY__~~~ Shadows house is set in a dark and mysterious mansion that this seemingly set apart from the rest of the world. In this house, are shadows that are constantly emitting soot that dirties their rooms. To manage this soot, they each have a _living doll_ that acts as their room cleaner, servant, and (in a backwards way) shadow. The story follows the particularly interesting shadow and living doll pair of Kate and Emilico as they try to navigate the mysteries of the Shadows House and also climb the social ladder that exists within the house. Not being the manga reader, the anime covers three arcs (up to chapter 47 of the manga) of the manga and then has a filler fourth arc that was created since they did not have enough episodes left to start and finish the next arc. From my limited knowledge, the filler arc changes nothing in the manga except introducing a detail which is a little bit of a spoiler for future arcs. However, in the context of the anime, this spoiler gives the arc just enough to get us over the hump of the arc being an enjoyable waste of time. To me, the story is unique and quite engaging especially for an anime. I rarely see stories in anime crafted around a place that is not a high school with characters that are not pulled straight from a generic isekai. I will not go into any spoilers for the show, but the arcs are engaging and fulfill their purpose in introducing us to the characters and then pushing the plot forward. ~~~__CHARACTERS__~~~ While the characters certainly are not the next Eren Yeager (pre-end of AOT) of character development, There is a lot of worthwhile characters that noticeably grow as the show unfolds. This is especially so with the main two characters of Kate and Emilico. img(https://www.otaquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Shadows-House-Episode-1-Review-1024x466.png) While two are almost polar opposites, as the show develops, we can see their relationship grow in ways completely different from many in the Shadows House, which makes watching the two of them a truly enjoyable experience. The two of them also affect their fellow shadows and living dolls, changing them in ways that they themselves did not expect. To this end, each pair has a place in the story making the cast seem refreshing and diverse. (Just to mention, while I really liked characters like Shaun, Kate, Lou, and Louis, my heart cannot be swayed into saying that any other character but Emilico is my favorite. I mean, who can say no to this loveable idiot?) img(https://kurosamareviews.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/shadows-house-emilico.jpg) ~~~__ART & MUSIC__~~~ I have very little to say about the art and the music besides saying that I REALLY LIKED THEM. This is especially with the music, which gives us a creepy and apprehensive feeling whenever the main theme is softy playing in the background. ReoNa absolutely killed it with the ending "Nai Nai", giving us a feeling img(https://external-preview.redd.it/0j9lxErmu4BSvEPByoXdKKD3sDawMR4pAryKfTLxq2k.jpg?auto=webp&s=971ce78fc796e8694d16c762865674f87b49b2f4) almost of hopelessness as we see each pair of shadows and their living doll trapped in their rooms. The opening "a hollow shadow" by Kenichirou Suehiro was also a great way (for me at least) to get hyped for every episode (in a traditional non-shounen way). Finally, getting back to the art, the art style seemed to be faithful to the manga, while also being smoothly animated when the intense scenes played. The color contrasts were also done well to highlight the differences between each of the shadows, and their living dolls. ~~~__CONCLUSION__~~~ I am sure that as you read (or skipped to the end, I don't care), you saw my bias towards this show, so let me drop a huge spoiler right here and now: I really liked this show. Even with the filler arc, which is probably the one thing subtracting from it, it was still an extremely solid show with an engaging story, good characters, amazing music, and (probably most importantly) a unique premise. So open the blinds and step out of the shadows and watch Shadows House, because it is a gem that deserves more attention. Oh no, I made another lame pun.
__This review contains mild spoilers for Shadows House__ img520(https://www.anmosugoi.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Shadows-House-5.jpg) According to Anilist's databases, over the past two years, there has been an average of 40 anime shows debuting per season. That's not even counting movies, shorts, OVAs, ONAs, specials, music videos, and hentai — counting those, the number nearly triples. It just goes to show how much anime there is to choose from in any given season. 9 or 10 airing shows a season is generally the most an animegoer will watch. Particularly ~~masochistic~~ ardent anime fans will watch around *fifteen*. If you're anything like me, you'll only be watching three or four shows. All this is to say that a given person won't watch anywhere near the total number of shows for a given season. There isn't an even distribution of people watching different shows, either — people tend to cluster around the most popular of shows. You can often reasonably guess how popular a show is by its genre, with magical/battle girl and music shows routinely ignored. There's a steep drop-off in popularity where it quickly begins to feel like hardly anyone is watching a given show. This leads to many shows falling through the cracks. What you'll find beneath those cracks is largely a gamble. Sometimes, like *[Warlords of Sigrdrifa](https://anilist.co/review/9040)*, it's a show that you'll regret taking the time to time to find, a show whose mediocrity justifies its obscurity. *Shadows House* is not one of those shows. *Shadows House*, while not *quite* what I'd call a "hidden gem" in terms of visibility, nevertheless has gotten a bit lost in the shuffle for the reasons I've described and more. This is a darn shame, too, because *Shadows House* is a grippingly creepy, mysterious show that's sure to leave you on the edge of your seat. Even watching as little shows as I do, I wouldn't bet on it being my favorite show of the year, but it's certainly a gem even if it's not a diamond, even if it's not hidden. It's a show that I want more people to see because it deserves it. If nothing else, it serves its purpose well. It's fairly known that anime are often glorified advertisements for manga, it's one reason why anime often only get one season — they were never meant to tell a full story, instead of being made to entice viewers to purchase the manga to pick up the story where it left off. This particular advertisement has been pretty effective, as I'm considering reading the manga. img520(https://thecinemaholic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/shadows.jpg) The anime takes place in the eponymous Shadows House, a manor tucked away in the mountains where Shadow lords live, pitch-black humanoid beings that emit soot, necessitating their abodes to be constantly cleaned for them. This task falls upon the Living Dolls, people we'd assume to be human, with defined and visible facial features. In addition to acting as their butlers, due to their visible faces, the Living Dolls are to act as their Shadow Masters'...well, faces. In front of others, the Living Doll is to be completely in sync with their Shadow Masters — like dolls, they're to bend to the whims, the emotions of their master, depicting the emotions that their Shadow Masters can’t properly convey. We follow Kate, a child in the Shadows House, and her Living Doll, Emilico. Living Dolls are instructed not to fret over trivial matters and only to think of how to best serve and emulate their masters. Emilico, however, is bubbly, clumsy, inquisitive, and often scatterbrained. She's nothing like Kate, who's reserved, poised, and cunning. Emilico doesn't fit the ideal of what a Living Doll should be, but this doesn't seem to bother Kate, who seems to dislike how the Shadows House operates. As we follow Kate and Emilico, we learn more and more about the mysterious house and its inhabitants, all while Kate, Emilico, the rest of the Shadow Children, and their living dolls prepare for the debut, which will determine whether or not the shadows and their dolls shall remain in the manor. And even that feels like it's saying a bit too much. I don't think I'm spoiling the show in my synopsis, I just don't think I'm properly conveying the mysteriousness of the show. You really start out with nothing when you begin the show, as we mainly follow the point-of-view of a newly awakened, totally clueless Emilico. Due to this, the mystery doesn't feel artificial, whether in terms of the audience not being privy to information the characters should logically have or do to things feeling "played up." Au contraire, mon chère lecteur, there's a lowkey way that the information is presented that makes for an effective disconnect between audience and character perceptions. Pitch black beings, people known as Living Dolls, living soot, etc. are all depicted rather matter-of-factly and it fuels the feeling that something's wrong, that you don't have the full picture to make heads or tails of this situation, thus you keep watching. The mystery element is one of the biggest things that the show has going for it; if you enjoy it, you'll keep coming back for more, and fortunately, the show never runs out of mysteries, never runs out of curveballs to throw at your perception of this world. The answers to these questions make for a creepy, engrossing setting. *Shadows House* has pretty good pacing, with the answers to these questions being slow, yet not glacial. The answers are given at a carefully planned rate to ensure that, again you keep tuning in. Throughout the first half of the cour or so, there was never a week where I felt compelled to sit an episode out or watch it late — I was always hungry for more shadowy goodness. In addition, fortunately, there are still some mysteries left, thus enticing viewers to continue with the story, whether through a second season or through the manga. img520(https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210516/1621137241.12568.37149.jpg) I really enjoyed the directing of this show. As the Shadows require Living Dolls to convey their emotions, you'd expect the Shadows to be featureless blobs. ...okay, well, they *are*, but you can still tell how they're feeling pretty well, better than many other anime, I'd say. Through careful framing (such as depicting Kate in profile) and attention to detail (her raising her fist to her mouth when amused), we viewers have a very good idea of how any given Shadow Master is feeling despite not being able to see their face. The voice direction is also quite good. Besides doing a good job of emoting while not having the backing of facial animations, the voice actors also do a good job of distinguishing their roles. You see, save for Kate and Emilico, every Shadow Master and Living Doll pair share a VA. It's impressive how distinct each actor can make their two given characters. Given that the ideal Living Doll should emulate their master, you'd think they'd sound and act the same, but no, the voice actors do a good job of aurally assisting the text, distinguishing the members of the pairs. Louise is sassy and prideful while Lou is taciturn and quiet. John is somewhat boisterous while Shaun is no-nonsense. Mia acts as a kind, humble mentor while Sara is haughty and snooty. The duo that's the most similar to one another is probably Patrick and Ricky, but even they're slightly distinctive from one another thanks to their VA; it's subtle, but it's certainly there. While I'm talking about the VAs, let me praise the characters in general. You'll come for the mystery and tone and largely *stay* for them, but the characters certainly sweeten the deal. They're not the absolute best characters I've seen, but they're quite distinct and entertaining enough. I'm generally not wild about the characters of Emilico's archetype, but what can I found her endearing, possibly because she was balanced out by Kate and the general tone of the show. It's interesting to see the characters bounce off of one another as well as seeing the contrast between how dolls act around their Shadow Masters and when they're away. Even more bit characters are quite colorful distinct, and it helps that the Shadows all wear very catching clothing. img520(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Shadows-House-02-26_thumb.jpg) And then there's the tone. Anilist lists the show as being horror. This is a bit of a miscategorization (though it's still better than Myanimelist listing the show as a *Slice-of-Life*). *Psychological horror* might be a *bit* better, but it's still not great. The problem is that the show is a bit too subtle to be horror, a bit lowkey, as I said before. Nothing really jumps out at you. While there are some frightening elements, they're so occasional that they really don't define this show in terms of genre. *Shadows House* isn't "scary" so much as it is "creepy." The mystery and this tone are what drive this show and make it what it is. This creepy vibe, this nagging feeling of dread is what makes the show as good as it is. If you're prepared for it. Make no mistake, I think this tone works great, but either due to the aforementioned miscategorization or due to misreading the show in and of itself, it can be easy to think this show *will* be scary. If one holds their breath, expecting the horror to hit the fan sooner or later, they'll be disappointed. And again, the show dances around horror, so *wanting* horror isn't completely unfounded, it just hurts the show a bit as one may find themselves waiting for something that will never come. The scariest *Shadows House* gets is when the scorches attack in an early episode. img520(https://i2.wp.com/drunkenanimeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Shadows-House-ep3-13.jpg?ssl=1) That said, I think there could be room for more creepiness. If the mystery and tone are what drive the show, if they're even a *bit* absent, the show will falter. Unfortunately, both elements take a bit of a backseat for the Debut Arc, which is a bit more of an adventure-y fare. I liked the debut overall, but it was oddly long for a one-cour, twelve-episode anime that might not have a sequel. It's odd to have an out-and-out *arc* in this format. I'm wary of saying it overstayed its welcome since I didn't find it boring, perse, but it definitely was a bit less exciting than what came before or after. During the Debut Arc, I wasn't as compelled to watch the episodes as soon as they came out and I attribute this to the mystery and creepiness sitting back for the most part. They're still there, but nowhere near as prevalent as before. The last two episodes are apparently anime only and it kind of shows. As far as I can tell, it's nothing crazy; they didn't pull a *The Promised Neverland* Season 2 on us (despite it being from the same studio), but it's noticeable enough that readers of the manga pointed it out. It's not...*bad* and ratchets up the suspense, but at the end of the day, it didn't feel consequential and doesn't seem to advance the show too much. A big part of this is the antagonist who orchestrated *a kidnapping attempt* is essentially given a slap on the wrist. Not only is this frustrating as someone who wants to see him reprimanded for his actions, but it’s frustrating from a narrative standpoint as it really just seems to paint the last episodes as meaningless. I certainly know why they did it — they wanted to wrap up events while still leaving the door open for a second season. This way, there wouldn't be anything too contradictory with the manga, but it still felt like a waste of time. img520(https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/kab6hm8QSIfqMHKp8zD0T1J9xsH.jpg) This final arc as well as the debut arc really took the wind out of the anime's sails for me. Towards the middle of the anime's run, I thought this was going to be one of the first manga I picked up due to an anime in years. Now, I don't feel nearly as compelled to. I still *might*, but I'd definitely say the anime didn't finish nearly as strong as it started. Even so, it certainly didn't end *poorly*, just not as strong. Even with it somewhat fumbling the landing (keyword being "somewhat), I can't recommend this show enough, if only because its popularity belies its quality and I want more people to experience it for itself. It's a creepy mystery that I'm sure will leave you glued out of your seat 8 times out of ten. Or rather, 8.3, as that's the score, but that sounds a bit awkward in a sentence. ~~~img200(https://i.imgur.com/HQbAyQg.png)~~~ img520(https://otakuusamagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/shadows-house-funi.jpg)
When I first started watching, I wasn't sure that I would really enjoy it, but after watching it, I can definitely say that I was wrong. It was actually a pretty fun watch. Some bits were a bit predictable for me, but it in no way detracted from the quality of the show—just because I was aware something _would_ happen didn't mean I knew _how_ it would happen. So the two protagonists—Kate and Emilico—are two young girls living in the Shadows House ~~roll credits~~ where they both seem to have a different approach to living life. Kate—the Shadow Master of the pair—seems to be more concerned in the material _how_'s and _why_'s of the world around her. Whereas Emilico—the Living Doll of the pair—at first seems to be the air-headed type of girl that just wants to play around and have a fun time. But it is quickly shown how both are actually two side of the same coin. While they are definitely two separate people, at their core it feels like they are similar enough. Outside of the two main protagonists, my favorite character would probably be John. It seems like he would be a fun guy to hang out around. And almost every time he's on screen, it feels like he's seconds away from bringing out _The Power of Friendship_ to try and overcome any obstacles he may face. And he seems like the perfect counter to his Living Doll Shaun who is more collected and cautious. While all of the anime basically takes place within the grand mansion of the Shadows House, because of Emilico's energy in her approach of life, it always feels a bit like an adventure wherever she goes. But behind that, the anime is always setting up questions and mysteries that are meant to keep the viewer interested beyond the adventurous tone. In my opinion, the mysteries are a little predictable, but I will reiterate how that doesn't detract at all from the quality of the show. And while there are some questions that haven't explicitly been answered yet, it still feels like the season of the anime wrapped itself up quite nicely. I've noticed how in some mystery shows, when there are some questions that haven't been answered the show feels empty at the end. Like, you would be disappointed if the show didn't continue. I don't feel like that's the case with _shadows House_. If there isn't going to a second season of the show, I feel like I would be content with the show that I saw. Despite all that, however, I don't think this show is perfect. There are still some qualities that I just don't agree with—like how the structure of the family seems so very arbitrary and idiotic—but that's just me nitpicking at some of the qualities of the show. It's still a great show all around. All-in-all, I would say this is a great show to watch if you're into adventures, mysteries, and cute girls doing cute-girl things.
__SPOILER-FREE!__ __This review was originally written in July 2021, published as a YouTube video on my channel.__ If there was one lesson to take away from the Winter 2021 anime season, it was that CloverWorks seemed to be the studio that desperately needed a re-evaluation. _Wonder Egg Priority_ was saddled with a terrible production schedule and required an additional special to give the series a proper finale, which it didn’t do, and _The Promised Neverland_ season two suffered from such atrocious pacing problems and lack of tension that it somehow got progressively worse beyond episode three…but at least _Horimiya_ was decent. When a studio has a particularly bad season, it would be wisest to stop taking on so many projects at once and focus your energies on a good, single show. In that sense, _Shadows House_ could be thought of as the potential start to CloverWorks’s redemption arc. As the only anime the studio produced in Spring 2021, it was a good choice to pick something off the beaten path. Rather than assume a standard isekai or slice-of-life fair, it stands as an example of something I love about anime and manga – being able to take a concept that sounds completely odd on paper, but managing to make it come alive. But a good idea does not a good show make; you actually have to follow through on the premise’s potential. _____ The story takes place in a mysterious mansion. Emilico, a blonde-haired, happy-go-lucky and clumsy girl, is actually a living doll in the service of her mistress named Kate. A distant figure without any distinguishable facial features, Kate emits soot around the room as she begins to get stressed, angry, or anxious. Emilico’s job to is to attend to Kate, cleaning up the soot that she leaves behind, as well as joining some other living dolls to clean the rest of the mansion. As the weeks roll by and Emilico and Kate spend more time together, they prepare for the mysterious “debut” with other living dolls, masters, and mistresses who also live in the mansion. If Emilico and Kate’s debut fails, Emilico will be discarded. Such a dark and slightly-creepy premise makes its presence known immediately. A wash of dismal, murky colors characterizes the first impression, and the presence of the mansion and its high-class interior paints an aristocratic tableau. The opening scenes with the masters in their fancy garments interacting silently complement this, and the soundtrack provides further support. The music has a lush sophistication, able to walk the line between gothic and aristocratic, with the strings being noteworthy. The first two minutes asserts who is really in charge here, especially given the uncomfortable chant that the dolls themselves actually say. With the stage set, we get an immediate juxtaposition when our main character Emilico stumbles about trying to get herself oriented, and the music adopts a more comedic, spritely timbre. Before the OP has been played for the first time, _Shadows House_ excellently demonstrates a show getting all the necessary information fed to the viewer without trampling them. Emilico’s personality and mannerisms contrast with Kate, who carries herself with an air of properness and pride. Her colder exterior hides a shy but gifted personality. By this point, we know that it is only a matter of time before Emilico and Kate begin to get along well with one another, and their interactions fill a sizable portion of the show’s content for the first several episodes. While things slow down for a while after the introduction, and even though very few things “happen” in terms of plot progression in the beginning, Emilico’s cheery personality and the growing dynamic between herself and Kate manages to make up for this. _Shadows House’s_ overall structure caters more to conveying moods as opposed to having a series of individualized plot points. As such, the transition from master and servant to cordial to trusting friendship becomes integral to the show’s experience throughout. Plot points do exist down the road, but they mostly appear to be in service to the show’s ambiance, or after the ambiance has been more-firmly established. And that ambiance is ever-looming. Despite the happy disposition that Emilico radiates and the occasional comedic time-out, the mansion itself always maintains a sense of mystery. The aristocratic architecture and shadowy corridors give an uneasy impression, as though going down the wrong corridor leads to a dungeon with shackled skeletons. The debut for the dolls and masters always hangs over the heads of the characters, as even they don’t know what to expect when the day arrives. One other question that also lurks in the viewer’s mind is what precisely is the relationship between the mansion and the outside world? It’s explained that dolls are supposed to function as the face for the masters, but how does that factor into life outside the mansion? _Shadows House_ keeps most of its cards up its sleeve, but shows just enough to keep the intrigue going. Because the show’s foreboding, mysterious atmosphere is its strongest asset, it allows for more visceral moments to leave a bigger impact. Though it does not rely on blood or gore, one sequence in the last few episodes managed to make my stomach lurch. At times, THAT’S how invested I got. A factor in that investment is the disparity between the dolls and the masters. The dolls are a collection of various expressive moods, even though there isn’t necessarily anything too unique compared to other shows with large ensembles. A few prickly personalities are among them, but overall, the dolls are a perfectly charming little bunch. They adopt a mantra of “don’t fret” over details that shouldn’t concern them, which is part of what makes Emilico work as an endearing character. Due to her inherently inquisitive nature, she can’t help herself but ask questions about both the doll’s work and other things about the mansion. In a certain way, seeing Emilico interact with the other dolls and Kate is akin to watching a child displaying that wide-eyed curiosity about the world around them. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the masters themselves. In keeping with the show’s foreboding tone, there is a clear hierarchy for masters who already had their successful debuts versus those for whom their debuts are coming soon. The debuted ones cryptically comment on the goings-on throughout the series, expressing both amusement and ire as things take their course, along with some allusions to the “Lord Grandfather.” The ones waiting for their debuts also have their own thoughts that they share with their own dolls. Nevertheless, some of the masters feel less like actual characters and more like archetype stand-ins, a vague threat rather than something defined and able to be differentiated from one another. It’s one of the few times that the show’s mysterious fun doesn’t quite translate as well. The fun also does occasionally run into the problem of poor pacing. The debut itself is a long arc, involving one portion in the mansion’s gardens. Even though various dolls and masters get the chance to have character-building and have some notable moments, this portion as a whole overstays its welcome. It’s similarly during this stretched-out period I realized that while the show looks and sounds lovely, the animation itself isn’t anything to write home about. It’s good, but not great. However, the pace picks back up in the push to the end of the series, managing to keep new mysteries, tensions, and revelations coming out. _______ _Shadows House’s_ slow burn in the beginning makes the ensuing middle and ending of the show an interesting ride, and the world-building and mystery it manages to pull off through Emilico and Kate’s relationship and the other dolls and masters kept my interest. Though the show as a whole is slightly uneven and not everything was resolved at the end, I was never bored. Its overall presentation won me over and it became another highly-anticipated show during my Spring 2021 viewing. With the announcement of a second season now confirmed for later in 2022, I will happily step back into the dark mansion if it means I get to be engrossed by its atmosphere once again.
_Review originally posted on July 7, 2021_ There is a misconception that Shadows House is a slice-of-life, but that's not the case. It is a mystery through and through, with elements of horror. By combining clever visual storytelling, a mesmerizing aesthetic, a touch of philosophy, engaging characters, and on-the-nose class criticism it crafts one excellent show. img1000(https://i.imgur.com/o1n0t1S.jpg) Shadows House takes place in a mansion reminiscent of gothic horror meshed with steampunk aesthetics. The manor itself is a Victorian-era stone castle shrouded by fog high on a hill. Its imposing architecture with spiked fences resembles a prison. Inside, it is a dimly lit maze bearing heavy curtains, red rugs, drab wallpaper, finely ornamented rooms, and expensive wood furniture. Oil lamps light each room, and coal provides the heating. Soot coats the walls, but not from the fireplace—each member of the Shadow family is noble, dressed fancifully, and covered head to toe in soot. They appear like silhouette paintings of humans wearing colorful dresses and regal attire. Whenever they feel anxiety or anger, they emit soot. Once these shadow people come of age, they are granted a "living doll" or servant to take care of chores and represent their personality. In the beginning, an enthusiastic girl awakens for her first day as a living doll. Her room bears all the similarities to a prison cell; a bed, table, run-down walls. Her master, Kate, is a prim and proper shadow with a nearly identical silhouette to the girl, eventually named Emilico. Their dynamic has more depth than meets the eye; Kate possesses the qualities Emilico lacks, and vice-versa. Grace and nobility versus happiness and compassion. Their goal is to become as one with each other as possible in order to integrate into the noble Shadows family. Their diametrically opposed personalities cause difficulties. Through their struggle to conform with the aristocracy, the manor's oppressive class structure cracks begin to show. Surprisingly there is a considerable amount of action and thrills here. Light humor from Emilico's enthusiastic personality balances the otherwise bleak tone. She brings enjoyment to the show, and her dynamic with Kate leads to breakthroughs in both characters. There are five main pairings in the cast; Kate and Emilico are the primary perspectives. The dynamic between master and servant is different for each duo; parasitic, symbiotic, ambivalent, codependent, and more. All of them are compelling characters in different ways—by the end, I was emotionally attached to all of them. Their master vs. living doll relationship showcased the facets of identity a person needs to live a fulfilling life. There are life or death stakes for both the masters and servants that test their relationships. Is there one answer to the right way of forming a companionship? No, however, we see each variety portrayed; there are benefits and shortcomings to all of them. The living dolls respect the Shadow Masters almost to the point of worshipping them. In many ways, it not-so-subtly critiques modern class structures within a capitalist society. They confront how working-class people will praise the upper class, even though those people gained their power through exploiting their workers. Without the dolls' unpaid labor, the affluent society would not function. The Shadows House is ruled by an oppressive class structure; the lords on the third floor, the new Shadow masters on the first floor. Beneath the tiles they walk on are the Living Dolls—levels of the mansion representing social status. Rising in the ranks to achieve success requires ambition, talent, and practice. Living dolls must forgo their personality and serve the role as their master's personality—mimicking their gestures and emotions through facial expressions. The final test, as well as a driving force of the plot, is The Debut. The pairings of young Shadow masters and dolls must prove themselves in this ominous event. The horror of Shadows House comes from watching the seemingly pleasant living dolls treated like objects, despite looking and acting like humans. Emilico is told she is a living doll, despite looking and acting like a human. She even looks for joints to oil when she feels exhausted. It can instill fear in a brightly lit room with upbeat background music. Living dolls sleep in coffin-like beds, have no connection to the outside world, no means of escape, and know nothing except to be servants. They endure abuse, work without pay, and are practically prisoners, yet they have been conditioned to believe it is normal. Success is caused by natural talent and effort in this world, and failure is not an option. There are characters with disabilities, and the systems of the Shadows House leave them behind. It'd be fair to say this reflects real-world issues. The ways living dolls get mistreated during the show asks thought-provoking philosophical questions. What makes a person? Is it how much they look like a human? Or does it depend on how others treat you? What determines status? Is it your appearance, your wealth, the things you own, or your property? These questions develop with time. The main thematic throughline connecting them is identity. Both the manor, and the anime, function by its people not asking questions, but watching it only makes you ask more. Over time, we are given the puzzle pieces to put together the answers ourselves. Answers aren't given to us. It is up to us to solve the mysteries. Each twist, reveal, and clue recontextualizes prior scenes, adding heaps upon heaps of rewatch value. These reveals are entirely reliant on showing rather than telling; the manor itself gives us clues. If we're shown an object, a sign, a character, who is not immediately relevant, it will surely return later. Like all great mysteries, Shadows House is masterful at foreshadowing and reincorporation. It follows Chekhov's gun rule: If you place a gun on the stage, it must eventually be shot. Much like the gun, the direction only brings our attention to details relevant to the story. Even though this adaptation departs in many ways from the manga, it ties the narrative together with connecting plot threads. img1000(https://nerdbot.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/SubsPlease-Shadows-House-07-1080p-AC48F9FE.mkv_000937.413-1024x576.png) Due to the incomplete manga, this adaptation is only a portion of the whole story. For that reason, not every setup gets paid off by the end. The final three episodes are primarily anime original content, which deserves criticism. These episodes are fine, but a noticeable decline in writing quality compared to the first ten. There are plot contrivances, helpful coincidences, and convoluted motives. Overall the solid ending softened these disappointing episodes. Although Shadows House diverges from the source material, it stands on its own merits as a great anime.
Hey kids! Do you like gothic mystery with a side of mild eldritch horror in the mix? Do you like the original Brothers Grimm fairy tales or the ones by Hans Christian Andersen? Do you want something that harkens to all you Victorian era loving Hot Topic goth kids? Do I have the show for you. Shadows House is an anime based on the ongoing manga by Somato. It centers on a mysterious Western-style mansion high atop a cliff, where mysterious, faceless beings known as Shadows, whose entire bodies are as black as coal and emit soot depending on their emotional state. Because they have no faces of their own, they have servants known as Living Dolls, with each shadow being assigned their own individual Living Doll. Such is the case for young Emilico, a bubbly, curious blonde girl who lives to serve her more stoic, quiet mistress Kate. But Emilico can't help but wonder just what Shadows House is all about. Who are the Shadows? Why do they emit soot? Why are they revered as nobles? Why must living dolls not think of "trivial matters" i.e. anything that isn't serving their masters? What even are the Living Dolls? Shadows House is full of mysteries, and Kate and Emilico soon find themselves uncovering all sorts of terrible secrets. If I were to describe Shadows House as a show, it'd probably be a mix of something like Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca, Jane Eyre, and to a lesser extent Hansel and Gretel, since the former two are gothic, atmospheric mysteries with dark undertones and the latter is about children being trapped by a wicked villain for unscrupulous purposes. The whole series feels like an old Western fairy tale given new paint, with the animation reflecting this. I haven't read the manga, though I do want to at some point, the animation, done by CloverWorks, manages to really bring Shadows House and its creepy atmosphere to life. Everything about Shadow Houses' production feels ornate, from the patterned embroidery on the Shadows' clothing to the gardens and long hallways, it really oozes that Victorian gothic aesthetic. Of course, the animation itself is no slouch either. It's not exactly a sakuga-fest bursting with kineticism, but the actual character movement does its job well, and nothing looked off-model to my eyes. The music also manages to be similarly eerie and creepy when it needs to, and fairly versatile even without going for that vibe, using everything from low cellos to high violins. Both sets of openings and endings are also well made and well sung. The core of Shadow House's whole premise is its cast of characters, namely the fact that every single shadow is paired with a living doll who is supposed to serve as their face, so you'll be seeing a lot of pairs in this show. There's a lot of characters in the show, and some manage to receive some development while others don't. Part of this is deliberate, as the truth behind why the shadows and Living Dolls are what they are is one of the main mysteries of the show, but even with 13 episodes, Shadows House doesn't get to give every single named character their time in the limelight. I did find the main ensemble to be interesting to follow, both the shadows and their Living Dolls, and they manage to carry the show just fine, with their development culminating quite a bit in season two. Some of the side characters get some time to do stuff as well, but the rest of them just either take up space or only do very little before getting shunted into the background. I found Edward in particular to be rather grating, as he's just your typical cartoon villain who hates the heroes and plots against them for seemingly no reason. He probably has more to him in the manga. Also, I liked Emilico just fine, but I can see some people finding her perpetually sunny personality to be a little too saccharine and cutesy for their tastes. I'm normally not one for mystery series, and seeing as Shadows House's anime is based on an ongoing manga, not every plot thread is going to be wrapped up or followed up on, which is inevitable when adapting a manga that hasn't ended yet. Even so, my gripes with it and its cliffhanger ending aside, I did enjoy my time with Shadows House, enough that I do plan on reading the manga when I have the time and funds. It's a slowly-evolving mystery series that really feels like a Western fairy tale in all the best ways.