The Legendary Vampire Huntress Mary: Unveiling Ancient Secrets

Highlights

The Ancient Vampire Hunter Mary joins forces with Claire to stop the revival of the Blood Queen Elizabeth in Lawless City.

Mary's secret past is unveiled, chronicling her evolution from a vampire into a vampire hunter devoted to living alongside humans without indulging in blood.

Teaming up with Claire and Cid, Mary forges powerful alliances, injecting pulse-pounding thrill into the Red Moon incident arc, where she assumes the role of a compelling supporting protagonist.

The Eminence in Shadow anime and manga series revolves around Cid Kagenou, a young boy who is reborn in a fantasy world. His sole obsession is to become Shadow, the Eminence in Shadow, lurking in the shadows and hunting down dark entities.

Following the success of its first season, this anime series gained immense popularity for its thrilling adventures, comedic moments, and epic battles. With season two currently airing, the story now takes place in Lawless City and introduces a character known as Mary, the Ancient Vampire Hunter. However, the true identity and significance of this Ancient Vampire Hunter in the series remain shrouded in mystery.

The Red-Haired Vampire Hunter

In episode one of season two, the Ancient Vampire Hunter Mary makes her debut by encountering Claire Kagenou. The two form a temporary alliance and journey together to the Crimson Tower. Soon, Mary unveils her mission: she intends to halt Crimson, one of Lawless City's leaders, from resurrecting the progenitor vampire, Blood Queen Elizabeth.

Prior to meeting Claire, Mary encounters Cid, who narrowly avoids being attacked by ghouls. Acting swiftly, Mary eliminates the ghouls and saves Cid. This demonstrates her immense kindness and concern for human life. Uttering the words "The frenzy has begun. The moon is red. We are out of time," Mary sets off towards her goal. Little does she know, Cid, with his Shadow persona, adopts this phrase as a mantra, repeating it to everyone he encounters.

Exploring Mary's Past

In episode two of season two, the truth about Mary is swiftly unveiled - she is a vampire. While not entirely unexpected, it is quite surprising that someone who claims to be an Ancient Vampire Hunter is actually a vampire themselves. This revelation raises many questions about Mary's motives for hunting vampires while being one herself. And, as a result, her mysterious past is brought to light.

In ancient times, vampires held dominion over the land, considering humans to be nothing more than mere cattle to satisfy their insatiable thirst for blood. However, this situation took an unexpected turn when humans discovered the vampires' vulnerability to sunlight. Suddenly, the hunters became the hunted, and humans revolted against their vampire oppressors. To integrate harmoniously into human society, Mary's mentor, Blood Queen Elizabeth, made the decision to forgo consuming blood. Inspired by her example, many of Elizabeth's followers, including Mary, also gave up their vampiric ways. In doing so, they gradually lost their supernatural abilities but gained the extraordinary ability to withstand sunlight. The desire for blood diminished over time, allowing them to live as regular humans.

Blood Queen Elizabeth, unfortunately, never experienced a cessation of her blood thirst or a diminishing of her vulnerability to sunlight. Despite this, she maintained optimistic aspirations for a harmonious future, desiring to establish a sanctuary where all could coexist peacefully. However, her hopes were dashed when the Red Moon incident occurred, which marked the pinnacle of vampire power. During this event, Crimson, Queen Elizabeth's subordinate, administered a single droplet of blood to her. Having refrained from blood for an extended period, the queen lost control of herself and embarked on a three-night rampage.

After regaining her faculties following her genocidal spree, Mary received orders to prevent the queen's resurrection by killing her and disposing of her ashes in the sea. Nevertheless, Mary found herself unable to carry out this task. Her love for the queen was so profound that she could not defy her master nor bring herself to end her life. Consequently, the queen was interred in a coffin, which Mary resolved to safeguard for eternity. Furthermore, during the intervening time, Mary dedicated herself to eliminating rogue vampires who posed a threat to humanity. In this manner, she evolved into an Ancient Vampire Hunter.

Mary's Relationship And Interaction With Other Characters

: Regrettably, Mary lost possession of Queen Elizabeth's body to Crimson, the individual responsible for initiating the unfortunate event. To compound matters, his intention was to revive the queen, reenacting a tragic incident that took place a millennium ago.

In the Eminence in Shadow anime series, we witness the ongoing alliance between Mary and Claire Kagenou. Their shared objective is to rescue Claire's brother, who is on the verge of becoming a sacrifice for the revival of the fearsome Blood Queen. As they fight side by side, a newfound bond develops, leading to the mutual exchange of deeply held secrets from their respective pasts. Supported by Claire's esteemed status as the 'champion' of the previous Bushin Festival, she manages to match Mary's prowess in combat, enabling them to confront ghoulish adversaries and progress towards the formidable Crimson Tower.

Moreover, when Mary is overwhelmed by Juggernaut, one of the rulers of Lawless City, she consumes Claire's blood to restore herself and enhance her strength. Other individuals whom Mary has encountered include Cid Kagenou, whom she has previously rescued, Crimson, the individual responsible for stealing Queen Elizabeth's body, and Queen Elizabeth herself, to whom she is unwaveringly devoted.

What Is Mary's Role In The Series?

Mary's character in the series thus far revolves around her dual identity as an Ancient Vampire Hunter and a vampire. While she serves as a supportive protagonist during the Red Moon incident arc, she maintains a favorable relationship with Shadow, avoiding any conflicts. Additionally, she shares a strong bond with Shadow's sister, and their companionship thrives harmoniously.

Mary attempts to prevent her master from causing chaos, mirroring a tragic event that occurred centuries ago. Despite this, Shadow Garden does not view her as a foe and instead includes her in their ranks. By highlighting her character, the series becomes more thrilling, placing her in a key role during this arc.

Stream The Eminence in Shadow on HIDIVE.