Unveiling the Revered Shadows: Crimson Lunar
Unveil a captivating tale in The Eminence in Shadow: Red Moon as the enigmatic Shadow and his mysterious Shadow Garden navigate the treacherous Lawless City, where a haunting red moon heralds a series of extraordinary and riveting events in the formidable Crimson Tower
Highlights
The Eminence in Shadow takes a unique approach to the isekai genre, focusing on Cid's delusions and flipping the typical storyline.
Cid finds himself reluctantly embroiled in the Lawless City, a chaotic realm ruled by three monarchs. His sister's mission to eradicate vampires compels him to join her, assuming the identity of Shadow. Within the city, Cid encounters vampire ghouls and narrowly escapes, only to be rescued by Mary, an experienced Ancient Vampire Hunter. This fateful meeting sets in motion a chain of events that culminate in an epic showdown at the Crimson Tower.
Warning: The following contains spoilers for Episode 21, "The Lawless City," of The Eminence in Shadow. Stream now on HIDIVE.
Renowned among the prominent isekai works of the autumn of 2022, The Eminence in Shadow makes a glorious comeback, offering fans numerous captivating moments. As Cid Kagenou's life comes to an end, as often observed with isekai protagonists, he embarks on a new journey with the determination to accomplish his ambitious dream of becoming the Eminence in Shadow.
Shadow And Shadow Garden's Movement
For fans engrossed in series that constantly shift genres, The Eminence in Shadow is a shining example. Rather than following the typical isekai formula of a protagonist striving to level up or uniting with a guild to embark on a quest to defeat a demon lord, this series takes a refreshing approach. Cid's fantasies play a crucial role in adding depth to the narrative, making the upcoming second season even more thrilling with its unexpected turns.
The episode begins as Shadow Garden convenes a meeting with Shadow at their headquarters. The focus of the discussion revolves around the Cult of Diablos and the illicit funneling of funds to the Lawless City, a lawless realm dominated by crime without any governing authority. Shadow's curiosity is immediately piqued upon hearing the mention of "funds." Subsequently, a crimson moon makes its appearance, compelling Shadow to declare his keen sense of the bloodshed within the Lawless City, expressing his desire to embark on an investigative mission.
As expected, the Shadow Garden attempts to hinder his progress by claiming that they are capable of investigating the cause of the red moon, as it apparently has a connection to an incident that transpired many centuries ago. The irony lies in the fact that Cid (Shadow) is unaware of why the moon appears red, and his sole motivation for visiting is the issue of funding; thus, he seamlessly and implicitly links the concept of the red moon to the Lawless City.
Lawless City
The city, as revealed through various shots, undeniably embodies lawlessness. Within its borders, a distressing existence of slavery persists, impervious to any governmental intervention that may seek to improve the quality of life for its inhabitants. What is particularly striking, however, is the division of power within the city, overseen by three distinctive rulers: White, Black, and Crimson.
While upholding his persona as Cid, he is compelled to reside in the Lawless City due to his sister's insistence. Following the Bunshin Festival, Claire Kagenou emerged victorious and subsequently chose to embark on a quest to 'eliminate vampires' within the city. Her decision to bring along Cid was driven by compassion, as she feared he was squandering his life and believed it was her duty to assist him.
The Crimson Tower
Upon their arrival in the city, the moon continued to cast its radiant, blood-red glow. Under the cover of darkness, the vampire ghouls prowled the streets, sinking their fangs into unsuspecting individuals, their desperate attempt to propagate their kind. It was within this grim backdrop that Cid stumbled upon a narrow alley, bearing witness to this horrifying display. The ghouls turned their attention towards him, prompting Cid to ponder whether he should remain a mere bystander or confront them with the ease he possessed. Lost in his contemplation, his fate hung in the balance until a crimson-haired woman materialized, swooping in to rescue him from the clutches of the fiends. It was then that she revealed herself as Mary, the Legendary Vampire Hunter.
After rescuing him, she warns him to flee for his life as the chaos has begun and time is running out, with the blood-red moon looming above. Cid, upon hearing this, feels a surge of excitement. Meanwhile, in the city, people are transforming into vampire ghouls merely by biting one another. Cid transforms into Shadow and embarks on a mission to eradicate them. Although some citizens join him in the fight, the majority flee alongside the ghouls. Amidst the chaos, two monarchs, Yukime and Juggernaut, cross paths, indicating an imminent battle. Atop the Crimson Tower, the mastermind behind this ghoul uprising observes the city's destruction.
Simultaneously, Cid's sister, Claire, anxiously searches for him, desperate for his safety. To create a diversion, Cid disguises one of the ghouls as himself. However, this allows Mary, Claire's acquaintance, to encounter her, and together they form an alliance. Mary informs Claire that her brother is likely within the Crimson Tower, and their shared goal becomes reaching it. Meanwhile, Shadow schemes his way towards the Crimson Tower, making a dramatic entrance to interrupt the impending clash between the two monarchs.
One thing is certain: Cid's aim currently is to make money in the Lawless City; however, the opportunity to feed into his delusion of 'being in the shadows' has presented itself.
