How do you rate
Episode 1
In the Shadows Prominence?
Community Rating: 3.8
How do you rate Episode 2
Prominence in the shadows?
Community Rating: 3.9
How would you rate episode 3 ?
Community Score: 4.3
(*Note: Review the first episode is 100 preview I copied and pasted while reviewing for The Fall GUIDE – This also includes two additional reviews of the episode from other ANN reviewers. The episode 2 and 3 parts of this review are brand new.) 
No. Episode 1: At this point I have been religiously reading (comics and web novels) for years. The fact that we’re making its anime is actually the highlight of my year as an anime fan — especially after seeing this episode. What’s great about it is that it does things that neither comics nor web novels do. Not only does it give us a pretty long idea of what our hero looked like before we met Truck King, but it also shows us what he looks like through an outsider’s perspective.
In his daily life, Shadowfield almost arrogantly ignores The world is on his side, so much so that he doesn’t even bother to remember other people’s names. In his alter ego, he seems unstoppable and overdone, as he literally monopolizes what he’s doing, like he’s a shounen anime character. The mysteries of his true thoughts set a good foundation for future development by helping us understand the characters we interact with. After all, we were once in their shoes too.
Only after looking at the shadow field with an outsider’s eye can we Is to allow a look at his head. He’s actually trying to be a fictional character archetype — not a “hero,” but a powerful shadowy figure who appears from time to time to help the hero. You know, the guy who appeared randomly, defeated the enemy in one move, and said some obscure words that were only discovered after the fact. The question is, in a world with body armor, guns and nuclear weapons, how does one get “overwhelmed” to that extent? The sad truth is that you can’t. But if one is reincarnated in a fantasy world…well, the presence of magic changes everything.
All in all, this is one of the episodes you need to watch two times – once normal, then watch it again, knowing that Kageno lives in an illusion of his own making. At first glance, it’s serious and heartbreaking — you’re never sure where it’s going. Second, it’s not just a comedy that reveals all the mysteries behind his actions. While not what I expected as a source material fan, it was a welcome surprise and I can’t wait to see more.
episode 1 Rating:
Episode 2:
The first episode is about introducing us to our hero, his crazy driving, and his identity before being teleported to the fantasy world. Most of the story takes place in it. Episode 2, on the other hand, is all about showing us how he reacts to the fact that the presence of magic makes him the “brilliant man in the shadows” he’s always wanted to be.
This episode basically consists of two one-off adventures: Cid’s first encounter with Alpha and the subsequent formation of Shadow Garden, as well as his sister’s kidnapping and Shadow Garden’s first battle with the Diablo Cult. It’s through these adventures that we experience the series’ twist on the isekai formula.
Cid (as he is called in the fantasy world) is still heavy Although reborn in a new world, it is still influenced by the common sense of our world. While magic allows him to play the role he’s always dreamed of playing, he knows that’s all he does: pretend. Sure, he could go out and kill the bandits and act as if they were part of some larger, world-spanning evil conspiracy, but he’s basically just doing “extreme LARPing” and that’s it.
…you know, except he’s not.
The comedy core of the entire series is that BS Cid makes up for his game of always pretending 100% correct, whether it’s about Diablo The whole story of the cult and the curse that afflicts the descendants of heroes, or the location of the enemy’s hidden base revealed by throwing knives at will. Or, to put it another way, he’s the only one who doesn’t realize that he’s actually the true standout in the shadows.
These two early adventures also show that despite his preoccupation with driving, West Germany is lonely. His voiceover says he was sad for the first time in life when the other kids stopped pretending to be heroes and villains, leaving him alone to continue dreaming. Maybe that’s why he contacted Alpha. He has no reason to be a “shadow” in front of her. He could have been a regular, mediocre “Cid” acting as if he had stumbled upon her. Instead, he weaves a pretend world for her—for both of them.
Not only do they play together, the Alpha is getting involved more and more of similarly tortured outcasts, expanding the game to new heights. Over the years, he had friends willing to indulge in his fantasies and live with him in his dreams. That’s why the final scene was so exciting for him. It seemed to him that his friends had grown up again and decided to leave him behind.
Of course, the humor and tragedy of the whole situation is the fact that Alpha Didn’t play with other girls and never played. To them, he is the savior who stops them from becoming abandoned monsters and gives them a purpose in life—not to mention a sure path to revenge. You can tell from their faces how hard it is for them when they say it’s time to leave his side. But for the sake of him and his career, they were willing to go out into the world and prepare for his arrival without being asked. Too bad he can’t see their true love and loyalty.
Episode 2 Rating: Episode 3:
Dark, brooding and stupidly suppressed are just one side of the ‘big in the shadows’ coin: the other side is suave secret identity. While briefly touched on before (while showing the relationship between Cid and Claire), this episode is all about Cid’s struggle to be a humble underdog as he develops His powerful magical side did the same. He deliberately chooses unpopular cowards as friends, loses bets, and demeans himself for money. The joke, of course, is that he tries so hard to be “normal” and is clearly not normal. After all, he’s acting like a stereotype rather than a real person — which is probably why he finds himself drawn to the front desk alongside Alexia.
Alexia is a girl who lives in the shadow of her sister. Although she is a princess herself, she lacks her sister’s innate gift for the blade. It made her see the dark side of people – how they looked down on her and compared her to her sister when they thought no one was watching. Therefore, she hates anyone who seems too perfect on the surface, thinking they must be hiding their true self, as she often tries to do. Ironically, this makes the apparently flawed Cid someone she feels can show her to. However, she didn’t and couldn’t realize – because it was so contrary to her worldview – that Sid’s mask was meant to make herself look worse, not better.
However, that’s the thing about Cid. He’s more like Alexia than her sister. Everything he has achieved is due to unremitting efforts to realize his dreams. It’s not talent that makes him strong, it’s hard work. So even though he doesn’t like Alexia, he does respect her, seeing her as a like-minded spirit who works tirelessly for a goal that may not be achievable. That’s what he meant when he said he liked her sword style. He knows why, and to call it something beautiful is to deny his efforts to be the standout in the shadows. While he may be fully committed to his secret identity, even in pursuit of his dreams, there are some boundaries he cannot and will not cross.
Episode 3 Rating:
• I wonder if Akane will show up later in the series. They spent a lot of time setting her up just to make her a one-off character.
• As a comic/web novel reader, I am so Glad they tweaked the story to include Zeta and Eta in these early episodes, and I hope they continue to do the same.
• The slime set is a great concept- Especially since Cid thought long and hard about how best to use it. You know, like getting the sword out of his boot instead of his glove.
• You gotta love Cid’s ass. struggle. He’s really just playing with them – using them as an opportunity to play every cliché he can think of.
• They visually show how Claire learns from it Well done to her brother.
• I guess the maids didn’t notice that Cid was going crazy on the water walk.
• I love that this show doesn’t skimp on blood.
• When I saw Cid’s father, my first One thought: “Finally, an anime character that looks like me!” (I’ve always been jealous of how many characters look like Lynzee.)
• Ending picture for episode 2: Alpha in pajamas. Episode 3 ending image: Beta doing crunches. I’d be inexplicably frustrated if episode 5 wasn’t Delta playing fetch.
• In my mind, Alexia was always more like A stereotypically arrogant trait. The anime’s portrayal makes her more nuanced thanks to the excellent voice acting.
• Cid’s friends are ridiculous.
• I’m a little shocked Claire didn’t find a way to get Cid into the campus dorms — if for no other reason than to look after her brother.
• The idea of framing Cid for kidnapping/murdering Alexia is a bit ridiculous ,Unbelievable. No one in their right mind could possibly think he could overwhelm her – let alone the relationship it takes to get someone else to do so. (You know, despite the fact that he can and can.) Of course, he’s likely to be chosen as a scapegoat because he’s a petty aristocrat and no one wants to stick his neck out to help him — even knowing he’s innocent.
• Next week we’ll see how Cid responds to being framed for kidnapping/ Murder – not to mention how Alpha and the other girls feel about it. is currently playing on HIDIVE.
