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「謀略と流血の剣術大会」 (Bouryaku to Ryuuketsu no Kenjutsu Taikai)
“A Fencing Tournament of Intrigue & Bloodshed”
Just when I think I couldn’t be more entertained by Eminence in Shadow, here comes yet another week to prove such ideas wrong. It’s increasingly clear who’s gearing up to be the big boss of this season (those extra eight episodes in winter don’t count) and who might be involved in said boss’ demise, but this show certainly isn’t going out of its way to rush into head. Oh no, we’re smell every rose here, and I am quite satisfied on the decision.
While Eminence in Shadow isn’t really a harem show (and I like how it hasn’t devolved into one), with new girl Sherry it’s honestly fun watching it flirt with the tropes and expectations. This little discussuion for example anyone could’ve seen coming a mile away, but Sherry’s complete ignorance to Alexia’s own opinion of Cid and the speed of which the princess walked into the trap was a sight to behold. And let’s not get started on the other pickup in Rose Oriana who’s soon to be on the harem train. The ability of this series to consistently wring humour from Cid’s utter obliviousness and personal fantasizing is honestly pretty damn impressive, and though there will come a point when the low hanging fruit is gone (as is the nature of comedy), I’m thankfully not seeing that happen anytime soon. After all, there remains a whole secret organization’s worth of (female) characters to delve into, and we haven’t even hit the enemy’s big leagues yet.
Getting into said big leagues is likely to happen sooner rather than later too courtesy of the Cult attacking Cid’s school directly. At face value there isn’t much to suspect here: the Cult is hitting a target of national importance in the guise of Shadow Garden all to try and turn both state and citizen against them. Cid happening to be there at the time is simply serendipity – even though we can all guess the outcome. Shadow succumbing to mortal wounds? Please (he’s already had practice!). Magic cancellation ending the threat of thermonuclear destruction? Definitely not in the cards. Harem infighting? Sooner than you think. The stage is set for another awesome display of chuuni-fuelled insanity, with the only real question being who upsets the balance enough to let Cid run rampant and how they do it.
Something tells me the answer to that question is more obvious than it seems.
With the limitation in budget and duration of time, the director is again faced with a dillema, whether to make the joke more outlandish to make it even more ridiculous and over the top or to give room and time to develop each heroines and female characters. To be or not to be, that is the question.
The overly outlandish scene in manga was to be honest much more presentable rather than recycled scene due to budget limitation, yet compared to overly animated of Sherry enjoying the chocolate and various overly focused scene that very alluring (like some Alexia shots, Sherry and such)…. i can’t deny where the director coming to….
I am not sure whose interpretation it is, but i prefer Rose Oriana in manga. She look like a warm person, carefree, caring and very loving instead of the proud ice princess noble ojou character shown in anime. Hard to poke the joke at the delusion later.
Claire should’ve been expanded more in early stage. Glad Alexia is given role in this arc, i don’t like her being put on bus.
True, I didn’t expect Rose to be such an ice queen. It’s not necessarily a bad interpretation, since the lines and values are still the same. Reminds me a bit of the changes to Alexia, whose anime version sounds more adult and ruthless.
I do not have interests to watch an Anime where they use dirty tricks to force their own “KKK” Stuff for revenge on losing battles. I hope they do not plan to stream it in the West with this stuff
You are aware that this is part of the story not sone propaganda thubg right?
Yes, since its in the Story, then they can keep it.
Ah, yes, this is the good (comedic) stuff. I think the initial episodes took themselves too seriously, but by now the execution seems to be aware that turning up the ridicule is the way to go.
The scene with Alexia was definitley my favorite XD