Shadows House

Shadows House is a very interesting and original anime series. I like the world it is set in, the mystery around all the shadows and the whole Victorian mansion thing. The story has a lot of hidden parallels to the break-down of society, the pains of growing up, and I for one believe that there is a point as to why everything revolves around the soot which the masters emit, and why the show is set in the nineteenth century, also known as the century of steam-power. The characters are likable, diverse, and relatable. Emillico and Kate are a likable pair of quite contrasting characters that I had no problem rooting for. I also appreciated the gradual revelation of how the house works, and more information about the Living Doll partners. In other words, I was definitely intrigued, and want to know and see more of this wonderful world. I cannot say that I am nervously anticipating the next episode, however, I shall always be happy to immediately put a new episode on when it comes out. 7.5/10 (04/06/2022)

I had my doubts about the second season of Shadows House at first. The show revealed what I thought were the biggest secrets of the whole series in the first season, so there was a danger of it no longer being interesting. I had an idea of what direction the story would take and what would happen, and the second season was very slowly heading in that direction. After seeing the initial slow pace, my fears of becoming bored started to grow. Fortunately, the writers had much more in store than just the gradual build-up of future Resistance. They came up with more interesting facts about the setting, introduced important new characters in the children's wing, including their complex interactions with each other, and slowly set the stage for the seemingly ordinary mystery that was to be solved. I was still apprehensive, not sure if the whole phantom thing was strong enough to carry the whole season. I was wrong because the last few episodes were excellent and intense, the eleventh one being a five-star emotional blast. The creators have managed to make the most of very little. Everything is handled very well. The direction is clearly set, but a lot is left to be discovered, not just about new characters who shuffle the cards around, but about the whole weird house and how exactly it works. Despite a slightly weaker start, the series has a lot to offer. The writers know how to work with atmosphere, they know how to escalate things perfectly, and everything is well thought out. The series kept me interested and even literally drew me in at the end. I'm much more curious about what happens next now than I was after the end of the first season. I’m not saying the second season was better, it's more of an even match for me. 7.5/10 (23/09/2022)