シャドーハウス (SHADOWS HOUSE Season 1) {Wk 8}

Shadow's House is an anime that I'd is a mix of Ajin for its conceptual inspiration and The Promised Neverland for its character design and plot line. The show follows a young Living Doll named Emiliko who serves her Shadow known as Kate. These Shadows require a Living Doll that resembles them to clean the soot they produce as well act as their Face like a representative. The show's genre is that of a dark supernatural mystery with a whimsical and almost slice of style character design. I personally really enjoyed the series and I'm so sad that another season isn't out, but I would be so thrilled if a second season was greenlit and not a disappointment like The Promised Neverland. (Just found out there is a second season! WOAH) One of my favorite aspects of the show is seeing the different personalities each Shadow has in comparison to their Living Doll. Without spoiling too much, I think the abilities and world building were executed beautifully and I can't wait to see what comes next after every episode. I absolutely recommend you take a look at this anime because honestly there aren't many dark supernatural mystery series out there and this one does a marvelous job at fulfilling its role! 

End Credit Song ^

In terms of linguistic and cultural studies, I think this anime has a lot to offer when looking at the social hierarchy present within Japan. Honorifics play a very important role in Japan and this anime does a good job at showing both the beauty and sometimes the difficulty of holding such standards. Emiliko is a maid who must obey and respect her Shadow but also must respect the other Living Dolls who hold seniority over her. She also shows a kindness towards those who are new like her by asking for their name and being formal and respectful in certain scenarios. Furthermore, the Shadow's House is divided into wings where the children and adults are separated. This type of setup is not a representation of Japan but does go to show the importance of respect and formalities that are present within Japanese culture. Furthermore, the anime holds a lot of common plot lines like the concept of the younger generation exceeding expectations and bringing both new skills and personalities. It looks at this coming of age in a way where everyone must develop their own identity and not be tied down to another. So overall, I think the anime does a beautiful job in presenting a perspective on Japanese culture. On a sidenote, looking at the end credits really does help practice one's Japanese reading skills even if by just a bit!

"A HOLLOW SHADOW" (Opening Song) <- This song is so entrancing!