This week we had Shadows in shadows. And you might think that’s a bit of a shortsighted visual choice. It’s bound to make things very hard to see. But I thought it really worked. You’ll see it in my screencaps.
Sure it did make it though to see the details of the scene but that’s the point. Everything is still shrouded in mystery. And in those particular scenes, Kate and John were still feeling out Patrick and Louise. Each is unsure how the others feel, where they stand and who they can trust. Such a scene belongs in shadows. But the more it progressed, the lighter the fireplace started to spread. It was a great way to use the visuals!
This week’s Shadows House was divided in two. I like to think of it as new friends and old friends.
It might be a bit early to count the research club as new friends but they sure are useful. And fun… for me. I enjoyed all of them. I hope we get a chance to get to know them better. I also generally like wacky inventions so that works.
The perfume trail, if you will, is a nice solid piece of evidence to follow. It brings structure to the quest of finding Master Robe (great name). But I was more interested in Christopher, and Anthony.
First of all, I guess my intuitive leaps last week were more like intuitive hops. Kate just basically said the same thing I did only more clearly. And that makes me think the mystery f Christopher is probably deeper than this phatom incident. t this point, it would be too easy if it was him, right? But the other thing that struck me is that the doll is called Anthony. Anthony and Christopher do not sound alike at all. So far most of the dolls we’ve met have names that are similar to their shadows. Either they sound alike or one is a shortened version of the other. There are exceptions obviously. Emilico and Kate sound nothing alike. But you know, that’s kind of the only exception isn’t it? I feel like there’s something there. But I’m not sure what. Maybe it’s a symbolic way of illustrating that a shadow wants to give more freedom to their doll.
For some reason, I have a feeling that Christopher and Kate are on the same side here. They just don’t know it yet.
And then, we got to see the 4 old friends reunited. And even though nothing much happened in this scene. They just ended up playing with soot like it was clay. I think it’s one of the more sentimental things I’ve seen in Shadows House.
Generally speaking, Shadows House is not a very emotional show. I like that about it. It’s fast-paced, there’s a lot of action and everything is a mystery. There’s not that much time to sit around and explore the characters’ feelings. But this was just right. This simple scene reminded us that these are supposed to be kids. Kids under quite a bit of pressure at that. Ther might have been put together by circumstances, but they are each other’s, only confidants. And at the end of the day, everybody needs friends. Even Kate had to admit, that she needs John sometimes.
I found the last few words of tribute to Shirley and Rum (also distinct names… hmmmm) to be quite touching. It has to be terrifying to lose a friend like that. And my heart was warmed by the fact that she hasn’t been forgotten.
A calm episode all things considered but a welcomed breather at the same time.
Previous Posts
Season 1
- Shadows House episode 1 – Emilico
- Shadows House episode 2 – Impure
- Shadows House episode 3 – Broken
- Shadows House episode 4 – Murder
- Shadows House episode 5 – Bearer
- Shadows House episode 6 – Proposal
- Shadows House episode 7 – Sunshine
- Shadows House episode 8 – Revelation
- Shadows House episode 9 – Reunion
- Shadows House episode 10 – Fairies
- Shadows House episode 11 – Human
- Shadows House episode 12 – Escape?
- Shadows House episode 13 – Caesura
Season 2
- Shadows House 2 episode 1 – John
- Shadows House 2 episode 2 – Christopher
- Shadows House 2 episode 3 – Phantom
- Shadows House 2 episode 4 – Kate
Making sootmen sounds fun.
Basically, Kate’s learning from Emilico, when the faces are supposed to imitated their shadows.
And I did love the way our mad scientists are perfectly happy to blab about secrets, uless they’re really secret secrets. Heh.
I’m really loving this series. The sequel totally measures up to season one. I’m now curious how sequels this season measure up on the whole. Let’s see (with the help of Live Chart):
Classroom of the Elite: As good as season one, as far as I can tell, which – for me – is mid tier.
Orient: Split cour, so basically the same production (Low mid-tier)
Overlord IV: No surprises here. Same as the previous three seasons, as far as I can tell (maybe better than season 3 because less awkward CGI so far?)
Jasshin Chan Dropkick X: Slight downgrade, but when it’s on it’s as good as ever. Love that dopey show.
Made in Abyss 2: As good as season 1, and I’ve forgotten just how good that is. God, the abyss is one creepy place; and now for the first time they’re within a society, and you have no idea what your actions mean in this strange new place…
Danmachi IV: I liked the first season best, but it’s not noticably worse than the others.
Hataraku Maou Sama: Very noticable drop. Original is good tier; this one’s more mid-tier, though good mid tier.
Shadows House 2: As great as season one. It’s as if it never went away.
Rent-a-Girlfriend 2: Same as first season, from what little I’ve seen (one episode). First season annoyed me; first epiosde reminded me why.
That’s all the sequels I’ve been watching at least a little of, and it seems that most sequels actually are pretty much what I’d have expected them to be. It’s really just Hataraku Maou sama, that significantly falls behind. Hm.
I’m afraid to watch Made in the Abyss. Everyone says it’s great and I have no doubt it iss but I still think it might bum me out…
D you have a boyfriend/girlfriend ?
Oh, Made in Abyss is relentless. Most of the time it’s simply cruel, and also very visceral (I watched episode 10 while sleep deprives, and at the end of the episode I was so sick that I was physically unable to switch off the computer; I needed a minute of downtime – this has never happened to me before nor since), but there are definitely moments that are going to bum you out in there, too. The Abyss knows no mercy.