List of The Eminence in Shadow characters

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This is a list of characters of the light novel series The Eminence in Shadow.

Main characters[edit]

Cid Kagenou (シド・カゲノー, Shido Kagenō) / Shadow (シャドウ, Shadō) / Minoru Kageno (影野 実, Kageno Minoru) / Fancy Hoodlum Slayer (ファンシー・フドラム・スレイヤー, Fanshī Fudoramu Sureiyā) / Fancy Bandit Slayer (ファンシー・バンディット・スレイヤー, Fanshī Banditto Sureiyā)
Voiced by: Seiichiro Yamashita,[1] (Japanese); Adam Gibbs,[2] (English)
The central character, an antihero protagonist in the narrative, is Minoru Kageno; after a tragic accident involving a truck, Minoru Kageno, a 17-year-old high-school student heavily obsessed with becoming an eminence in the shadow who orchestrates grand schemes to control every event from behind the scenes and exerts enormous power as a third faction to both the protagonists and the antagonists alike, finds himself reincarnated in a world where magic exists. In this new fantasy world, he has been reborn as "Cid Kagenou," currently who is 16 years old, the son of a lesser noble family/a rural baron governing a territory, utilizing the potent magical powers gained from his rebirth to discreetly lead the Shadow Garden—an organization he founded to operate in the shadows and combat the Cult of Diablos (ディアボロス教団, Diaborosu Kyōdan). Intriguingly, Kageno dismisses both organizations as imaginary, viewing their participants as mere role-players. Due to being shut-in and a social recluse in both of his lives, he is very dense and lacks the common sense of both worlds, his entire perception and worldview are based on his experiences from fiction, and he fails to understand emotions and situations miserably. He truly never cares about nobility even for a bit; rather, he prefers to be a commoner, as being a noble, even the lowest class, will make him draw too much unnecessary attention, which for him is a hindrance from becoming the eminence in shadow. It was mentioned in the game that he never intends to get into a relationship or dating, let alone getting married or having children. Based on his interactions with various women and his admission of eliminating unnecessary aspects from his life, it is apparent that he had no prior sexual experience in his past life and remains a virgin in his current life. Additionally, he exhibits a complete lack of interest and apathy towards both genders, indicating that he identifies as both asexual and aromantic. Therefore, he is aware of many girls falling in love with him, but he never reciprocates at all and often pushes them away.
Despite his inclination to assume the role of a "mob" character and seamlessly blend into the background by acting as mediocre, cowardly, weak, and scummy as possible, Kageno grapples with chūnibyō tendencies, shaping his actions based on what he believes would appear the most flashy and impressive, making him look the coolest. When he is in his mob role, he purposefully engages in utterly shameless acts. He does all this out of obsession so people will think of him as a dogshit of a human being, and no one will consider him a person or pay him any attention. Eventually, people will forget him, making him hardly recognizable or memorable to anyone.
When he dons his Shadow persona, he tries to appear as the coolest, sublimely good-looking, and hottest as possible, which is in stark contrast to his mob persona during the play of that role, where he tries to be as mediocre and forgettable as possible. This is the main reason he has been so successful in fooling his family, his fake mob friends, classmates, cultists, and common people alike in the first place, as both of his personas are so contrasting that they make him look like two completely different people cut from two different cloths. Only people who know him well, like Alpha, can see through his disguise. Dedicated to surpassing the capacity of the firepower of a nuclear bomb, he staunchly holds that there is no pinnacle in power. Guided by his recent motto of advocating perpetual self-improvement, Kageno dedicates himself to continuous training with extreme means with the ultimate objective of achieving immortality.
Kagenou is a perfectionist; in both his past and current life, he has dedicated immense effort to training, a level of dedication that can only be described as absolute madness. Despite possessing extraordinary talents, as confirmed by numerous adversaries throughout the series, he does not believe in relying on talent alone. Instead, he places exclusive emphasis on rigorous training to perfect his skills. Kagenou exhibits remarkable proficiency in weaponry, magic control, martial arts, battlefield manipulation, deduction, and even research and development, creating items and methods such as slime suits, slime swords, overdrive, I am Atomic, possession, and magic overload healing. His training regimen is so intense that he remains unsatisfied, continually striving for perfection even in areas where he may lack by the slightest margin. Practiced hard on the piano, he is a skilled pianist who can play piano even in his sleep including a couple of classical pieces like the Moonlight Sonata, Turkish march, etc.
He is neither a good nor evil person; his motto is that it's okay to kill bad persons, and he refrains from killing innocents and the pitiable. In fact, in the WN, he was furious when he almost accidentally killed Millia and sought revenge by torturing Dom to death. He tries to reason away with emotion but feels empathy for the people he doesn't care if a million people die on the other side of the planet if it has nothing to do with him, but he will never do anything to cause even the slightest harm to the innocent like killing, robbing, or hurting them. He actually felt bad for Sherry Barnett and killed his evil adoptive father in the same manner as how he murdered Sherry's mother. He returned Marie's money and almost lost his composure when he found out that Queen Oriana was working with Dom to kill and betray Rose behind her back. He only kills bad guys like terrorists, bandits, and corrupt politicians or nobles, which, as the son of a baron, actually is his duty. Ironically, as a magic swordsman, if he uses his achievements in killing these people, he can achieve much higher ranks of nobility and claim a better position.
As of the latest light novel volume, Cid holds a massive influence, acknowledged and appointed as the ruler of Alexandria by the Mist Dragon. He is the supreme master, leader, undisputed ruler, and lord of the Shadow Garden, commanding the loyalty of 712 followers ready to fulfill his every demand. Functioning as the economic controller, Cid's dominance extends over the entire Midgar Kingdom, as well as other kingdoms and empires through Mitsugoshi. He is presumably the wealthiest person in the world due to his ownership of Mitsugoshi. Additionally, he serves as the master puppeteer, exerting control over the Lawless City through Yukime, the spirit fox. Furthermore, Cid plays a pivotal role in guiding and supporting Rose Oiana as the queen of the Thrones of the Oriana Kingdom while controlling her and her entire kingdom through Shadow Garden from behind the scenes. Ironically any of which is he yet to comprehend. The ironic fact of the series is that Cid never understands his influence. Due to immersing himself completely in his delusions and being detached from reality, he fails to grasp that the world already sees him as someone who holds massive influence.
Cid's character was developed based on Author Daisuke Aizawa Sensei's own values and experience. The author used to be a chunnibyo, and he confirms that Cid is very intelligent and has self-deluded himself. He constantly lies to himself to create an artificial reality, making him a highly delusional character who can't separate reality from his delusion. [3]
Cid has several identities he uses on several arcs, which include:
  • Mundane Mann (ジミナ・セーネン, Jimina Sēnen)
Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa[4] (Japanese); Joe Daniels (English)
  • John Smith (ジョン・スミス, Jon Sumisu)
Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama[5]
  • Suzuki Hope (スズキ・ホープ, Suzuki Hōpu)
  • Jack the Ripper (ジャック・ザ・リッパー, Jakku Za Rīppā)


Claire Kagenou (クレア・カゲノー, Kurea Kagenō)
Voiced by: Rina Hidaka[6] (Japanese); Luci Christian[2] (English)
Cid's 'two-year-old older sister, a skilled spellsword who is the top student among her peers in her grade. She is worried about Cid and his future, wanting him to become stronger when she is gone because she believes she is going to die due to her possession, which unbeknownst to her, was cured by Cid a long time ago. She is so obsessed with Cid and her brotherly love that she is stated to be a yandere bacon. She pushes him around, often acting aggressively towards him in the form of punching him and other forms of bodily harm when she finds herself annoyed by him. However, she does care about him to an obsessive degree, acting quite recklessly when she thinks her brother might be threatened or in danger. It has been shown multiple times that she loves Cid so much that she is willing to commit murder, treason, and die for him and just wants Cid to be happy.
Not long after curing Alpha of her demon possession, Cid notices that Claire is showing signs of the same "possession." He cures her while they are doing physical training without Claire even realizing the full ramifications. During the Crimson Tower invasion arc, she was hit with Elisabeth's vampire blood, which causes the hero's blood coursing through her veins to come in contact with the vampire blood, actually the two sets of different descendants born from Aurora's blood. As she now has both demon and hero blood coursing through her veins, it fulfills the condition for Aurora to use her body as a host. Due to the debt Aurora felt she owed to Cid for risking his life in protecting her and freeing her from the sanctuary, she decided to borrow Claire's body as Aurora left her to help Claire against Elisabeth's assault. She later internally dialogues with Diablos and becomes its host, but Cid thinks she is now in the phase of her life where she has been impaired by the chūnibyō tendencies. During the terrorist incident at the Midgar Spellsword Academy for the second time, as per the Light Novel volume 5's arc, Zeta forcefully transferred the right arm of the demon Diablos into her body to resurrect the demon Diablos in Claire's body, which caused her to fall into a coma. As per Light Novel Volume 6, she is in a slumberous state now, which she will continue to be in for probably a couple more months.
Alexia Midgar (アレクシア・ミドガル, Arekushia Midogaru)
Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa[1] (Japanese); Olivia Swasey[2] (English)
An arrogant and very sadistic princess, she makes it her job to make Cid's life as annoying as possible. She presents herself as courteous and well-mannered on the surface, but in reality, she has a very dark and perverted side; she derives the kinkiest pleasure from tormenting others. This stemmed from feelings of envy, being constantly compared to her sister, Iris, and her wish for people to see her based on her own merits. Alexia and Cid previously dated as an act, but she developed genuine feelings for him while he was eager to end their relationship. When she was kidnapped by her egotistic fiancée Zenon and used in a human experiment, Alexia expressed deep worry for Cid. After the events of the Bushin Festival, Alexia chooses to no longer be a mere "bystander" and become strong enough to be able to stand up and fight for what she believes in. Also, she is one of the only characters to have personally seen "Shadow" in action (outside of Shadow Garden members) but does not know that Shadow's true identity is Cid himself.
Rose Oriana (ローズ・オリアナ, Rōzu Oriana) / (#666)
Voiced by: Haruka Shiraishi[6] (Japanese); Donna Bella Litton[2] (English)
The princess of the neighboring kingdom of Oriana who later on became the Queen with help from Shadow and Shadow Garden, a country known for its art. She controversially took up the sword instead of traditional arts and became a transfer student at the Midgar Spellsword Academy. She became the student council president, and her swordsmanship at the academy was considered only second to the first princess of Midgar, Iris Midgar. Rose becomes known as "666" later in the series when she joins Shadow Garden after traumatic events. She is in love with Cid and deeply respects Shadow. In actuality, she is a very kind and pure-hearted person who doesn't judge others based on their social status; she treats commoners and nobles alike and is a very down-to-earth person who just wants to settle down, marry, have children, and raise a family. When Shadow shows her the disgusting truth of her mother's affair with the traitorous Perv Asshat, Rose takes it upon herself in proving to her kingdom of the gruesome plot broadcasting her father's will and is later made the new queen. Despite defecting from Shadow Garden, Rose is still considered an associate, and upon Alpha's commands, Rose's former teammates 664 and 665 continued working with her undercover as her royal maids.
Akane Nishino (西野アカネ, Nishino Akane) / (#712)
Voiced by: Yui Horie[7] (Japanese); Natalie Rial[2] (English)
Cid's former classmate during his time as Minoru Kageno before reincarnation is a stunningly beautiful girl. She is the sole heiress to the Nishino Zeibetsu, a vastly affluent and one of the wealthiest conglomerates. She was a popular student in his school who was always annoyed by Kageno as he consistently mispronounced her name and never paid any real attention to her. She deeply hated him, though they later developed deep romantic feelings for him after he started pronouncing her name correctly, especially after he saved her from being kidnapped by thugs. She kept his uniform after his death and started to observe him with extremely stalkerish behavior after he rescued her a couple of times before his death. Following the fall of Japan to Magical Beasts, she became a "Knight" in the human settlement of Messiah. After certain events occurred in the Oriana kingdom and elsewhere, she was rescued again by "Shadow" and became a part of Shadow Garden. However, Cid never considered her more than an acquaintance. During their invasion of Earth, Beta misinterpreted Shadow's intention and kidnapped Akane, bringing her to their world to gain knowledge about the other world. According to Light Novel 6, she has now been assigned the number 712 and has become a member of Shadow Garden. She has misunderstood the whole situation and believes that Minoru Kagenou was kidnapped by Shadow Garden, becoming the test subject of Eta, and is determined to save him and bring him back to Japan with her.

Shadow Garden[edit]

Shadow Garden (シャドウ・ガーデン, Shadō Gāden) is a covert underground organization founded by Cid Kagenou and his first subordinate and disciple, Alpha. While Alpha effectively manages the entire organization and all its subsidiaries, such as Mitsugoshi Co., Cid holds absolute authority within this group. This authority enables him to make any decisions or changes as he pleases, which all other members must follow. A perfect example is when Cid whimsically orders Delta to hunt down Juggernaut, overriding her current mission assigned by Alpha, who is the second-most authoritative person in the organization.

Seven Shadows/Shades[edit]

The original seven members of the Shadow Garden After Cid, hold the highest authority positions in the organization. All the members ranked below them refer to them using honorifics like "sama" after their names. The other six Shades address Alpha as "Alpha-sama," while Alpha calls them directly by their names without including any honorifics. They stand above the rest of the members as they were trained and educated by Cid himself and the power they wield now was bestowed by him. The only known exceptions are Rose, Victoria, Number 711/Millia, and Number 712/ Akane Nishino.
Cid has an absolutely horrible misunderstanding regarding the relationship between him and his seven shades. He believes they grew up when he was 13 and decided to move away with their lives, like others in society. He believes they know he is someone so hopeless that he can't live without his outlandish obsession, pity him for being so hopelessly absorbed in becoming the mastermind and sometimes help him out of gratitude for saving their lives, curing them, raising them, and taking care of them when the whole world rejects them. Occasionally, they show off to play along with his makeshift roleplay, giving him the vibe that he is a mastermind and there is actually a real-world conspiracy, allowing him to pretend that, even though there could never be a real-world conspiracy ongoing and he can't become a real-world mastermind, at least he can let outsiders, other than him, his Shadow Garden friend, and the people that recruit, have the misunderstanding that he really is a mastermind, and there is a real-life conspiracy taking action. In truth, ironically, all his seven shades are madly in love with him. They devote their lives solely to him and hope that one day they will be able to make him notice them, and all of them want to marry him; They, unequivocally, and passionately adore him with an unwavering and boundless affection.
Alpha (アルファ, Arufa)
Voiced by: Asami Seto[7] (Japanese); Christina Kelly[2] (English)
Cid's first real, closest and best friend in both of his lives is the honorable first member of the Shadow Garden and the leader of the 7 Shades—those who directly receive magical power infusion from Shadow himself. She is a 15-year-old, bewitchingly beautiful, alluring, and alarmingly attractive elven girl. Stated to be the most beautiful woman in the entire series, her beauty is so captivating that even women like Alexia or Rose find themselves gasping for breath after seeing her, as if she has been sculpted to embody an artistic beauty of epitome subtleness by the most skillful artist. It is also revealed that she is a direct descendant of Olivier, the Elf hero. When Cid first encountered her, she was suffering from Demon possession and was hardly recognizable as a human being, having become just a rotting blob of flesh. Cid experimented on her and inadvertently found a cure for Demon possession. In return for curing her and saving her life, she swore absolute loyalty to him, becoming his second-in-command. She went on to find and recruit the other six main members of Shadow Garden and led them in their pursuit of the Cult of Diablos. She has the utmost faith in Cid and trusts him deeply. In return, she is the one Cid shows the most respect to, entrusting her with the preparation for missions and keeping him informed of the plan. Alpha shows her real side, the cutesy and non-serious side, to Cid only. To the other members of the garden, she is a flawless leader, a perfect superhuman. This assertion alone makes her unable to act normally and always puts on a serious façade on her face and attitude. Cid is the only person with whom she can be in her real self and act normally. In the game, it is mentioned that she dreams of marrying Cid, bearing his children, and starting a family with him after the cult is defeated. She considers other shades and Cid her family, with Cid being the most important person in her life; in the game, she asserts that "Cid...shadow is my heart's fortress-my own deep dark elven forest". The thought of outliving Cid causes her immense pain, sorrow, and grief and it was with her request that Cid increase his lifespan from 200 to 300 so that Alpha and Cid will have the same lifespan.
Alpha is emotionally dependent on Cid to the extent that she sinks into despair and loses all purpose in her life after Cid's presumed betrayal at the counterfeit arc. She planned to commit suicide and then disappear along with the other shades, believing it was her master's will and he didn't need her anymore. When it involves matters concerning Cid, she is very possessive and protective. She is madly in love with Cid,and claims that she will die without any hesitation and happily if he wants her to. Ironically, Cid remains completely oblivious and clueless to Alpha's feelings for him. Cid regularly receives gifts from her and the Shadow Garden girls, and all his attire, shoes, coffee, chocolates, and everything are mainly gifts from Alpha, the Shadow Garden girls, and Mitsugoshi.
Beta (ベータ, Bēta) / Natsume Kafka (夏目カフカ, Kafuka Natsume)
Voiced by: Inori Minase[7] (Japanese); Annie Wild[2] (English)
The second member of Shadow Garden, she was the first member to be found by Alpha instead of Cid. A 15-year-old elf known for her natural beauty and ample chest, she writes 'The War Chronicles of Shadow-sama,' in which she details the exploits of Cid in his Shadow persona. She became a world-famous author named Natsume Kafka by publishing the stories Cid would tell her, which include popular media like Spirited Away and Spider-Man. Being a Jack of All Trades, she is given the positions of Operations Coordinator and Head of Mission Logistics in Shadow Garden. She is also deeply in love with Cid and will even walk to the path of evil gladly if it can make Cid happy. Has a stalkerish habit and will purge anyone who may sully the hallowed name of her master. She is publishing all the stories that Cid used to tell her in the hope of glorifying her master.
Gamma (ガンマ, Ganma) / Luna
Voiced by: Suzuko Mimori[7] (Japanese); Elissa Cuellar[2] (English)
The third member of Shadow Garden; is a 17-year-old elven girl. Although she is weak both physically and in technique, she possesses great intelligence. She is an elegant beauty with Indigo colored hair and model-like refined posture. She is responsible for the creation and daily operations of Mitsugoshi Company, the front organization that funds Shadow Garden. Cid originally told her about concepts and products from his original world in the form of his "Shadow Knowledge," which Gamma was eventually able to recreate and sell for great profits. Nicknamed "the Brain" by Cid, her public persona is the president of Mitsugoshi Company, using the alias Luna. Her immense intelligence and master diplomacy granted her the position of Head of Finance and Administration in Shadow Garden. When she was cured of her demon possession and received the name Gamma, she devoted her life to Cid and practically put her life on the line to make the products a reality from the stories that Cid used to tell her. She is also deeply in love with her master and determined to make Shadow Garden bigger and better to make it a worthy organization befitting her master.
Delta (デルタ, Deruta) / Sara (サラ)
Voiced by: Fairouz Ai[7] (Japanese); Raven Troup[2] (English)
The fourth member of Shadow Garden. She is a 15-year-old dog beast-kin girl who is strong and violent, but rather unintelligent. Due to her beast-kin nature, she also has heightened senses, such as being able to recognize scents from great distances, and uses these to find and hunt her targets. She only listens to those stronger than her and has only acknowledged Alpha and Cid as stronger than her. Also called "the Glass Cannon" by Cid. Many members consider her Shadow Garden's main fighting force due to her ferocity and ruthlessness in battle. Delta is shown to act like a typical house dog most of the time, she is extremely fond of Cid and like the other seven shadows she holds strong feelings for him. Delta is the only member of shadow garden that is shown clinging onto Cid whenever she has the opportunity.
Epsilon (イプシロン, Ipushiron) / Shiron
Voiced by: Hisako Kanemoto[7] (Japanese); Ellen Evans[2] (English)
The fifth member of Shadow Garden, an elven girl with a haughty attitude. She is a 17-year-old stunning beauty with hair color and eyes color of a clear spring lake. She is skilled in the use of the slime bodysuits worn by the organization's members, using it to make her seem tall and busty due to her being insecure about her short and slender figure. When she is out in public, she is called Shiron, a renowned, world-famous pianist and composer who popularized the Moonlight Sonata, taught to her by Cid which she uses to infiltrate influential circles. She's nicknamed the "Precise" among all Shadow Gardens members. She is also deeply in love with Cid and puts extreme efforts to accentuate her body figure with slime body makeover technique which puts tremendous pressure on herself to please her master. She took it upon herself to become renowned as a composer in the hope of glorifying her master.
Zeta (ゼータ, Zēta) / Lilim (リリム, Ririmu)
Voiced by: Ayaka Asai[7] (Japanese); Dominique Meyer[2] (English)
The sixth member of Shadow Garden, a bewitchingly beautiful 17-year-old cat beast-kin who is in charge of the organization's recon, traveling the world in search of new sights and products. She does not get along with Delta very well. She is a descendant of the legendary "Beast-kin Hero" Lili. Her hatred of the Cult of Diablos is so great that she goes to radical measures to destroy them, no matter the cost, which puts her at odds with Alpha. Due to her disapproval of Alpha's leadership, she secretly created a sub-branch within Shadow Garden that is solely loyal to her. Her true goal is to make Shadow immortal and make him the god of the new world to ensure the Cult of Diablos will not return. She is madly in love with Cid to a fanatical degree and wants him to kill her after the resurrection of the demon so that she can take all the hatred of the world on herself and her master can act as the hero who saved the world from the villain that resurrected the demon so that she can gift Cid immortality.
Eta (イータ, Īta) / Eta Lloyd Wright
Voiced by: Reina Kondō[7] (Japanese); Genevieve Simmons[8] (English)
The seventh and final member of the original Shadow Garden, she serves as the organization's chief scientist. A 17-year-old stunning beauty with chestnut-colored hair, she grapples with insomnia, prone to sudden collapses at any given moment. Renowned for her technological prowess, she perfected devices like the functional digital camera and the disguise machine, instrumental in crafting Cid's Mundane Mann identity—both now indispensable tools for Shadow Garden members. Publicly known as Eta Lloyd Wright, she's celebrated as a genius architect, earning awards for her work that skillfully incorporates basic scientific and mathematical principles imparted to her by Shadow. Possessing a psychopathic inclination, she frequently employs her six sisters as test subjects for her experiments. Intriguingly, she harbors deep romantic feelings for Cid and desires to conduct experiments on him and other subjects to explore the wisdom of shadows, all to please Cid.
In the canonical events of the auxiliary chapter "Truth Seeker" in the game, it is revealed that she grapples with confusion and a profound emotional connection to her master. If she has to save Cid's life, she states that without any hesitation and second thought, she will willingly forfeit her own life even if it means Cid can live a second longer. She contemplates sacrificing her own life for his, puzzled by these intense emotions. Despite her logical thinking, she lacks answers and has made it her life's paramount mission to extensively study Cid, aiming to comprehend her master better and unravel the mysteries of these unfamiliar feelings. Eta received the best possible education at the Elven capital, where she learned various principles related to research and experiments. However, nothing could compare to the teachings she received from Cid/Shadow. Under Cid/Shadow's guidance, she acquired knowledge about diverse scientific and mathematical methods, learning how to conduct experiments to create different products and devices using scientific, technological, and engineering approaches.
Eta expresses a desire to conduct reproduction experiments with Shadow, wanting to listen to him even if her body ceases to obey her. She yearns to spend eternity with him, experiencing emotions and sensations that are entirely new to her logical mind. To unravel these unfamiliar feelings and understand Shadow better, Eta wishes to perform numerous experiments on him.

Numbers[edit]

The Numbers are those recruited by the Seven Shadows with superior skills to serve as the organization's combat force assets. Their enumeration starts from 8 and continues onward, with the latest mentioned number recently reaching 666 (in the English release, 712 in the Japanese release). There are two groups of numbers within the organization. The Named numbers and the regular numbers.

Named Numbers[edit]

Numbers members whose abilities were recognized by the Seven Shadows and serve as their direct subordinates after being granted a Greek letter like them, based on certain numbers in recognition of their abilities on the ranks from Theta (Θ/θ) to Omega (Ω/ω).

Lambda (ラムダ, Ramuda) (#11)
Voiced by: Ikumi Hasegawa (Japanese); Liz Arends[8] (English)
One of the Named Numbers and Shadow Garden's drill instructors who is in charge of training the new recruits. Originally part of the Velgalta Empire's military, she was captured by the Cult when she showed symptoms of Demon Possession being taken as their prisoner. She was rescued by the Shadow Garden when they raided the hidden facility she was being held in. After being cured by Epsilon and finding out the truth about the Cult of Diablos, she joins them, earning "Named" rank no. 11. She christens herself a new name, Lambda.
Nu (ニュー, Nyū) (#13) / Nicoletta Marquez (ニコレッタ・マルケス, Nikoretta Marukesu)
Voiced by: Maaya Uchida[9] (Japanese); Cat Thomas[8] (English)
After the original seven members of Shadow Garden, personally recruited by Cid, the subsequent group is commonly known as the 'numbers.' Nu, the first among the numbers, is introduced as a former noblegirl, the daughter of Marquis Marquez, a distinguished high aristocratic and very wealthy family renowned for skilled assassins, interrogators, and investigators specializing in torture and pain. Nu was abandoned when she became possessed, an unusual occurrence as humans rarely fall victim to possession, making her a valuable test subject for the cult. The cult believes that possessed humans harbor valuable secrets that could answer longstanding questions.
Nu is described as an alarmingly attractive and elegantly alluring brunette-haired young woman, currently 18 years old, who intentionally conceals her true appearance with makeup, presenting herself as dull, bland, and unremarkable as possible. Rescued and initiated into Shadow Garden by one of the Seven Shadows, Nu possesses exceptional skills in makeup and disguises. She uses specially treated slime to mimic skin and shape it to the desired form. Her proficiency makes her an ideal fit for employment at the Mitsugoshi Company, where she serves as Gamma's personal aide and bodyguard.
Overtime, Nu develops profound romantic feelings for Cid after getting to know him personally. She vehemently defends her master and does not tolerate any slanders towards him. During her infiltration into the academy to report on Cid, when a student insulted him by calling him a "shit spiller," Nu responded with a very intimidating and cold gaze and later decided to confront the offender, intending to beat him thrashly for ruining the mood and insulting her beloved master. Currently, she is responsible for reporting to Cid and attending to all his needs including all his chores and whatever are needed which she enjoys very much.
Chi (カイ, Kai) (#22) / Karen von Herzog (カレン・フォン・ヘルツォーク, Karen fon Herutzōku) / Shooting Star (流星, Nagase)
Voiced by: Mayu Minami (Japanese); Kalin Coates[8] (English)
She is a member of Shadow Garden, being one of the Named Numbers. She was formerly one of the Velgalta's Seven Blades and a Named First Child of the Cult of Diablos, titled Shooting Star. She defected to Shadow Garden because her entire family was purged by the Cult when they found out she contracted Demon Possession. Initially codenamed No. 111, she quickly rose through the ranks thanks to the power and training she had from her time in the Cult which is further refined by Lambda's guidelines and is now Epsilon's subordinate.
Omega (オメガ, Omega) (#24) / Olga (オルガ, Oruga)
Voiced by: Ryōko Maekawa (Japanese); Skyler Sinclair[8] (English)
She is a member of Shadow Garden, being one of the Named Numbers ranks. She was previously another of the many possessed girls until Shadow Garden rescued her. Initially codenamed No. 122, she quickly rose through the ranks and is currently Epsilon's subordinate.

Regular Numbers[edit]

Nameless infantry who have above-average capabilities with fierce training to become the best warriors. However, they have earned the right to challenge the "Named Numbers" to obtain their position by defeating a gatekeeper.

(#559) / Victoria (ウィクトーリア, Wikutōria)
Voiced by: Miku Itō
Victoria, an elven girl known for her sublime beauty likened to a goddess, had once been the revered 'Saint' of the Holy Church of Divine Teachings and leader of the Templars. However, in truth, she was specially raised among other children by the Church to lead the templars. Among the others, she survived even though she was subjected to relentless experiments, abuses, illegal drug administration, and horrible brainwashing. Originally a very kind and naive person to the people she led, Victoria's life unraveled when she displayed signs of Demon Possession, leading to her abandonment and death sentence by those who once admired her. Cid, under his Shadow persona, intervened and saved Victoria, granting her a new purpose. After joining the Shadow Garden she came to learn about the truth of the world and also learned that it is ok for the possessed to live and it is not a sin for them to exist as a living person like other livings among the other in the society. However, the ordeal transformed her into a zealous, love-sick yandere, viewing Cid as her new and true god. She currently harbors an absolute and deadly hatred against the church, its teachings, and the cult. Her unwavering devotion led her to join the ranking similar to the Seven Shadows within the Shadow Garden, where she quickly rose through the ranks due to her exceptional skills, diligent hard work, and Lambda's training. Despite her prowess, Victoria's headstrong nature, lack of battle strategy, poor communication skills, and disregard for civilian lives became problematic for the group. She is also a member of Zeta's secret sub-branch due to sharing the mindset to make Cid immortal.
(#664) / Nami (ナミ, Nami)
Voiced by: Miyu Tomita
She is a member of Shadow Garden, being one of the Numbers under the codename No. 664. She is the leader of a three-person squad consisting of herself, 665, and 666. After 666 becomes queen of the Oriana Kingdom, she works undercover as one of her maids.
(#665)
Voiced by: Hina Yōmiya
A member of Shadow Garden and a regular number member. She is also part of a three-person squad consisting of herself, 664, and 666. After 666 becomes queen of the Oriana Kingdom, 665 becomes one of her maids alongside 664.

Crimson Order[edit]

Iris Midgar (アイリス・ミドガル, Airisu Midogaru)
Voiced by: Yoko Hikasa[1] (Japanese); Patricia Duran[2] (English)
Princess Alexia's older sister; she is a 20-year-old fiery-haired beauty. She built up a circle of soldiers, independent of the Knights, to fight anybody who threatens the peace, be it Shadow Garden or the Cult. She is the one who founded the Crimson Order and currently commands it. Many of her knights consider her a great and capable leader but after being overwhelmingly beaten by Shadow during the tournament and making her fighting style look like child's play, she vows vengeance on him which causes her to become irrational and volatile in her leadership and decision-making, which in turn causes her subordinates to doubt and question her mentality. Even her younger sister started to worry for her older sister's sanity.

Midgar Academy[edit]

Sherry Barnett (シェリー・バーネット, Sherī Bānetto)
Voiced by: Saya Aizawa[6] (Japanese); Brittney Karbowski[10] (English)
A researcher studying in the academy, and adopted daughter of Vice Principal Ruslan. Her mother died after she discovered an ugly truth, and was adopted by Ruslan. After he died, she left the academy to study more.
Skel Etal (ヒョロ・ガリ, Hyoro Gari)
Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka[11] (Japanese); Nathan Wilson[2] (English)
One of Cid's fellow low-level students.
Po Tato (ジャガ・イモ, Jaga Imo)
Voiced by: Shin Matsushige[11] (Japanese); Greg Ayres[2] (English)
Another of Cid's fellow low-level students.
Nina (ニナ, Nina)
Zeta's personal subordinate and unofficial member of Shadow Garden. She has infiltrated the Midgar Magic Swordsman Academy as a student, befriending Claire and keeping a watchful eye on her as part of their mission to revive the great demon Diablos, using Claire's body. Nina bears a deep scar on the top of her left breast and holds Cid in the highest regard, much like Zeta and Victoria. Their collective goal is to make Cid the new god of the world, granting him immortality, establishing a religion around him, and banning existing religions.
Despite operating outside the Shadow Garden organization, Nina harbors a profound fondness and deep respect for Cid Kagenou, similar to her counterparts within the Shadow Garden. Recognizing Cid as Shadow, she willingly takes on various tasks and requests assigned by him, including whimsical ones like handling his homework and collecting information. This commitment reflects Nina's high regard for Cid's words, aligning her sentiments with those of the other Shadow Garden girls. Placing Cid in a position of greater respect than even Claire and her master, Zeta, Nina acknowledges him as the master of her own master and the master of all Shadow Garden. Notably, Zeta, her master, also shares this stance and does not tolerate any disrespect toward Cid or Claire, even when it comes from Nina.
Beyond her organizational duties, Nina assumes a role akin to a personal maid or assistant for Cid. She goes the extra mile, preparing cheat sheets to help him excel in exams, treating him to luxurious meals, and readily undertaking any task he assigns. Cid reciprocates Nina's fondness, expressing his liking and profound respect for her. He once remarked that discovering Nina Senpai as his sister's friend, who treats him well and holds him in high regard, was the first time he felt glad to be his sister's brother.
Nina's demeanor towards Cid is a blend of shyness and genuine care. While she outwardly refers to him as "ototo-kun" or little brother, maintaining a polite tone, her private interactions reveal a different dynamic. Within her group or in private moments with Cid, she addresses him as "master" or "sama," demonstrating a heightened level of respect and care.
Christina Hope (クリスティーナ・ホープ, Kurisutīna Hōpu)
Cid's classmate and the daughter of a Marques, a beautiful young girl with red hair. She is a distant relative of Suzuki Hope, who tragically died in a terrorist attack. Christina possesses a serious and kind personality, but her seriousness can sometimes obscure her surroundings. She has one of the top five grades in her class. Initially, she viewed the Shadow Garden as a terrorist organization, holding the same perception about Shadow after the fake Shadow Garden terrorist incident orchestrated by Lutheren Burnett. This event led to Shadow Garden gaining infamy as a terrorist organization, with Shadow being perceived as its leader. However, her perspective about Shadow changed after he saved her while disguised as Suzuki Hope during the second terrorist incident.
Christina later falls in love with Shadow and has difficulty remembering Cid due to his seamless blending with other forgettable characters. Later, after the Cpunt Goethe Monno murder she forced Cid to move to her mansion for his safety, fearing potential trouble arising from his knowledge of confidential documents related to the 13 Blades murder. Despite being unaware that Cid is actually Shadow, she becomes very friendly with him. Impressed by Cid's deduction abilities and intelligence, she even speculates that he might be a detective in disguise who infiltrated the Midgar Spell Sword Academy. Subsequently, she inherits the role of Jack the Reaper to carry out the murder of Elizah, a corrupt noble.

Cult of Diablos[edit]

Knights of the Round[edit]

Mordred (モードレッド, Mōdoreddo)
Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu[11]
The 9th seated Knight of Rounds and the leader of the Cult of Diablos faction operating in the Oriana Kingdom. When his underling's blunder resulted in the Cult's activities being exposed, he attempted to destroy the Kingdom as a cover-up, only to be thwarted and killed by Shadow.

Lawless City[edit]

Lawless City (無法(むほう)都市(とし), Muhō Toshi) stands as the notorious global epicenter of criminal activity and vice, its sprawling slums fostering the flourishing of illicit and corrupt practices with impunity. The city is entrenched in an unending power struggle, with the formidable Three Monarchs vying for dominance over its territories, each marked by towering structures overshadowing the surrounding architecture.
While the city's true origin remains elusive, the current triumvirate of rulers, Elisabeth, Yukime, and Juggernaut, did not initially govern it. The Crimson Tower, the first edifice in Lawless City, served as a lair and refuge for vampires. Over centuries, other monarchs arrived, amassing power, wealth, and territory, each ascending to power under distinct circumstances. Once firmly established, they or their loyal followers undertook the monumental task of erecting towering symbols marking their respective territories within the city's boundaries.
Juggernaut (ジャガノート, Jaganōto)
Voiced by: Tsuyoshi Koyama[12] (Japanese); Luis Galindo[8] (English)
One of the three leaders of the Lawless City. A brute without much brain. He is later killed by Delta, partly because Cid needed a task to distract her from interfering with his schemes.
Yukime (ユキメ)
Voiced by: Shizuka Itō[12] (Japanese); Courtney Lomelo[8] (English)
One of the three leaders of the Lawless City; in charge of the brothels. After the death of Crimson, and later Juggernaut's (unintended) assassination by Delta, Yukime becomes the sole leader. She often works with Cid under his alias "John Smith" to undermine lawful businesses that prove troublesome. She later on falls in love with Shadow after he saves her a second time from Gettan.
Crimson (クリムゾン, Kurimuzon)
Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita[12] (Japanese); Dickie Sanders[8] (English)
The true Monarch of the Crimson Tower in the Lawless City, attempting to manipulate the figurehead Monarch, Elisabeth, to fulfill his own long-cherished wish of restoring the Vampire race's status as the rulers of the world.
Mary (メアリー, Mearī)
Voiced by: Ai Kakuma[12] (Japanese); Katelyn Barr[8] (English)
A legendary Ancient Vampire Hunter whose true identity is a Vampire who served as the Blood Queen Elisabeth's closest aide. Forming a cooperative relationship with Claire Kagenou, she dedicates her life to stopping Progenitor's rampage to prevent another Red Moon tragedy.
Elisabeth (エリザベート, Erizabēto)
Voiced by: Saori Hayami[13] (Japanese); Brianna Roberts[8] (English)
A Vampire Progenitor and formerly one of the Three Monarchs of the Lawless City, where she was the seeming ruler of the Crimson Tower. In reality, however, she was actually a figurehead used by her subordinate, Crimson, and later abdicates the position after being saved by Shadow.

Major Corporate Alliance[edit]

Gettan (月丹)
Voiced by: Daisuke Namikawa[5]
An employee of the Major Corporate Alliance hired by Garter and the superior who commanded the most prolific mercenary Clovers. In reality, he controls the Alliance from the shadow collaborating with the Cult of Diablos to destroy Mitsugoshi Company. He was the fiancée of Yukime.
Garter Kikuchi (ガーター・キクチ, Gātā Kikuchi)
Voiced by: Chafurin[5]
A former president of the Garter Corporation and Gettan's primary confidant. He acted as the figurehead for the Major Corporate Alliance, overseeing movement and providing reports on circumstances, while Gettan dictated policy and actions.

Other characters[edit]

Aurora (アウロラ, Aurora) / Diablos (ディアボロス, Diaborosu)
Voiced by: Kaori Nazuka[7] (Japanese); Shelley Calene-Black[2] (English)
A mysterious person from the distant past, regarded as the "Witch of Calamity" who once plunged the world into chaos. She is a beauty akin to a sculpture or art of the highest class brought to life with a hair color of indigo black and eye color of violet. She first met Cid during the Goddess' Trial when she was summoned to fight Cid participating as Shadow. After getting freed from the Sanctuary with Cid's help, her spirit began residing within Claire Kagenō's body as a vessel following the Red Moon Incident.
Beatrix (ベアトリクス, Beatorikusu)
Voiced by: Mikako Komatsu[7] (Japanese); Allison Sumrall[2] (English)
The goddess of war bears a resemblance to Alpha and also claims her as her niece, who she is looking for. She's also the first winner of the Bushin Festival Tournament.
Annerose Nichtsehen (アンネローゼ・フシアナス, An'nerōze Fushianasu)
Voiced by: Shion Wakayama[7] (Japanese); Chelsea McCurdy[2] (English)
A powerful wandering swordswoman, hailing from the Velgalta Empire who was formerly a member of the Velgalta's Seven Blades. She was one of Cid's opponents during the Bushin Festival Tournament.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 29, 2021). "Seiichirō Yamashita, Kana Hanazawa, Yōko Hikasa Star in Eminence in Shadow Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Mateo, Alex (December 19, 2022). "Eminence in Shadow Anime's English Dub Reveals Cast, December 26 Premiere". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  3. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 30, 2022). "Interview with the original Author of the story Diasuke Aizawa Sensnei". AnimeTimes. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  4. ^ アニメ『陰の実力者になりたくて!』声優・キャスト・登場人物一覧. Oricon (in Japanese). October 4, 2022. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Mateo, Alex (October 25, 2023). "The Eminence in Shadow 2nd Season Anime Reveals More Cast". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 1, 2022). "Eminence in Shadow Anime Reveals More Cast, Ending Song Artists". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Loo, Egan (February 17, 2022). "The Eminence in Shadow Anime Announces Seven Shades' Cast". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 17, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Mateo, Alex (September 22, 2023). "The Eminence in Shadow 2nd Season Anime Gets Same-Day English Dub". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  9. ^ @Shadowgarden_PR (November 9, 2022). 「#陰の実力者になりたくて!」第6話ご視聴ありがとうございました!今回より登場する13番目のシャドウガーデンニュー役は #内田真礼 さんでした!コメントを解禁!次回もどうぞお楽しみに! (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ Karbowski, Brittney [@BKarbowski] (December 21, 2022). "I'm Super Excited to announce I voice Sherry Barnett in The Eminence in Shadow! GIANT Thank you to @SwampMonster for trusting me with this adorable sweetie💗 🧪 📚 Check it out on @HIDIVEofficial Starting Dec 26! @SentaiFilmworks #SherryBarnett #TheEminenceinShadow" (Tweet). Retrieved February 18, 2023 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ a b c Morrissy, Kim (September 7, 2022). "Eminence in Shadow Anime's 3rd Video Unveils More Cast, Staff, October 5 Debut". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  12. ^ a b c d Loo, Egan (May 28, 2023). "The Eminence in Shadow 2nd Season's 2nd Video Reveals More Cast, October Debut, 12-Episode Length". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  13. ^ 「陰の実力者になりたくて!」2期 血の女王・エリザベートは早見沙織、559は伊藤美来. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. September 6, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2023.