Review of The Eminence in Shadow Season 2

I don't think there's any anime out there that can work with the most shameless and blatant storytelling, while somehow being very enjoyable to watch. The Eminence in Shadow in its premise holds a recipe for disaster in its hands, an MC that is a Deus Ex Machina in literal skin, a dedicated harem that also acts as the main fan service of the show, every single episode has boobs being shoved to you whenever any girl is involved, one of the antagonists of this season, continuing from previous season, is named Perv Asshat, while the most chaotic shit happens with everyone exposing their underlyingmotives at the last minute possible. Yet, here I am, praising this anime for the amount of gall it had to pull this off, which also happens to be Nexus' best production as of today. To describe it in a statement, it's an anime that works for all the wrong reasons possible. So why does it work?

The whole identity of The Eminence in Shadow is a parody disguised as an isekai fantasy anime. Which makes actual sense for the extremity of these characters. Cid in his normal days tries to be as insignificant as possible to the point he's letting himself get bullied by actual nobodies, while his shadow persona has him acting as the plot, this is no longer a character anymore, the man is the plot himself. He goes out of his way to spout the edgiest shit in his new world, which never fails to entertain me. It's like having your friend just telling the wildest story ever seen by humankind, but it's so entertaining that you can't seem to look away for a second. It's difficult to elaborate, but I believe the author intended to write them this way, which is why the characters interacting with each other are so goofy and amusing to watch.

When you have these wild characters on display for a fantasy that actually holds a candle in world-building, it's later complemented with some of the best performances from the VAs of this show. It's not every day you hear Cid's other persona, John Smith, was voiced by Jun Fukuyama, who literally brought his Lelouch's performance in this new adaptation of The Eminence in Shadow. Not to leave this one out, but Nexus has always been keen on drawing pretty expressive angry faces whenever conflict surfaces in the anime, and it works to great effect in this one knowing the crazy shit that happens in this anime.

While most of the show is focused on conversations (that's why Nexus takes the time to put in fanservice while they're at it), the action is not bad either. It's still Nexus' product, so you're expecting the same level of quality with still shots and a bit of movement during clashes, but that's it, really. During clashes, they exchange words and reveal more details happening in the lore of The Eminence in Shadow, though it's always revealed by Cid's tendency to say the right thing at the right time. In Cid's words, fights are also a part of communication and happen every then. It is formulaic, but it does so with almost perfect execution.

What do I have to conclude? The Eminence in Shadow S2 is an almost perfect experience of an already good prequel with craziness being amped up even further, expanding the lore without sacrificing the chaotic charm it has, all the while providing some excitement and entertainment with tip-top voice acting from the cast. The swimsuit episode was unnecessary, yes, but it's great for all the people who want a parody of an isekai anime or anyone who has returned for more of The Eminence in Shadow.