About “The Eminence in Shadow” in a few words:

“The Eminence in Shadow” is a riveting series that expertly blends fantasy with comedy. It follows the life of Cid Kagenou, a young man obsessed with becoming an unseen puppet master controlling events from behind the scenes. Driven by this unique ambition, he crafts an elaborate alternate persona, and assembles a team of misfit followers, each believing in the existence of a grand conspiracy. With unexpected turns and hilarious outcomes, this series is a delightful take on the chosen one trope in fantasy narratives.

Meet the characters from The Eminence in Shadow

Cid Kagenou

Cid is this delightfully chaotic mastermind who pretends to be a mild-mannered background extra but is actually orchestrating like ten layered conspiracies for fun — he’s all deadpan delivery with a ridiculous inner monologue. He builds an entire fake “shadow cult” and somehow becomes both utterly theatrical and terrifyingly competent, like a couch potato who can also dismantle a war plan between snacks. He claims he’s doing it all as a joke (and maybe he is?) but there’s a cutthroat intensity under that goofy smile that makes you go, huh, did he just out-think everyone again? Also he has weird snack rituals and definitely forgot at least one name he swore he’d never forget, which is adorably human.

Alpha

Alpha is the ice-cold blade who gives you one look and you suddenly remember your life choices — stylishly aloof, ferocious in battle, and secretly…very loyal, like a cat who will also decapitate your enemies if needed. She moves with this kind of poised, aristocratic menace but then drops tiny, clingy moments where she’s inexplicably devoted to Cid (and also claims she “doesn’t care” in the same breath). There’s a mysterious past vibe, a few scars, and an unreadable expression that actually hides a mountain of weird hobbies — maybe knitting? maybe murder? both, probably both. She contradicts herself constantly: stony face, soft heart, and somehow smells like old books one minute and gunpowder the next.

Beta

Beta is the calm, strategic anchor — like the person you’d ask for a plan when the world is on fire, and they hand you a map, three contingency routes, and a sandwich (because priorities). Super composed, a little dry, probably the one who files all the paperwork for Shadow Garden and then stabs you politely if you mess it up. She seems unflappable but you catch tiny hints of amusement when things spiral, as if chaos secretly entertains her — which makes her even more unnerving. Also, rumor has it she likes quiet gardens and loud sarcasm in equal measure, which fits, right?

Gamma

Gamma is the loud, chaotic energy who funnels pure enthusiasm into battle and questionable fashion choices — think glittery madness with a sword. She’s impulsive and wildly talented, the person who charges in and wins because she refuses to be reasonable; you can almost hear her battle cry before she appears, which is both comforting and wildly terrifying. There’s a surprisingly warm streak under all the noise, and she’s the sort of friend who will memorize your order and then set it on fire by accident but also bake you a cake to apologize. She’s inconsistent in the best way: hyper-focused one moment, absent-minded the next, probably forgets birthdays but remembers names of obscure demons.

Rose

Rose hits this weird, lovely middle ground — she looks delicate and polite, like a classic noble, but she’s quietly sharp and actually kind of terrifying when crossed (in a whisper-your-name-and-erase-your-existence way). She’s supportive and diplomatic, the “face” person who handles social fires while secretly sharpening knives of strategy, which is delightfully on-brand. There’s a sweetness to her — small smiles, little teacups — but also these small, borderline-obsessive attention-to-detail moments that make you think she’s cataloguing everything, including your awkward blinking pattern. She gives you the impression of being gentle and organized, except when she’s not, and those flips are what make her endlessly captivating.