2021 brought us the seinen supernatural anime hit Shadows House, and we’ve waited with bated breath for a year for answers! Sinister machinations, a creepy Victorian house full of weird soot-composed crawlies, and the hints of a massive conspiracy… oof, what’s not to like? Shadows House left us with a lot of questions and while some of our questions were answered, some just got curiouser and curiouser, and we very quickly found ourselves falling down the rabbit hole. But, oh, what a splendid trip it was! So now that we’re out on the other side, we’re ready to break down season 2 and tell you if it’s worth your while!

Shadows House Season 1 had us pretty much on the edge of our seats. The stakes were high, and the odds were not in favor of our favourite happy-go-lucky living doll Emilico, even though she had her brilliant shadow master, Kate, on her side. Through Emilico’s innocent, naive, unsuspecting POV, we slowly understood the inner workings of the Shadows House. And as the foreshadowed, more sinister machinations come to light, all we knew was this; there’s no one to trust, no one to help, and no one to answer your questions.

However, that was a Season 1 problem. Season 2 is a little different now that Kate and Emilico have succeeded in debuting. However, as a full member of Shadows House (RIP Rum & Shirley), the stakes are even higher! With the mysterious Master-Robe, the specialised soot lessons for those Shadows who passed their Debuts, and the slowly unraveling backstories of the Star Bearers (oh man, Barbara and Barbie) there is, as always, more than meets the eye.

As the story gets darker and the plot twists and doubles back, the anime slowly builds an atmosphere of tension that serves to make it all the more compelling, all the more urgent, and all the more mysterious. And right in the middle, we have our Shadows and Dolls in the Children’s Wing trying their hardest to keep their heads above water. It’s interesting to watch as the truth starts to come to light because the total subservience and unwavering loyalty of the Dolls to their Shadow Masters takes on different (darker) connotations as well.

However, the newest Shadows and their Living Dolls of the Children’s Wing are still a little different. While the very crux of the matter is that the Shadows need the Dolls to communicate and while it’s unclear how exactly their relationship works (though you will find out, no doubt), we get to see some truly poignant moments between Shadows and their Dolls through our main cast. Whether it’s wholesome affection like Emilico and Kate, humorous like John and Shaun, or complex rollercoasters like Barbara and Barbie, this anime is just as driven by the characters as it is by the plot. And with all the new Shadows and Dolls you will meet, plus the in-depth look at the ones that you already know, you’ll find that this anime has some truly wonderful character-building.

So with the ever-evolving intrigue with the Shadows Family and their shady agenda, what can we say about Season 2 other than that you should definitely keep up with it?

As it has in the past, Shadows House continues to deliver everything that made it great when it first flew across our screens; thrills, creeping horror, mystery, beautiful gothic vibes, and fantastic characters both old and new. Add to that, a unique narrative with some of the best atmosphere and supernatural world-building, a host of lovable characters who you can never really figure out at first glance, and you have quite a gem in your hands for your next binge!