We had our qualms about the term “living doll”, thinking early in the series that the people serving the Shadow family are actual humans, but we were not prepared for the backstory of the Shadows. What happens to the living dolls after debuting alongside their masters, and achieving harmonious collaboration, is creepy, to say the least: the Shadow takes over, like a parasite, the living doll, to make use of their bodies as their own. Not only that, but the Shadows brainwash the local villagers through the soot fumes emitted from their Manor, who then gladly hand their kids over to become the next living dolls. Talk about a metaphor for the ruling class and the unsuspecting masses...

We have watched other anime series, like The Promised Neverland, that introduce us to an unjust system that takes advantage of its weakest members, or even Parasyte the Maxim, where a human becomes one with an alien parasitic organism, to name a few. Shadows House shares these themes, but it is unique in its atmosphere, dark yet cheery, sinister with fun moments, a Victorian-inspired playground with a modern feel. The atmosphere is strengthened by the tapestry-like art style and the fitting soundtrack.

Our reservations about another adaptation by CloverWorks, the second season of The Promised Neverland, led us to keep our enthusiasm in check. The plot of Shadows House was also altered slightly to fit the anime format, towards the finale, but as anime-onlies, we are happy with how things got wrapped up in the end, giving a temporary resolution to the secret rebellion of Kate, Emilico, John, and the rest of the new members of the Shadow family.