Anime

The Eminence in Shadow (陰の実力者になりたくて!) is the anime adaptation of Daisuke Aizawa's The Eminence in Shadow light novel series, animated by Nexus.

The first season consisting of twenty episodes began airing on October 5, 2022 and concluded on February 15, 2023. A second season was announced on February 22, 2023 and will be released on October 4, 2023, which will consist only of twelve episodes.

Synopsis
English = Great heroes and diabolical villains are the types of characters that people long to be—but not Cid Kagenō. He longs to become the true mastermind behind it all, pulling the strings, and having his machinations drive the entire story. In his previous life in modern-day Tokyo, Japan, he was not able to achieve his goals. But now, his ambitious and restless mind/spirit has been reborn into an era of magic, he will show the one true Eminence in Shadow!

As Cid pretends to be just another average mob character, he recruits members to his magical organization dubbed 'Shadow Garden", aiming to take down the mysterious cult who lurks in the shadows. With plenty of ad-lib, Cid leads his organization against the foul, yet surprisingly very real, Cult of the Demon Diabolos.
 * -|Japanese = 『我が名はシャドウ. 陰に潜み、陰を狩る者......』

「陰の実力者」 それは、主人公でも、ラスボスでもない. 普段は実力を隠してモブに徹し、物語に陰ながら介入して密かに実力を示す存在. この「陰の実力者」に憧れ、日々モブとして目立たず生活しながら、 力を求めて修業していた少年は、事故で命を失い、異世界に転生した.

シド・カゲノーとして生まれ変わった少年は、 これを幸いと異世界で「陰の実力者」設定を楽しむことにする. 「妄想」で作り上げた「闇の教団」を倒すべく(おふざけで)暗躍していたところ、どうやら本当に、その「闇の教団」が存在していて......?

ノリで配下にした少女たちは勘違いからシドをシャドウとして崇拝し、 シドは本人も知らぬところで本物の「陰の実力者」になっていき、 そしてシドが率いる陰の組織「シャドウガーデン」は、やがて世界の闇を滅ぼしていく――.

Differences Between Media
The anime covers the first two novel volumes; however, many things are left out while others are added. In general, most of these changes were made for aesthetic and dramatic purposes, while they have tried to respect the narrative of the work.

Examples
These facts do not alter the general narrative of the story since they only seek to increase the dramatic factor in the anime.
 * 1) In the light novel, the worlds technological level is at the traditional typical medieval-level of a world with swords and magic. However in the anime, the technology is a mixture of late-medieval architecture amid the Industrial Revolution, with the Cult having an advanced technology hidden from the world and Shadow Garden possessing the revolutionary scientific knowledge of advanced technologies from Cid Kagenō's knowledge from the modern-day world of Earth.
 * 2) In the first season finale, an intense physical and mystical fight between Cid, as the ever infinitely powerful and equally dangerous Lord Shadow, the levelheaded elfin warrior Lady Beatrix the War Goddess and Princess Iris Midgar, the fight is spread to the entire city and Lord Shadow's warnings regarding the unpredictable and ever elusive Cult of Diablos is omitted.

Episodes
Season 1=
 * -|Season 2=

Staff

 * Original Creator: Daisuke Aizawa
 * Original Character Design: Tōzai
 * Director: Kazuya Nakanishi
 * Series Composition: Kanichi Katou
 * Character Design: Makoto Iino
 * Animation Production: Nexus
 * Music Composition: Kenichiro Suehiro

Promotional Material
Promotional Images =

Trivia

 * There are 3 things that prove that the episodes that have been revealed for Anime Season 2 will reach Volume 4.
 * Victoria’s full appearance in the anime.
 * Epsilon's amazed expression along with the audience who applauded Cid Kagenō's performance of playing the music "Moonlight Sonata".
 * Rose Oriana entered the church wearing the wedding attire that was already shown on the latest Key Visual Season 2 poster.
 * After the release of the second opening, it is confirmed that Anime Season 2 would adapt 3 arcs by showing the background story and respective important characters.