Kage no džicurjokuša ni naritakute! - Season 2

The second season of The Eminence in Shadow doesn't hold back on the entertainment factor — or should I say, the madness factor — and remains just as engaging as the first season, as long as you're not expecting anything to be taken deadly seriously. To me, this series epitomizes the rule of cool taken to the extreme, bordering on cringe, but the good kind — the kind that's ripe for poking fun at. Right from the start, when the main protagonist runs around the city, popping up at precisely the right moment to deliver a line in that deep voice, you'll know if this series is up your alley. The second part, however, was a pleasant surprise because, for once, it felt like we were delving into a plot that genuinely portrays Cid as the true mastermind behind the scenes, secretly pulling the strings of all the events. The storyline involving fake money and John Smith amused me the most out of the entire series, even if it mainly followed the rules for effect and the main protagonist merely pretended to have everything under control, taking cues from the likes of Overlord. But the reality is different... Then we have the swimsuit special, supposedly penned by the author himself as a bit of fan service for viewers. Is it unnecessary? Perhaps. But every good anime with multiple heroines needs a swimsuit episode — or in other words, sometimes amidst all the action, it's essential to take a breather and blow off some steam. And when it seamlessly fits the overall tone of the series, carries on from the previous episode, and gives some characters a bit of development... Well, I won't cry dragon tears over one episode. The finale itself is fantastic; my favorite villain from the first season, Doem Ketsuhat, returns, hilariously dubbed "Perv Asshat" in the English subtitles — a naming choice I consider both the best and the laziest I've ever seen. And the ultimate showdown? It's a thrilling battle with a stunning atomic finish and a twist that, as an anime-only fan, I never saw coming, leaving me incredibly hyped for The Eminence in Shadow: Lost Echoes. I thoroughly enjoyed it... 8/10. (20/12/2023)