This review will contain spoilers for the anime Daemons of the Shadow Realm.
I have been waiting for Daemons of the Shadow Realm purely based on the fact that it is from legendary Hiromu Arakawa, the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist. Fullmetal Alchemist is an incredible story and a life changing one at that. Of course, anything else coming from the same mind may be just as incredible too. At the same time, I want to watch this and not compare it to the only thing I know. I believe this first episode does a great job of introducing qualities unique to Arakawa’s work without feeling like FMA 2.0.
About Daemons of the Shadow Realm
Daemons of the Shadow Realm is an adaptation of the manga by Hiromu Arakawa. It is licensed in English by Square Enix Manga & Books. The anime is produced by bone films and directed by Masahiro Andou (Under the Dog). In it, we meet twins Yuru and Asa, who live in a remote village. One day, Yuru’s world is turned upside down when their village is invaded by outsiders.
My Thoughts
There is something so jarring about thinking a world exists in a certain way and then the story completely shatters that. As Daemons starts, it takes place in a remote village. Judging by the outfits, surroundings, and the vibes, the story feels as if it exists in a historical setting. We meet Yuru and Asa, twins intentionally born later one at night and the other by day. Fast-forward sixteen years, and Yuru seems to be the “day” twin with light blond hair, and Asa is the “night” twin, with dark hair. Yuru is out hunting and Asa is in a dark place somewhere. We get the idea that there is a world outside of the village, but Yuru seems content to never leave the village.
Out of no where, the illusion of the “old timey” world shatters. A plane flies by and shatters a barrier, that reveals this village. Men armed with guns arrive and start taking out villagers. A girl with a red cloak starts biting away at people, too. It’s complete and utter chaos. As this is happening, Yuru’s life in changing. The sister he’s loved his whole life “dies” in front of his eyes, and a new “real” one materializes. In an instant, the world Yuru knows shatters before his very eyes, as it does mine.
Obviously, I went in blind to this show so I had no idea what it was about, but damn, this also was NOT the introduction to the world I was expecting! The barrier breaks about eight minutes into the episode, but those first eight minutes do an incredible job at setting the scene you believe the world exists in. The slowness of it all, the stillness of it all makes it all feel like a story that is taking place in the past. The moment I recognized the “dragons” as planes, I felt my heart stop.
The Cracks are Forming
(Spoilers for Attack on Titan in this next paragraph)
The moment reminds me of Attack on Titan. There is a moment in Attack on Titan (Season 3, Episode 21) where we’re watching a flashback of Erin’s father and the holder of the Attack titan says “To save Mikasa, Armin, and everyone else…” and Grisha is like “who is that?” That single line shattered the veil. In that moment, the rules of the world break. Why does this memory of the past include knowledge of people who don’t exist yet? It feels like an egg cracks over my head, as this wave of confusion and fear washes over me. That is exactly how I felt watching the planes break the barrier in Daemons. Wait, this isn’t set in the past? Is there a time travel element? What the fuck is going on?
My heart was in my throat for the remainder of the episode. I haven’t felt this shaken by a twist in so long and I loved it! Already there is a sense confusion and conspiracy. Who am I suppose to believe, granny or the “real” Asa? Who are the good guys, who are the bad guys? And who was the “fake” Asa and why was her blood acting like that?!? Ahhhh, my heart is racing thinking about all the possibilities and all that there is to learn about this world. I can’t wait until episode two.
Daemons of the Shadow Realm is airing weekly on Crunchyroll, with new episodes every Saturday.
