A harem is a genre in which the male protagonist is surrounded by three or more love interests. While it is true that Cid has a lot of women around him, are they potential love interests? Do the female characters have romantic feelings toward Cid or did the anime just follow the concept of a harem without actually being considered as such?
Is The Eminence in Shadow a Harem?
The Eminence in Shadow is indeed a harem. Although not all characters are in love with Cid (like Nishino Akane who is in love with Minoru), there are still three or more girls who have romantic feelings for him, exemplifying the main idea or concept of a harem. One of the characters who are in love with Cid is Alexia Midgar, a haughty princess who dated Cid as part of an act before developing genuine feelings for him. Another character is Beta, one of the members of Shadow Garden. She dreams of embracing Cid one day and even gets jealous of any girl who is not part of Shadow Garden. Delta is also shown to be in love with Cid and hugs him every chance she gets. She does not mind mating with him and sharing him with other members of the Shadow Garden. Meanwhile, there are other characters who are loyal to Cid, but they don’t seem to have romantic feelings for him. One of those would be Alpha, who is willing to die for Cid and her team. Another character is Gamma, who has a deep admiration for Cid, most especially his power.
Who Ends up With Cid in The Eminence in Shadow?
As of writing, there is still no update or confirmation on who ends up with Cid. The novel, light novel, and manga are still ongoing with no hints of ending anytime soon. The anime made its debut as part of the Fall 2022 season on AT-X and other related channels. Sentai Filmworks acquired the license for the series while HIDIVE is currently streaming the anime exclusively. HIDIVE offers a 30-day free trial for those who are interested to watch anime such as The Eminence in Shadow on its platform.
