The Seven Faithful Servants of Shadow Garden

Recently, I was watching the Eminence in Shadow, and for a seasoned anime connoisseur like myself, there were many common tropes: an overpowered main character, reincarnation into a new world, lots of cute girls… the list goes on. But despite the shared themes with many other shows, I greatly enjoyed it. The epic, atomic-like action scenes combined with unbelievably incredulous coincidences make for a really fun, captivating watch.

And speaking of unlikely coincidences – a particular group of characters in Eminence, namely the 7 Shades of Shadow Garden, somehow serve as ideal examples for us Christians regarding how we ought to use our God-given gifts in society.

A Quick Summary

For context, The Eminence in Shadow recounts the story of Minoru, a boy whose made-up dreams of fighting evil in the shadows unexpectedly come true. After a deadly truck accident in Japan, Minoru receives a second chance at life - being reincarnated into a different world, one of kings, kingdoms, and magic. Having retained his earthly memories, abilities, and aspirations, Minoru, now known as Cid, trains himself from the moment of his new birth to be the most powerful he can possibly be. By day, he is Cid Kagenou, the unremarkable son of a low-class noble family; by night, he takes the name Shadow, fighting evil bandits and saving the helpless and oppressed.

Among those he rescues are demon-possessed girls around his age, whom he heals and restores with his magical powers. When asked why he saved them, Cid, ever the showman, makes up a grand tale: an evil cult scheming to revive the demon Diablos and conquer the world had enslaved them. Of course, Cid is joking – he simply voices his dreams, wanting the cult to be real in order that he might fight and defeat them as Shadow. The girls actually believe his tale, and together with Cid (who’s just playing along), they form Shadow Garden, a secret organization to destroy the cult of Diablos.

For the rest of Cid’s childhood, he befriends and cares for the girls, who have long been abandoned by their families due to their former possession. He puts together a house for them to live; he trains them in magic and swordsmanship, and shares knowledge he acquired from his former life on earth. The girls receive everything with joy, thankful for their new chance at life. They devote themselves to learning and sharpening their new abilities, building up Shadow Garden, and uncovering details of the cult that enslaved them.

Unbeknownst to Cid, the cult turns out to be real: The girls’ research reveals an organization secretly operating in the royal courts and in enterprise, manipulating those with influence to serve the demon Diablos. Knowing that Shadow Garden at current strength would be no match for the cult, the 7 girls decide to leave Cid – using their newly acquired talents in the real world to expand Shadow Garden’s strength and influence to rival that of the Diablos cult.

For Shadow’s sake, the girls take the gifts and abilities delivered to them and make them multiply.

Bearing Fruit

Gamma founds Mitsugoshi Corporation, taking Cid’s memories of everyday commodities from his past life on earth and turning them into real products. Mitsugoshi quickly becomes the most fashionable department store in Midgar, carrying goods unlike anything their medieval world has ever seen. The Gamma-designed luxury suits, dresses, and handbags soon become the mark of the sophisticated. For the masses, Mitsugoshi also launches the extremely popular Magurodonalds, serving cheap and delightful delicacies - burgers and fries. Mitsugoshi’s profits soon multiply exponentially, and become the funds for Shadow Garden’s operations.

Beta becomes an acclaimed author under the pseudonym Natsume Kafka. Drawing from the stories Cid recited to comfort her after her demon possession, she polishes and turns them into best-selling novels. Likewise, Epsilon takes the piano pieces that Cid played for her and perfects them, performing in royal courts as a concert pianist and composer. Both end up wielding considerable influence in society, and use it to expand Shadow Garden’s reach. Their access to the royal courts allows them to identify cult-affiliated members of the ruling class, and form their own network among the nobility.

Eta takes technological concepts she learned from Cid and uses them to re-invent the automobile and the camera, adding to Mitsugoshi’s ever-innovative profit-making machine. Meanwhile, Alpha leads and directs Shadow Garden, overseeing all departments and operations. Under her leadership, Shadow Garden, now numbering more than 700 members, has grown to be a fearsome rival to the Diablos cult.

All of the girls make much of the talents that they acquired, each according to their own affinities and abilities. For Shadow Garden, they end up changing the world.

What of us?

As Christians, would it be that we also faithfully steward the talents that we have been entrusted with – not for profit or fame, but for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and his church. Would we build on the foundations of the saints who came before us, with a zeal for the kingdom of God and his righteousness – for we are called to be the salt and the light of the world.

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

- Matthew 25:14-30 (KJV)