When I started watching this show, an embarrassing amount of digital ink was spilled over my Apple Notes trying to make sense of the meta-narrative of the show, comparing its measures of genre spoofs the likes of 100 Girls, Saiki K, etc., and how they compare. Reading it over, it became very clear that this would interest no one but me, but then I realized that I can do whatever the fuck I want, and thus tried to crudely simplify my thoughts as follows:

The Eminence in the Shadow is a parody only by name. It plays through its story the same way many a person plays RPGs/D&D (and stick with me through this crude analogy);

• Just as people often create their own characters with unique personalities and beliefs, they readily abandon these beliefs in service of their own personal gain (i.e., a rude and closed-off character becoming kind and sociable the moment it is clear that such behaviour will be rewarded with extra trinkets and the like) or for their own personal amusement (i.e., "My character had to dive first into this battle to the detriment of everyone else; it’s what they would do"). While these complaints might seem mutually exclusive, if you take the time to consider the way humans work, they are not contrary yet one: anything goes as long as I wish for it to at that very moment.
• Similarly, The Eminence in the Shadow positions itself as a parody of the isekai and harem genres, yet abandons these beliefs in the service of the very thing it attempts to criticize (i.e., leering shots at almost every single female character, almost any female character falling madly in love with the protagonist, etc.) or for their own personal amusement / ease of storytelling (i.e.,
  Spoiler, click to view

  Cid throwing a random knife at the map and locates exactly where his sister is being held
  )

In essence, The Eminence in the Shadows leaves itself, to me, feeling as if it attempts to indulge in standard "trashy" writing tropes and direction, with the thin veiled artifice of a poorly constructed satirical framework, inconsistent in what it spoofs and the way it does, leaving itself in an incredibly annoying meta-narrative position. It is style over substance.

If you cannot find yourself able to move past this, this is fine. I had a similar moment myself with Sword Art Online; not the satirical aspect, but the emotional aspect of understanding that perhaps a decent experience awaited me on the other side if I managed to look past some dealbreaker which I simply couldn't. Please move on, and rest assured you are not missing out on some masterpiece.

And, a quick addendum on the rampant sexualization of female characters: while it is obvious to me (and hopefully is to you) that this is not a satirical comment on it, the exact essence of what you are fundamentally put off by it is up to your own self. I have my ideas which, if gone into here, would stretch out this review a dozen times its length. I personally feel that the agency it gives its female characters removes much of the ick factor for me, though it should be stated that the violence seen against a select few female characters in this show seems to be very pointed in removing power in a very gender-specific way. If you are off-put by that, you are probably not reading this, but if you are, I would steer clear of this show.

All this being said, the show isn't without merit. Its vibrant atmosphere, enhanced by strong music and visually striking moments, elevates the viewing experience. Fight scenes, while inconsistent, do manage to convey some personality and flair, which is good considering that a core part of this show seems to be the exploration of how various characters use their swords. Don't get me wrong, it could be done much better, but I am quite satisfied with the way they have depicted it here.

The series' greatest strength lies in its ability to be shockingly engaging despite its flaws. It certainly gets better as you move past the initial episodes, ~!the gambling side plot present in the last half-dozen or so episodes was hilarious, genuinely added much more enjoyment to the show from my end! Indeed, I would say that the tournament arc which was the second half of the series was easily the best part of the whole show, being very entertaining from the moment in began until the moment in ended.~

Coming to a rambling conclusion, Eminence in Shadow is a product of its genre and time in more ways than one, both critiquing and contributing to the tropes it lampoons. While it is better constructed than most of its contemporaries, it leans too heavily on its meta-narrative as an excuse to indulge in the same escapist fantasy it pretends to critique. It’s fun, flashy, and occasionally clever, but its inability to grapple with the implications of its own indulgence makes it ultimately feel shallow despite its potential, though I sympathize as if it were to take itself less seriously, we would not have such an engaging show otherwise. All of this to say, I liked it and it was pretty good