Shadow

The Shadow is a Pureblood Heartless Although some Heartless (such as the Creepworm ) are weaker than the Shadow, it is the most basic type, and is still a threat to those without the Keyblade.Certain Heartless, such as the Darkside, the Dark Follower , or Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, can also summon Shadows, and the Shadows spawned by the Dark Follower are in fact violet, rather than the traditional black.

A normal Shadow has a vaguely humanoid body structure. It has a round, spherical head with circular, glowing yellow eyes. It also has two long, twisted antennae sprouting out of the top of its head. Each of its hands has three clawed fingers, and its feet are large and lack any discernible digits. With the exception of its eyes, this Heartless's body is completely black (with the exception of the Shadows summoned by the Dark Follower, which are dark purple).

The Shadow's name is a reference to a shadow, highlighting its status as the most basic type of Heartless. The name could also be a reference to the Shadow's ability to flatten itself into a silhouette on the ground, and become a literal shadow.