Is Lord of the Mysteries Worth Watching? First Impressions & Episode 1 Review

After years of web‑novel buzz, the anime adaptation finally premiered on 28 June 2025 with a double‑episode launch. Streaming simultaneously on Crunchyroll, Tencent Video and Muse, the debut instantly trended across anime socials and for good reason.If you love Victorian‑era aesthetics, occult intrigue and eye‑popping sakuga, Lord of the Mysteries should jump straight onto your watch‑list.

Storyline & Episode 1 Recap

Episode 1, titled “The Fool,” drops us into the bustling port city of Tingen, where university student Klein Moretti discovers a blood‑stained diary that triggers visions of an otherworldly gray fog. Possessed by arcane whispers, Klein performs a séance that yanks him into a cosmic throne room the future Tarot Club and awakens as a Seer‑path BE yonder. The premiere ends on a nail‑biter: Klein’s first divination foreshadows death close to home, pushing him to dive deeper into the supernatural underbelly of his world. The episode condenses roughly the first two novel chapters, keeping exposition light but coherent for newcomers while planting enough Easter eggs The Fool tarot card, the mysterious Roselle diary, the seven pathways to delight veteran readers.

Novel/Manga Comparison

Readers will notice the anime combines light‑novel prose clarity with manhua‑style visual flair the tarot‑panel transitions feel ripped straight from Chapter 5 of the manhua, while the lighting palette mirrors the darker novel cover art. A notable tweak: Klein’s inner monologue is voiced intermittently, replacing several lines of exposition with subtle acting beats an elegant choice that avoids info‑dumps.

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Visuals & Animation

Produced by B.CMAY PICTURES (the studio behind Link Click S2), the series looks expensive: lavish background paintings evoke industrial‑era London, while dynamic lighting sells every candle‑lit ritual. Key cuts Klein’s “four steps into the fog,” the tarot card materializing mid‑air—are straight sakuga showcases. Character designs lean slightly sharper than the manhua, giving protagonists stylish silhouettes without sacrificing novel‑accurate outfits.

Sound & Voice Acting

OP “Memento Vitae” delivers gothic rock layered with Latin chants that set the mystical tone.

Veteran seiyuu Jun Fukuyama voices Klein in the Japanese dub, balancing book‑nerd awkwardness and budding eldritch authority.

The sound team peppers séances with low‑frequency rumbles reminiscent of Lovecraftian horrors wear headphones for the full effect!

Pacing & Adaptation Choices

Some fans feel the premiere moves a hair too quickly, trimming secondary dialogue to fit the 24‑minute slot, but the trade‑off keeps tension high. Importantly, the adaptation retains the novel’s ritualistic realism rules are explained, ingredients measured, consequences emphasized preventing the story from veering into generic fantasy.

Character Spotlight: Klein Moretti

What truly anchors the first episode is Klein Moretti himself. Unlike the overpowered protagonists common in fantasy anime, Klein starts off as an ordinary academic smart, cautious, and a bit socially awkward. His reactions to the occult are genuinely human: fear, curiosity, and skepticism all rolled into one. Rather than embracing power recklessly, Klein studies every ritual, questions every vision, and values the people around him. This grounded personality makes his transformation into a Beyonder all the more compelling. It’s refreshing to see a main character who wins viewers over not with bravado, but with empathy, intellect, and restraint.

Rating

Score: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

Lord of the Mysteries launches with confidence, delivering a polished supernatural thriller that respects its source while courting newcomers. If the pacing steadies and production values hold, this could become 2025’s breakout dark‑fantasy hit.

So the Question is it worth watching ? absolutely!!

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“Summon Your Thoughts Below” – Encourage readers to share tarot theories or favorite Beyonder pathways in the comments.