Lord of Mysteries Episodes 1-3 Review: Hectic, Cryptic, Erratic
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Phew! The first few minutes of Chinese animated series ‘Lord of Mysteries’ feels like we’re watching the second or third season of some hit fantasy story! Too much information overload about ‘Beyonders’, transmigrators, secret groups, alternate worlds, celestial planes, and what not. For a second I wondered if I had hit episode 2 instead of the first chapter.
From the opening episode of ‘Lord of Mysteries‘, this is the basic plot I pieced together: Protagonist Klein Moretti is a ‘transmigrator’, someone who can travel to a different place and era. So he is from the future, where computers and cellphones exist, but he finds himself in a steam-punk, medieval alternate reality in 1352 AD. Klein needs to figure out a way to go back home in the future, so he decides to take the help of Dunn Smith, the captain of a secretive group called the Night-Hawks, that operates under the guise of a security company. Dunn Smith is also a ‘Beyonder’, beings that have supernatural powers and can rise to the level of Gods.
The animation is quite engaging, although it also feels very AI-generated in some parts. The designs given ‘Lord of Mysteries’ a gritty steampunk era edge, mixing Victorian-era aesthetics with modern elements. At times, the animation movements feel slow, as if you’re watching someone else play a mystery fantasy game online. And the character designs are very similar to those one sees in Japanese anime, giving them a familiar touch.
A lot of the mystery in the first three episodes is surrounding a missing notebook belonging to the Antigonus family, a powerful aristocratic family, which could hold key to several unanswered questions. Titled ‘The Fool’, Episode one definitely doesn’t adequately or effectively establish the core conflicts, and themes of ‘Lord of Mysteries’, so the move to release two episodes at first was a good strategic move by the creators. Except for the fact that protagonist Klein Moretti can ‘transmigrate’ and wants to go back home, we really don’t know much about his character, which can either pique viewer’s curiosity or tire out those who seek quicker gratification from their shows. It’s a hectic and cryptic opening edition.
I’ll be honest, I was tired by the first few minutes of the second episode and decided to watch the rest of it a few days later, along with when the third episode came out. ‘Lord of Mysteries’ didn’t reel me in with the excitement of “oh I need to know what happens next, I don’t want to wait an entire week before the next edition drops!”. Things get slightly exciting in the second-half of episode 2, where Klein Moretti begins to have a more direction in life, but the pacing remains erratic.
Titled ‘Beyonder’, Episode 2 of ‘Lord of Mysteries‘ starts with Klein Moretti joining the Night-Hawks under Captain Dunn Smith after agreeing to become a ‘Beyonder’. He is then dispatched on his first mission, to rescue a kidnapped child, since the Night-Hawks also operate as a security company. He hopes access to the secretive institution run by powerful beings will help him find a way home, and of course, survive. Luckily, each episode of the series (so far) begins with a quick explanation of who ‘Beyonders’ are and how consuming certain potions can help mortals start off their journey to becoming almost God-like in abilities.
The animation begins to stand out a little better in episodes 2 & 3, which see more action, and the creators also mix a few different artistic styles, instead of sticking to one template. For instance, now that Klein Moretti is a Beyonder, he gains seer-like abilities which can help him locate people. When he exercises these powers, the animation switches to water-paint style palette, which adds an intriguing contrast to rest of the animation design.
Intriguing new characters, demonic entities, magic, spirituality, tarot reading, new ancient languages (sounds like a paradox eh), bizarrely varied powers, alternate realities…. ‘Lord of Mysteries’ piles on lots of elements in the first three episodes of this steampunk-fantasy series. The creators justify the title, because where the show is heading, is a big mystery. All the online buzz about it being the greatest animated show of the year feels far-fetched, although it sure offers some fresh material.
The overall tone of the series is bleak, serious, and dark. I am a little on the fence about how I feel about this animated series; its pacing is choppy, and character personalities don’t exactly stand out yet, and there are too many things going on. Fictional kingdoms, fictional historical personalities, and an overdose of names. After a long time, I took down notes for a review!
Stream ‘Lord of Mysteries’ if the idea of a guy from the future time-traveling to an alternate past, where powerful secret orders with supernatural abilities thrive, sounds exciting. As long as you are a patient viewer who prefers visual styles over substance.
Watch Lord of Mysteries on CrunchyRoll.
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