Lord El-Melloi II-sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note

This show is set in the same timeline as Fate/Zero which means it was an autopickup because it's finally a Fate show that isn't a spinoff. On the surface, the idea of Waver Velvet doing Sherlock Holmes things is genius. Remember how Waver discovered Caster's lair in Fate/Zero? This show promises more of that with adult Waver and more dangerous mysteries!

While this show is still worth watching if you're a Waver or Fate Zero fan, it's ultimately let down by it's mediocre writing that poorly emulates Detective Fiction. Detective Fiction is a genre where the excitement comes from the audience engaging in the same problem ... solving as the protagonist. When you read Sherlock Holmes, you're essentially playing a metaphorical puzzle game with the writer; they are feeding you clues in a game with clearly defined rules. The reader must therefore know these rules. For example Sherlock finds a corpse in a room locked from the inside? You know the rules already because you know how locks work in real life. Waver finding Caster's hideout by measuring the concentration of mana in the river? You know the rules because it's analogous to dilution IRL. A character using necromancy to ask a corpse what they remember before dying? Even that works because it's magical CCTV footage.

Where this show falls flat is that fact that readers do not know the rules.

Take episode 2 for example. The entire plot hinges on Waver realising that Fargo's ritual circle is using the Heliocentric model of the solar system instead of a Geocentric one. Unfortunately the average viewer is not a Cultist or a 400 year old Astrologer. We do not understand anything that's going on until Waver spells out the solution. We cannot engage in the same problem solving as the protagonist. If Detective Fiction is a puzzle game, then the El-Melloi plot is like watching the writer playing both sides of a chess game. For all intents and purposes, the writer is essentially making up the rules on the spot, which ultimately leads to a boring experience for the audience.

Makoto Sanda's mysteries are impossible because you don't understand the rules needed to solve them. Once you do understand them, they're laughably simplistic (essentially 1+1=2 quick Eldritch magic). And that is why El-Melloi is a mediocre work of detective fiction.

edit; Here is a Youtube review that raises many similar issues (better than my own review :P); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_5YWTthl-w

Like the sands of an hourglass, the Fate franchise almost seems to be timeless since it started. It’s 2019 and we now live in an age where another one of its light novel series gets an anime adaptation from the Nasuverse. Taking place years after the events of Fate/Zero, you have to wonder how the show will be able to keep up its hype. This is especially true with a protagonist like Waver Velvet, a professor from the Mage’s Association. But with a sigh of regret, I am rather flabbergasted at how this Nasuverse anime ended up being no more than mediocrity.

Watching Lord El-Melloi II ... Sei no Jikenbo Rail Zepplin Grace Note feels like you are thrown into a world where you need at least some prior experience with Nasuverse. If you have no experience with Fate/Zero, then I would highly suggest at least reading some insight about that series. Before getting to the juicy part of Lord El-Melloi, I should also mention the series is seemingly divided by two arcs. The light novels is still ongoing in Japan with 10 volumes running so common sense logic designates this show as an incomplete adaptation. That’s not a main problem but it doesn’t stray from the fact that the anime feels like an advertisement. My impression from the first few episodes is based on the introduction of the characters, in particular members of the Mage’s Association. Waver Velvet feels like a character who practically lives with his job. As a lecturer of the Clock Tower, the man has a reputation and is well-known for his knowledge of magic. Rarely showing emotions and devoted to his work, Lord El-Melloi may be a character that the audience won’t be easily accept or relate to. On the other hand, I do appreciate a protagonist who is has a strong head with knowledge. Lord El-Melloi II may not be an easy person to make friends with but he is an extremely valuable asset to the Mage’s Association.

Nasuverse contains an expanding lore that can be rather complex if you’re unfamiliar with its franchises. This anime won’t be too easy to understand at first based on its magic system. Some episodes uses a method of ‘show and tell’ while others vaguely touches upon its branches of magic. However, I do feel that the anime contains a feeling of mystique at times. It seems the anime wants the audience to figure out how things work before certain concepts are explained. In fact, the first half of the show has weekly mysteries that connects to the series’ overall themes. It isn’t until the second half where we get an ongoing plot, known as the Rail Zepplin arc.

With that being said, there’s one main character I’m sure fans have taken notice from the start. Gray, the hooded girl with “Saber-face”, is the apprentice of Lord El-Melloi II. Coming from the countryside, there’s a certain level of mystique about her character that will get the audience curious. The relationship she shares with Lord El-Melloi II is that of a master-apprentice. It’s straightforward with the two collaborating on missions although sometimes, it’s shown that Gray can let emotions get the best of her. This is noticeable in some episodes when Gray is anxious about Lord El-Melloi II’s safety. Their relationship is not fully developed in this anime and stands out best at mediocrity. This is in similar stance to Reines, the bloodline successor of the El-Melloi household. Throughout the show, she has a brother-like relationship with Lord El-Melloi II but the anime doesn’t make the pair significant enough to appreciate. In fact, I think this is one of the main weakness of the series. It lacks character relationships that are meaningful to talk about. From start to finish, I can’t recall any character pair that makes the show worthwhile to watch. This is a bit ironic considering some of the previous Fate series usually has character pairs in the form of servants/masters. Even Fate/Apocrypha has character relationships elements that are worth talking about. In this show? Not a chance.

In addition, it’s worth noting the anime reintroduces some of the previous characters Fate fans may be familiar with. Characters such as Luvia and Kairi makes appearances with various roles that sometimes feel like they can overshadow the protagonists. New characters such as Flat Escardos and Olga also has more personality than the main leads. It’s a sad state of affairs when the main characters can’t carry an anime together. Perhaps the better question to ask yourself in this case is how much we should appreciate the plot. An important arc known as the “Rail Zepplin” takes place in the second half of the series with high stakes and mystery. It also takes place on a unique train that gets darker and darker with each progressing episode. Hell, the arc even adds elements of murder suspense that turns the show into more of a thriller. However, the overall execution turns peculiar turns with introductions of characters such as Hephaestion. The mystery involves with a murder case and the Mystic Eyes that fans may draw references from the Garden of Sinner franchise. But with all due respect, putting Lord El-Melloi on the sidelines weakens his character importance even more. Instead, the anime decided to gives more role to Luvia and Kairi during their investigations. Gray herself deals with Hephaestion who develops a sort of rivalry between the duo. The overall Rail Zepplin arc really depends on how you’d appreciate it but at the end of the day, mixing different kinds of genres together without character development is no good.

Even as the show retains a rather serious mood, there are occasionally tongue and cheek humor. The anime plays around with some character gags such as Gray’s unfamiliarity with being normal. There’s even one particular episode where she goes shopping with her female friends. Other times, we get characters acting like goofballs such as Flat at the academy. Ironically, the Mage Association hardly feels like a school and more about preparing students for mages. Outside of Lord El-Melloi II’s class, you don’t get to see other professors or classes being taught. This isn’t Hogwarts, folks.

Studio Troyca helms this show and visually, it retains a familiar look with its other previous projects. As the director, Makoto Katou designs the characters with similar style but also visually enough to make each unique. Lord El-Melloi II is perhaps most noticeable as someone who looks like an older adult and genuinely gives the impression of a professor. Plus, let’s not forget about the technical quality. If there’s something to brag about the show, this is it. The production quality looks like poetry in motion. The battle cinematics looks like watching a film on occasions especially in the second arc. Each fight is impactful and draws out the abilities of the characters. If that wasn’t enough, we do get to see flashy weapons used such as Gray’s signature scythe. Fan service does exist although minimal and isn’t distracting. The show relies much more on its visual dynamics than showing skin. And to top it off, we also get a stylish OP song without lyrics but with a mesmerizing tune.

As a fan of the Nasuverse and some of its previous Fate franchises, Lord El-Melloi felt like watching a long movie as part of an major saga. With 13 episodes, the anime didn’t have enough time to develop its cast or craft storytelling that is worth remembering. However, I do have to give credit about the show’s technical elements thanks to the work of the director and studio. With all that being said, this anime is probably worth watching if you’re instinctively curious about the expanding Nausverse. But if you’re someone expanding a lot from this show, you should turn back now.

"You've really done it this time Waver! What in the world is going on here?" My thoughts exactly Melvin. What in the world is going on in this series????

Ah, Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note, this is I think the first time ever I have given an episode 0 a higher score than the actual series!! I have long awaited this anime as a big fan of Fate anime series, and summer 2019 seemed like it was going to be an incredible season!! For nearly a year I looked forward to Lord El- Melloi, Vinland Saga, and Mo dao zu shi ... season 2! You can imagine how heartbroken I was when all 3 of them were total busts. Fortunately the season did feature a couple sleeper hits in Given and O maidens in your savage season, but that's not what I'm here to talk about.

Who would I recommend this series to? Well the answer is simple, readers of the light novel. That, and people who want more of the loli from Gosick, just with a bigger forehead this time.

I couldn't at all make sense of the plot in this show. Episodes 6 and 12 especially were just moronically written. Perhaps if I had read the LN, and was familiar with every last corner of the Nasuverse, I may have enjoyed it more.... But that's a lot to ask of a viewer.

Studio TROYCA though, I do not think is to blame. They have proved themselves time and time again as probably the strongest up and coming anime studio in Japan right now! In 2018 they animated two major domestic hits in Idolish7 and Bloom into you. Neither of these got very much attention in the west (aside from that ass Gigguk randomly shouting out Bloom into you as he does with every seasonal show), but were very popular in Japan. In fact I highly recommend both Idolish7 and Bloom into you. They were put together fantastically well. Lord El-Melloi II was as well, at least in terms of production.
TROYCA alway animate faces extremely well, displaying a lot of emotion and subtle changes, this holds up in El-Melloi as one of the show's strong points. The voice acting is also really well done.

“You are correct Magus. And I have no intent of listening to any more of your nonsense.”
The above is a line that doesn't make any sense, just like the rest of this story!!!
Sometimes you just gotta ask yourself, what the hell is this plot?

The last 5 minutes of the series was the best part, as all I really wanted out of this show was to see more Waver/ Iskander banter.

Even if you watched Fate/ Zero, there is absolutely no guarantee that you will understand this series. If you don't care about plot than this series is well put together otherwise. Waver also is very attractive which is a plus. Gray was nice but I don't really understand why they chose to keep her hood up the entire series, except for one short scene where Waver scolds her, for reasons that were either never explained, or simply went over my head. Some of the Mystic eyes introduced in this show were kind of cool, but the 6 episode arc concerning them was chalked full of inconsistencies which was truly a bummer for me. Plus the antagonist of this arc had two different colored eyes which always bugs me in anime.

Edit: It really didn't help that the this show premiered every week immediately after Kimetsu no Yaiba lol.

In conclusion, you should watch this show only if you've read the LN, or are some sort of Nasu expert. Just being a fan of the anime side of Type-Moon may not be enough...

Diverging from the Fate franchise, is the tale of Waver and his apprentices in the London city.

The most memorable impression left by Fate/Zero is probably the powerful interaction between Waver and his servant, Rider. Their bond evokes one of the most touching scenes throughout both season, and it extends here on how Rider brought an impact to him with Rider’s ideals to an extent that he’s never imagined before. With the words “ live on ”, Waver embarked on many adventures and became more mature with greater magical abilities, embracing the spotlight as one of the professors in modern magecraft and became the Lord El-Melloi ... II.

As certain events unfold, he is reluctantly brought into the world of crimes and mysteries unbeknown to anyone. Surprisingly, each case has a typical detective-style vibe with little clues such as presence of alibi and motives of different suspects from various background being presented. It doesn’t bend the process and managed to retain basic detective method such as deduction skills through analysis and observation with limited resources. Then, it step up the game with the blend of modern magecraft in the story world to enhance the techniques in solving and conducting crimes. The lead detective however, is not omnipotent, which brings in the cute and powerful Gray to deal with physical threats as one of his trusted apprentices. One by one, his apprentices join him as they tackle crimes and mysteries with their unique skillsets. With that, their adventure begins.

The animation is done by TROYCA. It’s a studio I’ve never heard of before, but they have done a splendid job in depicting the city of London that capture the reflecting gold-ish street light in night and the old-style English mansion with classic Victorian-like character designs. This presented a city seemingly enveloped in mysterious mist, so inviting and thrilling, yet so dangerous with unknown threats lurking in the shadows.

The ending theme song, ‘Hibari’ is freaking amazing. The tune has a chilly feeling that eases the heart, with Gray holding the lantern as the seasons around her changes, as if she’s waiting for someone. The setting is so calm and so relaxing, that it’s just that pleasant to watch till the end. The opening, on the other hand is only accompanied by the Sherlock-like instrumental opening, which is much fitting to the theme of the story. Adding the scores of both animation and song, the set up of ambience are done elegantly with more moments to look forward to.

Overall, the story is quite interesting so far.

-Spoiler free review, because I couldn't spoil this even if I wanted to-
With a title that slips out of ones mouth as smoothly as corroded razor blades, Lord El-Melloi II Case Files: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note is a mystery thriller attempting to follow in the foot steps of it's much more successful and smarter step brother, Fate/Zero. Lord El-Melloi (I respect your time so I'm not going to use the full name) only fails to be smart, successful, and entertaining.

It is blindingly obvious that the people behind this project wanted to work on any of TROYCA's other upcoming shows, or do accounting work, or do ... anything else. Although I think this show is bad, I believe that it is not the worst in the Fate franchise, that award rests firmly in the greasy, grimy hands of Fate/Extra: Last Encore, as Lord El-Melloi has the virtue of having 1 and a half good episodes.

And now, since I'm not smart or creative enough to write a review normally, here is my MAL formatted review.

Story: 2/10
If there are any major plot points, they sure aren't worth remembering. The Train arc is the only one that lasts for more than one episode, and all I can remember is that ___ died, ___ lost his eyes, ___ killed them, and there was maybe one or two fight scenes. Virtually nothing is memorable.
It seems like this show's only reason for being is because someone thought a mystery in the Fate universe would "be pretty epic." And I think it could have been, were it in the hands of people who knew how to write a story instead of a plot. Watching Lord El-Melloi feels like you're watching a plot synopsis, with all the depth of a nano particle.

Art: 8/10
It's Fate. It always looks good. Decent art is the only consistency in all of the Fate franchise. Good art should never be any shows best quality. Good art and a good soundtrack should complement the story, not be the only passable things present in the entire production.

Sound: 5/10
Just take the last paragraph and replace the word art with soundtrack.

Character: 2/10
Everyone present besides Waver and Gray are only present to give Waver and Gray an excuse to do things or are one of the three comedic relief sidekicks. If they had changed every characters name every time their name was spoken, I would be none the wiser. No one is worth remembering, especially when the revealed big bad guy at the end of the only arc that matters is a character you've never seen before.

Enjoyment: 3/10
Like a prostitute made of Vaseline, it can barely grab your attention and it sure can't hold onto it.

Overall: 2/10
The fact that this isn't the worst part of the animated Fate franchise really shows how far it's fallen since its inception.
Also, a murder accomplice gets off immediately with a plea bargain and is not punished by the law or by their school. This doesn't really affect the quality, I just thought that it was funny.

There is no crime without a motive.

In this anime, it doesn't matter who or how someone committed a crime. It is not your usual detective anime, unless you're very well-versed in the Type Moon franchise, it is often impossible to pinpoint the culprit.

However, that's where the fun is. Watching Waver solve mysteries and wondering why would the culprit do something like that is all part of the fun. Every episode feels short and I cannot wait for the next week's.

Sound and Art is a solid 10 for me. I enjoy watching the OP and ED every episode, and that says a lot.

Character ... is also 10 so far - this is a minor spoiler, but every character has a role to play, even after their mystery has been solved. That's also what I like about the Fate series - character development for every character. The first half of the anime features original scenes not in the novels, while the second half features the Rail Zeppelin arc in Volumes 4 and 5.

Overall I think this is a successful anime as it has made me buy the novels in order to read the continuations.

Story: 10
What a great story, none less expected from a series of the Fate Franchise. The story revolves around Waver Velvet. The first half of the season acts as a build-up until the eventual climax on the train. The ending scene really touched me.

Art: 8
TROYCA really did a great job with this series. The battle scenes are well polished. The character design is perfect, especially with Gray. The animation is smooth other than some stiff movements on certain parts.

Sound: 8
The seiyuu did a great job on this series. Waver's seiyuu did a really great job on his voice. I wouldn't say I dislike it, but ... the only thing I like less is Gray's engrish. The SFX and BGM sounds amazing! Props to the composer.

Character: 9
What do you expect of a Fate Series? Waver is a well designed character. The contrast of Waver in Fate/Zero and Waver in this series is a great one. Gray's character was also really good.

Enjoyment: 10

Overall: 9
Really great series. Amazing story, eyecatching art, outstanding BGM, one of my favorite Fate characters, and a marvelously enjoyable series.

...are we done here?

No, seriously, are we done here? Have we, at last, reached the limit of how fucking ridiculous light novel names can get? Was it not enough to inquire after the morality of picking up girls in a dungeon? Were the rascals not satisfied by dreaming of bunny girl senpais? Didn’t we all suffer enough on the death march to the parallel world rhapsody? Must we now be tormented by this ungodly amalgamation of letters and symbols arranged loosely into some perverted fascimile of a descriptive title? What’s next? Are we going to start throwing in parentheses now? Percent signs? @ symbols, dare ... I ask? How deep does this rabbit hole go? When does this nightmare end? When do we wake up? WHEN DO WE WAKE UP?!?!?!?!

*sigh*

Anyway, let’s talk about the latest Fate spinoff, henceforth referred to as Detective Waver because fuck me if I’m indulging this bullshit any more.

Gripes about the title aside, if there was any way to get me genuinely excited about a Fate side project, following the life and times of Waver Velvet would be it. The snot-nosed brat’s journey to maturation and humility was one of the best parts of the original Fate/Zero, telling a fantastic coming-of-age tale in the skin of the most enjoyable buddy comedy this side of Death Note. His story had tragedy, humor, heart, genuine pathos, all the building blocks that make this bloated franchise work so damn well at its best. And best of all, he was a character who still had so much to explore. Who wouldn’t want to follow this blubbering dork into adulthood and see him try to put everything he learned from Iskander into practice? Who wouldn’t want to peel back his psyche even further and explore how the boy he was influenced the man he became, and how deep those connections might run? Who wouldn’t want to see Waver Velvet move on, find closure, grow and evolve while still being the same lovable punching bag he always was? Honestly, I can’t think of many better places for a Fate spinoff to go than this.

So it’s a real shame that it ultimately doesn’t work. And the problem, sadly, is simple: it’s a property in the Fate franchise, with all the frustrating, bloated baggage that brings with it.

Structurally, at least, there’s a lot of promise to Detective Waver, which sees our favorite son inducted into the El-Melloi family as a way of repaying his debts to his mentor Kayneth, who you may remember as the least interesting part of Fate/Zero. Now a member of high mage society, Waver must balance his personal pursuits with the politics and backstabbing of the countless ruthless factions vying for power and influence. By day, he’s taken on Kayneth’s role as academy professor, but his real profession, as the name suggests, is acting as the Sherlock Holmes of the Fate world. The first half of the series is episodic in nature, each episode focusing on a new magical mystery that Waver is called out to solve. Meanwhile, a larger plot builds up in the background, eventually taking over the second half of the series for a massive, six-episode whodunnit. Accompanying him in his sleuthing are a handful of Fate crossover characters that you thankfully don’t need to be familiar with to enjoy their presence here (Luvia the wrestler is an absolute peach), a couple students from Waver’s class who enjoy tagging along his missions, some political wheelers and dealers, and Gray, a mysterious hooded girl who considers Waver her master and is easily the best part of the series. Seriously, she strikes such a great balance between adorable, goofy, badass and haunting, and every time she was on screen was a delight.

In fact, there’s a lot I liked over the course of this show’s first half. I liked the overall aesthetic and animation, which does a damn fine job replicating the hazy grandeur of Ufotable’s Fate properties (Troyca in general is a damn fine animation studio). I liked the camaderie between the characters and how willing this show was to lean into the goofier sides of the franchise. I really liked Waver himself, who, while still recognizably being the Waver of Fate/Zero, has matured and taken on some incredibly interesting dimensions. There’s a running undercurrent of PTSD metaphor, how Waver’s obsessed with finding some way to speak with Iskander again and reconnect to the greater Grail War mythos, despite it clearly having a negative impact on his mental well-being. It’s a damn well-realized portrait of someone grappling with the past, trying to figure out where their place should be in the world now that they’ve decided they want to be part of it. For the most part, it was what I always wanted from a Fate spinoff. It was enjoyable, it was lighthearted without being devoid of weight, and it legitimately fleshed out the parts of the mythos I had emotional investment in.

And then it got to the second half, and the whole thing fell apart.

See, as much as I was enjoying myself in the first part of the show, there was one aspect that wasn’t clicking as well as everything else: the detective stuff itself. Which for a detective show is kind of a problem. See, because this is a Fate spinoff, all the detective stuff that should be the draw in any good mystery show- the clues, the misdirections, trying to piece the evidence together for yourself alongside the characters- is tied up in the mechanics of the Fate world and its magic systems. And I’m sorry, but let’s be frank here: Fate’s magic is bad. It’s a convoluted mess of pretentious-sounding phrases and ideas with no set rules outside of “whatever the fuck we want it to be”, which wouldn’t necessarily be a problem if it weren’t for this franchise consistently trying to build so goddamn much of its structure out of it. It’s impenetrably dense, unfairly obtuse, and you need a PhD in bullshit lorekeeping to even begin to understand it. And every single mystery in Detective Waver, from the murder weapons to the motive to the sleuthing mechanics to the reveal itself, is built out of that bullshit. Thus, there’s no way to get invested in solving the mysteries, because there’s no way for you to actually solve them, because the answer to any question is always just whatever magical bullshit sounds cool to do.

Still, this wasn’t too annoying in the first half of the show. Because the adventures were all so episodic, it allowed the stories to flesh out the characters and have fun beats in between all the magic stuff, focusing more on the actions the cast took en route to the mystery than the mystery itself. They were character pieces that just happened to have dumb, nonsensical mysteries rolling around in them, and it made it easy enough to just enjoy the emotions driving the plot while appreciating the cool magical bullshit for what it was. But once you get into that six-episode mystery plot, everything collapses under the weight of too much bullshit. The obtuse mechanics and unreliable lore completely take over, shoving the characters to the sidelines as the plot piles on complication after complication, each question making less sense than the one before and each answer raising a million more questions in its wake. It gets bogged down in complication, and the easy charm of the first half is lost in favor of exhaustion and boredom. Even as Detective Waver tries to keep the character beats flowing, they’re squeezed out by the sheer amount of disconnected stuff this plot throws at you. So in the end, once again, the greatest weakness of a Fate spinoff is that it’s too bogged down by Fate Stuff(tm) to relax into being it’s own thing.

Look, I’m a huge fan of the core Fate timeline. What Ufotable did in bring Zero and Stay Night to life wasn’t just epic, it was the kind of awe-inspiring urban fantasy that truly captures the grandeur and majesty this genre is capable of. But these classics weren’t built on mechanics and lore. They were built on characters and themes, emotions and hope, triumph and despair, stories of people with dreams and desires fighting to realize them in a world that sought to stamp them out. It was epic not because of the convoluted rules holding everything in place, it was epic because of the stories it told within those rules, the people that brought those rules to life. Detective Waver could’ve been the spinoff this franchise deserved, a story that truly did justice to the heart and humanity of Fate at its best. Instead, it gave into all of Fate’s worst instincts yet again, leaving crushing disappointment in its wake.

Let's start by pretending that this show isn't trying to be a mystery show, a task which itself is pretty difficult as "Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note" is 50% mystery and 50% fate sequel/spin-off. What's left of it?

Well, the art's great and polished like one would come to expect from the fate franchise at this point. The sound is eh...I don't think any insert theme stuck out, though the voice acting was definitely not bad (Waver's last line is so well voice-acted that it almost got me to bump the sound a little higher) and the intro was decently ... catchy. Nothing atrocious there. Character-wise, there's variety and expression, and while basically none of them had development, one did have some: Waver himself. Still, the way every character is portrayed is certainly colorful but also so very... 'anime'. There are complex characters that express themselves normally, trope characters that express themselves entirely through anime gestures, and then there is this weird thing this show has which characters which do have complexity yet seem to express themselves entirely through anime phrases and expressions. It's hard to explain, and I don't entirely hate it, but does hinder a bit their chances of development throughout.

With this said, the show seemed like it was designed (again, still ignoring the mystery part) by someone under the premise of a bet of how many fate references can we stick in one show. These come in two times: a stream of exposition about random trivia on fate and niche mythology facts, and more direct references like character cameos and its very own saberface (come and get your own for just 298 Yen!). They are mostly integrated with the story and definitely get to show their cool side in a way that I hadn't seen or hadn't seen enough of in other fate properties. As for the lore dumps...

This is where we bring back the mystery element, because "Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note", DEFINITELY wants to be a mystery show, it makes no secret of it. It employs a very traditional mystery structure including straight up using the formulas for a couple of mystery classical set-ups. It also continually uses thoses "whydunit" and "whodunit" and so on..phrases. I think I made my point there. The show, on the other hand, completely misses the point (of a mystery).

L.E.M.II.S.N.J: R.Z.G.N. wants to be a mystery, however it botches the most basic elements of what makes a good mystery. The show always centers its mysteries on elements of the nasuverse lore, sprinkled with a few random mythology facts or rumors to make itself seem more clever. However, either it assumes the audience is informed of these things, or it doesn't want the audience to be able to follow along with the plot until things are resolved by our protagonist in the end.

I repeat: this show fails at the most basic elements of a mystery. Sheer curiosity might generate a bit of intrigue for you, but I'm not genuinely going to be questioning myself about how something is done if the answer is always going to be 'magic' and the only reason I have to think any of what I'm seeing on screen is at all odd, out of place or "mysterious" is because characters state it. Nor will I ask myself "who did it" once I learn that they can pull a new potential perpetrator out of their ass without ever introducing them.

It's impossible to follow along with the gathering of clues and trying to guess, as even if you are the most hardcore fan of fate lore, you still need to know basically everything about every mythology in the world to be able to guess the answer to some of these questions- when they are even answered. Throwing dice to see who might have done is about as reliable as trying to do it yourself and since the answer is often something out of the blue without any basis on what came before it, it's hard to even be surprised by it.

And of course, there's the resolution of the mystery itself, which as already mentioned a few times is often pulled out of the writer's ass and while it does tie the threads together, we need Waver to explain how. Through exposition, sorry, MORE exposition.

All the explaining bogs down the pace of the shown and what action there is isn't executed all that well either most of the time, with tension being constantly undercut by random spells of unpredicatble nature at best, and pseudo-philosophical concepts that sound like a kid who thinks using bigger words will win them the argument.

If I had to boil down the problems with the plot down to one single thing, this is what it would be: The complete inconsistency of the nasuverse's rules creates a disconnect between the set ups an pay-offs in this show. It thinks that by being fate it can keep you excited as long as it is pulling stuff from the fateverse, that you will feel it is earned as long as its coming from that fandom universe. It thinks that you will be happy with the explaining as long as it is referencing something from fate, that you will be happy with any way for the plot to be resolved as long as it is somewhat tied to fate, that any characters just needs to belong to fate to be interesting. Because of that, it can't make good set ups and payoffs, which means it does a horrible job as a mystery, which in turn really stands out because it sells itself as a mystery show.

Despite all of this, I still found myself entertained by the show, and it was one of my favorites to accompany weekly. I was always eager to see the latest episode when they came out. However, I was still bothered by how cheaply they used fate's content, and it put a bad mark for me on what the show is without the awesome concept of the holy grail war at its back.

Characters :10/10 Characters characters characters characters... yes yes yes yes!!!!!! It has been such a long and terrible time since I have come a across an anime with so many lovable characters. From Waver (Lord El-Melloi II) to Gray, to Karabo and everyone else. Every single character at least to me was absolutely amazing. Their motive their actions decision to choices all seemed so real and in character. I have seen hundreds of anime where characters do stupid shit or annoying or out of character garbage that makes no sense. I really wish I could write it down to explain it but I would much ... rather have a conversation or even go through scene by scene of the whole show and individually explain why I love each character and why I love their actions. Each character has a certain charm that absolutely made me love all of them I honestly don't know how to put into writing but I will try my best. And when (minor spoiler) the train stopped I literally got up and begged that no other character would be killed off.

I could not believe it myself! I wanted not a single one of the characters to die that is crazy thing for me to want while watching anime.

I felt like I went crazy writing that so let me clear my head and continue. Waver was my second favorite character from Fate/Zero after his servant Aleksander the Great or Rider to make it easier. They absolutely stole the spotlight in that series( one of if not the best big bro little bro dynamic/ similar to Kamina from Gurren Lagann and Takamura from Hajime no Ippo) and I was exited to see Waver again after having to drop the pile of garbage disappointing nonsense of a series called Unlimited Blade Works which was garbage and left such a bad taste in my mouth having to drop the 4 different times I tried to watch.

But this series is just without a doubt plane and simply amazing.

Waver has this charming knowledgeable but somewhat sad air about him (because of how his participation in the Holy Grail War went I truly feel like he did nothing wrong but he has genuine regret that honestly made him even more likable and understandable). But for me and I hope other who watch this will truly admire and all the other characters played off of him perfectly.

This anime had perfect interactions between character. They felt like real people not characters from a story. Interactions that were never forced annoying or illogical like many on top of many anime are. All interactions pushed the story forward. Right now as I write this I still don't know how they were able to make every single character even the villains but they certainly did. I have never liked so many characters in one anime as much as I do in this series. Truly well done. I would honestly love to go through every single character and say why I love them individually if I had the time.

The tone of the series was serious but it had many light-hearted moments and moments where the viewer can smile or even laugh that also fit in perfectly and was never out of place. In an early ep there is a moment when Reines get sick and is in a room with Waver alone and makes a joke that makes Waver blush. That is one of the most perfect moments of comedy and warm moments I have ever seen in any media from anime to live action to movies to books. When she said that and you saw that Waver blushed and acted as if he was that teenager talking to rider from Fate/Stay you know it is the exact same character just older. That in and of itself is also a truly amazing feat. And I believe that only a cold hearted person who does not know the meaning of friendship would not understand. It was a beautiful moment.

Another thing about the characters that you see is the love waiver has for his students. It also does something else with this that I've only seen in one other anime in which Waver is the weakest person in the series. That is made clear but you can see how much each and every one of his student love and cherish him. He cares for, knows, understands and talks to his students because he was once in their shoes. I love Waver or Lord El Melloi so much. Again only in Hunter X Hunter have I seen a main character who at all points throughout the story is the weakest. He is not overpowered hes not a chosen one; he is just a person like anyone who is just kind. Watch this series please trust me.

Story: 9/10 The story isn't a game changing new story but it was amazing I would love to give it a 10 out of 10. But I will have to re-watch it 2 more times before I could do that. I only give 10s to series that I have re-watched at least 2 times.But I do know for certain within the next few months I will be watching this series again. I don't want to ruin anything so watch the series.

Sound: 10/10 I guess I don't really care. It could be mute and I would still watch. But it was good. I am eagerly awaiting the dub though.

Art: 10/10 It is Ufotable if it wasn't a 10 that would be a surprise.



Enjoyment: 10/10 Through the roof through the sky and surpassed my expectations. Like I said I dropped Unlimited Blade Works which was such a disappointment and seeing this it turned my frown upside down. The characters were so good.



Watch this series please to show anime creators what we want in anime.

With each new entry, it becomes clearer to me that the Fate series has grown aware of its own shadow. Back when Apocrypha came out, I described it as a love letter to the entirety of the Fate canon. In contrast, I believe that Lord El Melloi II and his case notes are its shadow. And a shadow aware of its existence as such.

A war survivor following after the shadow of a king long gone, not one, but two different shadows of kings, dreaming with the shadow of a love they assume unattainable, yet worth fighting for. Lingering shadows from time past, and the looming ... shadows of the fights yet to come. Its no surprise that little Waver became a detective, living his entire life looking for a light amidst such shadows.

Even the production of this show seemed aware of the legacy they had been granted the opportunity to belong to, and saw themselves as working under the shadow of a giant. I believe that is why, given the chance to create original stories for the start of this adventure, all they conjured up were shadows of other tales, past, present and future.

Nearly all entries in the remaining fate lore end up touched in some way by the shadow of this work, and in that sense, it achieves the greatest peek any shadow could aspire to: tracing the limits of the light that spawned it.

This show was a shadow of all that I loved from the Fate universe, and in that, I cannot hate it in the ways it is cast over such love.

I was excited to watch this certain show as I enjoyed Waver/Iskandar content from Fate Zero.

Let's get the main thing out of the way, This show in particular has nothing to do with the Grail War. Secondly It didn't feel like a fate series, it was more like a detective/mystery show. The start was good but after a while its alright but nothing interesting was happening anyways. I would recommend watching the first episode if you are a fan of Waver or want more Waver content but anything after that is not worth it.

Lets talk about the other things about the show

- Character: 3/10

Design ... of most characters were amazing, making them feel like an actual worth/likeable character was not.

- Story: 3/10

The train arcs probably the only good part of the story which is episode 7 and later

- Sound: 8/10

Nice soundtracks

- Enjoyment: 3/10

Not a lot to enjoy

Remember that one retarded kid from Fate/Zero? Waver Velvet? I do. He was probably the reason why I enjoyed Fate/Zero less. I don’t like his character. I don’t like it at all. So what is he up to now? Well...

He became a Lord of the clock tower. He turned more mature, grew, and now he looks even better than his old self.

This show is pretty much about the after story of Waver Velvet. “The Conan of The Fate Series, Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo : Rail Zeppelin Grace Note.”

Honestly, this show wouldn’t be as fun as is if Gray wasn’t there. ... Gray - the descendant of Saber, Lord El-Melloi II’s assistant and student. She pretty much carries about ⅓ of the show by simply just showing off her Noble Phantasm.

The “mystery” thingies aren’t too bad but they’re also quite bland. The last investigation this show did was actually pretty confusing because the revealed perpetrator was some lad I didn’t even know and he wasn’t even introduced within the show.

Another bad thing about this show is the English accent. Gosh. Fuck me, man. They were so cringe. Agh. I can’t. I. I just can’t.

Other than that, it’s pretty cool to see how much Waver grew and how he’s following Alexander's ambition. It’s also pretty cool to see a relative of Saber who can use a Noble Phantasm.

For Want of a Nail...

Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note is really a who's who of Fate characters especially if you'd seen OR played from the Fate franchise but for the most part it focuses on Waver Velvet or Lord El-Melloi II taking on supernatural cases while still being a teacher in the Clock Tower. It's not until halfway that the "Rail Zeppelin" comes into play and gives us an entire arc which focuses on Waver's main focus and goal come into play.

So for the first half of the anime, we see Lord El-Melloi (can we just call him Waver from ... this point?) takes on isolated supernatural cases. The only thing these separate cases does is to introduce characters, be it cameos from previous Fate installments or show off what the "Waver team" can do while tackling the supernatural case, he of course has some rivals like Hishiri Adashino voiced by Yuko Minaguchi an officer of the department of Policies of the Clock Tower and is the polar opposite in terms of investigations thus her clash with Waver.

The second half is a little more focused and changes the plot structure to be more like an arc focusing on Waver's prized possession of Iskander's cloth being stolen and this thief now boarded the "Rail Zeppelin", something like a ghost train to the dead BUT holds an invitational auction selling and "buying" Mystic Eyes and it's up to Waver to find the thief and of course...murders and strange occurrence happen while on board. This arc does by all means gives us alot of development of Waver as well as his apprentice Gray voiced by Reina Ueda but once again gives us even more cameos from other installment as well as those cameos doing thing sin the background that has links to all the incidents happening in Rail Zeppelin.

Waver and his want of a nail is pondered as well as tested against with the thief and the strange occurrences in this arc while Gray having a mild crush on her master while other characters test and is intrigued by her "status" is brought upon as well. In terms of characters...most of the main cast is developed and a bit fleshed out but oddly enough LA's favourite character is actually a cameo character from a previous Fate installment..that of the wrestling Mage Luviagelita Edelfelt voiced by Shizuka Ito from both Fate Illya and Fate stay night unlimited Blade Works, she was just a fun character and Reines El-Melloi voiced by Inori Minase was similar to Luvia as well as always was interesting when she was on screen.

Now as for the mystery element of this anime, well it's mixed to say the least mainly for the fact that the first half's isolated mysteries don't give us the audience much if any hints and how the mystery unravels itself is all kept until the end with Waver's deductions thus we can't really connect with these mysteries as well, the only exception for LA being the shopping mall mystery as the hints were there. As for the Rail Zeppelinn arc, well since it's an arc with tons of foreshowing as to who the culprit of the entire installment is, the mystery though rather convoluted since the mystery tries to bring light to MAGIC but for what's it's worth they didn't exactly handwave it away...but likely will confuse you with the magic mumbo jumbo and how it all connects, the mystery at worst is confusing, at best is barely manageable as a mystery and of course Waver has EVERYTHING prepared and hid it away from the audience until it's needed. So yeah the mystery element to say is mixed and it doesn't do the anime any favours and much like Higurashi trying to unravel magical phenomenons into rational real notions killed the mystery, Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note does it to try and enrich the Fate lore but at the expense of making a rather magical mystery even more magically confusing....it's Fate guys...it's Fate.

If your wondering how many installments have links and cameos to Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note...well Fate Zero, Fate stay night Unlimited Blade Works, Fate Apocrypha and Fate Grand Order and no you DON'T need to watch these in order to understand what's going on in Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note, though it more or less hints that THEIR roles from that installment in question instead. In a ways it seems that Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note is like a codex for the Fate franchise to keep up to speed with the Fate lore or know more about it.

The animation done by TROYCA was actually very well done, form the crisp character designs to the great backgrounding as well as the magical effects of this anime was great in all respects. Even though Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note is something of a spinoff from the Fate franchise, TROYCA still put in the leg work in terms of animation.

As for the voice cast..well we have a large cast but LA might as well do the standouts MVP's and for LA...Shizuka Ito as Luvia (of course), Reina Ueda as Gray, Inori Minase as Reines, Yuko Minaguchi as Hishiri and finally Daisuke Namikawa as Waver.

As for the final villain, he DOES tie things not only the Rail Zeppelin arc but some of the isolated mysteries as the man behind the man in orchestrating everything and thus the rest of the final episodes of the Rail Zeppellin focuses on stopping the final villain, he or more or less his Servant, Hephaestion is actually the more interesting villain oddly enough all due to her screentime and presences all the while the final villain is the cackling "world dominating" villain that Waver needs to take care off, while Gray fighting Hephaestion is the highlight of the Rail Zeppelin arc.

If anything along with what LA thinks that Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note is a codex for the Fate franchise, LA ALSO thinks this will maybe' get people up to date for the Fate installment coming up, mostly Fate Grand Order Camelot and Babylonia...but that just may have been LA.

LA thinks Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note tried to be so many things at once, one part magical mystery anime, one part Waver's story after Fate/Zero and one part a codex for Fate and became a jumbled mess of what it really wanted to be and let's not get started on the mystery element that did itself no favours. If this was JUST an anime about Waver wanting to reunite with Iskander then it'll be fine heck throw in the mysteries in but when it tries to be a pseudo Holy Grail War while being in a murder mystery genre then LA thinks Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note failed to notice what it was trying to be, it crossed the boundary if anything. Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note was a jumbled mess of a mystery anime but an even bigger crisis of having an identity and piggybacking off Waver to achieve it's overly complex convoluting confusing plot.

Waver deserved better...

Awww! What a shame! I was so hyped by the idea of a miniseries that was cannon and followed Waver Velvet from Fate/Zero.

A nice little detective show with more background on the clock tower and characterization; no need for much fighting, just cool deductions and Waver being Waver and squeeaaa! ^_^

And y'know Waver was real cool. Glad to have his original voice actor back. It's amazing to hear him do the old-Waver (very fitting), but also still be able to do the young version every now and then where needed. I also love Waver as a character. He's bitter, filled with regret and guilt, hard ... to make friends with, calculating - but when you do get close, he's a real nice guy who's trying to do the right thing. So much so, he takes on debts that aren't even his'! And I love how he solves his (and others') issues.

But!

In the end, the show didn't work for me. Art and sound was fine. Loved Waver and accepted Gray. I enjoyed it somewhat just because I crave Fate, but I also missed a whole bunch.

Basically, the crimes are too convoluted or filled with mumbo-jumbo that I just don't get any of it. Maybe I'm just dumb; but it feels like the show expects you to know the entire nasuverse, high-end astrology, and a whole bunch of weird rituals to have just a vague idea on what's going on.

I didn't understand the villain or his plot, I didn't understand the fights, I didn't understand the motives or methods, I didn't understand the noble phantasm, none of it. And that made it all just a blur..

On top of that, most characters aren't great. For one, I think the show expects you to have seen several spinoff series, or otherwise be heavily invested in Fate/Grand Order and the like. I recognized a few characters, but most I didn't. And all of them get far too little time, so that I don't know who they are, or their motivations, or really get a feel for them. Which is a shame, because some of them had real promise. I liked the 'filler' episode in the mall, which actually focuses on the three girls hanging out, and allowing us to get to know them. Wish there was more than that!

Finally Gray - she's a new character and she's a Saber-lookalike because reasons. Now, the reasons are actually fine enough, with a bit of head-cannon. I also think she's different enough as a character, to actually be a character. That said, I think she had more potential. I feel like she was only there because we needed another Saber-face, and some action scenes. But I think there was no need for the weird fights, and thus no need for her. If only there was more time!

She's pretty cool tho.

So yeah! Waver's cool. If you're a total fan and/or you know everything about F/GO and all that stuff, go for it! But I can't advise it as a standalone series, to my sadness. :'(

El-Melloi as a series has a lot of things going for it considering it's a spinoff of a massive franchise. I mean that half sarcastically, everyone knows Fate at this point however that's only what draws people in. What keeps them are well developed characters and/or amazing visuals and battles. El-Melloi does both of these well, with a lot of visual and lighting effects that come off pretty well in most fights(a noticeable lack of CGI which I always love), and I genuinely want to see the development of the cast of characters. Waver returns from Fate/Zero in a strong upfront drive: to make his ... king proud. The giant arc of his development is him trying to find what his liege from Fate/Zero would want him to do to further their goals. It's honest in the simplicity of what Waver needs, yet still touches on so many magical concepts that the main series' never really have time to delve in to. Although it is based on a game, the thought that went into the series seems further than a cash grab (I'm looking at Fate Apochraphya), yet it still saves time by introducing typical characters that have appeared in much more than this single anime (i.e. Luvia, Waver, a Sabre-knock off, etc.). Truth be told, I kept telling my roommate "Yeah I'm just watching Sherlock Holmes but if it was a fate anime," and I really mean that. The sense of mystery and intrigue that goes around the entire Clock Tower is engrossing. In fact, for most this is the first real look at the Clock Tower politics besides some small ending bits from UBW. Overall, this series is just a really nice tie-together between Fate/Zero and Fate/SN to really establish why the Grail War was so small in future, or why so many families were apathetic towards another so soon. If you've invested heavy time into the Fate series, "Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note" is a great way to fill the void between now and the third Fate Heaven's Feel movie.

When I first saw the announcement of this anime, I was absolutely ecstatic. Waver Velvet and Rider were my favorite pair in Fate Stay Zero, which also happens to be one of my highest rated anime to date. The possibilities of what one could do with his character as an adult seemed endless. Sadly, The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II only serves as a continuation of the downfall of what was once revered as one of the greatest series of anime.

How do you take one of the best characters from arguable the best Fate series to ... date and get such a bland result? Well apparently you do it by giving more screen time to a Loli than your actual main character and using plot devices so convoluted that it sounds like characters are just making them up as you go.

Let's begin with the characters.

The anime was suppose to feature Waver, serving as a magical detective, solving cases in an almost Sherlock Holmes style while still dealing with the lost of his partner, Rider. However, for one of the most developed characters from Fate Zero, it feels like the writers didn't know what to do with Waver. While he certainly has some development towards the end of the Anime, it falls shallow when compared to his young self. The first couple of episodes featuring him started out very strong, but then we get to a main issue of the anime; Grey.

Grey is a shy, enigmatic girl who for some reason bears and uncanny resemblance to Saber of the original series. She has an undying loyalty to Waver and despite being a butt kicking, scythe wielding warrior, suffers from low self esteem. Grey very much steals the show, with the mysteries of her and her attachment to the main character never being fully explored unless you want to rely on Wikipedia. While not necessarily a bad character, she was mostly an unnecessary one, and felt like little more than a Loli trope.

After Grey and Waver, you have the rest of the cast who for the most part had little presence and didn't feel as if they fulfilled much roles in the series. Now I did enjoy Waver's new little sister, Reines. Her methods of tormenting Waver in a comedic fashion never ceased to give me a chuckle. Also, seeing Kairi from Fate Apocrypha was an absolute treat. I also enjoyed Waver's rivalry with Hishiri Adashino, although it was never fully explored.

The rest of the characters fall flat. You have the stereotypical Loli number #2 who's goal is to just get Waver to bang her despite there being a 15 year difference. Then there are a pair twin boys serving as Waver's students whose main shtick is just fighting over Grey's attention. Even the main villain you barely ever see or learn much of.

As far as Plot, the first half of the series focuses on Waver solving mysterious. This is certainly the strongest part of the show. However, even here there is a major issue, and that is the crimes always involve magic, and the magic system is never fully explained in the anime. A good mystery leaves the audience guessing who committed the crime. However, due to having one of the loosest magical systems I've seen in anime, it's impossible for the audience to actual predict where the show will take them. The end of each case simply involves our main hero listing pieces of evidence to the audience that we have little to no way of fully understanding due to the lack of understanding how the world itself works.

The second half of the show features a single, ongoing missions where a Waver's last piece of Rider was stolen from him, and now they have to follow clues to determine the main culprit and stop his plan. Sadly, the issues mentioned earlier in this review are all more prevalent in the second half forcing me to lose interest in the show all together.

The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II had the potential to be a top notch Anime, focusing on an already strong developed character, and watching him continue to grow while solving mysterious of a magical world. It could have brought the series's focus on moral ideals and what it means to be a hero to another level. Instead the anime falls victim to the same issues as recent Fate series; forgetting its true roots and instead using main-stream cliche's and tropes in an attempt to retain its popularity.

Rail Zeppelin is a show that requires prior knowledge from Fate/Zero, as it is the continuation of one of its original protagonists. Unfortunately, as a show it doesn't work strongly on its own as the gravity of Waver's situation is only felt through having experienced Fate/Zero. Despite it, the show does still feed the audience bits and explanations for Waver and Gray's backstory and intentionally shows us the meaning behind their struggles.

In its own conception, Waver Velvet aka Lord El Melloi II, has his own baggage and potential for growth. It is without a doubt one of Type-Moon's better written characters as he has his ... weaknesses, his goals and self-awareness. There are many themes that are thrown around Waver's characterization. He struggles to become a better Magus due to his own natural limitations, but has talents that lie elsewhere. Namely his detective work within the magus world, as well as being able to gather the talented and teach them. This parallels Iskandar's ability to gather followers, hence why Iskandar saw such great potential. Waver is a relatable character that struggles against the unattainable while being very well aware of it. The show itself is more a character study on Waver's lingering feelings after Fate/Zero. He struggles with his regrets, and he essentially grieves for the Iskandar that accompanied him in the events of Fate/Zero.

Gray is our female lead, although a saberface-meme by the definition of the Fate fandom, she stands apart with her personality. She is our sheltered character who struggles to find her own purpose in relation to Waver; paralleling Waver's own struggle to find his own purpose despite his own failings. Manufactured/crafted in order to recreate King Arthur in form, she was saved from that existence by Waver and given the opportunity to find her place in the world at his side.

Each episode initially feels episodic, but it eventually shows its hand that it's been building upon each other. The show, or even the series itself borrows heavily on Sherlock Holmes. Adashino as an unromantic Irene Addler, Gray as a sheltered Watson. Doctor Heartless as Moriarty.

The animation is without a doubt remarkable, considering that it's helmed by TROYCA, a studio partially founded by one of the original directors of Fate/Zero(at the time he was with UFOtable). Sound and music are irreproachable. The OP's sequence, although not a vocal song, is reminiscent to a James Bond film's opening sequence. ASCA's Hibari for the ending song is a soothing ballad, that represents well Gray's fragile nature.

What stands out for this anime is Reina Ueda's voice acting for Gray as it highlights her vulnerability very well. It is easy to forget all the saberface jokes and all the plot points that demonstrate her connection to Arturia/Saber, considering how well they set her personality apart, especially with the emphasis put on by the voice actress.

Overall, it's great for a Fate fan, as it does tease bits of lore such as mystic eyes, overlaps/alternate with certain elements from Fate/Apocrypha. (For example Caules from Apocrypha is present and is the heir to his family earlier than the events of Apocrypha). It is however not a high paced anime, and therefore it is not for everyone. Being someone who doesn't usually read Light Novels, the show does entice me to want to read the original source of the Lord El Melloi II's Case Files series.

Another installment in the Fate universe and from someone who enjoys the fate series, I really liked what they had to offer, it's an all rounder 8 for me, but for those who aren't versed in the fate universe I don't recommend this cuz the world, characters and the plot will feel unappealing and you'll find yourself not knowing what's going on most of the time, but for those interested let's get a bit into details:

Story:

The plot takes a bit of an episodic form, every episode or 2 centers around a case related to magic and mages,(except for last case which is 6 episodes) and ... Waver (now Lord El Melloi II) takes on these cases, by orders of his adoptive younger sister.
now the magic aspect for me is still complicated so I'm not sure I understood all the deductions, but it's interesting to watch how they work it out as Waver's past is catching up to him, there is more to these cases than meets the eye.
so I personally enjoy the mystery element of the plot.
also the pacing was very good, I like that the cases didn't feel rushed.

Characters:
there is lot of nostalgia if you're fate fan, most characters are well known, and most were in cameo in previous works so it's interesting to see more of them, and if you're a fan of Fate/Zero it's a quite a scene, the transformation for Waver and seeing him in a new light.

Art:
The Art was surprisingly very good considering the studio isn't a major one animation was okay/good I guess, battles aren't flashy or as good as Ufotabe of course but I guess that's okay cuz the show is not about flashy battles.

Sound:
OST was one of the best thing this anime has to offer and I don't always pay attention to OSTs but it stood out for me and OP/ED were brilliant.

Enjoyment:
I think it was enjoyable enough, but due too it's episodic nature it can get a bit boring at times but at the end it was worth it!

story: 8/10
art: 8/10
sound: 9/10
characters: 7/10
enjoyment: 6/10

Overall: 8/10

Reviewer's note: This is my 20th entry into the Fate franchise.


✪ Genre: drama, contemporary fantasy, detective, magic (magic school, spellcasting), seinen, superpower, with elements of comedy and action (swordplay, gunfights)


✔Positive Aspects✔

◧ Animation: the series roughly follows the character design standards set by the previous studios, a combination of colors of moderate to low saturation/moderate illumination with the internal and external environments being more muted comparison. Even though the characters seem distinct enough, the series' entire 'atmosphere' feels a little more muted than usual.

◧ Soundtrack: seems to be, mostly, comprised of orchestral music (violins, violas, percussion, flute, piano, etc.) with some of it being lower in ... tempo, while other pieces are more upbeat. Also, I've noticed a track or two having Middle Eastern
influences.

◧ Concept: this may have been the first spin-off work that overtly displaces the Fate franchise's general premise, that magicians are searching for the omnipotent magical artifact called "Holy Grail" by summoning Heroic Spirits and fighting it out, in favor of a detective story in the Holmesian tradition early on, and in the Poirotian tradition later on.


✘Negative Aspects✘

◧ Plot: there's not much to speak off. The first 6 episodes are stand-alone, clearly meant to introduce as to the way the protagonistic duo go about their way, while the next 6 episode constitutes a narrative, sort of. Even though I am fairly acquainted with the franchise, this spin-off introduced so many new elements that I did not manage to grasp them all in their entirety, since I've finished the series with quite a few questions.

◧ Character development: once again, there's not much to speak of. Even though the series uses the first 6 episodes to introduce as to the protagonists and deuteragonists, and their way of living, there's only a depiction of their character traits and temperament without anything substantial. Further into the series, there is some biographical information given but it is quite limited and somewhat perplexing.

◧ Action sequences: since the importance of fighting is downgraded and is substituted by Holmesian detective work, it's no surprise that the action scenes are generic, mostly based on a third-person camera perspective. There are few quick zoom-ins/outs, no alternating between different camera 'heights' during battle, and certainly no Michael Bay-influenced, heavily distorted & slowed down sound effects at the beginning of and moments before the impact of high-energy attacks (which are no more than a handful).


Overall: A combination of multiple deuteragonists with both heroic and villainous qualities, along with countless, new story elements and a significant reduction of action scenes in favor of the detectivization of the story, makes for a very substandard end-result.


P.S. For further reviews of the Fate franchise, please take a look at my profile.