FROM NOW ON THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.
The anime is divided into two parts: the first which, in small stand-alone investigative cases, acts as a worldbuilding and presentation of some characters, and the second in which the main events of the anime transpire.
Earlier I wrote that you shouldn't approach this anime with the desire to see cases like those of Sherlock Holmes because the main issue is that Lord El-Melloi II is set in a world of mages. The magic in the Nasuverse, as far as I know, has never been precisely framed with a list of specific spells, rules or limits and therefore turns out to be beyond its users. As a result, the cases presented in this anime become impossible for the viewer to solve. On the contrary, if you look at the anime because you are fascinated by the Nasuverse and its magical system, the cases and the plot can be pleasant and interesting, in particular Rail Zeppelin's arc which explores aspects related to mystical eyes.
A flaw of this arc is certainly the main villain, Dr. Heartless, of which the viewer is almost totally unaware of until his appearance in episode 12 and, until the end, very little is known about him. I hope for a second season that better characterizes this individual since in the finale he and Faker manage to escape and it is said that Heartless and Lord El-Melloi II will be destined to fight again.
As already mentioned before, the central theme of the work is Waver's personal growth after the farewell with his Servant, Iskandar. The protagonist, despite having now become an adult, remains trapped in the past and suffers from this due to the frustration of not having fought in the Holy Grail War but of having remained a spectator. He feels that he is missing something to be worthy of being by Iskandar's side. Although he knows of the enormous danger, he is willing to assert himself by fighting another war, but above all to see his old friend again. During the anime Waver matures and understands that his place is not on the battlefield, but behind the desk: his path is the teaching and education of young people. He manages, in this way, to untie himself from the past and to move forward and feel worthy of being a companion of Iskandar. And this is precisely the teaching that this anime wants to transmit: we must find the strength to get up and always go forward, chasing our dreams.
Speaking of the rest of the cast, the secondary characters do not have a deep characterization like that of Waver and turn out to be very forgettable, except for some characters who, like the protagonist and thanks to the teachings of Waver, manage to mature too. In particular, during the course of the episodes, Gray's maturation path is interesting, leading her to understand herself and her desire to assist Waver.
As for the artistic side, drawings and animations are discreet but nothing exceptional. I found the opening titles (ep 1) that flow during the battle between Iskandar and Gilgamesh fantastic. A note of credit goes to the settings, the backgrounds were well made and very pleasant, in particular those of the train.
The opening has no vocals but this does not mean that it has less value than the "classic opening", indeed, as a lover of OSTs, I love this opening so much that I have never skipped it. In general the OSTs accompany the scenes quite well and there are some that stand out among the others and that I would gladly hear as "they are magicians" or "we call him heartless".
The voice actors all did a good job, in particular Ueda Reina who was able to perfectly interpret the character of Gray and giving to "Rhongomyniad!" the same vibes as "Excalibur!" of the original Saber.
In conclusion Lord El-Melloi II's Case Files is aimed at a small target of people because to enjoy it at its best you need a fairly broad knowledge of the Nasuverse and it turns out to be a good anime if you look at it for the maturation path of the characters but an anime not successful if you look at it for the cases themselves.
STORY: 7
ART: 7
SOUND: 8
CHARACTER: 7
ENJOYMENT: 9
OVERALL: 8
