HOLY MOLY this show was insane from the first episode to the last. This is my anime of the year straight up.

Story
The plot hands you pieces and expects you to fit them together (although they did fit it together later, but that's not the point). It doesn’t explain everything out loud and expects you to think about what has been revealed until it blows it out of the water in the next episode. That can feel dense at times, but it’s deliberate. Small moments matter. Little hints from early episodes resurface later and have a lasting impact. The pacing is patient, the show waits for you to notice things, and then it pays off.

The story establishes a world with established rules and mysteries. It keeps some things hidden on purpose. If you like being led to clues and figuring stuff out yourself, this show rewards you. If you want everything spelt out, it’ll probably feel frustrating. Either way, the plot builds toward real payoffs that feel earned. if you like using your phone while watching a show this anime is not for you

Characters
Characters here are not your average throwaway junk-type characters. They get room to breathe. The show gives each character time to be fleshed out in the sense that you feel for them. That slow build makes their big moments hit emotionally.

A big visual touch: the Production staff gives each of the character a different visual signature. Sometimes the linework or colour changes to match how a character feels or what their history is. It’s a simple trick, but it works. You start to know people not only by what they say but by how the show draws them. That makes reveals and emotional beats stronger.

Also, many characters have multiple theme tracks tied to them. Those songs are not just background music; their lyrics and tone deepen who the character is. That extra layer makes them feel lived-in.

Music

The score supports the mood without stealing it. Some tracks pump you up and tracks quietly pull at you. Themes repeat in smart ways so a melody can mean something different later. It’s not always flashy, but it’s always effective. When a character’s theme ost shows up, you feel it.

Animation

The animation is one of the show’s main strengths. The blend of 2D and 3D works. The transitions between styles are used for storytelling, not just show-off moments. Action scenes are clear and well-choreographed. You can tell what’s happening in a fight and you can feel the hits. The visual quality stays high across the season. That consistency matters — it never drops during big or quiet scenes.

X’s art style shift is a highlight. When it happens, the show changes tone and energy in an instant. It’s flashy but also meaningful. It makes you sit up and feel the scene differently.

Production value

This feels like a team of passionate people that was given room to make what they want and actually used it. The voice cast is strong. The animators and background artists did more than paint pretty pictures — they put story into the details. The sound design, mixing, and editing all lift scenes. It doesn’t feel like money spent to look rich; it feels like money spent to tell the story better.

Attention to detail

This is where the show shines for me. Backgrounds, props, signs, magazines, even a bottle of water — they sometimes carry clues. A billboard you glance at might reference a later event. A random prop can be a foreshadowing tool. The world is packed with tiny things that reward rewatching or a closer look. That makes the world feel lived in, not just a set for the plot.

Those little details aren’t filler. They show how much the creators cared. You can tell someone thought about each frame. That attention makes the entire setting feel richer and more believable.

Fights and cinematography

The fights are cinematic. Camera moves, cuts, and timing are used to sell emotion and stakes. The choreography serves character. A fight isn’t just a spectacle; it reveals who these people are and what they want. Cutting and framing choices make fights readable and exciting. Sound design gives it weight. It all comes together cleanly.

Tone and pacing

The show balances big set pieces with quiet character beats. It never rushes the slow scenes. It also doesn’t drag for the sake of drama. If anything, it leans toward careful pacing so the reveals land properly. That makes the big moments feel earned rather than shoehorned.

Finale

The finale ties together a lot of the season’s loose ends while also opening up new questions. It gave me the rush I used to get from old superhero movie finales — that childish, can’t-help-but-smile excitement. It wraps things up in a satisfying way and then drops new hints for what’s next. The cliffhanger feels earned and leaves you wanting Season 2 right now. One small thing that I've been seeing people talk about is how the 3d artstyle in the final episode looks ugly and I just want to say I agree but that's the purpose if you go and see donghuas that has 3d ingrained in them, the final episode of tbh X looks like those donghuas and that's the power of X, the arcane style 3d stuff was also the power of X while this artstyle is also the power of X. the first minutes of 3d in the finale is arcane style but In the final moments it turns into a donghua 3d style and I actually think its paying homage to those donghuas. sounds farfetched but I highly doubt they didn't have the budget to bring back arcane art style for 6-7 minutes of final episode like people are saying.

Final thoughts

To Be Hero X is more than a flashy show. It’s a carefully made one. The story trusts you. The characters feel alive. The animation and music are top-tier. The tiniest background details matter. The finale paid off and left me hyped for more.

If you like shows that make you think, reward paying attention, and treats worldbuilding as a craft, give this one a shot. It’s not for everyone, but it’s obvious how much love went into it. I’m excited to see where Season 2 goes.

Okay, I'll make myself clear, I have a very strong opinion about this. I wouldn't really say that the Lord of the Mysteries novel is one of my favorites, but for a long time, I've been reading it due to the excellent setting and it's eldtrich horror atmosphere. It took me ages to wait and see it being adapted into an animated series. When they initially revealed the adaptation was coming, my reaction was a mix of enthusiasm and fear. The enthusiasm was because it's one of my favourite settings and I would see those incredible Lovecraftian locations, gods and the lovely Victorian atmosphere at last. But fear was there too because numerous adaptations managed to destroy excellent novels and this setting is quite impossible for many studios to pull off. But having seen the latest episode of Season 1 and enjoying it immensely, I can say this happily now: they did it right.

The moment I was waiting for, that flower clown scene was done just like I wanted it to be. No spoilers, but wow, being there and finally seeing it animated made me feel excited. It was one of those special times when the wait really felt worth it.

The atmosphere is undoubtedly one of my favorite aspects of this work. The combination of Lovecraftian elements and Victorian aesthetics with lamp lit streets, fog shrouded alleys, secret societies, The blood moon and unseen cosmic horror is something distinct from any other anime. Honestly speaking, probably the only work which gets the combination quite perfect is Lord of the Mysteries. It is creepy, it's dramatic, and it's lovely in a foreboding manner. Now, I can see the series is a lot for someone who is new to this IP. It's got a lot of backstory, a lot of systems, and a lot of details that can confuse you if you're not paying attention. Since I've already read the novel, I was able to keep up, but you can tell not everybody is going to understand it at first. It's not a straightforward anime. It requires patience and concentration, which not all the audience is going to enjoy.

The music is fine. It’s not amazing, but it fits the mood. It creates tension when needed and doesn’t take away from the experience. However, the best part for me is the animation. Really, this is likely the best 2D animation I’ve seen in a long time. The quality stayed Consistent the whole time. Every scene looked clean and even, which is not common in this space. And when you combine that animation with the strange, otherworldly settings and powerful beings this story shows… It’s just beautiful to see.

Overall, I really liked it. As someone who has read the novel, I may be biased, but watching this world - the gods, the mysteries, the horror, the atmosphere all brought to life in animation felt amazing. I loved it.

Final Rating: 7.8/10

Not perfect and probably not going to work for everyone, but for me waiting ages for it was worth it.

im gonna be honest as possible. mo dao zu shi is simply a masterpiece

i gave this a 10 out of 10, no hesitation. from the first hook to the last gut-punch, it holds you in that rare place where plot, character and emotion all line up and sing together. the story manages to be clever and tragic and funny all at once, and the characters are the kind you keep living with after you finish, which is the highest praise i can give anything. plenty of fans on forums and threads say much the same, it’s the kind of story that people keep coming back to and arguing about for months.

what sells it for me is how earned everything feels. the series does not hand you tidy explanations or easy villains, it gives you morally messy people making human choices, and those choices have consequences that ripple. the relationship dynamics are complicated and lived-in, not just romantic window dressing. conversations carry weight, and the comedy and grief both land because you actually care who is laughing or falling apart. reviewers who read the novel note the same thing, that the moral greyness and character work are the core strengths.

the adaptations only deepen the love. the donghua’s animation hits so many small beats perfectly, the scenes that are almost silent still speak volumes, and voice acting adds layers i didn’t expect. the audio drama fans swear it’s the next level for emotional detail, and honestly i get that — each format brings something delicious to the world. people in the fandom debate which medium is best, but almost everyone agrees the source material is special and the adaptations honor it.

i want to gush about the characters because they are the heart. wei wuxian is chaotic, hilarious and heartbreaking, and lan wangji is steady and devastating in his restraint, and the rest of the cast is full of memorable faces who each carry their own pain and loyalty. these are not background extras, they’re entire lives, and the way their histories and choices fold into the main arc feels meticulous. fan essays and long posts on reddit often point out the causality in the plot, how actions lead to real consequences, and that craftsmanship shows in the smallest choices.

i will say a few nitpicks, because i want to be fair even while i adore it. the worldbuilding assumes some familiarity with cultivation tropes, so if you are totally new to the genre there are moments that can feel dense or confusing, and you might need to pause and look things up. also, some middle sections slow down for exposition and layers of politics, which while important can drag the pacing for readers who want nonstop momentum. and depending on which adaptation you watch or read, some scenes get softened for censorship or format reasons, which can be frustrating if you wanted the rawer original text. none of these things makes the core worse, they just mean the experience is richer if you go in patient and open.

despite that, the emotional payoffs are monumental. there were moments that made my chest hurt in that excellent way where you laugh then you cry then you need to sit with it for a while. the humor and the tenderness balance the darkness so the story never becomes one-note gloom. readers and reviewers keep saying the same thing, that the book and its adaptations reward re-reads and re-watches, because clues, character beats and little callbacks keep revealing themselves.

in short, this is a story that means something. it’s expertly plotted, richly emotional and full of characters that feel unavoidable. i can be picky about pacing or wish every adaptation kept absolutely everything intact, but those are tiny quibbles compared to the way the work grabbed me and would not let go. if you like character-first fantasy, morally grey storytelling, and relationships that are messy and honest, you literally owe it to yourself to read or watch this. for me it’s a perfect ten, no caveats, the kind of story i’ll keep recommending until everyone i know has at least tried it.

for people who just wants to know if the manwha is worth reading without having to read this whole review then - I mean maybe sure it's entertaining for sure but it's very fast paced to the point that it becomes very confusing to follow the plot and remember all the character names it introduces. It seems to me that the story doesn't know what route it wants to follow so it kinda goes all over the place without giving the proper time for one storyline to breathe because it wants to introduce other storylines so fast. so don't expect it to be different than your average manwha because it's not much different than the others but it does have some qualities that makes it stand out than the other manwhas in the same genre. if you dont mind the over jumbled mess of a plot and just wants something to entertain yourself with then this manwha is perfect.

'The academy undercover professor' is a story about a young office worker from earth who dies in an accident and gets transported into a world of magic. he changes identities and gets stuck impersonating as an academy professor who is also an agent for a shady organisation.

the plot does seem very generic and at times you can feel that genericness from the plot, where this story shines is with the protagonist and his student interactions and him teaching conventional magic to his students. but it's such a shame that the story does not play on it's strengths but rather try all types of different things and becomes such a confusing and jumbled mess. there's like 10 different main storylines in this manwha tied up all together but it does not come together to become a single thread rather it becomes a web of mess by tying all these strings without giving them a though.

i felt very confused at to what this story wants to be? does it want to be a wholesome professor and students relationship (not romantic kinda way)? does it want to be a vigilante crime killing story? does it want to be a character driven story? or does it want to be a mystery type of story? in my view it wants to be all of them and that's the main problem with it. it introduces so much and so many characters in such a short time that it becomes very convoluted and worst of all it is very fast paced which brings me to my another problem with this series.

The pacing in this series is .....interesting to say the very least, when going through a character arc of a side character the story does not give time to the reader to understand what that character is actually going through or feel their development at all. it just speedruns the development or even backstories of that side character, a character confides in the mc? 5 panels of backstory and we're done, that's all folks no more backstory for you let's blow shit up which is such a shame because the characters in this series are so interesting and could have been so well written if not for the plot not giving 2 craps about them.

so what about the pacing in terms of story development? surely if the character arcs are overshadowed then it must be because of time given to main story right? nope, the story too just goes very incredibly fast that you will at times feel very confused as to what's going on. The story does not get time to breathe at all and the reader does not get the time to digest all the information and lore thrown in their face because it's just one story after the another jumping so fast that you have no choice but to follow along even when you are confused.

but even after so many complaints i did enjoy this series because it is enjoyable there is no doubt about that, you will definitely feel entertained after reading this trainwreck, the most enjoyable moments for me was when it was just the protagonist acting as a teacher and his interactions with his students and his colleagues because the side characters do feel right at place in this story even with little to no development to their character at all.

overall i think the main character is likeable because he's the one with the most development and some kind of actual compelling traits to him, and i think readers will be able to enjoy this even with all the flaws holding this series back. this is the perfect example of wasted potential in my opinion. i do hope in the future chapters the author just decides to stick with one route and not go all over the place and just plays to the series strenghts. that's it for my review thank you to everyone who stuck to the end of this review.

If you do not want to read the whole review and just wants to know if its worth reading then Yes it is definitely worth reading but do not go with much expectations, It's one of the most enjoyable and entertaining manwhas i've ever read. if you love action sequences then sorry but there isn't much action in the first 50-60ish chapters, if you love a emotional story or a plot that hooks you then sorry there isn't much of that either until very much later on. despite all that is it worth reading? yes i think everyone should at least give this manwha a try because of the profundity and thought provoking nature of it's story. it is one of the deepest and one of the most profound and one of the most scientific manwha you'll find right now.

When i first heard about infinite mage i didn't paid much attention to it and just brushed it off as yet another generic cultivation/magic op mc manwha and while i was mostly right about it, i was also blown away by how ridiculously deep it goes with presenting it's ideas and how it present those profound ideas. it tackles so many ideas scientifically and philosophically that almost every 3 chapters you'll be scratching your head in awe and googling terms. while the first few chapters definitely feels your average generic commoner noble magic story it quickly picks up the pace and tries to subverts your expectations with presenting some core issues and i loved every moment of it but that's also the main problem i have with this manwha, yeah sure it does present very profound and thought provoking ideas it does not flesh them out or introduce a clear answer to them or just straight up forgets about it in the next chapters. I'll now divide this review into it's pros and cons and try to give my honest opinions about it.

• Extremely well thought out ideas, excellent power system with clear defined explanantions
• Well written characters for the most part that makes you want to root for them
• absolute great Art and character designs
• Interesting philosophical ideas that gives you midnight existential crisis
• pacing is fine for the most part, can't really complaint but it does feel rushed on some parts
• blends philosophy with science but does not over extend it's ideas to try and push it's answers to the reader
• tries to tackle societal, scientific, moral, existential questions in a healthy and fresh new way (through magic) (like full metal alchemist, monster, pandora hearts and land of lustrous)

• tries to incorporate many ideas and storylines very fast with no clear idea on how to flesh them out and give them meaningful conclusions.
• sometimes clearly forget the questions it tries to ask to it's readers never to be mentioned again
• feels like a hot mess of different plot points with no clear direction on where to lead the story
• has no actual main plot it's just discovering magic and trying to understand what it magic
• bland and very little character development given to its main characters
• feels very generic at times
• falls flat most of the time in presenting it's ideas to the readers as it makes the plot very confusing to follow.

I will conclude this review by saying i whole kindheartedly recommend this manwha to everyone and i ask everyone to at least give it a read even if there are many clear flaws with this manwha. this is the first time i'm writing a review for a piece of media that i'm so passionate about. i acknowledge that there are many flaws with this story but i believe as the story grows the writing and execution will grow as well. i at least acknowledge the hard work the author has put in this thought provoking manwha even if he had no clear way of fleshing out the ideas he presented here. if you are someone who loves thought provoking media and loves the blend of philosophy and science then this manwha is for you. thank you for reading this clumsy review to the end and i wish you a good read.