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Both as an anime and an adaptation, Girls Last Tour is a pretty good companion to a fantastic manga.

I'll start with the "bad" but then go into why I still believe it deserves an 8/10 and should be watched by both newcomers and fans of the manga.

Having finished both, it's hard to separate it from the manga and review it on its own, simply because of how the show is structured. In an almost ironic way the adaptation was defeatist in the way that it seemed they both knew they wouldn't be able to adapt the manga in 12 episodes while simultaneously deciding to ... put in touches of content from the unadapted volumes (Flashbacks with the grandpa) in a way that suggests that the rest will never be adapted.

The way this then unfolds is with a bit of disappointingly integrated backstory and moments that fall shot in comparison to the source material.

White fox strikes me as a studio with good directors but lacking in animation prowess, with Re: Zero and Steins: Gate standing out as series with competently thought out shot composition and sequences, but with the art department either being nothing special or even lacking at times.

Girls Last Tour definitely falls into this as while I believe many scenes were very well made, most often what hit me is how uninteresting the show was too look at other than a few specific moments. I love Tsukumizu's rough art and character design, which the show reflects at times, but its the chaotic lines and structural design that was a main draw for me, regarding the manga, while the background art in the series seems as basic as they could get away with. This would have been fine if not for the fact that through a good chunk of the show our main girls and Kettenkrad were animated on and off with pretty dodgy CGI.

Sound design and score were ok but nothing special, though the insert songs worked well in their respective places. At the same time, a few oddly placed score pieces made me feel like it was detracting a bit too.

However, with these out of the way, I still do believe there are enough strikingly well done moments where, just for a bit, the anime elevates from the source material. The rain, sunset, fish, water tank, and final episodes are all great examples of this. Owari no Uta is a beautifully placed piece. Chito's dream sequences are the most unique parts of the series visually, and the events of the last episode both take some creative liberties with what is shown yet also give that whole sequence a new feel in a way that justifies the adaptation.

The rest, meaning the characters and playfully absurdist yet melancholy outlook and tone, all falls into line and is enjoyable. The voice acting is well done for these characters, and both the OP and ED are some of my all time favorite in anime now.

The show definitely has its moments and is with watching, but I'm still gonna be that guy and say whether you've already seen it or not, read the manga, as the anime doesn't quite hit the same heights, though it is a super enjoyable and worthwhile watch, enough so to say its also essential for fans of the manga and those looking for something unique.