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If I were to sum BNA up in one sentence it'd be "The totally didn't see that coming anime".
BNA starts pretty well, you got all the ingredients for a well above average anime: unique setting, studio Trigger's signature art style, likable MC, and solid plot foundations. So where does Brand New Animal fail to deliver?
Short answer: story and characters.
As I said at the very beginning the plot is very predictable and plain.
Since the beginning you build up a lot of excitement and expectations just for them to be extinguished by cliches and dumbed down issues.
I think that it's great for an anime to go ... the next step and take a more serious approach towards ethical and political subjects but then you must commit to it.
Don't talk about poverty, child exploitation, war veterans, and terrorism if you are gonna give as much space as a couple of dumbed-down filler episodes, because it's just gonna confuse people. Am I supposed to laugh? To feel? It felt like it was more of a mocking of the issue than something to meditate about.
The two things that saved the story from a negative score were definitively the unique setting and the BANGERS ending, which i liked and did not expect to be this good. Seeing how the anime was proceeding i was afraid of a rushed ending but thankfully they kept it simple and entertaining, while fixing some of the plot holes they made along the way.

If the story was able to hold tight somehow, characters are a total disaster.
Everything except the MC sucks. No character development, every single one of them is prefabricated, totally forgettable, soulless, and useless. Episodes were dedicated to introducing characters who saw the screen 3 times at best or that resulted in pointless to anything plot/development related.
This isn't a 1 just because of the MC Michiru, who is actually likable, somewhat original, and subject of development. The other MC Shirou is a walking cliche somehow Batman-inspired who just ruins the mood with dumbed-down speeches.

Last but not least we get to the good stuff: art and sound. By far the strongest points. The voice acting is really good, I loved how some of them were even able to save the soulless characters. Both the opening and ending, despite they're not getting the credit they deserve, are well executed both soundwise and in terms of animation. Too bad BNA doesn't present any OST to brag about. No need to waste time endorsing Studio Trigger's animation, it's a for the eyes that only Trigger can deliver.

Perish the thought BNA isn't an enjoyable anime yet the wasted potential leaves a bitter taste that won't disappear easily. 6,5/10

To express your own feelings is a question that bears no clear answer and is often subject of comedy and drama in japanese animation. How does Love is War fare among the many romcoms in the anime industry then?

Storywise it's definitively a step above most other animes even if not by much . Story is nothing unique, the path to love of the MCs follows the usual school->summer->festival pattern with slight variations also permitted by the student council context. Biggest fault is the lack of tangible progress in the plot which is really plain and predictable. Still it manages to deliver without being boring or ... predictable thanks to comedy and fast paced arcs.

In terms of art and sound we are presented with a well animated anime always accompanied by a well executed and meaningful OST. Being a 12 episode only season A-1 had the time and the resources to put costant effort in each episode making it a pleasent experience for the eyes, plus the episode 3 ending conquered a special place in my heart. Opening and ending are also works that deserve recognition; the dub is not only on point but it's also the main gear that makes the comedy function properly.

The weakest point is by far the character, absolutely forgettable in my opinion, there's very little development in the first season and it's mostly about Kaguya, the other characters see very little variation and introspection from their starting clichè postion in episode one. It's made worse by the very little cast which makes things repetitive.

Overall this is an anime with the main objective to make you laugh while putting some element of romance to make the whole experience more varied and enjoyable. Comedy usually hits the spot and romance is deep enough not to fall into cringe, which is otherwise a common fault. Being able to overcome such comedy obstacles that cause the other animes of the genre to lag behind make Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen a solid 7,5/10 despite plot and characters problems holding it from going for excellence.

The first zoologically approved anime that will make you relate to carnivorous animals and herbivorous animals while putting some mafia, political, racial and sexual elements that make the whole thing just so good.

Story 8
Definitively the strongest point of this anime. Despite the formula is not the most original, especially after recent disney films and cartoons, the whole story felt fresh by taking the school environment and revitalizing it using the carnivores vs herbivorous dilemma which is the thing I personally enjoyed the most of the plot. Some parts of the plot were just too much cliche though, atleast for me.
Small "Side-stories" and events keep the ... flow of the anime alive, despite those aren't the most memorable by far, but still a nice attempt.
In the end we are left with solved and unsolved questions which make a good starting point for the new season coming out this year.

Art 7
I'm not a fan of the animation style but it's not unbearable, most scenes are very light hearted and the flaws here and there are neglectable. The more "intense" scenes on the other hand seem to be done better(?).
It might have been me losing focus because of the pace or maybe it was done on purpose for budget issues. In the end it's nice to see some different animations from time to time whether it's your style or not.

Sound 8
Not much to say there, whenever i watch an anime and i don't remember anything from the soundtrack from it its because it wasnt anything particularly good.
Really enjoyed the opening though. It felt very fresh and captivating.
Dubbing was the best thing soundwise. Finally we see some new voice actors in the anime industry who didnt do a bad job at all. Voices feel real and coherent with the characters which is a big plus for me.

Characters 7
Not the strongest point of the anime i think. There are no memorable characters in my opinion. You get the shy male protagonist, the loved girl, the friendzoned girl, the friend, the big guy, the friend/rival and thats it. The best thing was the development most of these characters experienced during the show.
Seeing them grow and change during the episodes gave the anime a whole new sense of liveliness and dynamicity which is not just person A going to place B, but person A becoming someone different in order to get to a place which will depend on the choices he makes.

Enjoyment 9 + Overall 8
Did i enjoy it? Hell yes, i basically watched in 1 go. Do i recommend it? Of course. The good thing about Beastars is being so real in a fantasy world where anyone can somehow relate to it, so pretty much anyone can watch it and get something different while enjoying the unique plot, the different artstyle and the shifting mood of the anime.

Strongest point: humanization of animals
Weakest point: a bit too many anime cliches for my taste

P.S. I'm sorry for any mistakes i might have done. English is not my first language and this is my first review. Thanks for reading.