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I have my issues with the story but I have to admit that this is an excellent production. It's so artistic in its style that in the first few episodes it seems like it might've been an arthouse psychological film. Maybe that will alienate some people that will find it too slow, but I'm into that.
The directing, soundtrack, shot composition are excellent, and even though the style of animation it uses most of the time isn't cutting edge for different purposes it stylizes animation depending on the occasion was a really clever choice.
There's a very skillful use of non linear storytelling for spots. We'll see ... something about to happen, next scene is the next day, and in the next episode we're shown what happened in very efficient flashbacks. Or we'll see details of how another character experienced the same moment in a different way. And they're so well done, it doesn't feel like a flashback in the tedious way most shows in a "We interrupt this for a drawn out flashback".
And beyond just flashbacks a lot of details are shown as memories to let the audience know why and how a character is thinking as they navigate their feelings.

Even the way the framing of scenes is done to convey details of what's going on in the story is uncharacteristically cinematic for anime, and even more for this genre. For example, when there's scenes of people drifting apart, the "shot" will frame characters looking physically distant even though they're sitting at the same table. And even the way the directing allows for silence to play a role in the dialogue during arguments is really impressive.

The only problem I have is that the story let me down. The first two episodes had me intrigued. For a change it seemed like it WOULDN'T follow the formula of the step-sibling trope and the guy with a friendly co-worker, but it very disappointingly did. It felt we were in for a more unique take on things, but it weirdly speedran its way into all the clichés out there. To the point the last two episodes and first two feel like completely different universes and characters. Also, around episode 6, the story started to revolve exclusively around the sister and how our MC suddenly decides to make it his mission to help her and a lot of character nuance that had been established about him fades into the background.
And this probably won't be an issue for 'newer' watcher, but for someone like me who remembers watching Clannad After Story as it came out weekly, archetypes don't work on me that much anymore.
And, despite it being very well done from a technical aspect, as I pointed out, ultimately the story felt like the weakest link.

The characters did stand out for actually having a personality at first, but then it became a frustrating mess. And it doesn't help that the main girl reminds me a lot of my second girlfriend, and that brought up some unpleasant flashbacks of my own as the similarities in personality were uncanny at times. The manipulative arguing, the weaponized self-pity and trying to get as close as possible only to randomly start pushing people away... It might sound silly but that resonated with me in an unpleasant way.

I can't say it's a bad show, because it isn't and I did enjoy it for the incredibly skilled production it is, but I can't say it's great either.

It's fun enough, but unless someone's a fan of this type of stories, this is probably one to skip.
Started off really well. Fun with a refreshing take on the genre and with protagonists that did have personalities for a change. But in the second half tropes took over. The interesting aspects of the show faded to the background and stereotypical characters came in to set the stage for generic arcs. Almost like the main story was derailed by focus on side quests and then a rushed climax to the story.
All the while the main characters' personalities went from being strong & defined ... to change to whatever the plot contrivances required.

Lovin it so far. I know it won't be a lot of people's cup of tea, but for me this hits the nostalgic feel I have for the retro shows that were openly silly and straight forward about fanservice and made for no other reason than to chuckle at the absurdity.
In an era where even shonen like Kimetsu no Yaiba or Tensei Slime, comedies like KonoSuba or Tomo-chan's a Girl, and every other genre forces fanservice in an unironic way, it feels very refreshing to see a show that reminds of the era where it was done as a joke like Golden Boy, for example.

I ... don't know how to explain it but back in the day fanservice (and harem dynamics) wasn't that common in shows that weren't outright ecchis that would focus on the whole harem and fanservice thing (Burn up Excess, or Agent Aika come to mind). You'd get your To-Love Ru type shows, but the comedies focused on their hijinx and the shonen on their plot.

I don't know, it's my experience, and the rest of this season could be horrendously bad, but so far, I'm enjoying it tremendously for what it is.

Incredible. I would've given it a 10/10 had it not been for one episode dedicated to angsty drama. I really think it might've been the most enjoyable show of this season for me. And this is coming from someone who isn't into most KyoAni shows (including the first season of this very show) and finds the dynamics alienating at times.
But this season is good that that I resent the first season because it's not even half as good as this one was. I actually rewatched the first season it halfway through the airing of this season and I really think it's a shame because it ... probably will have a lot of people thinking this is just a copy/paste generic re-skin of Free and drop it after the first half of the first season.
It was a more refreshing take on the whole sports club story. For one I loved how it doesn't make the nationals tournament the end all be all and there is a focus on the fact that the high school side is just the beginning and it's a lifetime of dedication that's necessary without a lot of the melodramatic sense of impending doom if everything doesn't go right now that the first season had.
Seeing how one person being the prodigy and giving great individual performances can drag down the team (which does happen a lot in real life) and having a healthy rivalry with other teams, as well as it being uncomfortable when someone takes the rivalry too seriously without it becoming a case of an over the top antagonist that's inexplicably rude just to serve as a plot device to root against.

Can't do it. The first episode was interesting, but after that this show is basically a child screeching and yelling. And it's a shame since we see through mini flashbacks that our MC's past was very interesting but the show isn't about them. For people who love cutesy things and find the hijinx of a child causing inconveniences, this is ideal...But I'm not that. I don't find it cute and I was really getting stressed out as the kid just ran around screaming, throwing tantrums and being an nuisance to the lives of the main characters.
You know in the same way that most Isekais aren't ... really about their premise and they're just an excuse to give harem fanservice and be an overpowered fantasy? Yeah, it's the same here but it's pandering to a different demographic.

Starts out interesting with a curious take on the adventurer party type story, but then the story takes a detour into comedy/side quests and then gets serious again. I get the feeling this might be a case where the source material has been butchered mercilessly, but this show goes from classic serious approaches with people that were betrayed learning to trust again, and having a glimpse at people with substance abuse issues, but then we have weird episodes about confronting an ex girlfriend and diving into our MC's obsession with an idol group... I don't know. It went from an interesting story to a very ... odd thing I couldn't get into anymore because I was alienated from the plot at that point

Quite relaxing and funny. Anyone who has fun watching Isekais will have fun with this. Mind you, the first 2 episodes are fun, but then the tone changes; from the middle of ep 2 (from when the love interest shows up) until ep 6 it goes from a relaxing comedy to a monologue where we'd have little time skips constantly and the MC telling us what had happened. But in ep 6 it becomes funny again.
One thing that does get a bit annoying is how it goes as over the top with the harem fanservice as you possibly could with the village the MC ... build being populated entirely by women that literally want to have his babies. That joke got old really quick.
Ultimately it's really nothing special, honestly. But it can be a fun watch if you just want to pass the time.

Actually decent and shockingly refreshing... for about 6 or so episodes. Then it turns into a slice of life anime with graphic love scenes. Could've been more interesting, but in hindsight it's really nothing special beyond the first 6 eps.
At first there were interesting dynamics of the protagonist getting to grips with how slavery is a part of this new world he's been Isekai'd into, as well as interesting dynamics with his stats that other similar shows don't touch on. Feeling weak to the point of losing consciousness when exhausting MP makes sense, for example, BUT, it literally goes all out of the window and ... the latter half of the show had no plot, they were just chilling... And it is a let down because a lot of the things we saw hinted at in the opening were never shown and the remainder of the party we saw in flash forward scenes was introduced (literally) in the last two minutes of the ending montage as the ED song played...
Also, a lot of the outrage is kinda petty.

Started off promising. The first episode was interesting. That was it. It just becomes the stereotypical harem story that the poster and the OP hinted it'd be.
Our protagonist has somewhat of a different personality, but the "story" is just driven by tropes. And it's frustrating because the show feints with taking a different turn where the girl tries to help our protagonist romance the girl at school he already likes so they can both be freed from their arranged marriage, but that falls through very quickly.
That's about it. Unless someone's a really big fan of these types of stories, I don't think there's any ... point in watching this. The comedy isn't good, there's no real drama, the OST doesn't stand out...
Big nope from me. Regret watching as much as I did.

Usually I can't stomach stories of overpowered demon lord with a harem featuring a fanservice parade. I'm shocked by how much fun I had with this.
It dawned on me that this is what all those countless "resurrected demon lord" shows (along with most Isekais) try and fail to imitate.

TL DR: it's KonoSuba parodying Berserk instead of Isekais. To the point it almost feels like this is what inspired KonoSuba. Except this isn't as fanservice heavy and does have a linear shonen plot that drives the story instead of the slice of life narrative.

I went in blind. I knew nothing of the story and my ... only frame of reference were Kentaro Miura (Berserk) and Yoshihiro Togashi (HxH) praising it. And with the first half of the first episode I honestly expected a dark Berserk like story. Never expected it to be such a great comedy.

The humor is perfectly executed. Generic explanations about magic will take place, only for characters to turn around and say, "Ugh, that's such a cliché.". And despite building a harem, he never really gets his way, ends up being rescued by his damsels when he's distressing, as well as always being humorously blocked each time he's about to consummate.

And the spots where plot takes over and serious drama of the story takes center stage, it's actually compelling. It didn't feel like it was the B story, which is the case in most of the OP MC stories these days; they "have" plots but none of it matters since those shows are only about stringing together scenes of our invincible protagonist easily winning.

And, that brings me to my next point. As overpowered and legendarily strong our self described "Handsome protagonist hero" is, he doesn't simply win easily. He has glaring weaknesses he has to navigate. That all makes the difference since it always does cast an intrigue of how he'll manage to win. That all makes the fights be entertaining.

CONS:
The only criticisms to me would be how the satirical tone wasn't fully set until episode 3 or so, so I could easily see people being annoyed with it after a couple of episodes. That, and also, it clearly didn't have the biggest of budgets or the most dedicated of directors. Also, the main girl Yoko did have a schtick that got old really quick.

Won't ramble on beyond this. It's incredibly funny. One of the most fun series I've seen in a while. And one of the most catchy opening songs I've heard in a while as well.