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Story
At first I enjoyed how laid back the show was. It was the first marketing vehicle anime I'd watched where card games didn't decide the fate of the world. Then that changed when the series antagonist shows up. The show doesn't suffer tremendously, even weaving in a "believe in your own power" theme, but I still want a slice of life card game anime one day.

Art
Considering how recent this show is, the art quality rather lacking. The character designs are interesting, but the animation seems rather low budget. But since the show's still airing, I suppose they had to cut corners somewhere.

Sound
The music really did ... its job in setting the mood. The orchestral music made the towering dragons and knights seem like legendary titans. There was also some awesome guitar music when things got exciting.

Characters
This show has a wide variety of character types, from the blundering Morikawa and hot blooded Kamui, to Kai and Ren who feel like they're from Final Fantasy. With such a diverse cast, you should easily be able to find a favorite. Something to be noted, however, is the abundance of Yaoi fodder between two of the main characters. Not that this is a problem, but if you thought yugioh was homoerotic, this show's ten times more.

Enjoyment/Overall
I found Cardfight Vanguard to be quite entertaining. It brought back fond memories of my days as a yugioh player. If you also want a rush of childhood nostalgia, or are just looking for a new TCG to play, then this is the anime for you.

With anime about otaku culture, you usually see one of two extremes. The most popular being super moe girls doing otaku things in an attempt to relate to or charm the audience(ex. lucky star, nogizaka haruka, etc). The second one, which I've encountered much less, examines the darker parts of the culture(ex. Welcome to the NHK).
Genshiken falls right in the middle. The characters accurately portray many different types of fans, from the calm quiet fans to the hyperactive annoying ones. Given it's age, the art is somewhat lacking by today's standards, but it only improves in future seasons. The soundtrack never stands ... out, but that's intentional. They try to be realistic by only using background noises heard irl, and the occasional mood setting tune. In summation, if you want a realistic portrayal of the otaku life, this show is for you.

simply unwatchable. characters are unlikeable hypocrites. Soundtrack was forgetable. Art wasn't too bad for the time but looks dreadful today. and story is bland, frustrating, and downright annoying. Only watch if you wish to torture yourself.