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What is the point of producing an anime that looks like the fanart retracing of an already poor looking comic?

I was charmed by the first season's vibrant aesthetics, poetic BGM, and the arbitrary but somewhat fascinating worldbuilding, but season two made me realise how much animation quality was important for me to enjoy this series.
What we got now is something that looks like the cheapest, most generic run-of-the-mill isekai seasonal you could imagine, where (save a couple seconds in fight scenes) not even main characters deserve to have proper shadowing and detailing of their faces, and animation fluidity is something I myself could replicate using ... MS Paint.

Plot wise the time skip was also very jarring. We know the conclusion of S1 was dramatic and with lots of plot holes, but after a six-year timeskip I did not expect to bear through the shouting of an annoying new mc and a very slow plot pacing, with three episodes spent on a single uninteresting exam floor. An example of where a similar situation was instead well handled could be Oshi no Ko S2: the plot is excruciatingly slow so far, but I'm still watching and enjoying the show because production quality is through the roof, making even a super boring administrative quarrel suddenly interesting.

I did try to read the webtoon of ToG for the first chapters of S1 and S2, but got shivers at the quality of drawing. I know this series has a huge fanbase but I fail to understand how something with such immature aesthetics and meandering dialogues could become so popular. Again, a done right example of this could be Jujutsu Kaisen: I really don't get the hype and don't like how basic and messy the drawings are in the manga, but I did enjoy the anime a lot because that's a work of art of an adaptation, not just animation and production-wise, but also when it comes to make everything, from barebone scenes to cardboard characters, look and feel so much richer and sexier.

If you're going to make an anime when the source material is a full color comic and there already is a videogame adaptation, it better be something that stands out artistically in some way, otherwise what's the point in watching it?

A lot of people say the plot is gonna get good soon, but at this point I'm better off bracing myself and reading the comic because at least there won't be random cuts to the dialogues and sub scenes.

Let's start with the good.
- First ever instance of two popular western artists writing opening and ending score SPECIFICALLY for a japanese anime (and doing a damn good job at that)
- Weekly live streaming of new eps on twitter for everyone to watch FOR FREE
- Production I.G. getting the animation right when it comes to weapons and monsters

Now comes the bad.
- Slow and janky plot (5 eps to get past the entrance exam and random timeskips, like the three month period where Kafka was being a kaijuu on the run but casually managed to pass the written test he had been failing for a decade)
- ... Dull and derpy character design (don't wanna be a hater to the anime artist but why he gotta draw such goofy faces and gummy bodies, I still have ptsd from the latest seasons of Naruto Shippuden) with lifeless coloring and goofy military equipment

That said, I believe the biggest problem of this anime is the main character.
MC being a grown adult and still acting like a cringe middle schooler is frankly unwatchable. What makes the situation beyond incomprehensible is that the rich elite girl is somehow falling for him? I get it she knows he can be really strong (and she might have a thing for monsters..) but can't dude act normally in the day to day without insulting all the 30 somethings watching this? (I'm in my mid twenties but the second hand embarrassment is real).
This guy grew old with the idea that he absolutely has to be the lead superhero (and for a shallow and tropey reason imo), and now he's showing how pitiful he is at it. He only got a second chance because he randomly ingested that mutant mosquito and became OP, but he wasn't naturally strong or resilient like other shonen mcs. If there is something that he does well is monster analysis and strategy, so why not accept your expertise and cultivate it in the support backline like the computer girl? His stubbornness is not admirable, it's dumb and immature. His "heroic" deeds he can only perform with undeserved monster 'roids, while as a person he hasn't grown past eighth grade. Instead of inspiring his younger colleagues with his life experience he chooses to pass as the goofball to avoid sinking into self abatement and confidence issues. His whole character reinforces the age related insecurities the watcher might have and normalizes being a manchild as "comic relief", with the catchline "mc is in his thirties" being meaningless bait. Only thing dude thankfully hasn't done yet is being a creep with teenagers because it would have made me drop the show instantly.

All the other characters so far have stayed in the background and are quite forgettable (hair color is the main way to tell them apart). Shinomiya's character dynamic as tsundere is predictable and I'm afraid Ashiro will end up doing the same by the end of the season, falling for the MC for no reason (if she hasn't already).
The only character I do like is Hoshina. Looking like the underdog airhead but being the coolest person in the room, a good team leader and Ashiro's right hand man. Cracking manzai jokes one moment and dicing kaijuus the other. The different sides of his personality coexist harmoniously without the cringe contrast of poorly timed comedy as it happens in other parts of the show. Him teasing Kafka but then actually showing jealousy for Ashiro in episode 5 was my favourite funny scene so far.

All in all, this series had potential and good production value but it can't seem to take off and it is leaving me disappointed.

I was iffy at first because the beginning had a lot of tropes, but now I'm glad I stayed so I could enjoy this wholesome, sweet story.

Animation was unfortunately on the lower end of quality, and I'm not a fan of the typical BL manga pointy noses and rectangular languid eyes, but sometimes there were sakuga and emotional expressions were well portrayed.

In the first episodes I was borderline fighting my despise with the premise that two seemingly hetero virgins got paired up with bi/homo-open guys, because it really felt like the plot was saying: "they're such losers that no woman would ever want them, so ... they have to become gay to try and get some crumbles of love and sex”. But I'm glad that things then took a serious turn and their "unexpected" love experience was not reduced or ridiculed in the least, but explored in a sincere and respectful way.

The daily work happenings and interactions with colleagues (especially in the first part) were for the most part boring or irritating (so much it almost made me quit halfway), although I appreciated the realism of workplace challenges and demands.

Most dialogues were surprisingly intelligent and realistic, developing sides and perspectives that are completely ignored in other similar works and expressing gradual but healthy and mature perspectives in each character.

I really appreciated that despite the stormy and eager flirting of the first part, the story focused strongly on feelings more than sensuality, and sex happened naturally and only when BOTH of them were completely invested and smitten (travelling 1000 km simply bc they missed each other, like wow). Very wholesome and different from the usual rapey shit trope where the top guy forces himself on the other bc he "can't control himself" and other out of pocket bullshit.

Plot was quite slow and with lots of side "quests" and characters, although the pacing was quite confusing: one episode they would reach a significant point in their relationship, the next everything had halted for what seemed like months (?) because they were both "too busy with work". Makes you wonder if storytelling is cheesy or if it's meant to represent the actual situation of working couples in Japan (*shivers). Also the breaking of communications in both couples at ep 10 was unrealistic and clearly wanted to conjure up a "cliffhanger" vibe for the final episodes, which was kinda cheap.
I was pretty unconvinced by the Tsuge - Minato coupling at first but in the end it managed to be an interesting dynamic with depth and tenderness.

Now the best part, the thing that saved the show, was the beautifully intimate atmosphere that happened every time Adachi and Kurosawa got close to each other. The looks, body language, voice acting, suspension of music, were all done so well I would start crying (or sweating..) whenever I least expected it. And those hugs, oh my god those hugs. One could think that's a simple and vanilla display of affection, but a hug can be a most intimate gesture, making both people feel vulnerable and connected (even when they can't read each other's mind). I screenshotted the hell out of those. I'm so thankful the author portrayed the characters' feelings in such a resonating way.

Also in love with Kurosawa as a character, looking like the lead but being so sensitive and vulnerable around Adachi, who was exploring his own feelings while trying to being open and honest even in the hard moments.

The ending was very wholesome and hopefully will spread an important message about inclusion. I admire the author for portraying homosexual love as complex and layered, but most importantly, as natural and normal as any other kind of love.

People that dislike fanservice must NOT watch it lmao.
I mean, in a way it's interesting because it's like a meta commentary by the authors, saying: we deliberately don't put fanservice in the normal story but this is to show you we're very well capable of it.
The thing is, this ain't fanservice, it's straight up hentai. Meaning not only excessive but even bad looking (the anime aesthetics and animation style are objectively not really fit for that kind of visuals in my opinion).
I was flabbergasted and I'm really thankful this is separate from the series I know and love, which does feature spicy innuendos ... but in a tasteful and funny way.
The only thing I personally enjoyed about this episode was Shirogane desperately trying to remain virtuous and not admit his lowly desires like Ishigami lol.
The second part with the "Masterchef challenge" was ok but I never really laughed, probably also bc I was still jaded about the previous part.
Altogether a small, weird treat for the fans, but not worth watching.

Disappointing show that has an explosive first episode and then falls into blandness, free vulgarity and lack of direction, with mid animation and a core side character that was introduced only after 8 episodes of being plastered all over the OP.
The whole theme of overwork and burakku kaisha is probably an unintentional meta ironic remark on the state of the anime studio, which had to go on hiatus for many weeks because of delays in the production.
The final arc had an undeveloped and clicheed antagonist and some infuriatingly random poop-sex jokes, which I've come to realize are the established way to signal the writers are ... grasping at straws and contentedly gave up on trying to make a good work.
I'd say don't even watch the first episode bc it will make you want to continue and it will NOT be worth it.

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is a beautiful, well produced series, but content wise it's like a punch in your face showing everything wrong with the patriarchy.

Jinshi falls in love with MaoMao exactly bc she's the only woman that is literate, can think for herself and doesn't want to be passive with men, which makes her feel more like a man of equal status and not a pleasure toy as all the other women are.

The series knows how to grab people's hearts and does it well. I cried many times because of how heartfelt some scenes regarding maternity were (the two emperor wives losing their children even ... though they were trying their best as mothers) and the antics between the characters were entertaining and addicting.

However I couldn't help cringing every time I saw a man pay for having sex with a woman or for buying her as wife number 2 or 3. Even the most poignant female characters cannot escape their fate of being treated as high-end sexual objects, that exist only to serve and please men and whose dignity mostly lies in being able to accept the future that was decided for them without wavering to the voice of a fickle sentiment called "self agency".

It's like watching beautiful paradise birds in an aviary. You like them, you want to protect them, find them endearing, observing how each has their own personality and interesting interactions with the others is a pastime you'd never get tired of. But you never once doubt that they are your possession and you could easily move them, sell them or kill them if you had to. As MaoMao tries to tell Jinshi, it's not about whether he wants it or likes it, the fact that he as a man has overwhelming power over women's lives is something he can't deny and that will likely not ever change in their society.

Honestly I don't know why so many people seem unbothered by the poor condition of women in the story or are able to overlook it in favour of the quality of production, as this clashes quite a lot with the contemporary feminist and equality views that are trying to emerge in recent years and make the anime feel like an anachronistic backlash of conservative fantasies.

This show was overhyped because it's produced by Mappa, but apart from the normally decent animation, story is bland and characters blander. It's starts out like a documentary on medieval execution methods and continues into at least a couple disenbowelments per episode. With all this bloodshed one would expect some emotion, and yet. The beginning with Gabimaru's "mistery" and backstory was interesting but then they had to throw in all these forgettable characters. I swear all of them could die right this instant (and they do) and I wouldn't bat an eye. The only scene I liked was the wild young girl eating snakes with ... his granpa, go figure. Many times I have the feeling some scenes of the manga have been cut out or dealt with sloppily. And I haven't even read the manga. The plot is too slow, the characters are just uttering commonplace, and there's not a definite vibe that the show wants to set on or flesh out properly. Is it battle royale? nah, too plain. Is it action? Eh. Is it romance? Sure not. Is it horror? Please. Is it.. just gore? Probably.
So many elements thrown in the bucket, that in the end nothing prevails. Truly reflecting of the mc's personality, Gabimaru the Hollow.

I guess the novel series could be interesting, but I am dropping this.
Very slow plot and low quality animation. At first I thought it was peculiar to be able to count the hair strands of someone's eyebrows in certain minute-long closeups, or being flashed the cringe worthy amass of fat and wrinkles that Yuoshichi's face is. But the end of ep 3 with the dragon being just a moving splatter of white, which then gets compared with the high detail concept card was a terrible mistake, because it showed so obviously that the animation is not simple by design, but by necessity of being time ... pressed and/or having no budget.
Should have trusted my instinct and not watched an anime entirely produced by WOWOW, Japan's poor man Netflix.
A pity to let go because the seiyuu cast looks awesome (Miyano, Hosoya, Ishida, Miki, Hayami, Sakamoto..). But this is no audiobook, unfortunately.

Shinobi no Ittoki is a decent anime, undeserving of the current baseline 6 rating.
Animation is surprisingly apt and developed, music is okay and characters are not tropey. Story starts small and ends up being interesting enough.
Not once have I cringed while watching (except for the goofy OP song that does not fit with the show vibe at all). The rhythm of dialogues and events is not trite at all, but pleasantly thought out, a nice quality of original animes.
There's a conspicuous amount of drama and emotional moments, I almost shed a tear in the final.
Yet, I can't help but feel like something is lacking. Maybe ... the story would have needed more time to develop properly? Maybe the characters had to show their dark side inner thoughts more often (especially Tokisada)? Maybe the graphics could have benefited from an extra layer of detail/blur and all those aesthetic bells and whistles? I don't know. But it's like it never took off, I never felt the inner switch of getting invested in this anime. In any case, it's a nice case project for a small studio. Hopefully this is the stepping stone for something even braver.

So here’s what I think happened with this anime: they wanted to rebrand the original cg series as anime and make big bucks on Netflix. They wisely entrusted legendary Studio Shaft with this task since it has a name for quality animation and storytelling. Thing is, it didn’t work out.
It’s obvious that there were many problems down the production line (time? money?) and it’s sad to see how hard the studio that brought to life masterpieces such as Monogatari and MadoMagi is struggling with this new project.
It started nicely with some decent fight sequences and lovely character design, but the last few episodes the animation ... fell apart and there was some really bothersome CGI/missed sequences/recycled frames.
However, this was not the reason why I dropped it. I’m not in the position to judge the whole franchise because I only (partially) watched this adaptation, but even as a newcomer it was not enjoyable. Some fans lamented the cut of many scenes and exposition, but what I find unappealing is that very video-gamey feel each episode has (and i’m not even talking about that dream-world system of using coins to activate new skills).
It’s like everything is divided in clear cut ‘chapters’ and the plot just comes over without foreshadowing. The photography is also similar to a visual novel, with very static and mid range cuts that you could easily fill with a dialogue box at the bottom. Drama and possible character development is just interpreted as a new ‘mission’ to clear, and the recent Weiss arc was the expression of all the flaws I mentioned: too sudden, too long, too repetitive.
Sorry but no amount of Shaft copyrighted neck-tilting can help with this.
I kind of liked the concept but I do feel like it would work much better as an actual videogame.