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Shoushimin is pretty much in the same vein as Hyouka, so if you liked that series, you'll probably like this. Shoushimin is subtle in how it handles its characters and scenarios. Rather than having a major overarching driving plot that's obvious from the beginning, it takes an approach where each seemingly-disconnected mystery pushes things forward a little bit, telling us more about the characters, their circumstances, backstory, and where they're going from here. Hyouka does this too. What Shoushimin offers on the surface even if you're not really invested yet, is great sound, breathtaking cinematic visuals, and a relaxing pace that invites the viewer to ... be present in the moment and take it all in. Already, though, it's clear that there's more beneath the surface than what first appears, especially with regards to the main characters.

The biggest downside for me is that the main cast is much smaller, focusing almost entirely on the two main characters with very little development for the others so far, though that may change with time. The writing can also come off as a bit convoluted and heavy-handed sometimes, but in general I think it's alright.

So honestly, it makes no sense to me that this is getting so much hate. It's slow, yes, and I'd expect that the average anime viewer probably wouldn't be into this, it's just inherently a style that's not for everyone. But Hyouka was slow too, and took a good few episodes to feel like it was going anywhere meaningful, and Hyouka fans seem to be acting like this is somehow different. I'll join the other Shoushimin believers in saying give it time, currently we're only 5 episodes in and IMO it took around that long for Hyouka to click too. And I wouldn't be concerned about the fact that it's only 10 episodes, it adapts two novels so the pace is basically the same as Hyouka, and if it catches on, I imagine there's a chance the rest will be adapted in the future.

*This review contains spoilers but they are clearly marked*

I seemed have a different impression of this series than a lot of people who watched it, and for me, Assault Lily is easily one of the most underrated works of the season. I regularly hear people say things like "it's mostly fanservice, don't expect much from the story" but I disagree. To me, the story is what ultimately carried the series for me and pushed it to be one of my favorites of the season. In fact, because of the backloading of a lot of the central plot elements and the slow-burning build, it's a series ... that I want to rewatch soon to catch any details I missed. There's lots of meat to the lore and room for speculation, and despite the sheer amount of details thrown at the viewer at times, I didn't feel like any of it was inconsistent or too hard to follow.

That said, I think this series needs to be approached with a certain mindset. While it was marketed mostly as an action series, it's more like 50/50 action and slice of life. This is something I haven't often found elsewhere and part of what I really like about Assault Lily. And at the core, it is quite different from many of the styles it seems to resemble. While the pacing of the slice of life sections is slower, they are still used to develop the main characters and their relationships which are ultimately central to the plot. So if you go into it expecting a lot of momentum, you'll be disappointed until the later episodes (as many people were during broadcast). It's worth noting that many former Kyoto Animation staff worked on Assault Lily, which can be felt throughout, and in terms of the tone, this series actually reminded me a lot more of something like Hibike! Euphonium than any magical girl or shounen work.

Assault Lily is about the importance of close personal bonds through good and bad, and it does a great job of showing the characters both in their normal everyday lives, and when everything starts to collapse. The cast is quite large and many don't get much direct development, but they still have plenty of personality which is showcased passively through more subtle situations. If there's a second season I think they'll be able to do great things with everything set up so far.

Now into the aspect of the story that I loved most. (*SPOILER WARNING FOR THIS PARAGRAPH!*): Riri and Yuyu's bond, and Yuyu's process in overcoming her fear, grief, and self-hatred after the loss of her former schutzengel. Assault Lily deals with topics such as the ethics of putting the lilies in a situation where they have to put themselves in danger to protect the world, and if their battles are really worth fighting for. This includes the external battle against the HUGE as well as their personal internal battles. And in particular, just because the world is crumbling outside doesn't mean one's personal issues just go away, and sometimes they coincide at the worst possible times. The culmination of this is some of Shaft's signature surrealism that isn't present in most of the rest of the series, used to great effect, in a finale that gave me chills. And this wouldn't have nearly the effect it does if not for the slower pacing taken earlier on to give a stark contrast. The way the story is handled also seems to take cues from some surprising places. A couple of my favorite moments become heavily surreal and metaphorical in a way which reminds me a lot of Ikuhara's work, of all things, in a way that feels deep and heartfelt.

Something else which needs mentioning is the art and music. Both are top notch and deeply atmospheric. The art tends to be less experimental than much of what Shaft is known for, though it still has nods to their "signature" such as a head tilt here and there and some nice sakuga. I also mentioned briefly that former KyoAni staff worked on this, and this is especially apparent in the art. The soundtrack was composed by Matsuda Akito who composed for Hibike! Euphonium, and the music perfectly accents every change in tone. I'd say even for those who won't get into the story, Assault Lily is still an enjoyable watch for this aspect.

In terms of shortcomings, the biggest one for me is the large cast which ideally would've gotten some more individual development. Also, there is quite a bit of fanservice and while it's not as overt as some series, it can still be a bit on the excessive side for my taste.

TL;DR: Assault Lily is a must-see for those who love both Kyoto Animation and Shaft. Otherwise, it's nice if you want a balance of slice of life and action, or if you want something cozy and mostly easy to watch. I recommend going into it without any particular expectations.