Slow Start

TL:DR Review: Slow Start begins as a very plain show, but overcomes enough of that plainness to be cute, relaxing, and enjoyable for fans of the "cute girls doing cute things" genre. In the absence of stylistic and conceptual uniqueness, the final product can still be worthwhile if executed well enough to cover those deficits. 6/10, above average, would watch more.

"Slow Start" is indeed an apt name for this series as it appears unremarkable at first glance. However, after an episode or two, this show was able to overcome its plainness and I started to genuinely enjoy it. My recommendation for Slow Start is simple: ... are you a fan of cute girls doing cute things in a slice-of-life setting? If so, you and other fans of the genre are likely to enjoy this show. It won't blow you away or be an amazing experience, but it's definitely an enjoyable, worthwhile watch. If you're not a fan of this genre or are looking to get into it for the first time, skip this show (at least for now). And if you are looking to get into this genre for the first time, I recommend Is the Order a Rabbit, K-On, or New Game.

Story: 5/10 (average) and Characters: 6.5/10 (good)
As is typical for slice-of-life shows, the "story" consists of the characters' interactions and not much else. Part of the plot consists of the main character being insecure about the fact that she had a gap year between middle and high school and the fact that she is shy about telling her friends about it (and just shy in general). Though not a gripping narrative, this does lead to a few heartwarming moments and the characters at least develop in a basic manner. The characters seem very generic at first glance, like they were copy-pasted from dozens of other shows encompassing the same tropes, but they do gradually come into their own and I found myself beginning to like them as individuals after 2 or 3 episodes.

Animation: 7.5/10 (great)
The animation receives a strong 7 from me. This show is very pretty and cute to look at and the animation is very smooth and pleasing to the eyes. However, it lacks attention to detail and a unique style. Part of this can be blamed on the fact that the school setting of Slow Start is very generic. One of the more underappreciated reasons that the success and quality of shows like Yuru Camp and Is the Order a Rabbit can be attributed to is the strength and style of their settings and background art. This is one of Slow Start's more lacking areas, but the animation quality is one of its strong suits.

Sound: 5/10 (average)
Unremarkable, but there's nothing bad about it and it suits the show. I don't have much more to say about it, it blends in with dozens of other similar shows.

Enjoyment: 7/10 (very good)
I've used the words "plain" and "unremarkable" several times in this review, but don't let that fool you into thinking Slow Start is a bad show. On the contrary, this series took a very average set-up and made it into an enjoyable experience due to its above average execution. While I was slightly bored and a bit spaced out on rare occasions, watching Slow Start was a fun and relaxing experience with plenty of cute moments and an occasional laugh to be had.

Overall: 6/10 (good)
Slow Start isn't an amazing show or one of my favorites and I can see why it got lost in a crowd of similar shows that all use the same set-up. Stylistically, it blends into the pool of generic shows almost perfectly. But upon actually viewing it, I came to the conclusion that it was a cut above all the truly plain slice-of-life shows. Because Slow Start's concept, though not very original, is well-executed, I found myself enjoying the characters' everyday lives and interactions and watching their friendships grow. Thus, my final score will be a good 6/10 for a show I wouldn't mind seeing more of.

Recommended with a big asterisk.

Bottom line: if you like CGDCT, yuri, and ecchi, then you will enjoy Slow Start. It is a PG-13 teaser, with enjoyable fan service and lots of yuri flirtations between the characters, especially so between Eiko and her teacher. But there is no nudity, nothing explicit, just a lot of joking and CGDCT.

The plot is minimal. The anime writers and producers let us down, suggesting a number of story lines that just fizzled out before they could get interesting. The art style is sort of classic for CGDCT, and may not be everyone's cup of tea.

I may ... find myself watching bits of this again someday. Sometimes you just need a little yuri CGDCT to get through the week.

6/10

This is anime is hollow, soulless moeshit, and I like some moeshit. This is certainly not one of them. None of the characters are endearing. There was light fan service less than thirty seconds in. The character interaction and plot progression is janky and off-tempo. The voice acting is generic and dull. The art direction is washed-out and mundane. It was a struggle to even finish the first episode, which I did. The general feel of the show is as if Yuru Yuri overdosed on ketamine. If the genre of anime were soda it would be flat La Croix. Do yourself a favor and immediately ... cease any consideration of picking this up.

I just watched this anime from Ani-One Asia last week.  At first, I was worried that this anime would be in an all-female genre with unique characters.  At first, when I first got to know this anime around 2020, I found this anime on LINE TV. When I watched episode 9, there were a few nude scenes.  Until now, I have seriously watched all 12 episodes. In my opinion, these 12 episodes give me a very satisfying feeling.  And each character can be a good indicator of the future.  But except for Hana-chan, she was delayed by 1 year in school because she had mumps.  ... Had to stop taking exams for 1 year, but for me I didn't think much of it.  It's just an anime that makes me feel like I'm really happy with it.  No matter how much, it's still fun.  As for the other characters  The protagonist Hana-chan is naturally shy or suspicious in anime.  Because other things are like this as well.  Shion-chan is a relative of Hana-chan's parents.  who is a dedicated caregiver  And it's a character that is considered one of the selling points.  Tama-chan who is always cheerful and Kamu-chan who is a bit shy.  But how?  Even though Hana-chan is a little slow in studying.  My friends in the room still like and love Hana-chan.  There are no blind spots or conflicts at all.  It's an anime that I feel very comfortable watching.  If compared to negative reviews  For me, compared to Stardust Telepath, I was really disappointed with Raimon's side as she was stubborn and aggressive.  So I can't continue watching.  I was seriously disappointed in Stardust Telepath, but overall Slow Start was the best for me, but not necessarily for everyone.  Unfortunately, this anime's score dropped to 7.0 in 2018. It's still at 7.13, but it's not classified as being that bad or terrible.  But it's just an anime that many people overlook, especially the Kirara style in many stories. Overall,  I give this anime a full 10/10. Anyone who criticizes it as bad, I don't care. I don't care.  I really like this anime.