How does this compare to the original?

I'm just stuck after watching ep 9, not wanting to continue. I waited for the show to be mostly over before starting it so I could binge it, but now... I'm forcing down eps begrudgingly, which isn't good at all. Which is weird, right? I watched the original many years ago, and I can remember bits and pieces of the original adaptation while watching this new "and improved" version. So... why am I so... bored? My first thought was that I'd already seen all of this, and that, by retracing my steps, my enjoyment is much lower the second time around. But... when I watch clips from the original (obviously there's bias/nostalgia helping to fuel it), I'm engaged. So it also makes me cross off the idea that I've matured to the point where watching the male fanservice avatar that is Holo engage with 'bland' Lawrence isn't good anymore...

So I started paying attention more in the last couple episodes, and I'm coming to the conclusion that, like some of the others above me have said, this version is rather soulless. As if Holo has been stripped bare of her fiery temper/playfulness, and Lawrence has lost his backbone, and IMO is almost like the self-insert for the viewer at this point instead of a proper character. I don't even really think the visuals have improved much, honestly. It's too... glossy, the lighting/shading feels off (too dark), and the character models... oh boy, the character models irk me in a way I can't properly put into words. It's like... they don't fit in with the background art properly? It's not to the degree of having CGI models with 2D environments, but... like the characters are too bright, when everything around them is so dark/dull by comparison?

I wish I could better describe my problems with the remake, but I'm no critic, and hell... it's been SO LONG since the original that it's pretty hard for me to compare with my crappy memory. But that's pretty much where I stand. Not that this remake is 'bad' per say... and hopefully, as it goes on (because hopefully they full adapt the LN this time), maybe I'll grow to prefer it. I do remember thinking S2 of the original was pretty lackluster, so... maybe it'll rebound. I'm hoping it does.

Edit: I made it sound like I'm going to drop it, but I'm in for the long haul. I've watched much worse, even just looking at this season alone lol. Will probably get through it during the transitional period into the Fall 2024 season.

@Andrewapps You have some examples of scenes that are not as good as the OG?

Too much anime, too little time. Don't want waste time watching a remake of something I watched nearly 2 decades ago which is worse.