Story (7): The overall concept of the story is definitely a unique one; a world where disputes are settled with games, and a couple gamers are set on challenging the god of said world. While there are some similarities to other game-centric plots, including the numerous shows where the cast is stuck in a video game, the open-ended "rules" of this world allow for a diverse set of scenarios and experiences that the writers take advantage of. That said, the plot is constantly reminding it's audience that it is supposed to be a "smart anime," where everything that happens is because of intricate plans and plots. However, when these plans are finally revealed after their fruition, and sometimes during the games, I commonly felt like the writers were pulling Deus ex's from their hat and then acting like the characters knew these things would happen all along.
Art (8): As you will find in most reviews, the art in this show is very much above average; the light and unique color pallet along with the fluid animation makes sure that your eyes are never bored. While the character design might not be everyone's cup of tea, I found the art in No Game No Life a pleasure to experience.
Sound (7): The overall track lends itself well to the show and it's tone, and while there were no memorable, stand-out pieces, I didn't find myself distracted or annoyed by the sound at any point. The overall Japanese dub is very good as well, with the voices fitting well with their respective characters.
Character (5): For the sake of being blunt, I believe the characters are the weakest point of the show. Starting with Sora, it kept nagging at the back of my mind that this guy is supposed to be some kind of super-NEET, but is commonly shown to be extremely charismatic and able to read and manipulate people face-to-face with no troubles. Sure he has his weird quirks, but I just feel too much of a contradiction between his back-story and how he acts during the show. Going on with Shiro, I only have one major complaint with this character but it's a big one; this eleven year old girl is one of the major sources of fan-service in the show. I'm not about to argue with people's taste in fan-service, but this isn't about to cut it with me. Otherwise Shiro is a bit more of a believable, if not somewhat dull, character. Lastly is Stephanie; in summary she is basically boiled down to the show's idiotic whipping-girl who occasionally shows a bit of actual character. One last complaint I have is that the show very much tends to exaggerate reactions for comedic purposes, such as Stephanie constantly banging her head or Sora's unrivaled perverted tendancies; in my opinion these could be turned down some as they start to become grating after a while. While I've pretty much only listed negatives for the characters, I'll admit that they are still fairly fun to watch, and are somewhat relateable to a good portion of the audience.
Enjoyment (7): Overall I did very much enjoy watching No Game No Life. Even with the deus ex abundance I found the actual games played to be very entertaining, and often found myself eagerly awaiting the next game. The show is a pleasure to the eyes, and even with their flaws I found the characters themselves somewhat charming. One thing I have yet to note is that the show very much alternates between a "smart" think-it-through anime, and a turn-your-brain-off-and-enjoy anime. I can see how this may upset some, but I found little problem with it myself.
Overall (7): While no masterpiece, I will say it is probably one of the better anime of the season. If the premise appeals to you, I very much recommend to watch the first few episodes to see if it to your liking.
