Many of the reviews I see here are talking about how this show is "difficult to watch" as if it is a chore. My advice is to just not think too hard about the deeper meanings and simply enjoy the cute characters, art, and story. After you become interested in the show, you can always watch it again in order to analyze it.
I decided to watch this show based on the art I had seen...and I was not disappointed because the art used in the show is very good and appealing to the eye. The outfits and character design are very cute as well.
The school uniforms struck me especially because they are very unique. In Japan hats are not often part of the school uniform, and if they are it is only in elementary school. However this school uniform meant for high school kids had included a very cute hat...it's not that important but it is something that stood out to me.
Anyway...I am the type of person who enjoys shows about "cute girls doing cute things" but these shows often have fan service which frankly creeps me out since these girls are almost always under eighteen. Although in this show there were many scenes in which the girls were naked, they did not appear to be meant for fan service. There were only a few times in which it was invasive fan service, such as during the opening and during the bears' transformation scenes. However I feel that they were small enough events that I can excuse them. I know this may seem nitpicking but I can't help but pay attention to these things... Even though the under-age girls are fictional, I still feel creeped out when there is fan service of them. (If you know any shows that have girl characters and no fan service please tell me... I have only found a few like this. Examples are The Rolling Girls and K-ON)
I enjoyed the soundtrack. I liked the softness of the vocals and the lyrics of the opening and ending song were very meaningful.
I give it a ten overall because the good art, the cute characters, the soundtrack, and the story were all very enjoyable to me. I have only seen a few shows in which a lesbian couple was not a joke and also was not clearly made just for fan service. As someone who is part of the LGBT+ community it is very important to me that a show like Yuri Kuma Arashi was made, a show in which people like me are not just a joke in the background or something to be fetishized.
