STORY:
This anime does not have a real story. The plot hinges entirely on one thing; "I am the protagonist and I want to get stronger", that's it. It is absolutely the most clichéd thing you could possibly imagine. However, a cliché exists because of a trend, and a trend is formed because it works. In this case we have a terribly mediocre story that serves as the backdrop for the events of the series which allow for character interactions (We'll get to that), world-building, action and comedy.
A simple meal well prepared can be very enjoyable, even if it is unimpressive. That is my best non-spoiler summary for the story.
ART:
Much has been made of the waves created by Goddess Hestia and her breast-ribbon, but I will not lie, I did not even notice it until I finished watching the series and read someone's review where they could not stop talking about it... I thought the art was serviceable , although I had a few SAO flashbacks, primarily in a couple of the supporting female characters. But these are minor qualms, the overall style and establishing shots of the city and deep levels of the dungeon are beautifully drawn with great detail and (occasionally) intense imagination.
However, as with the rest of the anime, it reaches far but only hits the mark a few times, though in my opinion these few times are enough to raise it above mediocrity. The worst one can say about the art is that it is not unique enough. It is however, memorable.
CHARACTER:
And here we reach the core of the series, there are two main characters in this anime; Goddess Hestia and Bell Cranel. They are both very stereotypical and clichéd characters to the absolute maximum. Bell Cranel is the typical shounen lead with massive sex appeal to the female characters, extreme drive to "Get stronger!" and an absolute pure heart, basically a straight arrow with no edge to him whatsoever. Goddess Hestia is the typical female lead that fawns over Bell but gets ignored.
Individually they are awful characters... but what really saves it is that they have fantastic chemistry. This is what we call an emergent property in that the result is something greater than the sum of its parts. Hestia and Bell are an adorable couple with a very believable friendship. In a world with goddesses, demons, monsters and magic, the chemistry between the two main leads grounds us in a very human element; The emotional support and mutual belief that these have for each other.
The friendly support characters include a Sword Princess (Ain Valley-naniga), a very small pseudo-furry girl and an ill-included late game addition, a blacksmith. Of these three main support characters, two are extremely poorly developed and one has a surprisingly decent arc. They do their job in that they fill the background of what is entirely Bell and Hestia's story. Nothing more nothing less.
OVERALL:
Here is where I will probably blow your mind ... but not really because you already saw the overall score. This is a great anime, it is very simple, very clichéd and predictable like you would not imagine. But as I said in the beginning, a simple meal, well prepared can be a very enjoyable experience.
The action, when it really kicks into high gear, is fantastic. The animation is fluid during the major fight sequences and the soundtrack works beautifully in conjunction with the fight choreography (Ex: The Minotaur fight). The chemistry between leads is believable and fun, the pace of the story is brisk, and the drama is kept firmly at bay throughout barring a couple of establishing scenes which are very brief.
Basically it is a light, enjoyable, short anime that knows exactly what it is. Like eating ice cream along with a couple of strawberries, it looks good, it tastes good, and although you know there is very little substance to it, you will still find it enjoyable. It is not a substitute for a full course meal but it was not trying to be. I highly recommend this, but let it be made clear that this is not a substantive anime, it is fluff, it is popcorn, it is light. That is all.
