Is that fair? Well, in some ways it is, and in some ways it is not.
I believe that a show should be able to draw you in during the first few episodes, preferably already during the first. Sadly, the first few episodes of Grimgar were sorely lacking. I think it is therefore a valid reason to drop a show if it does not hold your interest. After all, there are hundreds of other things you could be watching instead. The only thing that could carry you through the first four episodes is the premise. It is quite interesting to see how a low-level party tries to make it through the day and has trouble with even the most basic of enemies.
The first few episodes really hurt the show, because the show's second half (episode 5 and onwards) is significantly better than the first. Yet it does not do enough to really stand out.
The first problem is the giant group of main characters the show introduces. A whopping six idiots all fighting for screen time. This leads all of them feeling underdeveloped; everyone gets one personality trait. Shy girl with big boobs, dopey girl with small boobs, giant but kind dude, bland main character guy, kind and intelligent party leader, and of course, the dick.
The asshole of the group, Ranta, suffers the most. His dialogue should sell us on his friction with the rest of the group, but it just comes off as ham-fisted. An example of this is in episode one, when he criticizes Yume for having small boobs. The writers do anything to make you believe that he does not fit in the group. It is sad that they had to resort to lines like the one above, because in later episodes, we see that his dialogue is not always that bad. I will not spoil these lines, I will just say that some conversations are genuinely interesting. However. this makes the bad lines stand out even more.
And that is just the problem I have with the show: every upside has a downside. I will list some of them here. You can then judge for yourself if the virtues of the show are enough to offset its problems, or vice versa.
1. Yes, the environment looks gorgeous. Every frame is its own little painting. The characters, however, do not gel well with the aesthetic of the background, which is jarring. Fight scenes are not animated well either, which is point 2.
2. Our inexperienced party starts out without any coordination, and the chaotic fight scenes are possibly meant to convey that. But that does not make them enjoyable to watch, and I can tell you that the fight scenes do not get any better as the party becomes more coordinated.
3. If you got through the first four episodes, the show will focus more on the individuals of the party, and how they struggle with loss, their roles in the party, and clashing personalities. The biggest struggles are seen from the main character's point of view and are genuinely interesting problems. But the show leaves nothing to the imagination: everything has to be blatantly told. Focus on communication between the characters in the party makes bad dialogue lines stand out even more.
4. The party spends most of their time in the starting area of the world. That means that you will be looking at the same goblins for quite a long time. And after twelve episodes, we have only been introduced to two different monsters, whose designs become stale and boring to look at.
5. The pacing of the whole show is slow, yes, but it is kind of comfortable to watch. It also ensures that it has enough time to develop the whole party. If you do not care for any of the characters, however, it becomes a slog.
6. It is refreshing to see that both the male and female characters look, for the lack of a better term, sexy. The guys are all muscular and have a body that fits their role in the party. The girls' character designs are nice as well, but most of the fan service is still from the male perspective and focused on the female characters.
In conclusion, the show's premise has to carry you through the first four episodes. After that, it will focus on the characters and their struggles. If you made it past ep 4 and you find the characters somewhat interesting, stick around, maybe you'll have a good time. If not, just drop it. You will not miss out on the next masterpiece.
