The characters are pretty much stereotyped from the more popular series that we have all watched and (at one point) loved. For example, Natsu, the protagonist, reminds me strongly of Luffy from One Piece. There is also a reasonable amount of fan service, but not as much as I've seen from other anime this season. The concept of Magicians' Guilds also reminds me of the Ninja Village concept of Naruto. Overall, at first sight, the anime appears to be another typical shounen anime, with lots of fighting and a little comedy mixed in.
That said, I would still recommend this anime for the following reasons:
1) There are a few good twists to the story which keep the viewers hooked and waiting for more. Can't say anything more here, don't want to spoil it for you guys. ;D
2) Finally, an anime that gets the level of fan service just right. Fairy Tail provides a good amount of fan service, without wholly relying on it. (like Seikon no Qwaser, for example)
3) Good storyline: I haven't read the manga, but from the 32 episodes I have seen so far, I'd say that fairy tail has a decent storyline, and well worth 24 minutes of your time each week.
Well, that's all for my first anime review ever. Now, time to go see if the raw for Fairy Tail episode 33 is out yet.
Adios,
Tobikage
