With the story wanting to get rid of the alien orphaned anime boys powered by a magical space rock, it retcons all of that and sets up to go down the route of seperating everyone to raise up Japan's skill level as a whole rather than assembling a ragtag team of really good players.
Initially, this could come off as an interesting idea, the possibilities that can be born out of implanting an already established character into a completely new circle and using them as springboards to build the new ones that can be just as memorable, but if we go off the one ones introduced in this special alone, that isn't really a reassuring thing.
The Barcelona Orbs were pretty underwhelming as antagonists, comparing them to other world class teams like the ones from Inazuma Eleven's 3rd arc, none of them came off as charismatic or likable, it's hard to imagine they'll amount to anything much other than buff bad guys who look down on the weak japs, if only they hinted at some kind of nuance like they did with Ogre Academy, it would make this episode feel like so much better of a set-up, a team to look forward to seeing even possibly 50 episodes down the line.
The animation for the series has never been one of its high points, but it has always nailed the way the special attacks look, the level of effects animation and weight behind the motion is undeniably one of the biggest appeals to the franchise, sadly, seeing how it has changed them is upsetting. Other than the Fire Tornado looking fine, old moves like The Wall and Majin the Hand feel like they've degraded, especially the latter: what was a move where Endou summons this vividly drawn muscular demon by putting his hand on his heart has been changed to a move where he can just conjure up this vaguely shaped blue and yellow figure that barely moves.
I still have hopes for the series and where it wants to go, but honestly, it has yet to convince me that it'll turn out good.
