I've seen some anime by now, and I have to tell that they aren't a lot of series that were such a pain to watch like this one. I mean I'm not a big fan of shoujo or romance, but to be honest: it's not the point.
Story isn't bad. I like fantasy, magic, alternative worlds etc. Maybe it's not super duper complicated but I don't have too high expectations either.
Art
Well, let's say Pierrot.
But not Naruto-like, a little bit better than usually. Drawing was like you should expect from 13 years old anime. Animation in fights is so-so, scenes are colorful...
Sound
Opening and ending aren't anything special. Soundtrack? I didn't notice, nut maybe it's better.
Characters
It's the biggest vice here. Romance thread is really important here so, unfortunately, we have to cope with main character Miaka all the time. Miaka is an idiot. First she resembled me Usagi form Sailor Moon: she eats a lot, she's cute (but not pretty anyway), but she's even more hopeless and helpless. But it's not a reason to do nothing, right? So Miaka doesn't listen to anybody who ask her to wait or stay somewhere and then she tries to fight enemy alone and then she's captured and then rest of team have to rescue her. It happens over and over a-gain. Miaka is indecisive too. She love Tamahome and wants to spend all her life by his side only to realize taht their relationship is impossible and break up in the next episode. Later they make-up but not for too long. Reasons are always the same. Rest of characters isn't bad, but there's too much of Miaka and her problems in 52 episodes.
Enjoyment: it was a pain. Reason is mentioned above.
Well, my english isn't good enough to express all my feelings, negative I guess, but I think you have to watch it yourself. How you will rate it depends IMO on your gender prefrences and audience's sex.
