Sports anime are usually a bit over-the-top and rely on internal conflicts of the protagonist, but here this was taken in a particularly weird and annoying direction. Most major characters in the show, including the protagonist Ayano, act in an erratic, exaggerated manner that makes them simply unlikeable. Ayano's mother especially is an unbelievable piece of **** and while her actions were vaguely explained, none of the drama she causes is really believable or adds anything interesting, she's simply a horrible person dragging others down with her. Everything ends with a great confrontation between two deeply unreasonable individuals without anyone to really root for and a pretty anticlimactic resolution.
Other than that, the series is solidly produced - it looks and sounds very good and while I only had a very brief adventure with badminton myself, everything definitely felt right with how the matches were portrayed. If someone enjoys the tension and detailed animation of sports anime, they should be satisfied with this one. Much of it is drama though and I've found basically all of it rather questionable.
While the beginning of the season was interesting, for me the show proved ultimately unsatisfying and I recommend it only if you're seriously into its theme or the kind of visual spectacle it offers.
