Unlike the majority of anime that I have seen so far, I loved Fairy Tail from the first episode. The pace of the anime, although slowing down somewhat later on, for me seemed to be a perfect contrast to the majority of anime I currently watch. The slow trickle of information on a week-by-week basis on other shows (I'm looking at you Bleach) leads to fatigue if trying to catch up and may seem to drag on for those watching weekly. Fairy Tail throws all of that out the window and has the perfect pace.
There are quite a few characters in the anime, and going on the manga the author has spent time delving into at least a few of the characters pasts thus far. This character designs are well drawn and animated, and the voices are great. The actual story arcs are enjoyable and again going back to the pacing, not tremendously long.
The chemistry between the characters is another aspect that is very enjoyable, there is a lot of comedy but also some tragic pasts and emotional moments which lead to great understanding between guild members who consider each other as family.
Although there are only 48 episodes out at the time of writing, I can safely say that I will continue watching this anime for a long time to come, and long may it remain. As for who I'd recommend it to, to me a major draw of this anime is its universal appeal and I'd definitely recommend it to anybody looking for a new anime to watch, especially those seeking a break from the arduous wait endured with other manga/anime.
