Going into this I had pretty low expectations but I was very surprised! The quality of writing, animation, pacing and music was pretty good, and I ended up really enjoying the show.
The characters are realistic - kids act like kids and adults act like adults. It's a nice breath of fresh air after years of typical, tropey middle schoolers being more mature than adults. And there's actual, real, character growth! I was so surprised.
There's one character that has the funniest japanglish I've ever heard. All the randomly mixed in english words and overpronounced "desu"s were super funny.
The overall plot is fairly childish, but the entire show is. It fits the vibe and aesthetic very comfortably. It does take itself seriously though. You can expect serious character moments and some actual tension in the show, but the plot is less serious than even OG YuGiOh is.
The animation itself surprised me with a strong art style using bold colors and CGI for the card monsters. I'm personally not a fan of CGI but it was done fairly well here - they embrace it rather than trying to hide it. The characters are very animated though, which really helps getting attached to them.
The pacing is phenomenal. Small bits of comedy episodes sprinkled between the more serious arcs. Fights always start and end in the same episode. Something new is always happening, but never too fast.
If you're familiar with the card game this show is super solid. If not, maybe start elsewhere.
