The sleeper hit of the season, and hopefully it will gain the attention and recognition it deserves as the season continues. The moe-blob, cute-girls-doing-cute-things genre has shifted over time and perhaps it's not as popular as it once was. But Mono is the first show in a long time that feels like a throwback to the late 2000s/early 2010s KyoAni moe blob takeover. If you still carry a torch for K-On and Nichijou, you should be watching Mono.
Animation: Bright, expressive. Punchlines are accentuated by characters going off-model in creative ways. Environments are vibrant in ways reminiscent of KyoAni shows. This is a lovely show to look at.
Characters: The cast we have been introduced to are cute, but full of personality and spirit--with moments of heart that leaves me with a lot of hope that this show will develop its cast in meaningful, emotional ways, though I seriously doubt the show has any plans for serious drama. There are plenty of boring casts in the SOL genre, but so far, I really like these characters, particularly Kiriyama (voiced by Aoi Koga, the VA for Kaguya-sama).
Sound: The OP/ED are lovely and standouts for the season.
Mono is funny, enhanced by expressive animation and voice acting. There's less focus on school and more on exploring this peaceful world while finding creative ways to take pictures. If you've been a fan of older Kyoto Animation works, Do It Yourself!!, or Yuru Camp, this is the perfect show to be watching this season.
