Pretty much what I expected, a nice, school oriented, slice of life series. I construe XEBEC M2 to be the elite animation group of XEBEC, and they didn't let me down with the artwork.

Being the first episode, the story introduces the characters and sets up the overall plotline. Surely, the drama club or theater scenario has been overused for the past year (Strawberry Panic, Tsuyokiss, Otoboku, Tokimemo, School Rumble, etc.), and the premise for this series is about drama. However, it seems like the plot will evolve around Mugi's dealing and overcoming her fear of speaking in public, in which I look forward to seeing character development.

I had the impression Nono (wonderful job by Kawasumi Ayako as usual) seems interested in Mugi not only for her acting potential. Wonder if there'll be forthcoming yuri aspects. Kimoto Orie does a good job voicing Mugi, especially since I didn't like her voice in Pretty Cure Splash Star.

There's nothing pretentious about this title, a laid-back, atmospheric anime you'd want to watch just to enjoy and relax. Coming from the staff who did Petopeto-san, I'm sure they'll deliver just that.

I had that same feeling, but this doesn't seem like that type of series (I could be very wrong). Like you, I also felt that this was a nice laid-back show, but parts of it bordered on boring to me. So despite Kawasumi Ayako being in this, I don't think that this is my cup of tea.

It's definitely my cup of tea. I watched the first ep twice, it felt so good. Uneven voice-acting, but some of it just outstanding. Kawasumi Ayako was just, wow, and Kimoto Orie (Mugi) was emotional and believable. I thought the producers chose voices that stood out from each other. I liked Narita Ken (the club member guy) and Kishio Daisuke (the classmate guy).

And the music worked to intensify the emotion in the right ways. As did the direction. He paced things and moved the camera, etc., in ways that really worked for me. I think he has a knack for putting silences and pauses in the right place. And I loved both the OP and the ED, especially for the extremely skilful voices.

Some really nice visual touches, like when Mugi's finger rises when she's sitting on the steps with her friend. And the way Nono cups Mugi's chin and brushes aside her hair. And the sakura trees were good.

Sasuga the staff of Petopeto-san. I think they have the feeling for these delicate human emotions. Now if they can only make the story carry on at a high level past halfway, as that show didn't. Maybe the manga to work from will help.

I've just skimmed the 2channel thread, and many posters do not like it. More than one asks to be told what's good about it. One person said it seemed rushed. Another person says: "This isn't anime." 2channel does not do gentle feelings and lack of fanservice. The "fanservice" here resembles Marimite: socks, shoes, and flapping skirts that show four inches above the knee.

麻井麦（Asai Mugi）（VA: Kimoto Orie）
この物語の主人公。熊鷹芸術学院の新入生（序幕では水橋中学3年）。極度のあがり症で緊張すると声が出なく なるが、野乃らに強引に演劇研究会に入部させられてしまった。少々ネガティブだが、演劇を通じてだんだん変 わってきた。ちとせからは麦チョコと呼ばれている。
The main character. New student in Kumataka arts academy (in the prologue she's a third year student in Mizuhashi middle school). When she becomes nervous from her extreme stage fright, her voice won't come out. Forced to join the Drama Research Society by Nono and the others. While she is quite negative about it at first, due to the influence of drama, she gradually changed. Chitose calls her 'Mugi Choco'.

一ノ瀬野乃（Ichinose Nono）（VA: Kawasumi Ayako）
演劇研究会代表。熊鷹芸術学院3年。元々は演劇部に所属していたが声帯麻痺で声が出なくなってしまった際、 美麗から演劇を辞めるように説得された。結局演劇部は辞めてしまったが諦めきれず演劇研究会を 作った。
Drama research society representative. Kumataka arts academy third year. Originally in the drama club, but when paralysis of her vocal cords rendered her mute, Mirei convinced her give up acting in plays. In the end, she resigned from the drama club, but didn't give up, and made the drama research society.

桂木たかし（Katsuragi Takashi）（VA: Narita Ken）
演劇研究会メンバー。3年生。元演劇部員だったが、野乃に誘われて演劇研究会に入る。野乃に研究会を作って みればと提案した。
Member of the drama research society. Third year student. Originally a member of the drama club, but was invited by Nono to help build the drama research society.

西田理咲（Nishida Risaki）（VA: Hikami Kyouko）
演劇研究会メンバー。3年生。野乃や桂木と同じく元演劇部員。美麗とケンカをしたのをきっかけに研究会に入 った。西田甲斐の姉。
Drama research society member. Third year student. Originally a drama club member, like Nono and Katsuragi. Joined the drama research society due to fighting with Mirei. Nishida Kai's older sister.

遠山佳代（Tooyama Kayo）（VA: Miyagawa Miho）
麦の中学時代からの親友。麦の付き合いで演劇研究会の手伝いもすることがある。写真部（カメラ部）に所属し ている。1年の終わりに留学することを決意する。
Mugi's best friend from middle school. Due to her relationship with Mugi, she often helps out at the drama research society. A member of the photography club. After her first year, she decides to study abroad.

西田甲斐（Nishida Kai）（VA: Kishio Daisuke）
西田理咲の弟。麦と佳代のクラスメイト。姉に強制的に演劇研究会へ入部させられた。麦の事が気になっている 。ダーツや金魚すくいといった屋台遊戯が得意。
Nishida Risaki's younger brother. Mugi and Kayo's classmate. Forced to join the drama research society by his sister. Good at carnival games like darts or goldfish scooping.

榊美麗（Sakaki Mirei）（VS: Yukino Satsuki）
熊鷹芸術学院演劇部部長。3年生。野乃とは犬猿の仲だが、実は野乃の病気や演劇研究会の事を心 配している。
President of the Kumataka arts academy drama club. Third year student. Appears to get along with Nono poorly, but in actuality is worried about Nono's illness and drama research society.

神奈ちとせ（Kanna Chitose）（VA: Yabusaki Emi）
演劇部部員。1年生。演劇部に所属しているが、研究会の方にもちょくちょく顔を出している。麦とは仲が良く 、桂木に好意をよせている。麦に体操服を貸して以来、麦のクラスメイトからはオリジナル、佳代・甲斐からは オリナルと呼ばれるようになった。
Member of the drama club. First year student. Although she's part of the drama club, she shows up over at the drama research society often. Good friends with Mugi, and gets along with Katsuragi. Ever since she lent a gym uniform to Mugi, Mugi's classmates have called her "Original", and Kayo and Kai call her "Orinal".

玉城春子（Tamaki Haruko）（VA: Ueda Kana）
演劇部部員。2年生。通称たまちゃん。平凡が個性と言い切り、漢らしいところがある。さちえちゃんと仲が良 い。噂好き。美麗が引退した後、演劇部の部長になる。
Drama club member. Second year student. People call her "Tama-chan". She says being normal itself is a personality, and has her masculine traits. Good friends with Sachie-chan. Likes spreading rumors. After Mirei retired, she became the club president.

綾瀬幸枝（Ayase Sachie）（VA: Tsunematsu Ayumi）
演劇部部員。2年生。通称さちえちゃん。ちとせから頭弱そうなところが良いと言われた。たまちゃんと仲が良 い。噂好き。美麗が引退した後、演劇部の副部長になる。

Drama club member. Second year student. People call her "Sachie-chan". Chitose says she likes Sachie's slow points. Good friends with Tama-chan. Likes spreading rumors. After Mirei retired, became the Drama club's vice-president.

木野信二（Kino Shinji）
演劇部部員。1年生。脚本担当。ちとせにチビメガネと言われた。
Drama club member. First year student. In charge of script writing. Chitose calls her "Chibi Megane".

川崎響（Kawasaki Hibiki）
演劇部部員。1年生。音響チーフ。あまり表情を面に出さない。
Drama club member. First year student. In charge of sound. Doesn't show much facial expressions

山口実（Yamaguchi Minoru）
演劇部部員。2年生。照明チーフ。
Drama club member. Second year student. Lighting chief.

和久井貞冶（Wakui Sadaji）（VA: Doman Jin）
演劇部部員。2年生。舞台監督。
Drama club member. Second year student. Stage director.

My unpopular opinion here is that this show isn't very good. Narratively, the keystone in the episode is when Mugi shouts at the beginning. Without her noisemaking, the others in the drama club wouldn't have taken notice and wouldn't seek to recruit her.

Kimoto, who did a fine job as the effervescent Cure Egret, doesn't create a vital connection between that voice and the virtual mute that replaces Mugi for all other parts of the episode. This dichotomy, I feel, makes it hard to believe they could see something in Mugi and puts focus on the actor. Perhaps a better seiyuu could have made it seem like those were two sides of the same person, but that's not the case here.

Let me give an example if I'm not making this easily understood. If Homer Simpson's voice actor were to suddenly take on an entirely different voice in a scene, the viewer wouldn't buy it. It would sound like simple overacting on the part of the actor, because there has to be some quality left in the performance that recalls the Homer the audience knows from past viewings. In the same way, Kimoto didn't create that relationship between the "ATTA!" and the "...aa sumi...gomenasai"

By itself, that wouldn't be damming to a show, but the equally subdued palette and storytelling leave little to hook a viewer in this first episode. To the show's credit, it does set up possible development that could be interesting but just isn't yet.

But the contrast between the shout and the rest of the show did trip me up at first. I didn't blame the VA, though. I thought the storyboarding was the problem -- if it really was a problem. I mean, the whole point is that the shout voice and her normal voice are quite different.

It started with the self-introduction. Then she was run into in the hall. The mask images were not used. There there is the drawing class scene, but she does not go to the storeroom. Then came the scene in the classroom where she was trapped into signing up. The scene of the shout is a flashback in a later chapter, and the scene with the dress in the storeroom appears to have been an invention of the anime writers. Some of the things in bdonlan's spoiler crop up in the first few chapters of the manga. But I feel that the anime actually seems to improve on the manga, at least for me so far. Anyway, I'm hooked.