This was an entertaining first episode.
What I liked:
1. The characters. The characters are all likable to me, so far at least. Even the antagonists are amusing and charming in a way.
2. The fact that Shinku eagerly throws himself into competition. That's a refreshing change.
3. The relationship between Shinku and Becky. Nice to see a male/female friendship in anime that actually feels a bit like a bromance. That's different. Nice for a change.
4. The dog-human (protagonist) vs. cat-human (antagonist) motif. I find that very amusing. It reminds me of a funny live-action movie I saw once, but can't place the name of it.
5. Millhiore and Eclair remind me a lot of Madoka and Sayaka, respectively, from Madoka Magica. So I can kind of imagine that this is a
happy spin-off of Madoka Magica.
6. The art style. It really suits this anime well, and makes it seem bold and colorful.
What I'm undecided about:
1. War games instead of actual war. It's Ok for now, but it could drain any real sense of conflict out of this anime over time. But I'll give it a chance at least.
What I didn't like:
1. Not getting to see Shinku in actual combat in the first episode. But I suppose that does help build anticipation for the next episode.
All in all, this is a cute and pleasantly entertaining anime so far. I look forward to more.
I'll give the first episode a very solid 8/10.