[LeoXiao]

I've just finished episode 8 and am enjoying it thus far, despite having dropped it when it aired like what, five years ago?. I think this is the kind of anime that you really have to watch all at once or at least not wait a week for each episode, because the first half is really quite mediocre.

Spoiler for thoughts thus far:

Characters are kinda average, but nothing terrible. Ouri is annoying since he keeps getting in the way of the SHs but I have the feeling he's going to become more important. Makina is a bit weak character-wise but at least not annoying. Keisei is probably the best character here, as the anikis tend to be.

The OP and ED are good. The character designs are a bit wonky sometimes but generally superior to your average "totally a high school girl" moeshit. I like Makina's aesthetic (something about her hairstyle with braids and loose hair simultaneously is kinda awesome), but does her skirt have to be that short? And given given much she flies around, it's amazing nobody's given her flak about the whole nopan thing. It's also a bit funny that she seems to carry more ammo than an Apache gunship. Minai was also rather fine but too bad she's now of the past tense. The other SH I don't care much for; just your typical big-boobed Chick A in a slutsuit, and Chick B who is a loli. The one that can kill humans and the transfer student are more interesting but I'd have to see them get more development.

I think the strength of this show so far lies in the plot and themes - that of the Kougon cult, the Buddhist-esque concept of death and treatment thereof, and seeing the characters undercover more as the show goes on. I hope they don't revert to episodic stagnancy for the last five eps, and that Shikabane Hime Kuro continues to build on Aka.