Episode 24:
I did not like the show from the start. But I read somethings about the source material, that made me curious, and I stuck with it. Episode 4 changed things significantly. Or at least it changed perception of things, which made this show one of the best this year (at least for me).
The goofy start of the show, and the way it changes reminds me of "Madoka Magica" and "Gakkou Gurashi", in a sense, that it subverts expectations. It takes a bit longer than both of those shows, but it still does. If I would watch the 1st 3 episodes today, I would probably still fast-forward a lot of stuff there, because it simply is not that relevant to the main plot.
And the main plot is pretty good. Despite Helck being presented as that cliched "happy-go-lucky strong, but kind-hearted giant", his character turns out to be quite deep. His positive attitude is still the pillar, but you learn that there is much more stuff going on between his ears.
Furthermore, again, despite the "overly powerful" trope, it's not about the fights. In fact, I would say that there is not that much fighting in the show, and when there is fighting, it's not really that impressive. The fights here are used to evolve the bond between Helck and Anne.
The story is practically about that bond, and how Anne's (and my) perception of Helck changes, as she learns more about him. The moment Anne reached the peak of her understanding of Helck in final episode was not abrupt. I mean, it was presented somewhat abruptly, but the show was building towards it for the whole season. In the end - it felt satisfying.
Yes, in a way, one could say that the season ended somewhat childish, almost like a Naruto's arc, it was still a good ending. Considering, that the story has not ended yet: I really hope, that we will get 2nd season.
