Why do I feel as if I started the manga after seeing a couple of episodes of the adaptation and thinking, that manga may be better? I mean, there was no adaptation for manga until now, right?
Either way, manga is better. Since it does need to deliver continuous suspense, due to naturally abrupt transition between panels, it feels more balanced.
1st episode if the anime felt like a "try-hard". We will throw in some semi-random and quick-pacing episodes, and then make some poor shots to make you feel the weight of distrust, and then you're our fan!
Nope. For a more serious tone you could have changed the pacing a bit, slowed it down. Release a longer episode, if required, but add something that will properly deliver the feeling, that these people are friends. You can skip it in manga due to format, in video - not so much.
