The opening is classy.
For the first three episodes, the protagonist, Nakajima, is unbearably "whiney". Now, I've heard people throw the world "whiney" around before to protagonists complaining about their situation and for being unlikeable, but I usually disagreed as said protagonists were either absolutely justified, having suffered tremendously up until that point, or they complained without hindering their ability to actually do stuff. Shinji took a little cajoling to get into EVA unit 01 in the first episode, but that was it, and he sulked on his off time. Subaru legitimately tried, ramming his head against the wall trying to understand his world and gain the trust of people before he began to crack. Nakajima, on the other hand, was utterly incapable of doing anything besides crying before anything had even happened! When Keikei arrives and says that she must leave with him immediately and the classroom is subsequently totalled, Nakajima just stands there crying. People are dying around her, and the man is giving her clear and precise instructions as to how to save these people, and she does nothing but cry. Then she runs away in the wrong direction and even more people are hurt. Then, when on the roof, Keikei very clearly tells her that only she can draw the sword that can kill the hostile bird, and she still refuses! While her life and the lives of her friends are in mortal danger! Keikei has to implant literally a spirit to possess her and control her arms to use the sword against the bird! And then even after the bird is killed, and another enemy approaches, she still cries and the spirit has to force her again! It's just incredibly aggravating. Fortunately, after episode three, she stops crying and instead spends her off time self reflecting on her life prior to being taken away. The scenes with the mask guy (who I presume is a spirit possessing the sword) are a little over done, began fast forwarding when the third scene popped up.
The story keeps insisting that Nakajima's face has changed, but it's not really apparent. I guess her eyes got... flatter? That's just indicative of cynicism. Also, Taki talked about dying her hair black, but apparently it becomes a slightly darker shade of red... or Taki never dyed her hair.
Asano is so far the most likeable member of the trio, and not by much.
I like where they are going with Sugimoto. She spent her life reading fantasy novels and consuming escapist entertainment and didn't make any effort to build relationships, and thus had no attachment to this world when her chance for to escape to a fantasy world appeared. She also doesn't really care about Nakajima or Asano either, or anyone really. She just wants to be the hero. It makes perfect sense why'd she join any organization that handing out superpowers and fulfilling her need to desire to feel important, though I am curious as to why she doesn't think that the Emperor/King, who has sworn to kill any outsiders, won't kill her too once she kills or captures Nakajima and Asano. Anyway, she's the only one who is actively enjoying the situation. Would be nice to get more screen time following her PoV, rather her being relegated to an antagonist who pops up every now and then.
It's really unfortunate that pretty much every person they come across turns out to be a self-centered jerk. Given that the protagonists are self-centered jerks too, I suppose it's the theme of the show.