The abysmal score is a consequence of viewers who were expecting something like Sailor Moon. In fact the tone and execution of this anime of pretty grim. I won't go as far as saying is profound but it touches the uneasy subject of misery. Girls who experienced unspeakable suffering at the hands of other people were selected to receive magical artefacts, or "sticks", as compensation. But that's just the surface of the story. Naturally the next plot waypoint is revenge.
And here is where, I guess, the dregs of the anime fandom got on their high horses and brought the show's rating even lower. People who watch harem anime on a regular basis are squeamish at the concept of revenge apparently. One reviewer, most likely a guy due to the vehement but dull rhetoric, was appalled that the girl characters engaged in retaliation. He considered them worse than their aggressors. Guess his expectations for typical anime eye candy thralls were not met.
In my opinion the story arced pretty well in tandem with the character development. Without giving anything away, throughout the entirety of the episodes the moral argument over revenge and victimhood will be touched. Consequently characters will alter their reasoning, some in a more believable fashion than others. Unlike what another reviewer stated, the protagonists are not all violent. At least not in an irrational way. Just one can be unreservedly be classified as a cold blooded murderer. The MC, for example, is an obnoxious paragon of righteousness. Her newly acquired best friend, on the other hand, is a vindictive realist. The show created a pretty good relationship dynamic, the two girls lending each other their strengths while alleviating their faults.
One minor criticism that I have for this show is that it utilises a couple of anime tropes like characters narrating their actions while in the middle of a fight. There is the matter of a rather... unfortunate choice of a wearable stick. While it did provide some good chuckles, its comical nature detracted from its importance plot-wise. The last episode also was a bit on the deus ex machina side, but not enough to become unpleasant.
The series conclusion was rewarding, announcing more things to come if the show ever gets a continuation. My verdict for this anime: it's really good. Although it would have benefited greatly by tipping the scales a little more in favour of vengeance rather than to saintly forgiveness. The satisfaction of seeing a certain antagonist getting properly disciplined was immeasurable. The same could not be said about the enemy turned ally of circumstance getting a happy ending.
