Yes, I'm a couple of weeks late, as the last episode was March 31st, 2019.
Waifus and Warplanes
The Winter 2019 Anime season was one of the best in history; many great shows with many different genres involved. That being said, The Magnificent Kotobuki wasn't on most peoples' radar.
But why?
This show, in theory, should have been a worldwide success. Young men (the most significant demographic of anime) love their cute women and warplanes.
So, what happened? Was the show just not that good? Or is the show being underappreciated?
The Show's Structure Itself
If you're used to watching traditional animes, be in for a change. Kotobuki (as I will now call it), uses nearly all 3D animation. Now I don't think this is a bad thing at all, as it allows the insane dogfights between various Japanese aircraft to be animated just that much more awesome. They also worked hard to make the characters look as "normal" to 2D animated versions as possible. However, it is still a slight bit offputting how weird some of the show and its characters look, and I wouldn't be surprised if this contributed to some not liking the show.
In terms of the genre of the show and what it delivers, Kotobuki is difficult to pin down. The best way I can describe it is "cute mercenary girls doing air battle things", with a bit of "slice of life" mixed in. This is probably a large problem with the show, it's trying to do too many things at once, without ever really exceeding at anything in particular.
It is an action show, with swarms of planes getting into massive midair battles about every episode. A good dose of comedy is also mixed into the show, which makes it feel less boring during the non-battle scenes. However, sometimes I feel as though I'm watching an older kids' show with how "cartoonish" of a vibe I get from it, even if the show has its fair share of guns and alcohol.
The Characters
Kotobuki has quite a few pretty women as main characters and supporting characters...and basically any even somewhat-important character that isn't an enemy or an incompetent buffoon. Depending on who you are, this ovary ensemble is either exactly what you want in a show or is going to make you bored of it fast.
That being said, each of the 6 Kotobuki Corps girls has a unique personality and something to like about them. Kirie is the main girl we follow throughout the series and this was done deliberately, as her cockiness, snarky humor, and almost comedic facial expressions make her an easy favorite.
The other women in the series aren't nearly as focused on but still manage to make the show feel "real" with how much their different personalities can clash or feed off each other. Oh, did I also mention that all of these girls work as mercenaries or at least smugglers? The only thing more excessive than the way these women make money is some of their bust sizes.
Overall, the characters are probably the strongest part of this show. While Kirie is given the most screentime compared to the other girls, you will find a moment or two where each one either made you laugh, intrigued, or at least appreciate their air combat skills.
The Plot and Story
And this is where I think the show sorta falls flat. The story for Kotobuki is largely lacking anything interesting or creative. The setting for the show might as well be "Mad Max" but with planes instead of cars. The show's future enemies and the encounters the girls will have with them are quite predictable, leaving little in the way of genuine surprise. As I mentioned before about the show feeling "cartoonish", the plot carries this forward with nothing bad ever happening to our main Kotobuki girls and their pals. The only 2 things keeping these ladies in the air is fuel and plot armor. This ain't no Game of Thrones, no matter how many times a girl manages to get shot down. There is also a deep political fight within the show between hardcore capitalism vs socialism, and individualism vs collectivism. Given your political views or at least your political interests, this show might either tick you off or at least leave you confused. 
Depending on the person watching, this streamlined, happy-good-feeling plot full of planes, pancakes, and pretty girls may just be what you need after a crappy day at work. For others, this show will be like watching paint dry except for when the dogfights start, and even then you can easily guess how the battle will play out. You won't be seeing any discussions on forums of Kotobuki fans arguing over unsolved plot mysteries, as there is not much in the way of mystery for this show.
So is The Magnificent Kotobuki Worth the Watch?
Well, this is a question with many answers. If you are someone who loves the heck out of Japanese WWII-era fighter aircraft and awesome dogfights, this will be an amazing show for you. You are treated to so many gearhead and aeronautical wet dreams that you will be hooked for that reason alone. Otherwise, anyone who isn't into anime normally or expects their shows to keep them on the edge of their sheets will likely be disappointed by Kotobuki.
If I had to give this show a rating, I'd give it an "objective" score of 3/5 stars and a "subjective" score of 4/5 stars. The "subjective" score is due to me personally loving fighter planes and dogfights, while the "objective" score earns its points from the expressions of unique characters and the show's animation and voice acting quality.
Overall, I would say that Kotobuki isn't a "bad" show, but it certainly could have used some improvement and its obscurity (even within the anime community) is warranted due to the issues I highlighted above.
Anyway, thank y'all for reading!
Most Helpful Opinions