The second half of the second season of Re:Zero is amazing. The appeal of Re:Zero is how it subverts the genre of isekai. If you aren't into isekai it's not gonna be for you.
Having elements of waifu bait is part of the gerne of isekai. Re:Zero is kinda an overrated show but at the same time the second season of it especially when the show limits the use of it's gimmick is the best part of it. It's one of the better isekai series though.
Yeah, I could see Re:Zero stepping up just based off the first arc and how well pieced together it was (also the way we were taught the demon twins' backstory). But the hype for it is way bigger than what I've gotten at the early part. So far, it hasn't done enough to separate it from the stuff I've read and watched prior though.
If I ranked what I've read and watched....
1.
Mushoku Tensei (gold standard manga and anime)
2. There's a pair that Idk if they technically qualify. Characters die and are reborn; but into the same world as before...but they also enter portals to new worlds for combat. Those two are
Solo Leveling and A Returner's Magic Should be Special.
3. I'm loving the
Faraway Paladin anime. Haven't read further on to see if it will hold up.
4.
The World' Greatest Assassin was Reborn as an Aristocrat, I'm not too deep in this one. But I love the world-building and approach early on. It's just really creative where I'm at.
5. This is where I've currently got a tie between
Yeah I'm Spider, So What?, Re:Zero, and Rising of the Shield Hero ...they're all good and entertaining, but haven't done enough to separate themselves yet. But I'm not even done with the first seasons of Re:Zero or Shield Hero.
I also have high hopes for Re:Zero developing after watching Vivy and hearing that there's overlap in writers.