So, for folks not aware, this is the same author of Buster Keel. Buster Keel, for all intents and purposes, was clearly, a Fairy Tail clone. But as time went on, it became steadily more its own thing. And more importantly, it had real, genuine heart to it.
I am genuinely feeling that here too.
This author is not well known for wholly 'original' ideas, but when they do strive out to write, they write what they want to write, and its always from a genuine place of joy and enjoyment. Yes, its, 'slop', but its slop that doesn't make you feel like you just read something written by an amateur who is just copying without an idea of what they are copying. Its slop with heart to it, and thats the best kind.