I've read the manga and this is... just okay. I've yet to see the anime, but I feel it might be better. While this is a bit better shot cinematically and the effects are well done, the acting is still standard fare. Why is it that Japanese live action are somehow more cartoony than their animated counterparts? What is it about popular Japanese acting that makes it so goofy. Even for a comedy something's just off to me. It's just too hokey and over acted.
Plus I'm rather bothered that the cross dressing male character from later in the series is played by a girl while in drag instead of using the male actor. I'm not big on transgender issues, but that seems pretty insulting. Never mind disturbing that they made the character so female that he's played by a woman. Ah, crazy conservative mainstream Japan clashing with their oddball creative types.