Looking at my solitary v.1 of PlaneteS, I should feel vindicated and gloat after Steven's difficulties with the title. But I remember a few other shows with the same defect, some of which I liked. The pinnacle of Gundam — 08th MS Team — takes 6 episodes to start. Even the most excellent Manabi Straight does not open its breath-taking conflict until the ep.7.

So I'm inclined to listen to Evirus, but let's face it: the slow start is a significant defect, a failure of director and/or scriptwriter. Because of it, Manabi's position as the anime of 2007 is rather precarious, and it's deserved. Neither Dennou Coil nor ef take their sweet time to begin in earnest. I feel no guilt for faulting Planetes for it.