After several episodes, I think I actually like the SM anime. Maybe even more than XY.
The personalities of the cast and the Pokemon are really well done.
The small details, such as picking up Litten by the neck, Litten wearing a surgical flask to prevent it from licking its wounds... how Alolan Persian acts like a total douchebag when it's away from its owner but acts like a cute sweet little thing when she's in sight, etc.
Lillie having cans of different Pokemon food for different Pokemon ,etc.
Those are getting closer and closer to the "true Pokemon world" I've imagined for years. (I always imagine that Pokemon are just like animals in our world, and they behave differently, eat different foods, and each species having their unique personality, etc.)
I mean, it's getting more and more realistic, from an ecological aspect and a behavioral aspect.
It's something I think the XY anime lacked. XY focused a lot on the human casts, especially Serena, but hardly ever worked hard on the personalities of Pokemon.
Thinking back, XY was like a Shojo manga with Pokemon, instead of Pokemon. Because it felt like Pokemon was not the focus of the anime.