Neither 1) nor 2). The awesomeness increases drastically, as the end of the series approaches. Most people I've talked to feel it was worth it (it's only six or seven hours of footage), but some (including my boyfriend) disagree.

The character you said was a "Bov-Jna" is not a "Bov-Jna." (Indeed, they don't appear on the TV Tropes list. Also, shame on you for linking TV Tropes without a warning.)

EDIT: Looking at the episode list, I'd say the "awesomeness" (in the sense of, "holy shit, this isn't just an average mahou shoujo anime") really begins around episode six or seven.