I think what brought it especially to the western fandom's attention was that other Kyoani show a few years ago, Chūnibyō demo Koi ga Shitai!/Love, Chunibyo and Other Delusions in which the main female interest wears a rather distinct eyepatch because...reason's that escape me. So that at least might be part of the association, though in Kiso's case it's not helped by her sudden Nautical Pirate Makeover.

(It (Chunibyo) is rather reviled in my circle of friends for the simple reason of "Make more Full Metal Panic instead of this you Bastards" ...which wasn't exactly helped when Free! Came out instead after a big build up they were SURE would be an Adaption of FMP! Sigma a few years ago.)

On Twintail, it was a guilty pleasure for me, not something I really...enjoyed alone, but when it was me and my boyfriend and another friend watching it all in a sitting or two it was so mind numbingly stupid it wraped back around to amazing as we correctly guessed every plot twist before it happened.