This is especially true since any init system which sets out to "escape from systemd" will eventually end up doing everything that systemd does, at which point it will be as complex as systemd.

HOWEVER - the Linux world has lived with these problems for ages and I deem it also a strength. You can switch around components, mix and match and it will mostly work. You can run KDE apps on GNOME no problemo. I think this is something we should consider a positive. If we can unify around a common service file language, we can swap out service managers easy.