I agree with @xelra, most proper animer ever made. I really feel like it can appeal to non-anime fans, if I had one to recommend for them it would be this one for sure. (and Monster too)
Empire >>>>>> Alliance
A grandiose space opera of political and military drama, complex relationships, and character growth, LotGH stands head and shoulders above every competitor in scale and story. As an older anime, the animation is dated but not displeasing.
This is a patient, thoughtful show that takes the time to show you a great diversity of perspectives on the war/battles it portrays.
Anyone who's looking for a clear "good guys vs bad guys" dynamic ought to steer clear because this is deep in the morally gray and it likes it that way. Likewise this is a show for adults and pulls no punches when it comes to displaying human depravity and suffering during a war, while not belaboring the point for the sake of gratuitous horror. If you want shounen action or edgy teen violence, this is also not your show.
But if you're looking for "what if Game of Thrones or Romance of The Three Kingdoms was a philosophical space opera?" Then you came to the right place.
It's told in the style of a historical re-enactment or docu-drama despite the fact that it's set hundreds of years in the future. This is an inspired choice by the anime team because the original author drew on a number of real-life historical inspirations for the characters, conflicts, governments, and cultures.
Another highlight for this anime is the epic classical orchestral soundtrack. You're treated to a who's-who of classical composers across the series, mixed such that a surround sound system is used to full effect as long as you turn on Dolby Pro Logic. It sounds fantastic.
The animation (especially in earlier seasons) is often considered the weakest point. Similarly frustrating is that the DVD/Blu-Ray releases of this show (and thus also the streaming version) have a bunch of scenes that were re-animated by the studio that made the Gaiden OVA using digital animation, thus giving them a noticeably different art style which can feel jarring at times.
Even with those animation flaws, however, this story is just too damn good to pass on. Everyone with the attention span to do so should see this show. It really is that good.
Shout by xelraBlockedParent2012-03-18T02:32:46Z
This is probably the best anime, or best show in general, ever made.
It has many detailed characters, a really deep and thoughtful story. But the most important part and what makes this a fantastic SciFi epos is its demand for realism. It gives you that feeling of "Mhmm, that could really be like that." and "Damn, why didn't I think about that.".
It's a real SciFi flick and not just another Fiction piece that gets labeled SCIENCE Fiction.