Jin Roh, the Wolf Brigade. It's a film about a cop, who isn't the man he used to be. And his life and times. He may have been the model for the big guy in Pumpkin Scissors, which I think is a better anime than the name implies. Anyway back to Jin Roh. I liked it because the animation was top-notch, the story was more or less plausible. It's hard for me to say any anime is fully plausible, because it's not a documentary! I'm just that way. Anyway, the "hero" develops in a humanly manner throughout, he becomes something, as opposed to he is who he is, and life throws him curve balls. LIfe is life, but he does the curving.
Pumpkin Scissors, it has a lot of heart for a military fiction series. The characters were either developing, or at least were explored somewhat as to why they are who they are. It is a show that tries to show the "wheels within wheels" that are behind every conspiracy theorists dream/nightmare. I don't know if the distrubting company went under before it finished, or what. I'd look up Netflix, but I can't now. Long story.
Master Keaton. Like Conan the Detective, but not trying to be a wildly popular hit. But trying to be a very good detective. I learned a few things, but am just not sure if they are true or not. LIke the story about the tengu who teach the locals to make whiskey, and basically how Japan has Suntory. Or something like this. I bought it, but only watched the series one time. This is one show you should take in smallish bites, so as not to burn out.
Gasuraki. Where else can you learn about Noh theater and dance, and get your mecha fix too? I liked this for the cultural aspect. Maybe by having the mecha in there it filled the past as prologue model of storytelling for me.
Zippang. WWII revisited a la time warps. Very heavy on the ethical dilemmas caused by travelling through time to a war that Japan lost. Really cool. Made me think a lot. Makes me glad I don't have to make those sorts of decisions.