Though later half is not as good as first half, it's excellent overall. I am not anime fan but the story hooked me up. Deathnote, FMA, FMA Brotherhood, Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Grave of Fireflies, Paprika, Howl's Moving Castle, etc. These are really brilliant anime series and movies. People often discriminate anime as just cartoon but in my opinion if story, story telling and presentation is good, it doesn't matter, cartoon or not. I recommend watching first and judging.