Recommending Steins;Gate is extremely frustrating. When I tell people to watch this show they usually follow the following pattern: they start off having intrigue (due to the time traveling premise) that quickly fades due to the extremely slow start. However, I insist that anyone watching this show should stick through the first 11 episodes because the rest of the show more than makes up for its somewhat boring beginning.

Steins;Gate combines solid sci-fi concepts with two of the best characters I have seen in an anime so far - Okabe and Kurisu. Through its characters, this show does a really good job at illustrating the idea that every person is fighting their own battles (even if you are not aware of them). It is also a pleasure to watch an anime with a very strong female character (Kurisu) that is not oversexualized or objectified for once.

While the time travelling/alternate timeline plot elements are fantastic, I think the emotional peaks of Steins;Gate is what has cemented its place in anime history. Without getting into any spoilers, all I can say is that Okabe's struggle against time was incredibly gripping. When the emotional moments hit, they hit hard man - Steins;Gate is one of the only anime shows that has made me tear up.

I think this show's main weakness (other than its slow beginning) is its animation quality. The animation in this show is serviceable at best, and is definitely not flashy or anything close to amazing. However, this weak animation was not a big problem for me since Steins;Gate is not an action show and its focus is more on its plot instead of its looks.

Steins;Gate is without a doubt one of the best anime a person can watch. The ending of this show was so good that after I had finished it, I couldn't get into any other show because I was still thinking about it.

If you are reading this and you're currently struggling to get through the first couple episodes of this show, do yourself a favor and push through them. You are missing out if you don't watch Steins;Gate.