I haven’t watched much anime in the past few years, but recently there have been a fair number of shows which I’m actively following again; some due the teams behind them (Seirei no Moriboto, Ghost Hound), and some due to their premise (Dennou Coil, Nodame Cantabile).
So far, I can say the Seirei no Moriboto is really good. It’s technically well done, it tells a good story, and is not weighed by the common stereotypes. Instead, it simply tells the story of its characters, all of which behave believably and consistently.
Oh, and Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann is very old-fashioned and modern at the same time, and still typical Gainax. It certainly throws some curve-balls your way and is not quite as juvenile as it may at first seem.

PS: Why is Death Note so popular? I found it mostly annoying (due to the dislikable characters). I don’t get it at all. Still don’t know why I bothered watching it ’till the end…