I don't like all anime, but there are some series that are quite enjoyable.
Anything by Gonzo is typically some kind of money grab, with plot holes the size of Buicks and cliches like... you get the idea. Shangri-la was pretty good though, at least as far as the setting and some of the back story. Vipers Creed and Blassreiter were both visually appealing but the writing and story... eck.
Geneon tends to license titles that can be turned into merchandise, but some of them do have their own merits. Full Metal Alchemist, Neon Genesis Evangelion, etc.
The list goes on.
In the end though, the writing, subject material and characterizations tend to be very different from what you see in North American broadcasting and film. Similarly, animation is the only way to execute some of the required visual elements, due to limitations of both budget and reality, not to mention that the simplified yet exaggerated features allow for a much clearer depiction of emotion and mood while also giving an unprecedented level of control. If NA studios did similar work, then I'd be watching NA animation, but they don't so I can't.
My personal observation is that the powers that be see animation as either a medium strictly for overly simplified children's media, or as high-end visual effects. There's just no middle ground. Hell, even 3D animation isn't being used for consumption by people over over the age of 12 (maybe, the only series that I can really address that to is Reboot and I still find that series awesome), CG is used purely as an effects tools and then is put back on the shelf. Kind of sad really.
