Starting with Hayao Miyazaki's films is truly the safest approach. His works possess a depth that even adults can appreciate.
Many classic manga are no longer being reprinted. Digitization at least ensures that these works won't be forgotten.
Recommendation perspective for old classics: The cyberpunk worldview of Ghost in the Shell has influenced the entire genre. It holds the status of a pioneer.
Exhibitions in other regions: Tokyo Comiket is still the top tier. But Taipei is indeed a good example for other regions in Asia.
Forced pairings without any chemistry are truly the most disappointing. Many works that were originally great end up losing points because of the endgame pairing.
Recommendation from an old-school fan: Many physical editions of classic manga are already out of print. Digital versions are actually the only legal way to get them.
The issue of animators' compensation has existed since the 1970s. It is a good thing that the government is finally addressing it, but execution is key.
If I could do it all over again, I would still learn it. Learning Japanese has changed the way I appreciate anime; I can now feel the nuances that translations fail to convey.
I agree that there's no room for slow-burn works. If Odd Taxi were released today, it might have been dropped by the third episode.
Winter has the most dark horses. Besides Stars Align, there are a few other niche works with extremely high quality.