After having finished the first episode, I felt that anime can be easily to pick up and appreciate. For this reason, I think Azumanga Daioh is an excellent entry-level anime for people 'afraid' of the differences between Western cartoons.
The intro theme song is catchy, corny and absolutely has no message or meaning whatsoever, which makes it special in its own right. The art style is simple and calm, no flashy colours or general hyperactivity. In films, series and video games, I like familiarity, and Azumanga Daioh often uses recurring music cues which greatly add to that familiarity. Same applies to the characters, each of them having their distinct talents or lacks thereof.
There wasn't much story to Azumanga Daioh, and most of the episodic themes were forgettable, however, the characters, and especially "Osaka" were not.
