This season alone would be enough to put the anime into my top 10 favorite of all time.
It's a story thoroughly crafted, with a bittersweet lesson about the hardships and injustices of one's life within the world. The soundtrack is simply wondrous, helping the voice actors' perfomance with a solid boost, especially during dramatic scenes.
Characters are well developed, with the three main characters having well established arcs concluded into the story seamlessly. The villains also adds to the plot's purpose. Although the last few episodes can feel quite rushed, they still manage to deliver the intended narrative by all metrics.
The visuals, though old by today's standards, compensate for its age with elegant uniqueness. Machinations of the representation for the characters have quite specific deliveries at key times, contributing to the feel overall of the series, even at the naive moments.
The show overall deserves a 10 out of 10 in my book, definitely an experience worth revisiting.