The story itself is consistently brilliant, too often you'll be watching a series and know almost exactly what's going to happen. That never happens in Death Note unless they want you to. Art is realistic but not stunning, voice acting is above average at worst and great at best.
I may be biased because of the nostalgic value of it being my first real anime, but Death Note will be making you think long after the finale wraps-up. Not just about the plot points, but also about what you would do with that kind of power. The moral questions raised throughout the series are a layer of sophistication that few TV series, never mind anime alone, have.
The great thing about Death Note is that it never shoves that sophistication in your face, it never becomes obnoxious and still has a healthy amount of action.
I know I'm putting hefty praise on Death Note, but it deserves it. I've run out of adjectives, so I'll end it here.
Sublime series. Go see it.
