For the longest time I would say Spice and Wolf, but after a rewatch I might have to say SHIROBAKO.

I love how it manages to be cute and funny and anime-like while also being a very relatable show about making anime that's very much grounded in reality. All the characters felt like real human beings, for the most part, and I felt like I was learning something interesting while I watched it. I think the best praise I can give SHIROBAKO is that it is the first anime I would recommend to anyone who had never seen one.