On a related topic, I remember how Tatsuo Sato said in an interview about his plans after Shingu that he wanted to make something more unbridled and frolicking (not precisely in these words). He certainly succeeded in that, but in the big picture, Shingu is a greater, stronger, more polished, more mature production than its successor Stellvia (notwithstanding the controversial OP).

Both Stellvia and Shingu are life-affirming in their philosophy. I like that.