I would argue that there were better anime out there, but they are difficult to get through and may require a good understanding of "anime culture". Ex: When they Cry, or Madoka Magica I would argue are superior.
When they Cry requires a general understanding of visual-novel harem style stories, while Madoka Magica requires a strong understanding of the typical Magical Girl plotline (Sailor Moon, Cardcaptors, Lyrical Girl Nanoha are pretty much required watching BEFORE you watch Madoka Magica)
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In contrast: FMA: Brotherhood is self-sufficient. You can enter the show without knowing anything about anime and enjoy it. The only "risk" I have with the show is the chibi-styles / super-cartoony that they push randomly.
Its otherwise a very serious plot, with some quite dramatic moments. So a lot of people feel it to be bipolar since it also uses "cartoon physics" on occasion.