To be fair, Death Note isn't *that* thought provoking. What makes it great is it's ability to take a serious theme and lighten it up in a really casual and entertaining way - it's like The Dark Knight without the pretention. There's other entry level anime more thought provoking than Death Note. I'm not trying to hate, just think slandering other anime while putting Death Note on a pedestal is a bit un honest. 

By the way, Gintama is a comedy anime ...... it's not generic(from what i've heard though)

Lol fair enough. I haven't seen it, but I know people who love it who really aren't the generic shonen type. 

I'll see your Stein's Gate and and raise you a FMA: Brotherhood and Cowboy Bebop.

Dragonball Z is classic, but not necessarily the best. I would easily match it with One Piece.

Why out of all Western animation to include in this topic would you choose garbage like Rick and Morty?

Steins;gate: Welcome to the NHK and Ergo Proxy (EDIT: And Tatami Galaxy)
DBZ: Hunter x Hunter and Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
Rick and Morty: I got nothin'

EDIT2: Oh, if you are looking for a mix of seriousness and lightheartedness, Baccano. Baccano all day. Baccano is best.

I don't know Rick and Morty.

I love Gintama, and I have no idea why anyone would mention it in the same sentence as Dragonball or Naruto. I'd honestly compare it to Seinfeld before I compare it to another anime. It's basically 90% absurdity with occasional plot. And it's amazing.

Certainly not a common one....especially in an English-speaking community.

Anyways, these shows have nothing in common, so I'm not sure what to recommend. Go watch March Comes in like a Lion or Toradora I guess. No reason other than that I love both and don't see them mentioned yet.

FMAB and death note , I personally love fairy tail too

I'll take it you started watching anime just a couple years ago? Dragon Ball is legendary and all, but you have many shows of the same genre which already surpassed it, maybe not in popularity but overall quality. HxH 2011 is the greatest "shonen" anime ever in my opinion and as expected some already mentioned FMA.

I love Steins;gate though, not sure if it has a "rival" but at least when it comes to reviews it's always up there so idk. I prefer Code Geass even though they are not similar at all, lol

I don't even know the other show x)

Right - I usually hear it compared to a gag like show with references and such.

I also hear Lucky Star called the Seinfeld of anime a lot 

Hmm, I guess I'll have to check out this Steins Gate. I'm typically not crazy about Anime, but I do like a good Sci Fi story.