Yup, pretty much at the end of it now and am planning on moving on afterwards. Watch this space!

As for Ghost in the Shell, pretty sure that my brother has that in "The Anime Room" and have even seen an episode here and there, so will give it a go afterwards.

Same here, love Cowboy Bebop :D

Love the soundtrack, and I like that while the show can get serious, it never really takes itself too seriously. It also has a lot of rewatch value in my opinion. I can come back and rewatch the series every so often and it never seems to get old for me.

Sounds like you know very little about SHAFT. Of all of SHAFT's series, theres really only one(ish) that I would classify as Moe (Hidamari and possibly some of their very early stuff). While they certainly use fanservice in Monogatari, there is so much more to that show, which is why it is often reffered to as pretentious (I am going to avoid using those strange Otaku labels, but I think we both know which kind fall on the "pretentious" side of the spectrum). You could even look at Madoka and Pani Poni Dash and SoreMachi as parodies, making fun of the moe genre and playing off of expectations...

I think SHAFT is more about strange visual styles and experimentation than fan service and moe. If you want to talk about companies that focus on moe, look at Kyoani...

Awesome! Looking forward to your assessment on the series. Also, if you like "feels" anime, you HAVE to watch Clannad and Clannad After Story. Pretty much the classic anime for the feels.

I've watched all SHAFT animes and they're my favorite studio, so I know what they love to employ and why I love them. Be it sarcastic or otherwise. Hidamari Sketch isn't even their pinnacle of moe. Denpa Onna, Nisekoi, that Negima remake, hell, Moon Phase is pretty much about a girl being moe.

And they do love their fan service. And that's not because they're being ironic or trying to invert some trops. They use it because it fits and belongs to the style. Even something as old as Natsu no Arashi isn't spared of it. Of course it's only one facette of Shinbo's style but it's there.

I will leave you with this.

Because SHAFT also makes the best OPs and EDs.

Just finished spisode 4 of Majimori Rurumo, and I have to say that it is currently the most enjoyable anime for me this season. The characters and animation are just so enjoyable, so underrated.

Fanservice has nothing to do with Type A/Type B otaku. While Hidamari (only real moe SHAFT show), Maria Holic, and Natsu no Arashi won't fit (because both are comedies, but their tone certainly isn't the norm for the genre), their monogatari series is absolutely Type A (i.e. most SHAFT are fans because monogatari). 

damn it guess its time soon to read the Stardust Crusader's Manga soon http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2014/07/31-1/break-planned-in-jojos-bizarre-adventure-stardust-crusaders-anime

Nisekoi, Denpa Onna, Moon Phase.

I rest my case.

It's not Shaft, that those people like. It's the pretentiousness and artsy style they use in some, but not all of their animes. Shinbo is a master of both and doesn't cater to a single group. He actually only caters to himself and he loves him some moe as well as artsy "deep" stuff.

Yeah, SHAFT uses a lot of fanservice and some moe (certainly not enough to call them a moe studio), but more often than not, there is much more going on in their shows, from the experimental visual styles to the in depth themes (Monogatari) or the dark humor (Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei) and whatnot. That is why they are so loved by the type of person who needs more than just cute things to enjoy an anime. That is why I personally love so much of what SHAFT does (although, I didn't like Denpa Onna...). There are multiple sides of SHAFT as you are saying, but that is why you can't really label them (which is the point I was arguing, even if was a bit misplaced)

EDIT: I'm surprised so many people here are enjoying SAO2...I've been afraid to watch that series because I have heard nothing but negatives of everything past the first half of the first season.