Finished
Nodame Paris and Finale 8/10 and 7/10 respectively. They were okay but it just kind of dragged and didn't end with a bang as I would have hoped.
Ano Hana was decent but tried really hard on the emotion parts at times. Got kinda cheesy. Also, I hated the constant "Jintan"ings. 7/10
I think I need a change in scenery now from these romance / slice of life shows. Three consecutive less-than-spectacular second halves in this genre (Kimi ni Todoke, Nodame, Ano Hana) has left a bad taste in my mouth.
I've just started
Soul Eater and it looks very promising. It seems like a kiddier version of FMA at first impression.
Updated list for anyone with more recommendations:
*Note: The ongoing Chihayafuru 2 is still spectacular