I'm sure you get at least a dozen threads like this every day /wsr/, but if you'll have the patience to hear me out, my situation is this:

I haven't watched any anime. Ever. Well, I do remember watching some Pokémon, Dragon Ball and possibly other stuff when I was very young, but I can only remember disjointed scenes now.

I would like to try out some anime shows, possibly avoiding the ones that are outright crap, to see if I like them. I've flicked through some recommendation charts on the /a/ wiki, but there's so much stuff it's quite hard for me to make a choice given that it's a field I know next to nothing about.
I vaguely understand that things like Evangelion or Madoka are supposed to be good, but I don't know by which standard, or if they're any good for a beginner.

Here are some general guidelines for things I might like, but don't feel too tied down by them:
1- Ideas: I'd like something with imaginative sci-fi and/or fantasy concepts that inspire sense of wonder. Bonus points for interesting settings and compelling internal mythologies.
2- Characters: Well-developed characters are always good. I don't care if the cast is predominantly male or female or whatever, as long as the characters are interesting and empathetic, and evolve over the course of the show.
3- Plot: Something with a good strong plot is always appreciated. It would be nice to avoid shows that have really unsatisfactory endings or leave dozens of loose ends dangling (the 2000s version of Battlestar Galactica is a good example of a show that I mostly enjoyed, but whose ending I really hated).

Thanks in advance.