Well What Do We Have Here?

Last Exile.

It was the anime that further cemented my love for anime-style steampunk (or more specifically, dieselpunk).  Along with Nausicaa and Skies of Arcadia, they created such a powerful impression that no non-Japanese creator was able to match (in my opinion)

The news states that this spring, Gonzo will revive the series with a second season, mainly because it is banking on it -- a successful original anime not based off a light novel, manga, or visual novel to revive its ailing business.  I think it's a smart move, since it conjures up an era that represented the peak of anime popularity in the west (also a time when most anime shows weren't just censored porn designed to sell blu-rays).

I generally disagree with the pro-censorship stance the Tokyo governor has towards anime, but if there were an anime that would be truly appealing without causing "Oh, Japan!" levels of embarrassment, this would be it... so if the Tokyo government supports it (with funding), then good for them.

I've looked for more works similar to Last Exile and nothing came close.  There was the movie Sky Crawlers but it was boring and didn't convey the epicness that was expected when you think of industrial-style social upheavals.

Elspeth's Garden is heavily inspired by Last Exile.  In fact, since there's no official 'Last Exile' videogame, if one were to be made, I won't be surprised if it turned out to be a Japanese-style strategy RPG as well.

The only concern I have is that steampunk won't become the "fad of the year" just like zombies were in 2010.  But even if it does, I hope to release in time to ride the wave.