It is freaky how well Star Wars stands up!
And, i would like to ponder, how much of that is because it is a GREAT story.
One of the first anime i watched is Ranma ½, and it still stands up. The animation is still good. Not top notch animation like Akira, but very good, simple animation. And the story is still excellent.
Story is vital, but Star Wars also pushed the technology to its limits to build a believable universe. Some of the movies and shows have been less great, but it's still compelling.