Yes, it is a question of luck.  Luck plays a 
huge part on what artists (in many different 
fields) are recognized.  Right place at the 
right time, what audience is exposed to it, 
etc.  You're telling me there aren't any truly 
good artists out there that have been turned 
down?  Or that every artist out there that is 
famous/praised actually deserves it?  

These "criteria" you mention started out as the 
opinions of certain people at one point.  I am 
well educated and I have studied literature, and 
I happen to disagree with a lot of what I was 
taught.  Books (fiction) are meant to entertain 
the reader, and I was sorely not entertained by 
many of the 'classics'.  Could I write a long 
paper on the use of various literary devices and 
how well the author implemented them?  Sure I 
could.  But I can't call a book good, if it 
fails to carry out it's main task - to 
entertain.  So thats why I don't agree with 
this "objective" business.  It means nothing.  A 
group of people taking it upon themselves to 
dictate what makes a work "good" doesn't sit 
well with me.  Its all opinion.  My opinion is 
just as good as anyone elses.  But then I've 
always been one to go against the herd and think 
for myself, and disagree with things like that.  
Discussions like this are nothing new to me ~_~

And that is also why that thread didn't offend 
me (and most others) - it WOULD be a lot more 
offensive if you dragged "objectiveness" into 
it, because then you would be saying someone is 
right and wrong.

I'm still waiting to hear what these anime 
criteria are, who set them, and who has the 
right to say whether X, or DBZ, for example, do 
indeed live up to those criteria.. and what 
makes them right.  :P