I don't get why people settle for EITHER aesthetics OR gameplay. Why not both? And no, they're not mutually exclusive.

The issue with unnecessary steps when trying to position yourself is not animation, but server response/latency. Just like character running further than you intend to. This should be solved with the new engine being written for MMOs and also with the introduction of regional servers.

So please stop saying animations are making the game unresponsive. They don't. It's merely aesthetics.