All of my serious knives are Shun Classic; a 10" French Chef's knife, a serrated knife (for tomatoes), and a paring knife. We have a second home, where I've got a Shun santoku and a carving knife. I've got miscellaneous others around; the bread knife is a Wuestoff, and I also have a Kyocera ceramic knife I use for some fruits.

For me, it was all about the fit in my hand. I tried Wuestoff, Henckels, Global, and Shun, and the Shuns were the only ones that fit, and felt like I would enjoy wielding them. I (fortunately) live on the same bus line as Northwestern Cutlery, so a few times a year I take them there for sharpening; they do a far beter job than I ever could on my own.

I bought the santoku first, but I think I have to admit that I prefer the classic French chef's knife; it's just a tad more versatile. Give me that and a paring knife, and I can handle 97% of what I need to do in the kitchen. A serrated knife will take care of the other 3%.