I've found Astra blades to be good enough for me; quite a step up from the lowest tier (e.g., Bic), but not as fancy as those Japanese blades.
Inflation certainly seems like a good motivator for more people to switch to safety blades — wet shaving should be cheap, and it is if one stops buying the stuff marketed the hardest.
I initially switched years ago because it made more financial sense, but nowadays I just enjoy safety blades more. I don't spend much on blades (10€ for a hundred Voskhod blades lasts me ages), but I do spend a bit on the shaving cream (nothing beats L'Occitane's shaving cream, and it's a local company).
The sharpest blade is not necessarily the best. The "perfect" blade, should such a thing exist, depends on your razor, beard and technique.
Shameless plug: should you start the search for the perfect blade, at https://www.razorbladesclub.com/ you'll find the widest selection of double edge razor blades worldwide.
Inflation certainly seems like a good motivator for more people to switch to safety blades — wet shaving should be cheap, and it is if one stops buying the stuff marketed the hardest.