Global is the best bang for the buck and are amazing knives. Shun are my favorite, I finally got a Ken Onion chefs knife!!! Check out the
Gourmet Warehouse in Vancouver, the store is awesome, service is great, they carry both brands, you can test them out in store, and the pricing gives Amazon.COM a run for their money (after you factor in exchange, duty, and driving to Blaine to pick up your order).
Chef's knife vs Santoku, I have both and it all comes down to preference. Santoku knives are really popular right now, even more so amongst woman in the kitchen as the knives are typically smaller and lighter than your average chefs knife. I still recommend a classic 8" chefs knife, I find that they can be used for more tasks in the kitchen and when paired with a good paring knife that is all that most people need in their kitchen. Down the road the only other knives I would add are a good but cheap serrated/bread knife and a meat cleaver.