"愛"しています

Peace Maker Kurogane is one of very few anime series actually based on the Shinsengumi, despite them being a huge part of the Edo period and Japanese history. If you're specifically looking for an anime based on the Shinsengumi, you probably won't find anything better than this. Mainly because Peace Maker is hard to beat.

Peace Maker Kurogane follows a young boy (Tetsu) who joins the Shinsengumi (the Japanese police force during the Edo period) to seek revenge on the man who killed his parents two years ago. It all sounds so typical and what you would expect in the samurai genre, but Peace Maker's story is that little bit more interesting because a lot of it is historically accurate. The story follows an actual event, that being the Ikedaya incident, as well as many other things that actually happened during the Edo period. Not all of Peace Maker's episodes contribute to the story however, I wouldn't call them 'fillers' or any of that jazz, but at times they do seem unnecessary. Although these certain episodes are usually comedy based, and Peace Maker easily succeeds in making you laugh. So some may seem unnecessary, but that doesn't make them not good. The beauty of Peace Maker is that one episode could be a whole joke that contributes to the story in no way at all, but the episode after that can be dramatic and action packed. A sudden change, but it always feels right. It always works. There isn't a time when these 'unnecessary' episodes feel out of place.

One of the most amazing aspects of this series was the animation. It easily adapts to whatever mood is conveyed and it never fail to impress the audience. During the first action scene I thought holy crap this is amazing, but it kept getting even better, and then even more better! It's easy to tell that Gonzo's samurai anime is quite a bit above average animation wise, with the likes of Afro Samurai and Samurai 7. Gonzo obviously do not lack on the action side either, with the likes of Gantz, Hellsing and Last Exile. There is a scene in one of the later episodes where one of the main characters is chopping down enemies while the camera is panning around him. It's hard to explain it, but when you see it, it will amaze you straight away.

The sound effects are what you would expect to hear in a samurai based anime. Blood splats, sword slices and stabbing sounds to name a few. The sound track is made up of various different songs. Each one suiting a different type of moment or mood. The music, I thought, was actually quite good. I found myself listening to various different tracks over and over again. I wouldn't say that it is very memorable though. You'll have forgotten about it in a week or two after finishing the series.

There is a wide assortment of characters in Peace Maker, and much like the story, nearly all of them are based off of real people that actually existed during the Edo period. The members of the Shinsengumi are all historically accurate, and all have very similar personalities and appearances to how the history books describe them. It's thanks to the creator of the manga that the characters are all so accurate though (since this anime is based off of the manga called 'Peace Maker', thats right, it's not actually based off of the manga 'Peace Maker Kurogane', that is the sequel to the first manga that this anime is based on, confusing, I know), a lot of effort was put into reseaching them, so thank you Nanae Chrono! Moving on from the fact they're historically accurate though, all of the characters are unique in a good way, and you'll most probably have a few favourites. The villain in this series is also such an interesting character, and even more interesting because the guy was actually a real person. It's insane to see and know about some of the things he attempted. Being based on real life history really adds a whole new element to the characters of Peace Maker, as well as a whole new element to the story. You'll most probably find yourself researching the characters real life counterparts after you've finished the series, they are people you actually want to learn about.

I started and finished Peace Maker throughout three nights, and there was never a time where it didn't fail to impress me. I mentioned the sudden changes that can occur in Peace Maker earlier, but it really does work excellently. One episode you can be in tears laughing, then a few episodes later you can be in tears crying. Later on the series gets very serious, and very dramatic. Which is usually the case in samurai anime anyway, but it totally took me by surprise. I loved everything about Peace Maker, and I'm left wanting more! Since the manga does have a sequel, there could be a possible sequel to the anime in the future, so I'm looking forward to it if there is, but unfortunately I can't confirm anything. I personally would definitely recommend Peace Maker to a fan of samurai anime, or anyone looking for an action/comedy series. If you watch it, believe me, you won't be disappointed.

If you enjoyed the anime, you might also want to read the manga. The story is basically the same, however it's still worth reading. The unnecessary episodes that are in the anime are no where to be found in the manga, and the manga is definitely a more serious and direct approach at the story. It doesn't have a moment where the plot isn't moving, unlike in the anime, and in some respects the manga is even better than the anime.

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To watch anime:  http://www.zomganime.com/peacemaker-kurogane-episode-1/

To read manga:  http://mangahut.com/manga/Shinsengumi%20Imon%20Peace%20Maker

To read the real history of the characters and Shinsengumi:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinsengumi

 頭 が 痛 い で す！！！  腰 が 痛 い で す！！！  だ れ だ  た す け て く だ さ い よ~~~

そ し て 。。。。。。

M , I MISS YOU!!!!

The story revolves around high school student Akira Nikaido, a typical slacker living a normal life. That is, until he meets the mysterious Shirogane, a man who suddenly appears and tells him that they have a destiny together. When Akira hears this, he is shocked and doesn't believe a word of it. Aya, a friend of Akira, forgets something in the school one night, and asks Akira to help her and go find it. He agrees, and while there, he gets attacked by a shadow monster. Shirogane convinces him that the balance between the human world and the shadow world has been distorted and that Akira must become a "shin"- a creature of the shadow world- in order to help restore the balance. The anime has shōnen-ai themes which are completely absent from the manga.

主人公昶（アキラ）は学校をサボり帰路につく途中、全身黒ずくめの怪しい人物に出会う。自らを「人型をした影」と話すその男、白銀（シロガネ）は「ずっとキミを探していた」という。あまりの白銀の怪しさに全く信用しようとしない昶に対し、白銀は「今日の夜10時にキミの学校に来てくれれば、影というモノがどういうものか見せる」というのだが…

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Hahaha! What the Fish!

The story of Skip-Beat! is about Kyoko Mogami, a wistful yet cheery sixteen year-old girl who loves her childhood friend, Shotaro, but is cruelly betrayed and thus seeks revenge against him. She used to spend a lot of time at Shotaro's parents' inn and learned a lot about housekeeping, hostelry, and other feminine jobs (sewing, cooking, serving tea traditionally, etc.). Shotaro, not wishing to take over his parents' inn, becomes bored of living in Kyoto and decides to move to Tokyo to pursue a career in music. Sho, as he is called by his fans, asks Kyoko to leave high school in Kyoto Perfecture and her life behind to help him. Upon arrival in Tokyo, Kyoko lives an unreasonably frugal life, spending nothing on herself and doing whatever she can for Sho, who is ranked seventh in the top twenty most popular entertainers of Japan. It appears that Shotaro never helps with the cost of food, apartment, or necessary products. However, one day as she brings him his lunch at a company building, she overhears Sho complaining about her to his manager, saying that she is a boring and plain girl that he'd like to be rid of, proceeding to sweet-talk and flirt with his manager, whereas he hadn't even put his arm around Kyoko in her life. Unlike other heroines in the same situation, Kyoko doesn't shed many tears when she learns that Sho thinks she's only good for housekeeping. Instead, her "Pandora's Box" opens and she vows vengeance on Shotaro. Enraged, Kyoko attempts to attack Sho, but is instantly carried off by security. Sho mockingly tells her that if she wants revenge, she had better become a bigger star than him. And so Kyoko, vowing revenge, changed her appearance and started to enter the entertainment business. Little did she know that her journey will not go as smooth as she thought. Skip Beat follows Kyoko's journey to climb the showbiz ladder as she meets interesting people along the way, all in the hopes of revenge and finding herself in the end.

Natsume's just an ordinary kid, except he can see spirits, just like his grandma Reiko could. Reiko, though, used to bully the spirits, and bound them to her will in the "Book of Friends". Now that Natsume has inherited this book, a never-ending stream of spirits is coming after him. With the help of a spirit "cat" (who says he just wants Natsume to die so he can have the book), Natsume spends his days dissolving the contracts that bind the spirits and trying not to get killed.

Natsume Takashi

The main character of the story. Like his grandmother, Natsume Reiko, Takashi has the ability to see spirits. He has inherited the Book of Friends, a book of names that no one but Reiko, Takashi, and other spirits can read. Because of Takashi's strong resemblance to Reiko, he is often mistaken for her, causing spirits who hate Reiko to chase him constantly. He decided to dissolve the Book by giving all the names back to their owners. He is accompanied by the spirit Madara, nicknamed "Cat" because of the spirit's appearance, and has promised that to pass the book on to Cat when he dies.

Takashi is an orphan. When he was younger, his parents died, and he was constantly sent to live with relatives. Because of his ability to see spirits, Takashi would scare his relatives because they didn't understand what he was doing. Eventually, Takashi lived with an old couple from his father's side. He loves them, and does not want to cause them trouble, so he keeps quiet about his problem. Takashi has developed a good punch, since he constantly has to escape from spirits, he punches them (mainly Cat) with enough strength to knock them out or stun them. He also has a bit of a short temper, since he argues with Cat most of the time. In the anime, he is more cheery and good-natured, while in the manga, he is slightly more dismal and short-tempered.

Takashi is able to return the names inscribed in the Book of Friends by first picturing the spirit in his mind in order to learn the spirit's name. The book flips to the page on which the name is written and Takashi takes the page and places it in his mouth while breathing out. The spell which originally enslaved the spirits used Reiko's saliva and breath, though as Reiko's grandson and one who bears a strong resemblance to Reiko, Takashi is able to use the spell as well. The cost of releasing the name, however, is that Takashi's energy is completely drained in the process.

Madara/Cat

Kuroshitsuji   Ranked #249

Yana Toboso draws the original Kuroshitsuji manga about Sebastian Michaels, an impeccable butler who can carry out practically any task his master requires of him — partly because he is a demon. His current master is Ciel, the Phantomhive family head who is smart, business-savvy, and all of 12 years old.

Sebastian Michaelis is the butler of the Phantomhive household and Ciel's bodyguard, two jobs he is completely devoted to. He often describes himself with a phrase that is alternately translated as "one hell of a butler" or "a butler and a demon". He is highly skilled in any area and handles every task, no matter how impossible it is, as well as any problem that arises from the errors of the other staff with ease, stating it is only natural as the butler to the Phantomhive family. This is due to the fact he is a demon bound by a "contract" to abide by Ciel's will. A sign similar to the one marking Ciel's right eye can be found on his left hand, which has been used on one occasion to twist the arm of a kidnapper without touching him. The name Sebastian is in fact a temporary name given to him by Ciel. He also stated that he loves cats (to the point he will get distracted from his duty to admire a tiger), and despises dogs.
His name is similar to that of Father Sebastien Michaelis, who compiled a hierarchy of demons in Hell.

The Phantomhive family has, for years, been well known for making toys and sweets for small children. However, they are also the Queen's watchdogs; the Phantomhive family keeps an eye on black market dealings in ways that Scotland Yard isn't able to. Ciel Phantomhive is the heir to this legacy.

Until the age of 10, he lived a normal life, with his father, his mother, and the family dog. However, on his tenth birthday, the mansion caught on fire; his parents were killed, and he went missing for a month, only to return with his smile dimmed and his new butler, Sebastian Michaelis, in tow... and a demonic contract in his right eye binding Sebastian to obey his commands.

Ciel is engaged to his cousin, Elizabeth Middleford, and lives with his five servants. Despite his young age, he runs the family company, and as such is quite busy much of the time... though he still finds time to go out investigating dubious legal matters.

At his tender age, the young earl is far more composed and mature than would be expected. He remains distant from others, aloof, preferring to spend his time on work for the company. Aside from his interest in (and incredible skill at) games, he's nigh untouchable. Or so he would have people think. Underneath that clever, bratty shell, underneath the protestations that he has no interest in childish things, Ciel is very much a hurt little boy. He's selfish, not able to fully empathize with people, and he's quite contrary to the point of pushing away things that he doesn't understand because he doesn't want to seem weak, but he cares more deeply about people than he will ever admit.

 What Sign Are You?

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I've been rewatching one very particular anime title "ONE OUTS".  The story begins when Hiromichi Kojima, the star batter of the fictional Lycaons in Japan's Pacific League, heads to the southern Japanese island of Okinawa to train and bring himself out of a slump. There, he meet Tōa Tokuchi, a 134-kmph (83 miles per hour) pitcher and the undisputed king of a gambling form of baseball called "One Out." At Kojima's urging, Tokuchi signs up with the Lycaons under an unusual contract: he gets 5,000,000 yen (about US$46,000) for every out he pitches, but loses 50,000,000 yen (US$460,000) for every point he gives up.