Brave 10

Alternative Names: BRAVE10
Also: an ongoing manga (same name)
Genres: Historical, action, adventure, seinen, ninja
Aired: January 8, 2012 – March 24, 2012
Number of episodes: 12
Theme songs:

Opening Theme:

"Shōryō Hirai" (精霊飛来) by Daisuke Ono and Tetsuya Kakihara

Ending Theme:

"En Otoko -adeosu-" (艶男。-adeosu-; "Charming Man -Adiós-") by ADAPTER

Characters: 

•   Isanami: a young priestress who has nowhere to go... she meets Saizo while escaping from Ninja Assasins. Saizo saves her, and so she sticks to him, feeling that he is her savior. Isanami has a special hairpin and a big secret. She makes easily new friends, and cares deeply for them, no matter who they are. She becomes one of the ten braves of Sanada Yukimura
• Saizo: A very skilled ninja, who meets Isanami by accident. He helps her, but then she won't leave... Saizo is very bottered by this, and is therefore very cold to Isanami. He often says that she only bring trouble to him, but meanwhile, he is getting attached to her, and helps her where he can. He is one of the Ten Braves of Sanada Yukimura, and calls Yukimura "old man". He always wanted to be alone, but Isanami and the Ten Braves of Yukimura change that in him. 
• Sanada Yukimura: Gathering the Ten Braves, and has an easy-going personality. But in reality he thinks every move carefully through. 
• Sasuke: One of the Ten Braves, called monkey by Saizo... He likes being in the forest and loves animals. Wears a green costume.
• Anastacia: One of the Ten Braves, and she controls ice. She is foreign and acts ratherly cold to everyone.

Summary: (from wikipedia)The story takes place during the Warring States period, approximately a year before the Battle of Sekigahara. Kirigakure Saizou, a Iga Ninja in search of his life's path, comes across Isanami, an Izumo shrine maiden, being attacked by assassins. Isanami, who survived the burning of Izumo Temple by Tokugawa Ieyasu's forces, is traveling to Shinshuu to seek sanctuary with Sanada Yukimura. At the same time, Sanada Yukimura is in the midst of gathering 10 men of extraordinary valor, the Sanada Ten Braves, whose combined strength will allow them to alter the course of history. During the course of the continuing battles, the mysterious power hidden within Isanami will awaken soon...
My view: I liked this anime a lot, it's a pity there are only twelve episodes. The characters are great, the drawings are great, the voices are great ;D. You also learn a bit about Japanese History, so it's like learning and watching at the same time. I really recommend this anime!
Rating: 8,0
Images:

Busou Renkin

Alternative Names: lit. Arms Alchemy
Sequels: none I know of
Genres: Action, Supernatural, Romance, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Number of episodes: 26
Theme songs:

Opening Theme:

"Makka Na Chikai" by Yoshiki Fukuyama

Ending Theme:

1: "Hoshiakari" by Jyukai

2: "Itoshiki Sekai" by Aya Kagami

Characters:
Kazuki Mutou; He is a 16 year old kid, who lives with his sister and friends at the dormitories of his school, Ginsei Private Academy. He lives a peaceful live until he becomes involved in a fight between Tokiko and a homunculus. He is killed, but after that revived by a Kakugane that Tokiko inplants. Feeling that he can't ignore the homunculus and wants to protect the people imporant to him, he helps Tokiko by fighting the homunculi. He despises killing, even the homunculi, and wants to find another way, so that he can 'protect everyone'. He deeply cares for Tokiko, at first because she saved his life, but in time....
Tokiko Tsumura; A 17 year old alchemy warrior, who is very devoted to her work. She stopped going to school because it would be more efficient. She had a job in Kazuki's hometown, and somehow a boy became involved in a fight and was killed. She uses a Kakugane to revive his life, but doesn't fully know the concequences by doing that. She feels responsible for Kazuki, and decides to stay in his hometown. She really hates the homunculi, because of a past trauma. Over the time she falls in love with Kazuki.
Koshaku Chouno / Papillon; A 19 year old student at Ginsei Private Academy. Was meant to be the heir of his family, but he is deadly sick, and his father disinherited him and made his younger brother heir of the family. Chouno is deeply hurt and finds in the research diary a way to make homunculi. First he experiments on animals, and then turns himself into a human-like-homunculus. He still ends up to have to sickness, but now he can't die anymore, he kills his whole family, because they didn't recognize him. Kazuki sees this and feels he has to kill him and does so in full regret, but chouno is revived by his grandfather who wants to use him. He deems Kazuki the only human who is worthy of calling him by his original name as Kazuki believes humans can have power without sacrificing their humanity which is something Chouno is trying to disprove, and enjoys referring to Kazuki as a "hypocrite". He has a rather 'weird' way of dressing... ;)
Summary: (from Anime News Network) One night, Kazuki Muto jumps in to try to save what he thinks is a girl in distress from a monster and instead gets impaled through the heart. The girl, Tokiko, is actually an alchemic warrior with a Busou Renkin, name of Valkerie Skirt, with the mission to exterminate Homunculi. She implants the only other successful work of alchemy than the Homunculus, the Kakugane, to take the place of Kazuki's heart. The Kakugane resonates with his fighting spirit and forms a Busou Renkin (in his case a spear) so he can fight the Homunculus monsters who prey on humans. Kazuki joins with Tokiko to battle with the Homunculi and protect his friends and his sister Mahiro.
My view: One of the better anime series, if I may say so. You never really know what's going to happen, what makes it really interesting. Also, the characters are really good, the way they think makes sense. The drawing is also fantastic, such beauties :D. It's a really sweet but sometimes heavy story, about 'how to protect the things you love'. Once you'll start, you see it through the end, if possible, in one or two days (in my case :D).
Rating: 
8,5
Images: