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: