Nodame Cantabile

Alternative Names: -
Sequels: Nodame Cantabile: Paris-Hen
Nodame Cantabile: Finale
Genres: Comedy, Slice of Life, Romance, Drama, Music (classical)
Aired: 11-01-2007 until 28-06-2007
Number of episodes: 23
Theme songs:Opening Theme(s):
"Allegro Cantabile" by SUEMITSU & THE SUEMITH
Ending Theme(s):

#1: "Konna ni Chikaku de..." by CRYSTAL KAY (episodes 1-12)

#2: "Sagittarius" by SUEMITSU & THE SUEMITH (episodes 13-22)

#3: "Allegro Cantabile" by SUEMITSU & THE SUEMITH (episode 23)

Characters: 
Nodame (Noda Megumi): A lively girl with great imagination. She lives next to Chiaki, who she fell in love with after he helped her. She plays the piano for fun, and studies at the same music academy as Chiaki. She doesn't have a goal in music, and so she is demoted to the 'failure class'. She plays by ear, and she doesn't read the sheet music most of the time, and has a very free music sound because of that. She gets noticed by Chiaki and some other people, who try to persuade her to continue to play the piano...
Shinichi Chiaki: Has a very huge ego and studies the piano in the music academy. He plays very well, but gets into a fight with his teacher and has to go to the failure class. There he meets Nodame. He wants to be a conductor and go to Europe to study, but he has a great fear of airplanes and boats because of trauma's in the past. So he has to stay in Japan and feels suffocated there. He starts conducting the S-orchestra and learns how to act differently towards people, mostly because of Nodame. He lives next to Nodame, and is almost like her guardian sometimes. He may be cold and harsh, but he means well and gives his all to achieve something.
Summary: This story is about two individuals who try to find their way in the music world and their own lives. They and their music grow by meeting new people and experiencing many things.
My view: I liked the series very much, although the relationship between Nodame and Chiaki grows really slow, you really see them grow, and want to root for them. The humor is great, and it simply catches your heart, even if you don't like classical music all that much.
Rating: 7,5

Images:

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:

Skip Beat

Alternative Names: -
Also: manga
Genres: Romantic Comedy, Showbiz, drama, psychological, Romance, Supernatural, Comedy
Number of episodes: 25
Theme Songs: 
Opening Theme:

#1: "Dream Star" by the generous (eps 1-19)

#2: "Renaissance" by the generous (eps 20-25)

Ending Theme: 

#1: "Namida" by 2BACKKA (eps 1-19)

#2: "Eien (永遠)" by Yūsaku Kiyama (eps 20-24)

#3: "Dream Star" by the generous (ep 25

Characters: everything inside "…" is copied from wikipedia
Kyoko Mogami: "Kyoko is a 16-year-old, bright, intelligent girl bent on revenge against the boy that used her feelings of love and devotion for his own selfish gain." So she goes after the boy, named Shotaro, to defeat him in the show business. He sings, and is the number two star at the moment (after Ren Tsuruga). She is a complete newbie, and wants to join the company L.M.E., the agency who is the greatest rival of sho's talent agency. She sort of harasses one of the men there, but after some time she goes to audition there, which she failes. But at the L.M.E. works Ren Tsuruga, who she used to hate, because sho hated him. He teases her at first, because he thinks she uses acting as a weapon.  Kyoko may enter L.M.E., at the LoveMe section, for people with scars in their hearts. Kyoko is unable to love, for many reasons... Kyoko has a supernatural gift, she has her own ghosts, and they come in handy often :D.  
Ren Tsuruga: "Ren has an extremely kind and gentle persona. He takes his acting very seriously and expects professionalism from those around him. While he maintains a perfect public image, he has frequently shown his true face to Kyoko, failing to maintain his polite facade in front of her. He was originally unhappy with Kyoko because of her impure reasons for joining show business, and frequently found ways to annoy and tease her. However, once he realized that her acting was more than a tool for revenge, he began to support her growth as a budding idol."
Sho Fuwa: His real name is Shōtarō (松太郎^?). He keeps it a secret because he finds it very old-fashioned. He is an extremely egotistical, extremely talented music star. Shō had no qualms about asking Kyoko to give up her life in Kyoto to support him in Tokyo, fully cognizant of her misconceptions of the nature of their relationship. After Kyoko's transformation, he is shocked and soon discovers he had more feelings for her than he originally thought. He has disliked seeing Kyoko's tears since childhood, knows her preferences in food, and of her love for fairy tales and things romantic in nature, but stole her first kiss so that she would hate him and obsess over him. Shō holds a great animosity towards Ren because he is hailed as the coolest, number one guy in show biz. 
Summary: from: wikipedia:
Skip Beat! follows the story of Kyoko Mogami, a sixteen year-old girl who loves her childhood friend, Shotaro Fuwa, but is betrayed by him. Having spent a large part of her childhood at Shotaro's parents' inn, she learned a great deal about hostelry and other such jobs. Shotaro, not wishing to take over his parents' business, moves to Tokyo to pursue a career in music. Sho, as he is called by his fans, asks Kyoko to leave high school and her life in Kyoto Prefecture behind to help him. Upon arrival in Tokyo, Kyoko lives an unreasonably frugal life and works multiple jobs to support Sho, spending nothing on herself and doing whatever she can for Sho, who eventually becomes ranked seventh of the top twenty most popular male celebrities of Japan. One day, she overhears Shotaro complaining about her to his manager, saying that she is a boring and plain girl. He proceeds to sweet-talk and flirt with his manager, in stark contrast to the cold and demanding attitude he usually exhibits towards Kyoko. Kyoko doesn't shed many tears when she learns that Sho wanted her along only to handle housekeeping duties. Instead, her "Pandora's box" opens and she vows vengeance on Sho. As she is carried away by security, Sho mockingly tells her that if she wants revenge, she had better become a bigger star than he is. And so, Kyoko changes her appearance and enters the entertainment industry, facing many challenges along the way. Skip Beat! follows Kyoko's journey to climb the showbiz ladder as she meets interesting people, troublemakers and friends alike, with hopes of getting revenge on Shotaro, as well as regaining the sense of compassion that she had lost when her heart was broken by him. As Kyoko cultivates her acting and friendships, she soon discovers a sense of self separate from her initial plans for revenge.
My view:
One of the best stories ever made!! It's so sad that there are only 25 episodes :(
The plot is well-written, with the feelings transporting right into you! It makes you wish Kyoko and Ren really exist. There's nothing that could be wrong in the serie, it all makes sense what they say and how they act, all doesn't it seem so in the beginning sometimes. The writer of the series is a genius!!! The characters are really handsome, especially their eyes; they're captivating... I hope there comes a second serie of Skip Beat, and I hope it will follow the manga till the end!
Rating: 10,0
Images:

No. 6

Alternative Names: -
Genres: Science Fiction, Shonen-ai
Number of episodes: 11
Theme Songs: Opening Song: "Spel" by Lama 
                           Ending Song: "Rokutosei no Yoru" by Aimer
Characters: See Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._6#Characters  
The characters are very complicated, so I can't really write about them, I can  say my personal experience with them, but that doesn't have to be true for you xD
Sion made me think about a little lamp who can't stand on his own feet. He always needs help, for example from Nezumi. He is honest and unbelievable naive, but that's what people like about him. Nezumi is very important to him, and he doesn't like to fight... In the last episode he isn't entirely himself, or, I saw another side of him... So now I don't know if I like him very much anymore.
Nezumi hates No. 6, and wants to destroy it. Sion doesn't, and so they (nearly ?) fight a lot about that. Later in the series I found out that his family was killed because of No. 6, so that's his reason for wanting to destroy it. But I don't understand that he said that at the end, he could have said it earlier, couldn't he??
Summary: When Sion is stil a child, he saves a criminal, named Nezumi. For that reason the city, No. 6, takes certain privileges from him, and he has to move. Years later, Sion sees dead people in his job, and is arrested because of it... Nezumi saves him and takes him out of the city. Then there are some episodes where there doesn't really happen something, (a bit boring :( ), and at the end, the infiiltrate the city, to destroy and save it (or something like that :$), which also really happens. 
My view: A weird serie, in the beginning, it's going slow, fast, slow, fast, then a very long part VERY SLOOOOOWW..... and the end is so fast that you almost have to see it two times... I couldn't really find a morale in this story, all your expectations are in the end proven wrong, so that makes it interesting, but in my opinion this series could have been a LOT better!!
Rating: 6,5
Images: