A story set in the mid-1800's about a young doctor who has been trained in Western-style medicine and a young samurai who is trying to live up to the old traditions of his class and culture. The story is actually based upon real people - the doctor, Ryo-an, was Tezuka's great grandfather. The manga series was adapted to anime by Madhouse Studios and premiered in Japan on NTV on April 4, 2000.
At the beginning of the Edo Era, when people enjoyed a time of peace, Lord Tokugawa Tadanaga holds a fighting tournament. In the past, matches were fought with wooden swords. This time, real swords will be used. One-armed Fujiki Gennosuke and blind Irako Seigen will fight each other in this match. Both are disciples of Iwamoto Kogan, who is known as Japan's greatest swordsman. Each of them are determined to prove himself the successor of Iwamoto's school. However, there can only be one champion. So begins a story of intertwining fates, conflict, and strange destinies.
In an alternate history where the male population is nearly decimated, eligible men serve as concubines to the woman shogun inside the walls of the Ooku.
When a certain man is released from prison, he knows exactly where he's heading first. After falling in love with a traditional comic storyteller's rendition of the story called "Shinigami," he is determined to become his apprentice. The performer, Yakumo, has never taken an apprentice before, but to everyone's surprise, he accepts the eager ex-prisoner, nicknaming him "Yotaro." As Yotaro happily begins his new life, he meets others in Yakumo's life, including Yakumo's ward Konatsu. Konatsu was the daughter of a famous storyteller, and Yakumo took her in after her father's tragic death. Konatsu loved her father's storytelling, and would love to become a performer in her own right—but that path is not available for women.
Jinta journeys through a century-spanning epic, all while questioning why he wields a sword.
The story centers on Hinano, a very normal and mild-mannered 17-year-old girl. Since she was very young her grandmother ran a planetarium that Hinano loved, but one day Hinano found out that the planetarium would be closing down. Hinano worried about whether there was anything she could do for her grandmother and for the planetarium, and she coincidentally one day catches sight of a woman dancing on a pole under a starry sky. She gathers her friends and together they set up a stage in the planetarium to perform shows, and they jump into the world of pole dancing.
Ryouma Sakamoto wants everyone to know about his passion for rock 'n' roll, so he roams around town with his electric guitar willing to show anyone he encounters that he's just as skilled as the famous Shinsengumi stars they admire. Unfortunately, Japan doesn't allow anything other than that group's Heaven's Songs, for writing or performing different types of music is forbidden and can lead to harsh consequences. Agitated by these strict rules and brainwashing, Ryouma does everything he can to show people that the music he loves will bring them the freedom they deserve. Along with his bandmates Shinsaku Takasugi and Kogoru Katsura, Ryouma works hard to find places for his rock 'n' roll group to perform. Refusing to back down until their music is accepted in Japan, the trio begin to realize that there's more to their passion than they had thought.
Spring in the first year of high school. Kumiko, a member of the brass band in junior high school, visits the high school brass band club with classmates Hazuki and Sapphire. There, she comes across Reina, her former classmate from junior high. Hazuki and Sapphire decide to join the club, but Kumiko can’t make up her mind. She recollects her experience with Reina at a competition in junior high school.
Gengo Matsunaga, once known as Phoenix, was the greatest samurai fire-slayer in all of Edo. After leaving fire-slaying, Gengo is approached with an offer from the Shinjo Domain. Encouraged by his wife, Miyuki, he sets out to rebuild a fallen firefighting brigade. Gengo gathers a group of misfits, the Ragged Fire-Slayers, as they investigate mysterious fires started by the arsonist Kitsunebi.
Mameda is a tanuki who was born in the wrong era - all she wants is to trick humans, but that age of tanuki shenanigans is over. But one woman, a rakugo master named Bunko, shows Mameda it's still possible to cast magic on humans...only with words, not illusions. Mameda is determined to become Bunko's apprentice, but can she convince the stoic master to take her on...?
The historical novel series depicts Heizou Hasegawa, who metes justice on wrongdoers and supervises the crackdown on arsonists and robbers in Japan's Edo period (1603-1868).
Hoshitani Yuta enters Ayanagi Academy, a school focusing on show business activities, specifically music. The academy has a group of the grade three students with the highest grades in the musical department, and they are known as the Kao Kai (Cherry Blossom Flower Association). This organization stands at the top of the pecking order within the academy. The shortcut to entering the musical department is to enter the Star Frame class, which is directly taught by the members, and to be recognized by them. Unfortunately, due to their own problems, students Nayuki Toru, Tsukigami Kaito, Tengenji Kakeru, Kuga Shu and Hoshitani Yuta are all struggling to even remain candidates for the musical department. By a stroke of luck, however, the five are spotted by Kao Kai member Otori, and they pique his interest.
The story is set in Tonakishima, a small island with a population of 600. Hana, a high school girl who lives on the island, loves recitals, and holds regular reading sessions for the island's children. Mizuki, the president of the Broadcasting Club, senses Hana's power to attract people through her reading and invites her to join the club. Hana joins the Broadcasting Club and experiences many firsts with the other members.
It is currently the Taiheimeji era, during the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate. In this era, breasts mean everything. If you have breasts, you are guaranteed wealth and popularity, but if you lack them, you are rarely considered human. Inside the shogunate, there is a group of warriors that support the government—the Manyuu Clan, which helps raise the future big breasts. Written on a secret scroll possessed by the clan, there are said to be various techniques on how to grow big and beautiful breasts. Chifusa is the heir of the clan. However, she takes the secret scroll and runs away with it, hoping to fight against the cruel world that the Manyuu Clan has created…
Driven by a dream of revenge against those who made her an outcast in Edo-period Japan, a young warrior cuts a bloody path toward her destiny.
Kabo is a high school student with a stutter who struggles to express his feelings. He finds himself drawn to his classmate Wanda, who pursues dance without worrying about how others see her. Seeking a form of freestyle expression, Kabo takes on the unfamiliar world of dance.
8 years after the adventures of Hino Kahoko, it is now time for Koihinata Kanade to step on the stage. Soon after transferring to Seiso Gakuen, Kanade finds the orchestra club in the middle of preparing for the National concur. Teaming up with the other members, she will improve her skills, meet new rivals and create memories for what will become an unforgettable summer...
The Shogunate is in its final years, and war is fast approaching. When Yojiro Akizuki, a dark and mysterious mercenary, nears something supernatural with some kind of importance to him, the ornament on the end of his sword hilt waves in its direction, his eyes glow mysteriously, and he is driven to go after it. He comes across a traveling theater group who is out for revenge for the killing of the parents of the group's leader, and whose mysterious playwright likes to secretly help along events of history. Yojiro joins them to lend them his skill against their enemies, while dark conspiracy continues to follow behind him.
Yukimura Chizuru is the daughter of a doctor who works in Edo; her father leaves Edo to work as a volunteer doctor and moves to Kyoto without his daughter. As time passes by, Chizuru starts worrying about losing contact with her father, so she decides to go to Kyoto in search of him. On the way, Chizuru is attacked by few criminals and witnesses a fight between an oni and the Shinsengumi. Taking her into custody and saving her, the Shinsengumi debate on what to do with Chizuru when they discover that she is the daughter of the doctor they are also looking for. So they decide to become Chizuru's protectors and help her look for her father (the doctor). Lots of events happen while she stays with the Shinsengumi, as they discover mysterious secrets and also fight against the Bakumatsu group.
Her father passed away very early and her mother lives and works in a crowded Chinese restaurant. Kitajima Maya, a 13-year old girl, has to carry the burden of making ends meet as she fights against her ill fate. However, she is able to overcome the trials and tribulations in her life with her passion and enthusiasm. She happens to encounter the reclusive actress Tsukikage who decides to train and mould her into the foremost actress of her generation.