Anime

Anime (ah-ni-me) is short for animation and is a popular form of Japanese artwork. The "anime" style is typically recognized by its cartoon-like appearance. It was developed by a man called Testuwan in 1963. Unlike American cartoons, Japanese anime is intended for people of all ages, and they even have a special genre specifically for adults. Many of these cartoons are available in the US, and some are only popular in Japan. Some popular ones are:

Death Note

Yagami Light is an ace student with great prospects, who's bored out of his mind. One day he finds the "Death Note": a notebook from the realm of the Death Gods, with the power to kill people in any way he desires. With the Death Note in hand, Light decides to create his perfect world, without crime or criminals. However, when criminals start dropping dead one by one, the authorites send the legendary detective L to track down the killer, and a battle of wits, deception and logic ensues...

Soul Eater

Set in the Shinigami technical school for weapon meisters, the series revolves around 3 groups of each a weapon meister and a human weapon. Trying to make the latter a "Death Scythe" and thus fit for use by the Shinigami, they must collect the souls of 99 evil humans and 1 witch.

Soul Eater is an anime that centers around meisters and their weapons and their mission to collect 99 evil souls and 1 witch soul. Upon doing that the meister's weapons will become a Deathscythe, which is the highest title for a weapon. Maka, Soul Eater, Black Star, Tsubaki, Death the Kid, and Patty and Liz Thompson are the characters Soul Eater revolves around. Besides taking the time to gather souls these students of Shibusen defend Death City from some of the most powerful of creatures while still attending school and trying to become stronger.

Vampire Knight

Yuki's earliest memory is of a stormy night in winter, wherein she was attacked by a vampire... And then rescued by another. Now 10 years later, Yuki Cross, the adopted daughter of the headmaster of Cross Academy, has grown up and become a guardian of the vampire race, protecting her savior, Kaname, from discovery as he leads a group of vampires at the elite boarding school. But also at her side is Zero Kiryu, a childhood friend who's hatred for the creatures that destroyed everything he held dear, is now determined never to trust them. This coexisting arrangement seems all well and good, but have the vampires truly renounced their murderous ways, or is there a darker truth behind their actions? Is Kaname's infatuation with Yuki the beginning of a forbidden romance, or is it something in her forgotten past that draws him to her? Because in this world of secrets, nothing is as it seems. And the price of misplaced trust may even be worse than death.

Rosario + Vampire

Due to poor grades, Tsukune Aono, an average high school student, has been unable to get accepted into any private academy of his choice. By exceptional accident, the only school to accept him turns out to be anything but ordinary; the school is attended by youkai disguised as humans. Fearing for his life, he attempts to escape only to meet Moka Akashiya, a beautiful girl who just happens to be a vampire. Despite this, Tsukune decides to stay at the academy, hiding his human nature from students and teachers. Tsukune also discovers that when the rosary around Moka's neck is removed, her true nature emerges.

Ouran High School Host Club

Haruhi is a poor tomboyish student at a school for the ultra-wealthy, able to attend because of a scholarship, and unable to even afford a uniform. One day, she stumbles across the decidedly peculiar but very popular Ouran Host Club. She tries to leave, but accidentally breaks a vase, and unable to pay for it, she's told that she'll have to stay and do odd jobs. That is, until they decide she would be more valuable as a club member. Not realizing she's female due to her appearance, they fix her up and give her a male uniform. She's an instant hit, so they decide to have her keep up the charade even after they find out the truth. Haruhi, being average almost to a fault, doesn't know what to make of the unconventional activities of the Host Club (or of the even more unconventional members), but having little choice, she plays along. Before long, real bonds are formed, friends made, and Haruhi finds herself accepted in a way she could never have been otherwise in this affluent school.

Rurouni Kenshin

Himura Kenshin is a vagabond with a dark past and sunny disposition. Not a ronin but a rurouni, he was never a samurai, but an assassin of utmost skill in the Meiji restoration, who in the turning point of the war simply walked away. His travels lead him to Tokyo in the 11th year of the Meiji era, where he befriends a female Kendo master, a former thief, a brawler and a doctor all with their own secrets. Together they fight off the enemies surfacing from the dark past that Kenshin cannot escape.

Yu Yu Hakusho

One day, 14 year old Yusuke Urameshi suddenly finds himself dead, having died pushing a child out of the way of oncoming traffic. Since he has such a bad personality, even the Spirit World was caught by surpise that he would sacrifice himself. Yusuke soon finds out he wasn't supposed to die and has a chance for resurrection and bringing his body back to life. After being resurrected, Yusuke becomes a Spirit Detective, along with his comrades, and one adventure after another happens, whether it be an investigation or a fighting tournament.

Air Gear

Minami Ikki Itsuki, is a student and a delinquent. Also known as the Unbeatable Babyface, Ikki is the leader of the youth gang by the name of East Side Gunz. Upon his return home after being humiliated by a street gang of Storm Riders called the Skull Saders Ikki discovers a secret hidden from him by his benefactors, the Noyamano sisters. The sisters belong to a group of Storm Riders who go by the team name of Sleeping Forest. Keen on helping Ikki to regain his confidence and pride, they supply him with a pair of Air Trecks (abbreviated as AT). Ikki eventually settles his grudge with the Skull Saders, but in the process he receives more than the simple satisfaction of revenge. Determined to experience the sensation of flight for as long as he can, our headstrong protagonist is quickly sucked into the mysterious, yet irresistible world of Air Treck.

Shugo Chara!

Every child has an egg in their heart, unseen at first, an egg with the would-be self of their dreams. Hinamori Amu, part of a group called the Guardians, protect those eggs from becoming x-eggs, eggs filled with resentment and resignation that gives children troubles. Amu's job is to capture and restore x-eggs to their orginal form. She does this with the help of her three Shugo Chara (guardian characters or her would be selves), Ran, Miki and Su. Thanks to them she can change her character and abilities, and so fight against the mysterious organization Easter which aim is to find a special egg called Embryo using the x-eggs.

Bleach

Bleach is a new anime series that follows the life of a 15 year old boy by the name of Kurosaki Ichigo. Ichigo is not any average boy; he has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts and spirits. This stems from his other unusual trait: awesome, untapped Spiritual energy. Ichigo does what he can for the spirits he meets, until a Hollow (evil soul spirit) attacks him and his family. To the rescue comes a female Shinigami (Death God) named Kuchiki Rukia. Rukia chases the Hollow off, and is astounded by the fact that Ichigo can see her and the Hollow, which most mortals cannot. She explains that Shinigami have two duties: to lead the Pluses (good souls) to their rest in Soul Society, and to exterminate Hollows, who endanger them. All Shinigami carry a Zanpakutou, or Soul Slayer, with which they can release the Pluses and kill the Hollows. These Zanpakutou resemble katanas in their shape and size. The Hollow comes back at this point to menace the pair again, and Rukia is badly wounded. She thrusts her Zanpakutou into Ichigo's body, intending to transfer enough of her power into him to enable him to destroy the Hollow, except his soul takes all her power, and combines it with his own, which enables him to dispatch the Hollow with ease. Thus begins Ichigo's journey, as high-school student and part-time Death God!