Sleep Bubble

 Full Name: Dark Mousy

 From: DNAngel

 Sex: Male

 Current Alter-ego: Daisuke Niwa

 Age: approximately 300 years old

 Family Relation: Niwa Family

 Occupation: art thief

 Crush: Riku Harada

 Real Name: Koku Yoku (literally meaning "Black Wings")

 Seiyuu: Okiayu Ryoutarou

For generations, the Niwa family has always had the entity known as Dark within its male descendants. At the age of 14, once a Niwa boy experiences falling in love, the phantom thief Dark will manifest inside that person whenever he feels romantic about someone. In the series, Dark had been dormant for 40 years due to the fact that his previous “owner” Daiki (Daisuke’s grandfather) had no male offspring. And so Dark only came back when Daiki’s daughter Emiko gave birth to Daisuke.

Dark’s personality is very different from Daisuke. While Daisuke is calm and reserved (albeit terribly shy), Dark is loud, arrogant and oozing with confidence. It is no surprise that Dark is famous not only as an art thief but also to the female population because he definitely knows how to woo them. However, he unintentionally gains the attention of the younger Harada twin named Risa – the girl Daisuke is in love with at the beginning of the series.

Despite Daisuke and Dark’s constant arguing because of conflicting ideas, they always see to it that each other is safe. Daisuke often talks to Dark about many things while Dark is always willing to give advice to his naïve partner. Dark is pretty powerful whenever he is freed by Daisuke when they have to steal an art piece. He makes use of Wiz as his black wings lest Daisuke will severely be hurt if Dark makes use of his own power to get wings.

I think Dark is a pretty funny and interesting character in the series. He talks big but there are moments when he showed his vulnerability and relied on Daisuke for support instead of the other way around.

Itazura Na Kiss is a very entertaining series based on the unfinished manga by the late Kaoru Tada. The story follows the love story of the handsome and stoic Irie Naoki and the sweet but terribly ditzy (and clumsy) Kotoko Aihara.

Ever since her high school life started, Kotoko has always been in love with Naoki. After finally summoning enough courage to confess her feelings, Kotoko shyly hands Naoki a love letter only to be bluntly rejected in front of everybody. Feeling totally humiliated, Kotoko vowed to forget about Naoki and instead placed her attention on her struggling father who recently made a successful house for the two of them. However, misfortune seems to be in Kotoko’s blood as the house crumbled and collapsed after only a few days of being built.

Luckily, the college best friend of Kotoko’s father is willing to let them stay in their house for as long as they like. But what awaits Kotoko is more disaster when she discovers that the son of her father’s friend is none other Naoki, the guy who scorned her. What follows is a tangle of fights and drama surrounded with eventual romance.

Itazura Na Kiss has a good balance of comedy and drama and the romance is just too cute. Kotoko matures from a silly and idealistic girl to a responsible lady albeit still showing her lovestruck impulsiveness every once in a while. Naoki, on the other hand, grew to be a goal-driven guy from being a frequently bored person which most probably stemmed from his innate intelligence and ability to achieve high marks on almost anything. It’s too sad that the mangaka died while the story is still unfinished but with her husband’s consent, the anime producers decided to create a proper ending to this amusing little romantic comedy.

 Full Name: Tateishi Ayu

 From: Ultramaniac

 Sex: Female

 Age: 15-16

 Level: 7th grade

 Club: Tennis Club (she's the club president)

 Friends: Nina Sakura, Tetsushi Kaji, Tsujiai Hiroki

 Love Interest: Tetsushi Kaji

 Others: Ayu is very popular among both the boys and girls in her school because of her cool and calm nature.

 Seiyuu: Horie Yui

Ayu is the co-protagonist of the magical girl series Ultramaniac. She is well-known in her school as a cool and calm person and many students (boys and girls alike) admire her. Despite being kind to everyone, Ayu only wishes for one boy's attention - Tetsushi Kaji, the star of the baseball team. Some time ago, Kaji remarked that he liked Ayu's calm attitude and that began Ayu's effort to uphold that behavior. In reality, Ayu can be a worrier on certain things which got highlighted once she met the magical girl Nina.

Coming from Magic Kingdom, Nina is on a mission to find Holy Stones which are mystical items that got scattered in Earth. Ayu happened to be the person whom Nina bumped into during the magical girl's first arrival. From them on, Ayu was stuck with Nina whom she later became her close friend.

Ayu's character became further explored with the appearance of Nina and it also developed her interaction with Kaji whom we later learn to have feelings for Ayu as well. Like her, Kaji was also putting on a facade of being kind to everyone but can actually be ruthless when it comes to things he doesn't care for (as shown when Nina witnessed Kaji throw away the chocolates given to him by other girls). In the end, Ayu and Kaji removed the "masks" they wear and ended up to be a happy couple.

 Full Name: Asamoto Soshi

 From: Zettai Kareshi

 Sex: Male

 Age: 16

 Occupation: student

 Hobbies: reading, cooking

 Relatives: parents (working abroad), Masaki (younger brother)

 Others: does part-time jobs because he's bored

 Love Interest: Izawa Riiko (childhood friend) - secretly in love with her but later confessed because of Night's arrival

 Live Action actor: Hiro Mizushima

As a trusted childhood friend of Izawa Riiko, Soshi is asked by Riiko's parents to watch over her while they are abroad working. Soshi lives with his younger brother, Masaki and their apartment is next door to Riiko's where he often visits after school to check on his friend.

While Riiko is idealistic, Soshi is more of a practical one. He often mocks Riiko's idea of love and romance but we later learn that he does this in hopes that Riiko would take notice of him. For a long time now, Soshi has been in love with Riiko and would silently watch as she pursues one crush after another (and fail later on). He didn't dare to confess his feelings to her because he thought it would complicate their long-time friendship.

However, when Night came along, Soshi felt that Riiko may be truly falling in love with him (without the knowledge that Night is actually a robot) and so he made his move as well. To his surprise, Riiko did consider if she does reciprocate his feelings. For a while, Riiko was juggling her feelings for both Night and Soshi but in the end, she chose Night despite the fact that he is only a robot. Acknowledging this, Soshi decided to go abroad to Spain to study.

After some time, Night's system was gradually deteriorating and eventually, Night told Soshi that he may "die" soon. Thinking that he didn't want Riiko to be sad, Night asked Soshi to look after Riiko from then on. Soshi knows that Riiko can't just turn to him quickly so he patiently waited until the ending where there were hints that Riiko and Soshi became a couple.

I really like Soshi's nerdy but protective attitude. He had moments of hilarity though especially when he chases Night whenever the robot attempts to do outrageous things (namely getting Riiko to sleep with him). In the end, Soshi's patience paid off and he got the girl he loves.

In my opinion, Honey and Clover has one of the most unforgettable stories of all time.

The series is centered in the lives of five art college students. Living in the same run-down apartment complex are nice guy Takemoto Yuta , serious Mayama Takumi and eccentric Morita Shinobu. Also included in the story is Yamada Ayumi, a pottery student who is in love with her childhood friend Mayama.

At the beginning of the story, a new girl is introduced to them, the very childlike Hanamoto Hagumi, the daughter of one of their professor's cousin. It's love at first sight for Takemoto and Morita but they show their affection to her in very different degrees. The rest of the series is an adventure of life and love.

What I like about this series is its realistic portrayal of bittersweet love. Mayama keeps on telling Yamada that he can never reciprocate her feelings and though Yamada has accepted that, she cannot get over it and continues to watch Mayama silently as he try to pursue an older woman who has just lost her husband. On the other hand, Takemoto cannot summon the courage to confess to Hagumi as he's afraid that it will destroy their friendship. Meanwhile, Morita is well, he's not confused but he has a tendency to go in circles ^^;;

After trying the two-season anime series, please try to live action series as well. The characters were expertly brought to life and is very faithful to the original story.

 Full Name: Louise Francoise Le Blanc de la Vallierre

 From: Zero No Tsukaima

 Sex: Female

 Age: 16

 Height: 153 cm

 Familiar: Hiraga Saito (a human, later became a chevalier)

 Skills: knitting, horseback riding

 Relatives: Eleanor (oldest sister), Cattleya (middle and Louise's favorite sister)

 Magical Affinity: Void

 Seiyuu: Kugimiya Rie

A hot-headed pink-haired young lady, Louise came from the noble family of La Valiere that owns the north-eastern territory of Tristain. She is a second year student at the Tristain Academy of Magic and is notoriously known in school as "Louise the Zero" because of her zero skills at casting magic spells.

During the summoning ceremony where everyone must call forth their eternal familiar, Louise makes a mistake once again and summons Saito Hiraga, a human from Earth and worse, a commoner. You can just imagine Louise's anger when she saw Saito, whom she treats like a dog. Surprisngly, Louise and Saito had a good rapport once they have both unlocked their innate (rare) magical affinity to void. Together, Louise and Saito became a formidable opponent to those who wish to disrupt the peace in Tristain.

On the surface, Louise is very temperamental. She is easily jealous especially when Saito gets interested at the other girls in the series (and in the same way when the girls show affection to him). She is very sensitive on the topic on her physical attributes (because she is teased to looking like a kid). Louise is the typical tsundere character - someone who acts angry all the time but is actually a big softie.

I didn't like Louise at first, she was pretty annoying whipping Saito for trivial matters or for no reason at all. But later on, she becomes very cute and amusing especially when she realizes how much she liked to have Saito around.

 Full Name: Lelouch Lamperouge

 From: Code Geass

 Sex: Male

 Birthday: December 5, 1999

 Age: 17 (at the beginning of the series)

 Real Name: Lelouch Vi Britannia

 Occupation: student (Ashford Academy)

 Organization/s: Order of the Black Knights (leader)

 Relatives: Charles Di Britannia (father), Marianne Vi Britannia (mother-deceased), Nunnally Vi Britannia (sister)

 Seiyuu: Fukuyama Jun

Lelouch is just like any ordinary guy - nice, friendly and quite a slacker. He, like most of us, is also a firm believer of justice. But it seems that his emotion toward it is stronger than plenty of us.

Lelouch grew up from a noble family of royal stature. His father is the emperor of Britannia, the largest ruling territory that encompasses three-fourths of the world. Though Lelouch rarely feels love from his father, he finds solace in his kind mother Marianne and his adorable little sister Nunnally. However, one night, a horrendous crime takes place in the palace. His mother is brutally murdered in front of him and his sister leaving Nunnally semi-permanently blind and crippled.

From this experience, Lelouch became twisted and obsessed with the idea of overthrowing the Britannian empire and seeking a peaceful world fit for his sister, Nunnally. One day, he encounters a mysterious green-haired girl named C.C. who bestows him a rare power called Geass. With it, Lelouch is able to control a person's actions by looking at him directly. Soon, Lelouch was quickly making his way up leading a group of oppressed people collectively known as the Black Knights. Lelouch became a hero of Japan who was subordinated by Britannia and was reduced to being called Area 11. To the Britannian empire, Lelouch (or his alternate identity, Zero) was the greatest activist they have ever encountered.

Lelouch would've been a fine "hero" as he wants to be, but his way of thinking became so twisted that he would go as far as killing anyone who crosses his path. He got to the point when he would no longer recognize those who wouldn't be of use to him and instead, placed on a facade of a kind young man behind the scheming interior.

Simply put, Lelouch is one of the most intriguing characters in this anime. It's hard to distinguish when his feelings are sincere or simply manipulating. He may not be a likable protagonist but you can certainly be sure that he'll keep you interested in the whole duration of the series.

Tazusa Sakurano and Pete Pumps live very different lives but unexpectedly crossed each other's paths one fine day at Turin, Italy. While Tazusa is competing at a figure skating competition, she fails at successfully landing a triple lutz and thus, lost consciousness in the rink. At exactly the same time, stunt pilot Pete Pumps is performing a demonstration when his plane suddenly malfunctions and became the cause of his untimely death. Once both have regained consciousness, they got the surprise of their lives when they learned that Pete's ghost unwillingly inhabited Tazusa's body for a duration of 100 days.

Naturally, Tazusa was outraged. She doesn't like having a guy inside her head (or body for that matter) and is disturbed when Pete constantly spouts words of wisdom to her in order to improve her snotty attitude. Fortunately, Tazusa found Pete's weakness and instantly developed a liking to tomatoes much to the disgust of her inhabitor. But eventually, both learned to co-exist and even showed hints of falling in love with each other. But Pete's 100 days is almost up, can Tazusa survive being separated from him?

Ginban Kaleidoscope is a very short but very entertaining series centered on ice skating and the theme of improving one's attitude. The roster of characters is relatively small so it's easy to remember everyone and the part they play. It's a classic opposites attract type of story but in a different setting.

 Full Name: Juliet Fiammata Arst Capulet

 From: Romeo x Juliet

 Sex: Female

 Age: 16

 Aliases: Odin, Red Whirlwind (Akai Kaze)

 Image Flower: Iris

 Skills: swordfighting

 Friends: Cordelia, Conrad, Francisco, Curio, Antonio, Emilia, William Shakespeare

 Love Interest: Romeo Candole Bando Montague

 Seiyuu: Mizusawa Fumie

Juliet is the last surviving member of the honorable Capulet family who once led the country of the flying city Neo Verona. When she was still a child, their sworn enemies, the family of Montague attacked her family. Many tried to defend the young princess and all of them perished. Thankfully, Juliet's maid and confidante, Cordelia helped her escape to a quiet town where no one knows about her identity. Together with some of the surviving Capulet soldiers, Juliet lived in peace.

As she grew, her protectors thought that it might be dangerous for Juliet and so she was forced to assume not only a different name but also a different gender. As Odin, she led the townspeople to believe that she was a young man who was taken in by the eccentric playwright William Shakespeare out of kindness. Amidst her masquerade, Odin also poses as a vigilante known as Red Whirlwind who aids the people who are treated unfairly by the abusive Montague soldiers.

When she turned sixteen, her comrades felt that it was the right time to reveal to Juliet her true identity and the reason why she must hide it. As there is still one living Capulet, a plan to overthrow Montague is still possible. However, this discovery proved to be too much for poor Juliet and was left in distress for a while, especially when she just met (and was infatuated) with a young man who turned out to be the only son and heir to the Montague throne named Romeo. Now Juliet is left with a hard battle for justice and for herself as well.

Even when Juliet is still pretending to be a boy, she never lost her feminine side which was proved when she fell in love (at first sight) with Romeo. Yet, even when she is confronted by such emotions, she remained to be strong and carefully thought about the actions she planned to take (with the guidance of her soldiers). That's what I like about Juliet, her courageous and practical attitude won me over.

Full  Name: Kiryuu Zero

 From: Vampire Knight

 Sex: Male

 Age: 17

 Blood Type: A

 Lineage: vampire hunters

 Relatives: Parents (deceased), Kiryuu Ichiru (twin brother, deceased)

 Weapon: Bloody Rose (an anti-vampire gun)

 Others: A student prefect at Cross Academy along with Yuki Cross

 Seiyuu: Miyano Mamoru

Zero Kiryuu is the silver-haired brooding partner-in-crime of Yuki Cross. Raised in a family of vampire hunters, Zero is being groomed to be the successor along with his twin brother Ichiru. While Zero showed signs of great improvement, his sickly brother wasn't as good as him. Nevertheless, the two were very close.

One night, the twins encounter a crying elegant lady wearing a white kimono who is sitting on a tree branch. Zero knew right away that the lady was a vampire but Ichiru was somehow attracted to her, so much that he would often visit her just to talk. It seemed that Ichiru felt that he could relate to the woman (named Shizuka Hiou).

Later on, Shizuka attacked the Kiryuu family. The twins were bitten while their parents were instantly killed. Zero witnessed as Ichiru was taken away by Shizuka and never heard from him again. Zero was later saved by the Cross Academy director and was given shelter at the dormitory with Yuki.
Expectedly, Zero was left silent and unemotional but he eventually warmed up to the helpful Yuki and her foster father. When he got older, Zero was appointed by the director to be a student prefect along with Yuki who will help in keeping the secret about the existence of vampires to the Day Class students.

For quite some time, Zero was satisfied with his life (though he remains to be stoic to his classmates) until the time when he was bitten by a vampire caught up to him and he showed signs of being attracted to the scent of blood. Soon, he was discovered to be a level D - or humans who were bitten by vampires. Once he gets consumed by his addiction to blood, Zero will eventually fall to to level E, or those who have completely lost their sanity and have become a monster. Upon knowing this, Yuki vowed to do anything in her power to help him.

I didn't like Zero at first despite his good looks, he is so emo and geez, he's acting like everything was a problem to him. And also, he's so secretive! But yeah, later on, he had good moments with Yuki and he became bearable to watch. He's voiced by Mamoru Miyano, who's got an ultra-sexy voice, woo-hoo. :D

Ever since he was a child, Watanuki Kimihiro had the strange ability to see and attract spirits. For the young man, this is a big nuisance as his daily life includes trying to run away from these beings who think that his soul has a delicious aroma.

While trying to wiggle off a huge spirit one day, Watanuki lands on an empty land that magically turns into a house. He learns that the owner of the house is a woman named Yuko Ichihara and she calls her place a shop that could grant any kind of wish for an equivalent price.

Through Yuko, Watanuki learns more about the supernatural world that also paved the way for him to understand his unique self as well.

Though the stories are episodic, what makes xxxHolic stand out is its constant questioning on morality and even philosophy. What is real justice? Who is considered right and wrong based on his actions? While the series entertains you, it also makes you think. Add to that are the numerous references in Japanese folklore and a generous dose of drama and also comedy and you're all set.

xxxHolic crosses with another CLAMP hit Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle so the series can be more appreciated and becomes clearer if you watch it too. :)

 Full Name: Suzuki Yuri

 From: Red River

 Sex: Female

 Age: 15 (at the beginning of the series)

 Nationality: Japanese

 Highest Rank: Gal Meshedi (commander-in-chief - Hittite army)

 Skills: swimming, gymnastics, archery, swordfighting

 Love Interest/s: Kail Mursili (third prince of Hittite empire), Rusafa (leader of the Hittite archers), User Ramses (military officer of the Egyptians)

 Other Name/s: Yuri Ishtar (after the goddess of love and war)

In the beginning, Yuri is an average fifteen year old girl - juggling school life, family and romance. How she got pulled in to the other world of Anatolia is another story.

While celebrating her good grades and the acquisition of her first boyfriend, Yuri was mysteriously sucked into another world through water. When she regained consciousness, Yuri finds herself somewhere in the ancient period. She didn't have enough time to think because she was promptly chased by soldiers who speak a different language. While on the run, she sees a handsome man (whom we later learn as the third prince Kail Mursili) who gives her the gift of language through a kiss.

Once she was caught, it turned out that she was going to be the human sacrifice precedented by the evil Tawananna (or queen) named Nakia. But before her plan came to play, Kail once again saves her and tells her everything she needed to know about Anatolia and Hattusa of where she is currently in.

As days pass by, Yuri begins to adapt to her new environment even going as far as learning archery and swordfighting in order to defend herself and later to assist Kail in the army. In return, she lent her knowledge in 20th century practices in hygiene and medicine. People grew to love Yuri and even renamed her as Yuri Ishtar, after the goddess of love and war of which they believe Yuri to be the reincarnation.

Yuri was supposed to return to Japan but with so many requirements and even her own heart wavering (because she grew to be fond of the people and Kail as well), she later decided to permanently stay in Anatolia and marry Kail who had become the king. In order for the country to legally accept Yuri as their queen, she must stand up to Nakia's conditions - to be the Gal Meshedi of Kail, that is, the commander in chief of the Hittite army. Though she knows that it's simply a plan to put her in danger (and hopefully to death), Yuri asserts herself in order to fulfill the ultimate plan of overthrowing the powerful Tawananna.

I really like Yuri a lot because of her independence and courage. Despite the fact that she is a foreigner in a country, she makes an effort not to burden anyone else, instead, she even makes it a point to help. She is a strong believer of justice too. And in the duration of the story, you can really see her maturity in many aspects.

 Full Name: Toukairin Shouji

 From: You're Under Arrest

 Sex: Male

 Age: 25

 Rank: Lieutenant

 Specialization: mountain rescue

 Hobbies: mountain climbing, eating

 Favorite Food: bananas

 Love Interest: Tsujimoto Natsumi

 Seiyuu: Seki Tomokazu

Shouji's first apperance in the series was when he made a long visit at Bokuto Station to give a seminar on mountain rescue and first aid to the officers. For most of them, Shouji was one of the best teachers they've had. For Natsumi, however, it was rivals at first sight.

With Shouji being able to match up to Natsumi's physical and eating prowess, it was natural for our resident "power" girl to feel very competitive. However, later on, Natsumi came to respect Shouji and even went as far as being one of his closest companions.

Shouji is the kind of guy who has no problem going with the flow. He easily adapts to what everyone is used to. In addition to his skills in mountain climbing, it was also revealed that Shouji has a background in kendo and once fought Bokuto's chief which he gracefully lost.

Eventually, Shouji had to leave Bokuto Station, having been assigned to the Himalayas next. But before he left, he was able to get his feelings through Natsumi and in an unforgettable airport scene, Natsumi realizes her feelings as well and they reconcile with a kiss. Though Shouji is working so far away, this doesn't stop him from having a strong bond with Natsumi.

Aside from being a total hottie, Shouji is quite a clown, having saved a monkey in the second season and even naming it "Natsumi" (much to the disdain of his girlfriend, lol). :P

To this day, Peach Girl remains to be one of the most popular high school romance stories of all time.The story revolves around an outspoken young lady named Adachi Momo. As she used to be in the swim team, Momo has gotten so much tanner and her hair had gone bleached. Because of this appearance, she has been branded as a slut or a delinquent.

She finds companionship in Kashiwagi Sae, a petite and pretty girl who is idolized by most boys in the school. It was quickly revealed that Sae's kindness is only a pretense and she's actually a vicious schemer who wishes for Momo's misery.

As for Momo, she couldn't care less as long as she remains in good terms with her middle school friend and object of affection, Toujigamori Kazuya or Touji for short. Never in a million years would she let Sae know about her secret admiration to Touji as she is sure that her friend will do something to destroy her happiness. So in order to divert the attention, she lied about whom she liked and just said that it was Okayasu Kairi, a good-looking (and playboy) guy.

Sae then spread rumors about Kairi and Momo which eventually reached Touji. Surprisingly, the tangle of events have forced Momo to confess her true feelings which Touji overheard and reciprocated. Momo and Touji became a happy couple but Sae will definitely stop at nothing to prevent Momo from being happy.

Plenty of drama, made-up stories and a simple search for true love is what makes Peach Girl appealing especially for girls. In addition, there's plenty of old-fashioned stuff that will surely be nostalgic for any long-time anime fan.

 Full Name: Kazami Najika

 From: Kitchen Princess

 Sex: Female

 Age: 15-16

 Level: 7th Grade, Seika Academy

 Hometown: Hokkaido

 Hobbies: eating, cooking

 Relatives: Kazami Kaori and Nanase (parents-deceased), Hagio-sensei (foster grandmother)

 Distinguishing Features: Has an extensive knowledge in cooking (especially baking). She can recreate a dish after tasting it once

An early orphan, Kazami Najika lives in the province of Hokkaido under the care of an old grandmotherly lady named Hagio-sensei. After learning of her parents' untimely death, Najika's only solution was to kill herself as well through drowning. Fortunately, she was saved by a young boy who told her to live on, for the sake of her parents. He gives her a sweet treat inside a cup and ever since then, Najika has nicknamed him her Flan Prince. Because of his encouragement, Najika strived to be a good cook and be enrolled in the prestigious Seika Academy where the boy's spoon came from.

Armed only with his spoon as a clue, Najika had trouble blending in due to being included in the A Class with no special talent. She was about to give up but the friendship she had established between a pair of feuding brothers, Sora and Daichi Kitazawa served as inspiration to do her best.

It was later revealed that Najika's talent for anything related to food stemmed from her parents' background who were celebrated bakers in the country. After learning of their accident, the director of Seika (who was good friends with Najika's parents) instructed that Najika be taken to Seika in order to hone her cooking skills.

Najika's eternally optimistic and cheerful outlook in life is probably her biggest asset that even those who scorned her before are now charmed by her earnest attitude. After that problem, Najika concentrated in cooking and searching for her Flan Prince which she suspected to be Sora (whom she had later fallen in love with). However, Daichi also displayed indirect signs of affection towards her that resulted to having a love triangle among them. Personally, I'd like Najika to end up with Daichi mainly because Sora's a bit dull and Daichi is well, lively and can match up to Najika's attitude.