Brief Description: (US Release: 2009) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabari_no_Ou, http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=9102
(Note: ANN marks Nabari as shounen-ai; I do not consider it such.)
I would suggest this series to viewers over 14.
Miharu doesn't care about much of anything. His goals include graduating with good-enough grades and inheriting the family okonomiyaki shop. So when he finds out he's the bearer of a power that can change the entire world, he doesn't really pay it much notice. Then the ninja start fighting over him.
On Miharu's side are Tobari Kumohira, English teacher at Miharu's school; Aizawa Kouichi, bespectacled martial arts nerd; and Raimei Shimizu, a determined samurai who has a little more than Miharu's own interests in mind.
Hattori Tojuro leads the enemy ninja to accomplish his own dark objectives. Among those against Miharu are Yukimi, a writer in the 'outside world', and Yoite, a boy who uses the deadly Kira technique- killing using his own life energy.
However, there's more to Yoite than is seen at first glance. Every time he uses his power, his own life is depleted. Yoite fears death, and he seeks out Miharu to make a demand- erase him from existence before he dies.
This is potentially my favorite anime of all time, and the characters are really what make it great. They all have motives, backstories, and complex personalities. It's definitely a bar-raiser!
Violence: It's... about ninjas. People get slashed, chopped, etc; you can't really avoid it. I have to say that the blood is quite realistically animated; while there's not a whole lot of it, it's done with care.
Nudity/sexual content: One woman wears low-cut outfits and is relatively well-endowed. One character lives with a woman whom he is not married to, about 20-ish years his senior (this was done tastefully, though).
One place where Nabari falls a little short is on relationships-- if one is looking to interpret things the wrong way, it could easily fall into shonen-ai.
(As a note: there are certain elements in the manga not present in the anime that further complicate Yoite and Miharu's relationship: Spoiler:Yoite is neither male nor female. Whether this makes certain things acceptable or not is up to the viewer.)
Another character (Gau) is very devoted to his samurai master/friend/mentor, following him around like a duckling. Sparkly, heart-filled thought bubbles are present; this is mostly there for comic relief.
There were moments that got awfully close to crossing the line, and if this is a stumbling block to you, watch with care. However, I think the sheer number of 'd'aaaw!' moments made up for them!
Religious content: There's not a whole lot of anything here, but nobody believes in any kind of god and Miharu is sort of... possessed by a 'yosei-san' [fairy].
Other themes: A character smokes. There is language, sometimes strong (nothing beyond b******, I think).
And one last thing: this anime may induce powerful urges to don a gatsby cap and walk around pointing at strangers. I know I did.
