Peacemaker Kurogane

Peacemaker Kurogane (PEACE MAKER鐵) is a historical fiction manga and anime series created by mangaka Nanae Chrono. The story begins in 19th century Japan before the Meiji Restoration, while the seeds of the revolution are being planted. The story follows the boy protagonist, Ichimura Tetsunosuke, who joins the Shinsengumi (initially as Hijikata Toshizo's page) while seeking strength to avenge his parents' death by a Choshu rebel. The prequel of Peacemaker Kurogane is Shinsengumi Imon Peacemaker. However, the anime is called Peacemaker Kurogane, which starts at the same place as the prequel (Shinsengumi Imon Peacemaker), and finishes before the sequel manga (Peacemaker Kurogane) starts. Apparently the anime Overtook the Manga.

The story is focused on the main character, Ichimura Tetsunosuke, an energetic, short, and very childlike 15 year old. Sadly, he and his older brother (Tatsunosuke) are left to fend for themselves after the vicious murder of their parents. While Tetsunosuke wants to get revenge, his pacifist brother is not so inclined. 'Tatsu' happens to join a special police force dubbed the Shinsengumi, as an accountant, to earn a living, ironically the organization 'Tetsu' wishes to join as a soldier to seek his revenge. This is where the story truly develops during Tetsu's trials and tribulations as a struggling page craving redemption. He develops relationships with all the legendary members of the Shinsengumi army helping them with their various struggles as he constantly battles his own against himself. The story comes to fruition as Tetsu discovers himself and the overwhelming responsibility the power he is searching for holds.

The series is well known for its massive amounts of Fan Service that comes in the form of Estrogen Brigade Bait and Ho Yay / Foe Yay.

Tropes used in Peacemaker Kurogane include:

Alas, Poor Yorick - Suzu carries around the head of his master Yoshida after Yoshida is killed in the Ikedaya incident. He eventually has it lacquered.
A Love to Dismember - Suzu affectionately carrying around Yoshida's skull, even talking to it.
Badass - Eheheheh...
The Berserker - In the manga, Okita may count as this when he effortlessly slaughters some Choushuu men invading the Shinsengumi barracks while he's looking for Hijikata and Kondou and simultaneously coughing up blood.
Beware the Nice Ones - As stated in Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass below, it is very easy (and very stupid) to underestimate the Shinsengumi.
Big Brother Instinct - Tatsunosuke is very overprotective of Tetsunosuke.
Bishounen - 99% of the characters are.
Break the Cutie - Suzu goes insane after he thinks that Tetsunosuke (his only friend) killed his master Yoshida (whom he admired and was the only person who cared for him). Not to mention that he was taken in by a Depraved Homosexual old man and raped.
The Chessmaster - Suzu
Conveniently an Orphan - Tetsunosuke
Cool Big Sis - Ayumu
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass - It's sometimes very easy to forget that the Comedian Trio and the girly looking boy with the pet pig and the creepy psychic are five of the ruthless Shinsengumi captains who can lob your head off without so much a blink.
Cute Mute - Saya
Cynical Mentor - What Hijikata is to Tetsunosuke.
Dark and Troubled Past
Depraved Homosexual - The anime-only characters Kichisaburo and Maro are both shown to be homosexual, and both are depicted as being depraved psychos. Ito, who is shown to be explicitly homosexual, is also very much depraved. Not to mention Suzu, who, after apparently becoming homosexual, goes insane. Also, the old man that raped Suzu is one, too. In fact, pretty much every character that is shown overtly to be homosexual is depraved and psychotic.
- Unless you assume that Hijikata and Okita are a couple; you can hardly consider them depraved by the standards of the series.
Dude Looks Like a Lady - Souji Okita
- And Susumu.
Even the Guys Want Him - Tetsunosuke. With the good number of Bishonen guys that surround him, combined with the massive amounts of Ho Yay/ Foe Yay, and Suzu's actions towards him in the manga, it's not hard to see why.
Evil Counterpart - Suzu to Tetsunosuke. Made even more obvious in the art for the second section of the manga.
Fetish Fuel Station Attendant - Suzu. A quiet, White-haired Bishonen, emotionally gentle and vulnerable, who goes insane after being put through various deeply traumatic experiences. After that he proceeds to act very flirtatiously with other guys, becomes a ruthless Chessmaster in order to get his revenge on those he deems responsible for said traumatic experiences, is really obsessed with Tetsu, often lounges around half naked, and wears a lot of black fur.
- Okita Souji. A beautiful and effeminate young man who loves eating sweets and playing with children, but is actually hiding his issues under his cheerful smile, issues that include dying of tuberculosis and being forced to kill one of his closest friends, and can slice you open without hesitation.
Freak-Out - Tetsunosuke freaks the fuck out after Yoshida nearly kills him a second time. Then Suzu goes insane after being raped and finding his master dead and in pieces on the ground.
Foe Yay - Suzu and Tetsunosuke. Come on, Suzu even pretty much comes out and says, after another character asks him why he hates and obsesses over Tetsunosuke so much, that "this isn't hate - this is love."
Friendly Enemy - Suzu and Tetsunosuke for most of the prequel.
Fur and Loathing - Nothing screams "villain" more than having Suzu seductively wearing nothing but a loose, black fur robe.
Giggling Villain: Maro and Suzu
Gory Discretion Shot: used in some assassination scenes.
Gratuitous English: Not only the anime opening and closing themes, but within the story itself, but Ryoma uses it all the time. EVEN IN THE ENGLISH DUB.
- Tetsu and Tatsu's father also used Gratuitous English a lot, which is stated to be why the Choshuu Clan killed him.
The Gunslinger - Ryoma
He Is All Grown Up: Tetsu in the sequel. We all saw this coming, but whoa
Historical Fiction
Heroic BSOD - Tetsunosuke, for starters. Though he's not the only one. Then there's how Suzu reacts after finding his master Yoshida dead.
- In the anime, Tetsu goes through this twice. Once, after meeting Yoshida at the brothel, and much more severely after Yoshida nearly kills him near the end of the series - under circumstances exactly like when Yoshida killed his mom.
Idiosyncratic Episode Naming - All the chapters in the manga are named after songs from The Beatles
Jidai Geki - The series is set in Bakumatsu/early Meiji.
Kid Hero - Tetsunosuke
Kid Samurai - Tetsunosuke
- Implied that Okita was this. Hijikata apparently first gave him a sword to kill with when he was only 9.
Kill'Em All - This is the Shinsengumi, y'know.
Looming Silhouette of Rage - Hijikata in episode 15.
Love Bubbles - Tetsunosuke and Okita have a moment with these in one of the comedic, light-hearted episodes.
Murder the Hypotenuse - Suzu comes to this conclusion when Ryoma decides to take Tetsunosuke away from him.
Ninja - Both Susumu and Akesato.
Not So Different - Suzu and Tetsunosuke for most of the prequel. Most noticeably when they meet at the brothel and play card games.
Off-Model: Happens occasionally in the anime.
Older Than They Look - Tetsu notably had this problem, but he's since grown out of it. An extreme example is Nagakura, who looks younger and younger with each passing volume. As of the latest one he's twenty-eight, but looks like he's barely reached puberty. Also, the killer in the extra story in volume 5
One-Man Army - It'll be easier to list the people who aren't this.
Overtook the Manga - The anime ended at the prequel.
Purple Eyes - Okita
Ridiculously Cute Critter - Saizo, Okita's pet pig.
Shallow Love Interest - Saya. She doesn't really have any personality. Come on, even mute people can have more of a personality and quirks than just being shy and good.
- This might be Alternate Character Interpretation, but she DOES have more than just "shy" and "good". Let's throw kindness, naivete, and Thou Shalt Not Kill in there, for starters.
The Shinsengumi - Most of the cast consists of them.
Shy Blue-Haired Girl - Saya
- Brown in the anime.
Sibling Yin-Yang - Tetsunosuke and Tatsunosuke.
Sissy Villain - Suzu, Suzu, Suzu.
Sitting on the Roof
Smoking Is Cool - Hijikata is always smoking his pipe.
Stalker with a Crush - Suzu becomes this way towards Tetsunosuke after he goes insane in the sequel. He has Tetsunosuke's every action monitored, and becomes jealous and scared when Ryoma decides to take Tetsunosuke away with him, taking drastic action to kill Ryoma and frame it on Tetsunosuke so Tetsunosuke won't be able to get away from him.
Stealth Hi Bye - Saitou, who's so good at sneaking up to people his teammates have wondered if he's part ninja.
Technical Pacifist - Tetsunosuke and Tatsunosuke.
Themed Harem - There's every kind of guy to appeal to everyone's different tastes. Moe boys, older men, effeminate Bishounen, manly men, etc.
The Only One Allowed to Defeat You - Suzu to Tetsunosuke.
The Promise - Tetsunosuke promising Saya he won't kill.
The Rival - Suzu
Took a Level in Badass - Good lord, Tetsunosuke. In the start of the series, he pretty much acts like Naruto Uzumaki did for his first few episodes - brash, hot-headed, and all talk. However, we see him steadily training and sparring whenever he gets a chance, and about mid-way through the series, Tetsu actually manages to beat Heisuke. Then, at the climax of the anime, Tetsu shows up to fight Yoshida - who's sent him into a Heroic BSOD and/or Freak-Out twice - and wins.
What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic - The "symbolism" of the cats and bells in the anime adaptation. It was never explained. (Though it was explained in the manga.)
- The character for suzu means bell, and can also be read as "rin".
White-Haired Pretty Boy - Suzu. Especially after he turns Ax Crazy and becomes a Depraved Homosexual, wearing makeup and revealing clothes. Even the other characters in the series comment how beautiful he is.
Why Did You Make Me Hit You? - Susumu does this to Tetsunosuke in a very Foe Yay-tastic scene in episode 19.
Wife Husbandry - What the old merchant Yamatoya does with Suzu.
Yandere - Suzu, in the manga, towards Tetsunosuke.