I must say that this is THE BEST ANIME I have EVER seen!!! It definitely is the perfect mix of romance, story, history, mystery, and all other good things all rolled into one series!
I especially love it because of its strong storyline and characters. Every character has a history and this anime has been created in a way that allows them to show you that background on each character, making each character all the more interesting. I also like the subtle romance it portrays and the way that it intertwines real Japanese history with fiction - that was probably the best part, actually.
Anyway, from the first episode, I was hooked...I was so hooked, I finished the series within like a month and half. Now, I'm on to reading the manga, which is just as good as the anime. This is one anime that I can watch over and over and not get bored of!