series
So what is this series all about? I doubt anyone would come here not knowing anything about Flame of Recca *_*. Then again, that does happen. Before proceeding, I'd like to tell you guests that the FOR (FLAME OF RECCA) version I am more familiar with is the anime version. I have little of the manga, save for manga summaries on the net. And we all know that what is in anime is not necessarily the same as in manga. I'll try to include a little of the manga after the anime summaries. If you want more details about the manga, I highly recommend Shuusai's site. Now we got that straightened out, here's my take on Flame of Recca/Recca no Honoo: (SEVERE SPOILER WARNING!!!)
logo
Before anything else, Flame of Recca or Rekka no Honoo is a manga series by Anzai Noboyuki, which first saw the light of day in 1996 and made into a 42-episode anime series by Studio Pierrot/Shogakukan around 1997. The anime has stopped at volume 16 of the manga. Presently the manga series is running at volume 28. It is also running at Shonen Sunday.

Flame of Recca is the story of Hanabishi Recca, a 16 year-old, first year high school student without a care in the world. He's happy-go-lucky, sleeps in class and  rubs it off the wrong way with teachers. His fate is suddenly changed when he met Sakoshita Yanagi, a pretty girl who had the misfortune of being the target of Kage Houshi. While passing through a construction site, Yanagi almost got killed by falling pipes. In the process of trying to save her, Recca gets lunked on the head with pipes and is knocked unconscious.  He is then healed with the miraculous powers of Yanagi. In return, Recca had sworn to serve and protect her as her ninja/personal protector. He calls her his "princess/hime."

the hokage ninjas
This scenario leads to a chain of events that would progress into the storyline of Flame of Recca. First is the formation of the Hokage Ninja Team/Elemental Warriors in the modern era. Made up of Recca's best friend Ishijima Domon and his childhood buddy Kirisawa Fuuko, they possess weapons/madogou of the Hokage Ninja Clan of the 15th century. This was given to them by Kage Houshi, but not without its price. A fourth member of the team is Mikagami Tokiya, a reluctant recruit of Kagero since he possessed the ensui (water sword). Together they form the Hokage Team. Each member of the team represents an element (thus the tag Elemental warriors): Domon for earth, Fuuko for wind, Tokiya for water and Kaoru for metal.
Then came the abduction of Yanagi by the forces of Mori Kouran (the series villain and the most despicable character ever, if you ask me >_<), who wanted her healing powers. It is at this story arc where Recca and his buddies came face to face with Kurei, foster son of Mori, and his Uruha Jyusshinshuu. Whilst they were able to rescue Yanagi, the Hokage Ninjas are overwhelmed by the powers of Kurei and his servant/girlfriend Kuranei.
THE HOKAGE NINJAS
The storyline that followed reveals Recca's past and true identity. He had been the son of Ohka (The Leader of the Hokage Ninja Clan) and his wife Kage Houshi (then known as Bka Kagero). He was sent 400 years into the present to escape the cruel fate of the Hokage Ninja Clan in the 15th century.  Click here for more details of Recca's past. Recca was found by a firecracker maker, Shigeo Hanabishi and took him as his own son. Kagero, because she had defied laws in using the time warp to save her son, suffered the punishment of immortality. Four hundred years into the future, she finds Recca and  helps him discover the powers that lay hiding underneath his tekkou (the arm band he wears on his right). 
Recca and his friends trained for over a month (during summer break, I believe) to enhance their powers and skills. They were then invited by Kurei (c/o his emissary Genjuro) to join in the Urabutousatsoujin (The Arena of Death Tournament, if I'm not mistaken). Here they would fight thorugh a tournament in order to acquire the Hokage weapons of the losing team. If they lost, they would offer a wager. In the case of the Hokage Team, it would be Yanagi Sakoshita. This tournament was merely a ploy for Mori Kouran to acquire Yanagi. During this contest, they were joined by Koganei Kaoru, formerly of the Uruha Jyusshinshuu. And as the tournament progressed, each team member is able to discover more of their powers. They were also able to meet new friends (such as the Kuu Group) and face adversaries, whom they beat for the most, and lost to at some point (Hey, can't win 'em all, can we? ^_^)
recca vs kurei
This was only part one of the series (manga). There's a part two (Heaven and Hell)/Tendo Jigouku. This begins at volume 17. Recca and company go on personal journeys into self-discovery. Kurei, initaly thought dead, is actually alive. He was rescued by Neon and nursed back to health. Mori Kouran starts to lust after the madougu Heaven and Hell (Tendo Jigouku) since it would give its possesor eternal life and power. The Uruha Jyushinshuu is disbanded and the members go their separate ways. The Hokage comes face to face with the Ura Uruha, led by a member of the Jyushinshuu, Rasen and his "purpose" Kirin. They eventually end up battling each other, with the Hokage predominating. The Hokage also reunites with their old friends Team Kuu and by new allies, namely old members of the Uruha. Renge is revealed, a genetic experiment from Kurei and Kurenai's genes. Mori Kouran kidnaps Yanagi again hoping to acquire her powers *again.* And the Hokage are on their way to rescue her and face the final battle with Kouran Mori and his new ally Kaima (maker of Tendo Jigokou). Whew! That's a pretty much chopped up summary of everything. For more details, you could jump over the links section and see the more general Recca sites to view the happenings in the manga. This is supposedly a mere character shrine. ^^;;;
I hope this isn't the end of Flame of Recca, as I'm so totally in love with this show! At first I was a little skeptical when they put this anime to replace the recently ended Yu Yu Hakusho. And funny it was that it has a lot of similarity with Togashi Yoshihiro's work. Later on though, I began to appreciate this masterpiece by Anzai Nobuyuki! To be honest, I like it more than Yu Yu Hakusho (ducks to evade angry, screaming YYH fans). The anime is prettier and has a more meaningful storyline (*hides to avoid the reigun aimed at me*). And Recca is much cuter than Yusuke, don't you think ^_^? (Watch out for that sword, aaaahck!) No, this isn't a YYH bashing I'm doing or a grudge match between the two series. I am, after all, a big YYH fan too ^_^. Besides, if I am anti-YYH (which I am most certainly not!) the first person to skin my hide would be my sister, who is just the biggest YYH fan on this side of the equator. 
enough of Recca! this is my shrine!
If you want more info on Flame of Recca, you can visit the shrines listed on the links page. If I put here more than I already have, Fuuko will blow me off the face of the planet. This is, after all, her shrine. That's all for today folks. Keep on surfing!
BUT WAIT A COTTONPICKIN MINUTE HERE!
Fuuko-sama has agreed to let me give you all a glimpse of her teammates. There's no sense in being selfish you know ^_^. "Besides, they only have one page for each of them while I have the whole 50 MB of webspace all to myself. Ha ha ha!" she laughs conspiratorily. So if you want to take a look at the other members of the Hokage Team, then click either on the links on the paragraph up there, or at these links here:
 
beautiful raiha-kun kurei kaoru
recca tokiya domon
    ©1999, 2000, 2001 The Bluhdy One