Polymer Clay Hair Accessories!

So, recently I started making some polymer clay hair accessories for cosplay, costumes, or just to add a little something to your outfit!

I am working on some more crowns, holiday/Christmas pieces, AND cat ears. :P

After I do a few of those I plan on doing a few cosplay character pieces!

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Review

Recently, my husband Andrew and I began watching Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.  Though there are some similarities with the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime, Brotherhood follows the original manga plot and is very different than the first Fullmetal.  The new anime is much darker than the original one, even though the original was pretty dark to begin with.  In my opinion, Brotherhood is significantly better and explores the world of alchemy more in-depthly than the other anime.  You learn more about the history of alchemy, and the Brotherhood's story line is vastly different than the original.  The original Fullmetal and Brotherhood plots are similar in the beginning, but with the death of an important character the two plot split and create two very different stories.

Many of the characters have very different fates in Brotherhood, as well as a whole new cast of character not even in the original.  The first Fullmetal gets no where near as in depth into the world as a whole, and it is nice to learn more about the Fullmetal Alchemist world.  Though both animes are some of the best I have ever watched, I have to say Brotherhood is my favorite and I love the true to manga storyline much more.

I do understand why they changed so much of the plot, though.  Brotherhood, as I said in the beginning, is much darker than the original Fullmetal Alchemist, and not something I think would be appropriate for younger viewers.  The original is not something I would let younger children view, but Brotherhood takes it even further and can be, on occasion, a difficult to watch.  I recommend viewing both before letting young children watch as there are some disturbing concepts illustrated in Brotherhood, but for any anime fan or fans of dark, thought provoking shows this is a must.

My Top 3 Manga

I read a lot of manga and in many different genras and have decided top compile a list of my top 3.

Number 3: Pita Ten by Koge-Donbo
Coming in at number three is Pita Ten. This story follows a middle school boy in his quest to find happiness, and it comes in the form of a young girl claiming to be an angel, Misha. This manga has beautiful artwork as well as a touching story.  Though Misha is annoying at first, you grow to love her innocent character and desperately want the young boy to care for her. Though the story drags a little, this manga is a must read.

Number 2: Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
Not only one of my favorites, but also hugely popular in both Japan and America, this shonnen manga is about two boys quest to restore their bodies after using alchemy to try and bring their mother back from the dead. Placed in a world similar to ours, where alchemy evolved instead of science, this manga is placed in a time and place similar to World War 2 era Germany. Though there world seems different than ours it draws many parallels to the conflict facing our world before WW2, and creates a compelling and dark story. The art is good in the beginning and it is fun to see the artist grow as the series progresses. If looking for an adventurous, dark tale this is the manga for you!

Number 1: Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya
My all time favorite, Fruits Basket is a tale of a young girl who lost her mother and is taken in by a family known as the Somas. Little does she know the Somas have a curse. Whenever hugged by someone of the opposite sex, they turn into an animal from the zodiac. With beautiful art work, this manga delivers hours of true to life tales that will leave you contemplating them long after you have finished reading. Fruits Basket is not only the numbed one selling shojo manga in America, it is an essential read for manga fans.