Why I have been absent this week.

I know. I actually promised I would post this week, that I would make one or two or even three of my traditional, long, with photos posts... Yet I didn't post anything from my list. Add my general absence to that, and you have every right to scream at me:

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN, ELVIELLA?!?"
I'll tell you.

Actually, this week, I barely studied, to be honest.

And why?

Because FullMetal Alchemist totally took over my life for the past week.



Seriously. I love this manga. I've read manga before, but really? TAKE NOTES, NARUTO, 'CAUSE FMA CAN KICK YOUR ASS!

...Really, I don't know how many people will actually comment on this. This post is to show you another side of me: that of the comicbook/manga fangirl.
Anyway.

I started reading the FullMetal Alchemist series back in January, but since I was too much into Shaman King and Death Note at the time, I read about six or seven chapters before forgetting about it. Then, in June, I read a couple chapters more on a spare hour I had. Then I went to vacations and completely didn't have the time or the internet connection or the mood to continue... And then, a week ago... I decided to go on from where I had stopped. Two days later I had read 45 chapters (the big ones, that have 35-45 pages) and now I have officially read it all. I stayed up till midnight last night to finish it, and then I went to write a mini essay for school.

So, if you like manga/comics and have the time... pick this story up! It's freakin' awesome, people!



Even though it's a shounen (boy) manga, the author, Arakawa Hiromu, is female. The fact that one of the best boy manga is written by a woman is very interesting, in my opinion.

The story is that of Edward and Alphonse Elric, two young alchemists who, while trying to resurrect their beloved dead mother, lose one of them his arm and leg, and the other his whole body. We follow them in their journey to get their bodies back, and as they find out that, in reality, there is something much larger endangering their country, in their trying to find out the truth and save their country.

10 Reasons to read it:

1. Great story, without plotholes and very tight and engaging in reading. Also, there's a lot of thought and research into it.
2. Very good and realistic characters with unexpected backstories and actions, that you are able to relate to and get to love and be worried about. I hadn't feel such relief for years as the one I fel during the last chapter. Extremely interesting villains, too, not just plain evil-ridden bad guys.
3. 3 words: Kickass. Female. Characters. If you've read any manga, you will know that, really, most female characters don't stand a chance in front of the male ones. They are too stereotyped, or weak, or annoying. In this one, they just KICK ASS. Oh, and they have variety.
4. Really touching in parts without being overly angst-ridden or sappy. The moments that are touching made me want to cry, but I never felt they were too pulling it too far.
5. Creepiest kid ever. Scary demon kiddies are just not enough when you've seen...no I won't tell you.
6. The romance. Not too little, not to much. And, mostly, nicely built. The ending sequence with the two main romatically involved characters was the best. Arakawa can do romance, believe me.
7. THE ART. When I first started to read it, the art style seemed a bit off to me. Maybe I got used to it, but I really enjoy it now. The backgrounds especially, are excellent.
8. PRETTY PRETTY INKING. D: It's just so nice and clean and effectiiiive.
9. The humor. Some moments are downright hilarious.
10. The meanings! I think it had some really nice messages, especially what it came to what makes you human and what it means to be one.

And this is my favourite cover ever! It's the one of the second to last chapter... Seeing all these characters together and spotting the little details made me feel very warm in the inside!
Birthday countdown: 1 week, 2 days