Your anime accessories!!!!!!

 You are a Otaku. I know it. You know it but now we have to shout it out to the whole world!

Every legit Otaku will have anime accessories, and some are more creative than others. Anime accessories can be very expensive though, seriously why are they so expensive? If you are on a budget however, you can do two things, you can either make them yourself or you can scour the internet for great deals. I would like to help with you find such accessories.

Phone charms are very nice and cute, but....they are a bit boring. Want a nicer, cheaper, more creative way to bling up your phone Otaku style? Bedazzle the bejesus out of it!

Bedazzled Cell-phone case as Hollow Ichigo from Bleach (courtesy of  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bleach-Mask-Crystals-Cover-Case-Motorola-Atrix-4G-MB860-/190594246770?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item2c604d6872#ht_2553wt_1664)

You can either make these yourself or you can buy them on Ebay.com. They are all super cheap, this case in particular only had a one cent bid, and if you want to make it yourself the little crystals can be found in the dollar store. The only difference is the level of convenience and the level of creativity you want to put into it. 

If bedazzled phones aren't your thing however then maybe you can try a different approach. How about a cute phone case instead? 

                                           
Phone case based on Neo a Cardcaptor character (courtesy of http://www.etsy.com/people/faerhann)

This cute little thing not only shows off your inner Otaku it also is very convenient. For those of us who are prone to dropping our phones this case is a must. The case is easy to make and for those of you who are good at sewing then perhaps making your own would be a good way to go. If you are not so handy with a needle then you can buy it off of Hana's etsy shop.

If you wouldn’t like to give your phone so much attention, or if perhaps you don’t have a phone, then these two might not be your thing. Do you have hair? If you do then you might like these next two interesting and unique everyday ideas.

 
                                           

Hair clips based on Neon Evangelisis head pieces ( courtesy of http://www.xinxingshop.us/product_1535.html)

These hair clips can be used every-day as actual hairclips. This is the perfect way to not just be stylish but also to creative with your hair. Unfortunately these are kind of impossible to make by hand (you are more than welcome to prove me wrong) so buying them from a cosplay store might be your only option.

If you are not a big Neon Evangelisis fan however then maybe you can try something like this.

                                      

Hair clips based on Gurren Lagann’s Yoko Fraulein’s hair clips (courtesy of http://www.cnanimetoy.com/gurren-lagann-hair-clip-yoko-fraulein-cosplay-barrette-p-2214.html)

These are a lot simpler than the Neon Evangelisis one, and even though they don’t hold as much hair they are still awesome. This hair accessory is super easy to copy, or to make a different version of.  All you need is a small anime knick-knack and a hot glue gun.

If you feel that accessories like the ones above are too ‘girly’ then maybe you should try a sticker, or more specifically a computer skin.  These nice little  skins can range from three dollars to over 10. 

                              

Computer skin based on One Piece (Courtesy of http://www.signworks.me.uk/one-piece-cartoon-symbol-logo-vinyl-sticker-wall-art-524-p.asp)

This website makes all kinds of skins, but what makes this website extra cool is that they take special requests. This means you can ask them to make you a unique skin about any anime! Once you have your anime skin, your anime wallpaper, and your anime account icon you can say your computer is as Otaku as you. 


Hope you liked my anime accessories. Comment below if you have accessories that you think are even more unique than the ones on this blog. 

The Chibi Spotlight!

As all Otakus know, all good things must come to a end. However when one manga ends all you need to do is pick another one up! These are a couple of the hottest mangas out there according to several different anime and manga sites and my own opinion of course ^_^ .

Skip Beat

Skip Beat volume one cover (courtesy of openlibrary.org)

Skip Beat is one of those mangas that is extremely popular in sites that carry shojo titles. Don't let the shojo classification fool you though! This manga is not just for girls. It is more of a comedy than anything else. The protagonist is a regular stereotypical manga girl. However what sets her apart is how hilariously thick she is without the damsel in distress act. Kyoko, the protagonist, is on a mission for revenge and will not stop until she gets it....or she wins an Oscar -- whichever one comes first.

1/2 Prince

1/2 Prince volume one cover (courtesy of onemanga.com)

1/2 Prince could be said to be a hybrid of both shojo and shonen. This manga is set in the future and has a protagonists called Feng Ian who joins a mmorpg (massively multiplayer online role playing game) that looks very similar to IRL runescape. Feng Ian has a major glitch when joining the game, and even though this glitch at first seems like a curse to Feng Ian it quickly becomes a asset. If you have ever liked any type of mmorpg  then you will love this manga! Add  the most memorable and lovable characters in manga history to an extremely detailed mmorpg universe, and you have a manga that you will never want to stop reading.

Beijing Chronicles

Beijing Chronicles cover (courtesy of mangafox.com)

After a while manga can get a bit predictable. If this has happened to you then maybe you should take a 'pallet cleanser' with this manga. Beijing Chronicles is based on the recent Beijing Olympics and the Chinese citizens' frustration with their own government. We all saw and heard the riots; we were shocked at several things that the Chinese government did during the Olympics. Now we get a chance to hear the Chinese citizens' side of the story. This is the first manga written in China that I have ever read, and I imagine that many of you will find it....interesting and different.

Change 123

Change 123 volume two cover (courtesy of mangafox.com)

Every Otaku has read a fighting manga at one point in their life, I for example have read 1,983. Fighting manga however, is another one of those manga that can become a bit predictable after a while. It normally includes the male protagonist who is the underdog yet has extreme determination. Eventually the protagonist beats the most seasoned martial artist through will power and crash training.

This manga is different. This manga stars a male lead called Teruharu Kosukegawa who is your extremely average high-school student. He befriends a girl called Motoko, and this is where the plot twists start. Motoko has been trained in various martial arts since childhood and has a very mysterious past. 


What makes this manga THE BEST MARTIAL ART MANGA IN THE WORLD is that Motoko has multiple personality disorder. Each personality has a name and is master of a specific martial art, and each has a different opinion on Kosukegawa. Now that Kosukegawa has been sucked into this shady, hilarious, and unexpected world he makes a promise: to help Motoko who is the host personality and is completely helpless.Warning: This manga is considered ecchi!

Anime Club in UT

Anime and manga always seem to attract large crowds of people together. An instant connection is made when an Otaku meets another Otaku and many times a beautiful friendship is born. Sometime Otakus go to anime events not just for anime, manga, and some video games. Sometimes we go to be around people who are like us. This said, a great way to feel accepted at your maximum Otaku capacity is to join an anime club. The University of Texas at Austin has an anime club that any Otaku would want to join. If you've never been part of an anime club keep reading to get an idea of what one would be like. 

     
            The anime club in Austin, TX has a really simple name, UT anime. This club meets on Fridays in the Welch building in room number 1.316 at 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.

The Welch building at The University of Texas at Austin (photo courtesy of possible missions)

The feel of this club is quite unique. Instead of getting together and simply talking about anime or something of the sort, they transform an auditorium classroom into a movie theater. The president of the club, Molly, stands up and gives a short explanation about the anime that is about to be played so those that have not watched the series up until that episode can keep up. Then the whole room becomes quiet and the lights are quickly turned off.

Once the lights are turned off the room is transformed as two huge screens spurt to life with the images of whatever anime is scheduled for the night. The animes continue showing for about an hour and a half which is the scheduled intermission time. This is the opportunity for socialization. Now you can talk to anyone about what you just watched, about what you are watching on your own, or about anything. After the intermission is over the anime start up again

Every once in a while the anime club will have interesting and random social events. The soonest event will be a Halloween costume contest where anyone can show up and compete to see who has the best cosplay during the intermission. (a great list of ideas for such events can be found here ^_^ http://chibitalkatx.blogspot.com/2011/10/kawaii-halloween.html). Events like this, and perhaps a up-coming renaissance fair field, trip keep the anime club not only fun but also tightly knit.

A surprising thing about this club, and the justification of why I’m writing about this club in particular,  is that it has been active in The University of Texas for 24 years! This means that this anime community jumped on the anime craze almost as quickly as Japan itself did.

The biggest perk however of an anime club that has been around for 24 years is very simple; it has been collecting anime for many, many years. What really makes it necessary to join this awesome club is the 'DVD Lending Library' which is available to all regular members. This library boast of over 790 DVDs (you can check out the anime titles at http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~anime/library.php) of which to choose from some of which have not been shown anywhere in the US for several years.

Unfortunately as a student organization it must follow university rules, and it is restricted in who it can officially call a member. Only members can rent out these DVDs. Membership is just available to students and faculty who pay the $10 dollar fee.

    
The anime club could be thought of as a historian of anime; it is preserving many of the finest anime series since the creation of anime. Or it could be thought of as the best source of anime media that is available. All of the club's anime is in clear resolution without tampering of any kind from a 3^rd party and all of it legally licensed.  Perhaps the anime club could be thought of as the best place for an Otaku to be able to be completely themselves without the dirty looks or the blank stares.

Whichever reason you think is most convincing for not letting these clubs die out just make sure to support your local anime community and let me know in the comments what your community does to show its Otaku colors!

Kawaii Halloween!

Everyone loves to dress up for halloween! For all the anime lovers out there halloween is more than just a day to dress up as a sexy vampire or as pillow stuffed hulk. It is a day to show off our inner Otaku! But which anime character to be?

This is an age old question for any anime fan, and a very tough one to answer. With so many awesome costumes out there it's very hard to decide what to do or who to dress up as. Instead of wasting time explaining the reference of your awesome costume to the less enlightened population, try to keep your costumes simple and easily recognizable. The following are my top picks for awesome anime, manga and video game inspired costumes.

#1. The Sailor Moon anime

Sailor Moon (photo courtesy of Hottopic.com)

Sailor Moon is one of the most recognizable anime that is still a genuine anime in every term of the word. It is hard to find an anime fan who has not heard, watched, or loved Sailor Moon. Even people who are not fans of anime might have watched Sailor Moon when it was aired on Cartoon Network.

Why is this the number one on my list though? Well first off this costume not only is easily recognizable but it is also very flattering to every female shape and size, even cross-dressers have looked very good in this costume.

 The second reason why it is number one on my list is that this costume is being sold by hottopic. Anyone can go into one of their stores, try on the costume, see what size fits them best, and buy it on the spot. You don't have to wait or pay for shipping.

My last reason for having Sailor Moon as my number one spot is that this is a very versitile halloween costume idea. You can make it a single costume, or you can have a Tuxedo Mask (Sailor Moon's fiance) and make it into a couple's costume. Or, you can go all out and have your tight knit group of friends join you as Sailor Scouts.

#2. Pikachu


Pikachu costume (courtesy of Rakuten global market)

Pikachu is one of those costumes that looks good on everyone no matter your age, sex or size. A pikachu costume will immediately grant you cuteness. Also it is easy to be creative with your pikachu costume. It can be cute and cuddly like the one in the picture above or it can be simple and sexy with yellow underwear, body paint, and some nice arts and craft work.

#3. Mileena and Kitana or Subzero and Scorpion

Mileena and Kitana costumes, Scorpion and Subzero costumes (courtesy of Costume Supercenter.com)

Mortal Kombat is one of the oldest and bloodiest fighting games ever made. In my opinion being the oldest in the game (no pun intended) isn't what made them so popular. The thing that made Mortal Kombat into a fighting video game legend is the flair all the characters have.

Who can forget the over the top sex appeal that Mileena and Kitana have always had throughout the video game franchise? Mileena's sensual signature flips and Kitana's coy yet intimidating sword tipped fans have made these two perhaps the most recognizable female video game characters.

The only two players that can rival Mileena's and Kitana's fame would have to be Scorpion and Subzero, both of which are more intimidating than an AP calculus class. These costume duos put a unique and a bit of a sinister twist to the twin costume idea. So grab your closest most Otaku friend and try one of these costumes, both of which are available already made online.

#4. Ryu and Chun-Li

From left to right, Ryu costume (courtesy of windycitynolvties.com) and Kung Fu Cutie costume (courtesy of 3wishes.com)

If Mileena and Kitana were the twin costume idea then these two would be the perfect costume idea for couples.Street Fighter is what many people call Mortal Kombat's rival. Unlike Mortal Kombat however, Street Fighter's claim to fame has much less to do with the flashy costumes and more to do with the actual game play.

Chun-li is the first female to be in a fighting game. Talk about girl-power! Ryu is the first person player in the very first edition of Street Fighter and has kept his fame (and hot looking body) since. Both characters have the most awesome (and famous) signature moves, don't require weapons or props and can be found already made online.

#5. Pretty much anything from Miyuzaki

No face (spirited away) costume (picture taken by joyreid on Deviantart.com)

The miyuzaki films are so well known that most people can understand what movie the picture above refers to. Although this costume is not available online or in stores it is very simple to make, its kinda of a upgraded version of Casper. This costume is unisex and has such a high level of originality that one would probably never see a costume repeat of this in their life.

So these were my top picks for anime inspired costumes. Leave any comments or costume ideas below and tell me how your Halloween turns out!