There was a time when I could never get into manga. I would browse through titles like Fruits Basket and Chobits thinking that these titles were all the medium had to offer. Silly girls and oversexed mechanical women weren’t something I wanted to read about. Then a friend of mine showed me the light. Just like American comics, there are good and bad Japanese comics. There are those with little substance, and those with characters that pull at your heartstrings. Fullmetal Alchemist was my first glimpse at what “good” manga meant. Edward and Alphonse are the perfect mix of flawed and miserable, yet optimistic and determined. The plot is heartbreaking and tense, leaving no doubt that a book with pictures can also produce some mighty fine writing. I devoured the manga and moved on to the anime, also my first introduction to this interesting (and often weird) type of show. The anime doesn’t follow the books, but stands on its own two legs with different types of antagonists and mayhem. I’ve delved some more into different series, but this will always be my favorite. Whether it really is the best, or I’m just riding the euphoria of my very first (think FF VII) is up for debate. Regardless, I couldn’t pass up the idea to paint my favorite characters rocking some chibi. I wore these nails around and put a plug in for FA with every coworker that crossed my path. I’m hoping for an FA revolution here, guys. Cross your Ed and Al adorned fingers that others find their way to this series too!

The perfect primary red color I used as the base for Ed and Al is called “Poinsettia” by China Glaze. My amazing friend nerdpolish gave it to me to try, and I couldn’t love her more for it; I know this will be a well-used polish. Check out her blog if you can’t get enough “nerd on nail” action. I just made that up, it’s not a real thing. But check out her blog anyway!

The silver polish beneath Winry and Col. Mustang is Rimmel London Lasting Finish Pro in “Pure Silver.”