magic animes
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Is There Magic In Crystal Animal Figurines?
Author: Lowry W. Mell
We aren’t talking about the slight of hand of the magician nor the wizardry of Merlin. We are talking about the kind of magic we wanted to believe in when we were kids.
When we watch Tinker Bell fly across our TV screen leaving a trail of sparkling fairy dust, we immediately transfer ourselves to that magical
zone of enchantment. That enchantment zone may be different for each of us. It could be one of joy, or happiness, or tranquility, or anticipation or a host of things that you
could name for yourself. So where is the magic in a crystal figurine?
I discovered the answer over ten years ago while reluctantly shopping with my wife and mother-in-law at a local mall. As we passed a beautiful gift store, my mother-in-law, closely followed by my wife, made a bee-line straight for a glass display case just inside the entrance. They were in there for quite awhile, then came out and said they had a few more things to get.
While my ladies continued shopping the other stores, I rested on a bench outside the
gift shop. I was amazed at how many people walked by the entrance, saw the display case and walked in for a closer look.
Finally, I couldn’t stand it any longer. I had
to go into that store to find out what was the big attraction that lured so many people to that glass case. The case held somewhere between twenty and thirty beautifully and expertly crafted crystal animals and crystal figurines.
With so many figurines in such a small area, the case had a glowing effect with rays of light jumping in all different directions. I was at
first stunned by this very powerful display and then settled in to admire the fine detail and workmanship of the individual pieces.
Surprisingly, I found myself in a strange zone, one I only experience when I;m in a home improvement store looking at tools and imagining all the projects I could do with them. Imagine a grown man standing at a glass display case, mesmerized by the beauty and workmanship of the crystal figurines, thinking so and so would like this one and that one would be a great gift for so and so;.That’s not a zone most men are accustomed to experiencing. I was enchanted!
A few minutes later a young woman came to the case looking carefully at each crystal animal while softly cooing to herself. After a few minutes of oohhs and aahhs, I said, “Judging by the sounds you’re making, you really like these. Without looking up, she answered, “Oh yes, I love crystal animals, they’re great collectibles.<
Curious, I then asked what attracted her to them. She looked up, smiled and said, “It’s the sparkle in crystal, it’s like magic. I pondered that comment for awhile, not really understanding what she meant.
A few months later, I gave a friend a crystal cat figurine. When she opened the crystal gift she fell into that moment of enchantment. We all could see it on her face. She said when she
opened the box she saw the sparkle before she realized it was crystal and was overwhelmed by the beauty of the figurine. That was her magical moment and I finally understood the experience.
.
There is magic in a crystal animal figurine. Like fairy dust, magic is in the sparkle, and the sparkle is in the crystal
About the Author:
Lowry Mell is a retired Merchandiser and former Marketing and Business Consultant. His articles focus on new and creative ways to use and display crystal and crystal figurines. For more information, visit: http://www.CrystalSplendor.com
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Is There Magic in Crystal Animals
Whether you need a gift for Christmas, a birthday or other occasion, anime fans can be hard to buy for, especially if you know little about the world known as “anime”. First, let me explain a little about anime. Anime is a type of animation that started in Japan. Basically, you can call it a Japanese version of cartoons. However, anime has some big differences. Where American animation tends to be geared primarily towards children, there are actually many types of anime, geared for many ages and interests. For instance, there are anime series targeted squarely at young boys, young girls, young women and so on. There are also adult anime series, with more adult themes and content. There are also many different thematic styles of anime, including those centered around robots (called mecha), romantic anime, fighting anime and so on.
In order for you to choose a fantastic gift for the anime fan in your life, you first need an idea of what anime series or at least what kind of anime series they enjoy. Find out by perusing their DVD collection or checking what they watch on TV. Once you know the series they like, here are some suggestions for surefire gifts for anime fans:
Manga
Manga is simply the Japanese version of comic books or graphic novels. Many anime series are based on a manga series. Any anime fan would love the original manga their favorite anime is based on. For original Japanese manga, you can usually find some on eBay and at Japanese importers like JustManga and Manga.com. For the most popular anime series, like Inuyasha, you can find English translated manga books at many major bookstores.
Live Action and Japanese Drama DVD’s
Some anime and manga series have a live action version, like Sailor Moon, that a Sailor Moon fan would likely be interested in. If your anime fan seems interested in Japanese culture, then consider getting them some Japanese TV drama series. There are many Japanese drama series aimed at tweens and teens that usually take place in school or high school. Check out Nodame Cantabile, Hana Yori Dango and Gokusen, each was based on anime or manga series or both. Look for these series at places like YesAsia and on eBay. Make sure to get the English subtitled versions.
Toys
Some anime series, like Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion and others, have many toys available. If you really want to get a special gift, try to get some of the toys that are imported from Japan. Toys available include action figures, vehicles, stuffed toys, models and dolls. You can find toys for the most popular anime series at major toy stores, but for not so popular series, try eBay, YesAsia and other import websites.
Video Games
Many of the most popular anime series like Naruto, Inuyasha and Bleach also have video games based on them. This is a great gift idea since what anime fan wouldn’t want to play a game as their favorite character? Make sure to find out what game system they have so you can get a game for their particular console or handheld.
Music
Many anime fans become interested in Japanese culture through anime, especially since popular Japanese artists and bands are used on the soundtracks to the majority of anime series. You can get them the soundtrack to the series or even a few JPOP or JROCK CD’s. JPOP and JROCK is the abbreviation of Japanese pop and Japanese rock music. Find many artists at both YesAsia and eBay. Popular Japanese music artists include Ayumi Hamasaki (pop), Utada Hikaru (pop/R&B), Arashi (pop boy band), L’Arc-en-Ciel (rock band), Morning Musume (pop girl band) and many more.
Collectibles & Decorative Items
There are also many collectibles and decorative items available for some series. Consider animation cells, limited edition toys, photo albums, calendars, posters and more. Find these at YesAsia and eBay.
Clothing & Apparel
Some anime fans enjoy dressing up as their favorite character, this is called “cosplay”. Try to find out who their favorite character is and get them a costume or accessories. For instance, an Inuyasha fan would love a necklace like the one Inuyasha wears or a play sword like he uses. Or go all out and get them a full costume just like their favorite character. One place to check out is CosplayMagic.com.
Language Books or Software
If your anime fan has a serious interest in Japanese culture, then consider getting them a book or audio learning set to help them learn, read and write Japanese. This is an excellent gift option if you’re having a hard time finding gifts from their favorite anime series. This is also a gift you can feel good about, since learning a new language is a very valuable skill for their future.
Food
From sushi to Pocky, if your anime fan has an interest in Japanese culture, they might like to try some of the food they have seen consumed in animes and dramas. Some suggestions include a sushi making kit, Japanese candy and gum, Pocky (a pretzel covered with chocolate), strange flavored Japanese versions of candy bars like KitKat and more. You can find many types of Japanese candy at AsianFoodGrocer and other Japanese food import sites.
About the Author:
Charles Lawrence writes for AnimeOwl, where you can
watch anime online
for free. Find the best anime series at AnimeOwl. Visit us at:
http://www.animeowl.com
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Great Gift Ideas For The Anime Fan
