I had never used (or seen in real life) magatama beads before, but they looked neat so I thought I'd give this project a try. I was also curious about what a finished product would be like -- would it be heavy? pokey? awkward? It turns out that it looks really nice -- elegant but certainly not dainty (I think the video does it better justice than the images). Definitely the kind of thing I'd wear if I wore this kind of thing (I did try it on -- for science! -- and, TBH, I kind of liked it). If you've done beaded kumihimo before, this isn't much different. The important thing is to pay attention when stringing the magatamas -- double-check before you commit! Also, definitely watch the video. I struggled a bit finishing the braid and tying off the caps because I didn't follow the directions. Oops. So, I give myself maybe 3 stars, but this kit is absolutely a 5!