Clay Lord: Master of Golems by Jun Suzumoto

Clay is a only rookie golem molder, but with some soil and a few ingredients, including his own blood, he can create a golem capable of anything from heavy labour to flight. He and his three overly-protective companions (amazingly life-like golems) are newly arrived in town, and determined to win a golem-building contest. If Clay succeeds, the golems he makes will protect the town treasury. Unfortunately for Clay, his talents attract the attention of some unsavoury people who'd love to get their hands on his powerful blood.

The series starts off as your basic good monsters fighting bad, but quickly focuses in on Clay's missing memories, adding a dash of mystery to the mix. Throw in some humour in the form of Clay's golem companions, who assume everything is life threatening no matter how minor, and you have a series that I found more enjoyable than many of the fighting manga out there. The mix of action, humour, and magic makes it a good read-alike for Fullmetal Alchemist, although Clay Lord is definitely lighter in tone.

The entire series is only three volumes, which makes it easy to squeeze into a tight budget.