Fullmetal Alchemist

Well, for one, it didn't follow the manga at all. I mean, the ending was so screwed up that I wanted to cry. And now that I'm actually reading the manga (lol) there are some things that they added that weren't ever mentioned in the manga at all. I mean, don't get me wrong, I absolutley adore FMA, but.....they screwed up so badly that I literally wanted to kill my computer....which I never would do. I hope they do a better job with FMA Brotherhood (i've heard, and I don't know if I'm right, that the writer forced the anime makers to make a series that actually went with the manga.....) because if they don't I will be very pissed

Fantastic series Fullmetal Alchemist is the best anime and television series I have ever seen. It has drama and comedy. Sometimes it will just make you want to cry. Other times you can't help but laugh. It has had a strong impact on me. The plotline is very original and done quite well. The characters are amazing, including what they look like, their personalities, and their voices. The setting is fantastic and beautiful. Overall a great piece of work that you can be drawn into quite easily.

On a sleepless night in late 2004 just a week before my 9th birthday, I was watching the usual rotation of shows on [adult swim] - Futurama, followed by Family Guy and then if I was still awake, I'd be watching whatever anime came next. There was the usual rotation of InuYasha, Bebop, and whatever else was on at the time. Of course that night, I came across a show that I still hold near and dear to my heart as an adult - the original Fullmetal Alchemist TV series. As a child (especially a sleep-deprived one), I never really understood most of the show but I still enjoyed what I watched because it was enthralling in its own way. As a teenager in high school who was starting to get a taste for drama, that's when I really started to enjoy the show as I started to understand WHY Ed and Al were so desperate to get their bodies back. As an adult in his 20s (and still sleep-deprived as always), my adoration of Fullmetal Alchemist is multifold - I adore the show because of its own merits and also because on some level, Fullmetal Alchemist takes me back to a simpler time. When I sit down and I think about Fullmetal Alchemist, I think back to a time when I legitimately got joy out of watching anime instead of just either grimacing in disgust or just sitting there with a blank expression. I think back to all those nights I couldn't sleep and I just sat down watching shows like InuYasha and Fullmetal Alchemist in the dark of my room with a glass of milk and a peanut butter sandwich. I think back to what it was that drew me to this show and by extension, the medium itself. I could write whole theses on the subject, but I'm sure you get the point by now. I suppose this is the part of the review where I have to provide an "objective" assessment on why I love the show so dearly. To be sure, Fullmetal Alchemist as a programme definitely does a LOT of things right that so many other shows (especially nowadays) get wrong. From a narrative standpoint, the show's own internal logic (i.e. the setting, the mechanics of alchemy, and so on) remain concise and clear without much in the way of contradiction (for the most part). The story itself advances from point A to point B without ever feeling like certain elements were ever forced. A large reason as to why this is the case is because the show was never intended to be a faithful recreation of the manga, so it was possible to take creative liberties from the get-go. Some of the creative liberties taken had even managed to make intense scenes from the manga even more mortifying in their own ways. Nina Tucker for example, was a minor character in the manga that had a large impact on the story in all incarnations of Fullmetal Alchemist. However, the manga opted to portray her as just a random girl who fell prey to unfortunate circumstances and her fate was what sparked the Elrics to overcome their personal weakness. She certainly was referenced multiple times throughout the course of the story, but the way she was referenced always came across as "Hey, remember Nina? We need to avenge her. Anyway, back to the story." In the 2003 series however, Shou Tucker took in the Elrics to help Ed prepare for the state alchemist exams and as a result, the brothers spent a whole year with Nina. In the process, she became a surrogate sister to them. They laughed together, played together, cried together and so on. Given this, when she fell victim to the same fate that befell her in the manga, the sheer horror and trauma from that whole incident stays with the Elrics for the entirety of their journey. Small changes like that wound up adding so much more gravity to an already intense scene. For that, I applaud the folks over at Bones for taking such liberties. With this in mind, there are missteps taken by the creative team. Around the halfway mark, the show completely deviates from the manga and goes its own way. Mind you, this wasn't completely out of left field as manga-exclusive characters were introduced very early on and they slowly gained more prominence with time. What's more is that there was a LOT of thought put into most of the anime-exclusive lore to say the least. Possibilities that were touched upon in the manga are actually explored here, and most of the time, the anime does hit the mark and then some. Let's take a look at Lior, the first town that the Elrics visit. Lior in the manga was always depicted as an idyllic desert town that found new life when Father Cornello worked his miracles. When Cornello was revealed to be a fraud, the town simply moved on without him and all was well with the world. In the 2003 series however, Cornello was revealed to be the glue that held Lior together because he brought prosperity to an otherwise poor town. When he's revealed to be a fraud, a rift emerges between the townspeople who want to move on from Cornello and the following that Cornello built up. Civil war breaks out, and then the Amestrian military gets involved to try and quell the conflict but they make things WAY worse. Certainly a rather haunting parallel to the civil wars that broke out because of power vacuums in this day and age, don't you think? Where the anime's lore fell flat was toward the last 5-6 episodes. At this stage, we learned a LOT of stuff. We learned about the true nature of the Philosopher's Stone, the origins of the Homunculi, who their master is, what Hohenheim's past was, and so on. All of this lore was expanded upon over the course of 14-15 episodes between Episode 28 when the manga splits up and episode 44 when Hohenheim is brought back into the fold. My point is that Bones took their time telling us all of this stuff so that it didn't come off as an asspull. All of that careful attention that Bones put into the storytelling for that long kind of goes to waste when the last few episodes basically assault us with development after development after development without any time to let it sink in. The climax of the show was undoubtedly intense in its final episodes, however the impact is lessened when so much just keeps happening at once. The actual ending, of the show as it were, leaves a lot of plot threads open that don't get resolved until Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shamballah (and the less we talk about that movie, the better). Now, I'm not one to specificaly crave resolution in EVERY ending but there is a LOT to be desired when a plot thread is introduced in one episode, and then that thread is left open when the show ends 2-3 episodes later. Would a longer runtime have helped the show end more gracefully? It's honestly hard to say. My initial thought many years ago was "yes" but now, I'm not 100% certain. Yes, Bones did manage to craft some of the most engaging anime-exclusive lore I've ever come across. However, it could've been possible that the writers were running out of steam and they just wanted to end the show before it became painfully convoluted. Some may argue that it did become painfully convoluted toward the end, but I'd beg to differ. Even in the show's final episodes when so much was thrown at you at once, there was still /some/ semblance of logic to be found and some forethought put into what was introduced. Twas simply a shame that the show ended right when it was getting so intense. Now with all of that ranting taken care of regarding the storytelling, you might think that Bones put in the same level of effort into making sure that the characters were equally good and on some level, you'd be right. What's more is that the anime expanded upon many other characters that the anime simply didn't. The Homunculi, for example, were always treated as simply villains who were but a means to an end in the manga. However, the Homunculi here are much more than villains. Due to their origin stories in the anime, the Homunculi are now artificial beings that crave humanity. Some of the secondary characters also get this type of treatment. Roy Mustang, everyone's favourite chara…

(set aside a few days to read this behemoth! Sorry it got so long guys) Hello fellow watchers, time for another installment of Robert's Too Late Reviews! Today we're going to be talking about the dubbed version of Fullmetal Alchemist, an anime often referred as one of the great classics. As is tradition, check the synopsis for a plot overview, and I will be talking as I usually do, more about tone and theme than a 'they went here, did that' checklist. Will I agree that FMA deserves to be listed among the titans of anime? Will there be a new metallic entry on the RTLR wall of broken dreams? Let's check it out! Also of note, I'm talking about just the series, not the movies that follow, as that's a discussion for another day. Story: 9 There's a lot to like about this series, with many thematic elements running throughout, offering us food for thought. We have an obvious and heavy dose of brotherly affection, and in fact for family in general. The entire premise of the show revolves around brothers sacrificing for each other, and even more fundamentally about them attempting to use the magical power of alchemy to bring their mother back to them. Without this strong element of familial love, there would not even be a plot to speak of. These kids are united in their grief, united in the lengths they were willing to go to regain something of monumental importance to them, and then they are united in purpose in undoing the damage their mistake cost them. Ed and Al's relationship to each other is amazing well done, and as a man with a younger brother, I can say that this show reminded me of my relationship with him, and made me think of what I would do to save or restore my own sibling in that situation. The two boys are devoted to each other in such a realistic manner, complete with times they squabble but yet would (and do) defend each other from all comers. I might say my brother is a dumbass, but come at him, and I will cut you, without a thought. That's what brothers do, and that's what the Eldrich brothers do as well. This element is really compelling, as it's a true 'us against the world' type setting that is so well executed. The brotherly love comes from, as I mentioned, a united regret they share for using forbidden magic and such. This regret is something that also rings true with other characters as well. An early friend that unravels and becomes a great deal more ambiguous later on also is cursed by this feeling of regret, dabbling in powers he did not truly understand, and suffering a fate that leads him to be more obsessed than the boys in trying to regain that which he had lost. It gets to the point it blinds him, leaving him far more villain than friend, yet he remains a pitiful soul, bereft of redemption because of his own shortsightedness. The other main villains are also driven by a form of regret, a longing for something more. They regret their own existence as it is (for the most part, a holdout or two in there) and want nothing more than to gain the power to alter their condition. The themes of love and loss echo even through the people meaning to use the ultimate power they all seek in selfish manners. Everyone wants power for personal reasons, and none of them realize the lesson we as viewers are being imparted, that power improperly used leads only to more suffering, not the redemption they all seek. The brothers slowly come to learn this lesson, as they delve into yet another thematic element: that there's a price for everything. There's no free lunches as they say, and this holds true in the story as well, with the brothers slowly coming to understand that the reckless use of power, even with good intentions, usually ends in tragedy. This lesson is the basis for their entire journey, from the very start. They lost what they are seeking to regain because they attempted to use power with a cost far above any they could imagine. They refer to this balance, this price paid the band for the dance as 'equivalent exchange' and is a solid idea, that everything has it's reward. This is in fact a very common religious idea. "You reap what you sow" as the Bible put it. The ultimate power sought by not only the brothers but everyone in the show seems to blind all to the fact that there is always a price to be paid, the Devil be damned. The brothers come to realize that sometimes the price is far too high for what is being sought, and that blind ambition, even with good intent, leads one to nothing more eternally thinking the grass is greener on the other side of the hill, and causes them to keep running up a tab, not realizing how expensive to their lives, to their souls, to their very existence the price is becoming. The side stories that revolve around the secondary characters are all very well done. The Army officer with his ambitions for leadership is particularly interesting and the group of soldiers around him are interesting and varied. There is also a villain who later becomes less of a threat who at first seems to be incredibly dangerous, attacking and killing without a discernible reason that we learn is very much a victim of the ambitions of those in power, and is a member of a race of people who are very much downtrodden by all those of 'fairer' race. So we have a heavy dose of racism and the repercussions of such terrible thinking presented through this man and the plight of his people. So overall we have an ambitious tale that tries to cover several serious and meaty issues, and for most part does so very well, and does pretty good justice to each thread and moral they seemed to want to present to us. The interesting part of all this? This anime presents it all with a huge dose of comedy and never bogs down with all the heavy lifting in the story. For every deep theme presented we have things like the hugely muscled army officer that is all about his abs and his family traditions, or the other officer who becomes dangerously aware of some of the deeper machinations around him, but nearly constantly talks about nothing but his daughter in an embarrassingly overbearing manner. There's a very small line to be struck between moralizing and joke telling, and let me tell you, FMA hits it flawlessly and makes it look almost effortless. Now a few knocks to be had. Firstly, the older brother joins the military early on, yet never appears as a soldier. He even says in several places that he is a 'dog of the military' and yet he never seems to be confined by anything even close to resembling orders or any kind of military oversight. It almost seems like him becoming a 'state alchemist' is little more than a way to bring about the military characters and present their stories and such. I think they could have easily brought the boys into contact with the military characters without him having to become a soldier that receives no orders and openly declares that he does not care a whit about the Army's goals or intentions and carries on with his own search for power. Another knock centers for me around little brother Al. This is a minor quibble, but I will make note of it. Not one person seems to be all that freaked out that there is this *huge* suit of armor following Ed around. Yes I know story-wise they had to save Al somehow, but to common onlookers or even some of the tertiary characters should react a little bit to what appears to be a mountain of a man that accompanies the Fullmetal Alchemist everywhere he goes, and no one ever sees this person outside the armor. In a world where the metal prosthetic limbs like Ed has are fairly rare, I know I'd be a bit caught off guard if I saw this huge armored apparent bodyguard with Ed all the time. Of course all the story-important characters can be written off as being briefed on the boys and their condition. As I said, it's a small point, but one I thought I'd share. Finally story-wise there is one last knock that kept me from the perfect score: the ending. Yes I knew fr…

I watched FMA:Brotherhood a few months ago and I've just finished watching FMA. FMA isn't a bad anime, but it's not impressive either, mainly because there are too many flaws in it. In the end, I think that just as in the newest version, I had to be quite the forgiving one so as to enjoy FMA. That happened to me when watching both versions, but that's mainly due to me watching everything too critically and I think most people out there may get more Enjoyment due to their brains working the other way around, watching animes carelessly or if they don't care about that much about the flaws. Anyways, I digressed. Having watched Brotherhood first im inclined to like it more, it's more pleasant to watch as a whole - for the most part - and it's ending sits better then FMA's, even though at first I thought it be kind of forced and too happy-go-lucky, now I see it's definitely more enjoyable than FMA's ending. However, I think both have a lot of flaws So I'll start with story. STORY I think FMA's story as a whole is very good and I like the way it follows a darker path. I definitely think it's a bit better than bortherhood's, but the ending... Well, it's the FMA's ending so many people talk about. Watch and see on your own.(see PS*) There is however, just like in the newest version, a lot of melodrama that gets in the way. I'll talk about those in the enjoyment section. PS*: It's not that it's an end that's badly done, or done in a hurry. Technically/Production-wise there's nothing wrong about it, but the direction the writers choose a certain path for an end... Well, I prefer Brotherhood's artificially and unnaturally happy-go-lucky finale here hehehe ART I think it's OK. It's neither bad nor impressive. SOUND Undeniably the best part of the show. Not only the openings and endings are good, but the soundtrack as a whole sits well, theu used the right music at the right moment, and generally it backs up the the scenes very well. Indeed a remarkable soundtrack Imo. CHARACTER I think the darkest contrast between both versions is definitely the approach to character development. FMA as a whole sticks to a simplistic approach to character development. There isn't much complexity and intertwining between character's stories as in Brotherhood. There is not a lot of development for the supporting cast, which with some pretty dull characters appearing at times, along with other flaws here in there. So, as a whole, FMA's character development is inferior, however, this is also an advantage in that the story connects better in FMA than in Brotherhood, and basically every character lives up to the expectations set around them. You'll see practically every character get what they really deserve - and here I include Scar, Kimble, Luxury, Hoeinheim, Pride, Greed, CL. Mustang, Shou Tucker, and almost (and what a big, disappointing almost here lol) every other character resolute perfectly/well/reasonably. That contrasts a lot to Brotherhood's, which for the most part develops the characters to a much grater extent, with a good bunch of intertwining among characters, but then they mess up. For example, Hoeinheim, Kimble, Scar and Envy received a much better development in Brotherhood, but it's just for your greatest disappointment, as they really don't live up to the expectations(especially. On the case of Scar and Kimble) In the end, I think one is the inverse of the other, it's hard to judge both but I'm really making an effort to like FMA's character the better ENJOYMENT Enjoyment is not impressive. I had to make an effort to keep liking this anime after watching the 2003 version. Melodrama has fucked this show. There's just an excess of it everywhere. It does work in the beginning, but after thirty episodes, constantly getting more of it just turns me off. There's also Ed's urge not to kill anyone and Al's stupidity and kindness towards enemies, that just feels forced and awkward. I wish they were more straightforward when killing their enemies. Al involves himself in many fights and doesn't kill anyone. Ed killing someone is the last thing that happens I this show. By the way, plot holes, dull characters, pseudo existential bullshit, characters doing unexpected things out of blue with no apparent reason and no explanation afterwards...Flaws, many flaws... FLAWS EVERYWHERE 😅🤣 Well, it's not a terrible show but it suffers from all of these. OVERALL Overall, it's a good anime I recommend it. Most people will like it, some will love, some will hate it. But I definitely think about 40% of this shoe is wasted potential. If done right, FMA had all the potential to be better than brotherhood Imo, but it unfortunately didn't make it.

Fullmetal Alchemist is one of the very first anime I saw, after I was introduced to the medium through the first season of Attack on Titan back in 2013. (Or was it 2014? I don't remember...) I loved it. Don't get me wrong-I know Brotherhood has a much better ending, and its definitely prettier to look at and it follows the manga and everything-but I don't care. I don't have anything AGAINST Brotherhood-but I've always liked the 2003 version better, and I always will. Why? Well, there are several reasons. For starters, I like the openings and endings in 2003 a lot more than the ones in Brotherhood (sorry YUI fanboys, "Again" is just alright, "Undo" is where it's at), and I've always preferred Aaron Dismuke's Alphonse voice to Maxey Whitehead's. (Maxey did a fine job in FMAB, but it just didnt feel the same imo.) I also really prefer Damien Clarke as Scar over J. Michael Tatum. Clarke's Scar is a lot cooler sounding and has a bit more of range of emotion to his voice, whenever he says something I immediately start to get excited. Tatum's Scar is a bit more generic gruff antihero, and while I do enjoy his voice in Brotherhood, I think his voice in the 2003 version was a little more unique and I'm honestly kinda sad they didn't bring him back. Heck, I would've liked to see him come back and voice somebody else in FMAB, maybe he could've played one of the new characters that didn't get adapted into the original anime bc the manga hadn't introduced them yet. The biggest reason as to why I like the first adaptation better than the second are the characters, though-namely, the villains. I don't wanna go into any spoilers, but the villains in the 2003 version feel a lot more fleshed out, and they actually feel like characters. Like, living, breathing CHARACTERS, and ones you can actually kind of relate to and, in some cases, even feel SORRY for. Brotherhood doesn't really have that imo. Most of the villains in the second anime were really one-dimensional imo, and (aside from two very big exceptions I won't name here), they were all pretty flat. My point is, while I like both series, 2003 is my favorite of the two, and I firmly stand by the fact that it is one of if not THE best anime ever made. If you havent watched it, watch it. If you have and you wrote it off because it doesnt follow the manga beat for beat, watch it again. Trust me, this show is SOOOO much more than just an adaptation. It actually took the manga and made something unique that I believe stands on its own, and it's very enjoyable. (Just make sure to watch the Conqueror of Shamballa Movie once you're done. That'll definitely help take the sour taste of the original ending out of your mouth.)

Review in brief: Fullmetal Alchemist possesses a dark tone, some amount of moral ambiguity (mixed in with the usual force-fed black-and-white morals), and frequent drama within a shounen adventure core. Unfortunately, despite its high underlying potential it chooses not to maintain the level of detail needed to keep its ambitious story consistent or preserve suspension of disbelief, prioritizing its quota for mindless action and comedy instead. Review in full: 2003's Fullmetal Alchemist may reside in the shadow of its younger, manga-faithful sibling FMA: Brotherhood, but many still recommend watching it beforehand. It is said to feature a slower & more digestible pace, a darker tone, and deeper thematics. I haven't watched Brotherhood for comparison but I can attest that this anime does at least attempt to make good on these points but not in an effective manner. In fact, the theme of this review will be that this anime does have many commendable aspects to it, but it's mixed with some wholly uninspired elements that result in a product with a frustrating lack of purpose akin to a gem-encrusted plunger. Even from the very beginning problems are made apparent, thanks to the decision to start off in the middle of the story. The first episode starts by saying close to nothing about the setting & lore and simply throws the Elric brothers into action while bluntly stating their basic motive of "get our old bodies back". It establishes rules for its world (mostly pertaining to its alchemy) and immediately proceeds to break them without explaining what allows it to do so. This occurs throughout the show, but starting off like this makes it especially difficult to suspend disbelief as it keeps happening. Some of these rule-breaks are explained many episodes later but said explanations are often done quickly and hand-waved away, as though the anime doesn't want to explain itself. These faults in the storytelling appear in both visuals and dialogue. The main issue with the visuals is that the explanations for many transmutations don't match up with their animations, making them hard to believe. In the first scenario Edward is able to transmute both a wood-and-metal spear and a large stone wall from sand with only the slightest visible disruption/reduction in said sand. It's animated as though these objects teleported into the scene rather than created from nearby materials (the given explanation) and given some of their compositions relative to the materials they spawned from they may as well have. A large amount of transmutations have this problem. Edward is also able to animate a giant stone statue early on without any known catalyst. This is given a explanation through dialogue but only at the very end of the show and even that explanation is questionable, vaguely expressed (in an attempt to cover multiple inconsistencies at once), and something Edward had no idea about at the time. More to the point, the show waited nearly 50 episodes before even attempting to explain where the energy needed to make a multistory stone statue walk somewhere else (last I checked statues aren't even made with functioning joints) comes from in a system that supposedly requires "equivalent exchange" to function. In the end, transmutations with this inconsistency are never directly questioned. They are only indirectly and partially answered in about 40 seconds of exposition. In spite of its exposition issues, the story of Fullmetal Alchemist is actually quite involved and entertaining. There's many intriguing details and events that build up who the Elric brothers are and what they do. At the same time there's also plenty of needless comedy and filler fights thrown in that detract from what is a touching journey at its best and make it a stale shounen slog at its worst. It is this disjointed method of storytelling that sees serious plot points explained in a convoluted way, raising many questions (such as the previously mentioned transmutation issues) and forgetting half of them before a point is reached where the show feels comfortable with providing answers. Perhaps it would be more tolerable if these sidetracks provided a worthwhile experience, but when half of the jokes are just Edward having a height complex and Al being an empty suit of armor and half of the fights are mostly basic melee slugouts with minimal amounts of alchemy involved it's hard not to see it all as being tacked-on. The Elric brothers' journey is by no means a walk in the park and they often find themselves getting involved with shady characters and sinister happenings. Sometimes rather complicated (for a shounen anime) issues that have no clear-cut answer are brought up, leaving the brothers (and the viewer) to find their own. At other times the show goes out of its way to be extra dark and force-feed a particular moral to the audience not with reason but with shock value through gratuitous violence & gore or emotional manipulation. It's frustrating because there are plenty of moments in the story where interesting subjects and events come up that practically beg to be mentally digested but there's also many moments where the show clearly expects your brain to be turned off. I consider dark & edgy stories to be a guilty pleasure of mine but here it mostly felt unnecessary. In particular, the ending emphasizes a lot of the problems I've mentioned and raises many unanswered questions. Many actions taken beforehand (such as motivations for some of the villains as well as some of the lessons the Elric brothers learn and grow from) are rendered pointless by it, and it's not helped by all the meandering & pointlessly melodramatic dialogue leading up to it. It also creates a lot of holes in the final explanation of "the gate". I won't spoil "the gate" here as it's a major plot element but I will say that the way the ending abuses the function of "the gate" by conveniently forgoing the conditions for it to do what it did just 2 episodes after explaining it was its worst aspect since so many key events are built up around it throughout the show. Out of all the times this anime threw its own logic to the wayside, this last one with no hope of being explained is by far the worst. It all seemed to happen just to present sequel bait for a continuation (the Conqueror of Shamballa) that doesn't promise to answer those questions. All but one of the villains are overly corny, predictable, and simple. Many of the sin-based homunculi (such as Gluttony and Envy) can be entirely characterized by their names alone. Many of the villains in general are nothing more than psychopaths that know no other actions than gloat and kill (because what else would they need to know to fight?) and the amount of them means a lot of seeing the same cutout villain appear many, many times with a different face (and not just because characters don't always stay dead when they're killed). Meanwhile, just about every non-villain character (even the filler episode side characters) can be defined by a sole desire they possess. This approach to characterization is both nonstandard and uniquely fitting to the underlying theme of the anime, but these characters need more than a desire and a couple bullet-point traits to be truly convincing. While there are some characters that receive decent development, many of them end up dying partway through, clearing room for much shallower characters that don't really develop. It's a shame because this clear effort to give as many characters a place in the story as possible (even down to filler episode characters) does end up making the world feel more alive, but only at the high cost of some of the anime's standout characters. Outside of the lacking visual explanations the animation is fairly standard though with the caveat that it tends to go light on the visual effects. That said, such conservatism doesn't add to its presentation. On a more positive note, the animators did a great job with their use …

I watched Brotherhood before I watched the original FMA, and I didn't have very high expectations. FMAB is renowned as one of the best anime series; surely the original couldn't have been better if they re-released. Well I realized, the two aren't comparable. They may follow the same characters, and have the same setting, but the stories are very different. While FMAB follows the Elrics all around their nation, to north reaches and the depths of the desert, this series focuses more on the background of the characters. Most notably, the Homunculi: pseudo-humans that lack a soul. This series delves into their origins, which gave me a greater appreciation for their motives, such as their hatred of humanity and desire for the Stone. The ending of the two shows were also worlds apart, so in my opinion, comparing FMA to FMAB is like comparing apples and oranges. I gotta say, both intro songs were some of the most hype anime songs. Always supplemented the mood. I gotta admit, I actually never listened to the closing themes because I was always so eager to get to the next episode. I may or may not have spent several nights up till 4am, hooked on the Elrics' adventures. Characters, while largely the same between shows, display more depth in this version of the series: the Homunculi, Izumi, Armstrong, Hughes, and others play a bigger role and are more fleshed out. The main antagonist also makes more sense than in FMAB plotwise. The only people I felt who was weaker in this version was Mustang, and sort of Scar, but the other characters you gain make up for it. Like I said, many late nights suggests that I loved this show. I watched it a year after I watched FMAB, and I think they are both great. While people may prefer one over the other, both are definitely worth watching

Fullmetal Alchemist AND Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Review (NO SPOILERS) There are some shows that when people find out I haven't seen them, they go nuts. There are a lot of shows that are so legendary, so fantastical, have made such a huge impact on the world that we live in, that it would be considered a crime to not watch it. 2015 was a pretty amazing year for me, in terms of the anime I watched. I knocked out some pretty big titles during that year. One of them being the 2003-2004 adaptation of Fullmetal Alchemist. And, to sum up my enjoyment of that show in one sentence, I'll just say this. I WATCHED ALL 51 EPISODES IN JUST 2 DAYS. Ya. I cannot believe that it took me that long to watch this show. But despite how ridiculously quick I fell in love with this show, I didn't wanna immediately jump into the 2009 adaptation known as Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I wanted to take some time, so that I can watch Brotherhood with a fresh mind and relive the memories of the show I loved so much. Brotherhood is 64 episodes long. And I finished it in 1 week. So if you want my short and sweet opinion on these shows, I'll just say it right here. Fullmetal Alchemist AND Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are some of the greatest anime, no, some of the greatest worlds, characters, stories and overall greatest experiences I have ever had in my entire life. And yes, I think that for both of them. For the longest time, I was hesitant to start watching Fullmetal Alchemist because I was a bit confused on the whole original VS Brotherhood thing. For those who aren't aware, when the original Fullmetal Alchemist was being created, the anime actually caught up to where the manga was. And instead of waiting for the manga to get finished, the manga creator gave the animation company permission to go on and create their own version of the story, without any source material to go off of. A little after episode 25 in the original Fullmetal Alchemist, the story branches out in a direction created entirely by the production company, Bones. A lot of people weren't too pleased about this, and by popular demand, Fullmetal Alchemist was brought back in 2009 with a new anime called Brotherhood. For the first 13 episodes of Brotherhood, they pretty much recap the first 25 episodes of the original anime in half the time. Episodes 14 and onward, are all new material, completely based on the story of the manga. So when I was trying to get into this franchise, and I asked people which version I should watch, whether it be the original, Brotherhood, or both, I NEVER heard a single person recommend watching both of them. On top of that, I never heard a single person even like both of them. They would always either say that the original is amazing and Brotherhood is awful, or vice versa. Well, I went ahead and watched both of them. I watched them a year apart from one another, to keep a fresh mind and opinion on them both. And you wanna know what I think. I 100% believe that it would be an ABSOLUTE CRIME to only watch one of them! Both Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are absolute masterpieces in their own individual ways. Not only do i recommend this show to everyone, but I cannot in good conscience recommend you only watch one of them, and not the other. So let's go over why that is. Also, for the sake of simplifying things, from here on out, I will refer to the original 2003 anime as FMA, and I will refer to the 2009 anime as Brotherhood. So. Why do I recommend you watch both? The main reason for that is the pacing. As far as I'm aware, FMA was originally intended to follow the manga's story, from beginning to end. The only reason they didn't, was because they caught up to the manga, before it was finished. But because they had planned to follow the manga, those first 25 episodes of FMA are REALLY spot on and well done. The pacing is perfect, going slow enough to fill the world with so many fantastical elements and to enrich the characters and their personalities. But at the same time, this isn't a multi hundred episode anime like One Piece. So stuff actually gets accomplished, each episode. Which is really good. FMA's first half does its job perfectly. It tells the story at a perfect pace, while also adding in some filler episodes to just further develop this already spectacular universe. Brotherhood, on the other hand, doesn't do this as well. Like I said, Brotherhood covers the entire first half of FMA in half of the episode amount. So stuff is really rushed and some stuff outright gets taken out. On top of that, the half way point of FMA is where one of the biggest plot twists of the entire series gets revealed. In Brotherhood, this plot twist gets revealed IN EPISODE 1! I am not kidding. I know Brotherhood was made for the people who had already seen FMA, and that's why the first 13 episodes are so rushed in the first place. But if you're watching Brotherhood as your first introduction to anything Fullmetal Alchemist, it makes a lot less of an impact when something that big gets revealed in episode 1, as opposed to halfway through the series. Brotherhood also leaves some questions left unanswered, if it's the only Fullmetal Alchemist thing you decide to watch. Stuff like how certain characters got connected to each other, how certain characters got to certain locations, why certain events are taking place, etc. Keep in mind, this is not problem if you've watched FMA beforehand. But if you're only watching Brotherhood, it can get a little confusing. So I recommend you watch both. And I VERY much recommend you watch FMA before Brotherhood. For two reasons. One, because, like I said, FMA does a MUCH better job at introducing the world and characters and has much better pacing for the first half than Brotherhood. And two, because it's genuinely really interesting to see these two different storylines. The two are VERY different from each other. And I am honestly very glad I wound up watching both. You may feel a bit overwhelmed and confused with all I'm saying, but trust me. I was confused, going into it, as well. I had a very hard time understanding what everyone meant when they said that the two shows have completely different story paths. It became SOOOOO much simpler when I just went and watched it. And in the end, I got one series with two shows that were had completely different outcomes and both were VERY incredible to watch, from beginning to end. If you outright refuse to watch both, if you demand that you only watch the episodes that are based off the manga, then here's what you should do. Watch episodes 1-28 of FMA. And then continue to watch episodes 13-64 of Brotherhood. That will give you the most complete, and enjoyable experience of Fullmetal Alchemist's original story. But like I said, I still 100% recommend you watch both shows, in their entirety. And that's not exactly a difficult or annoying thing to do. First off, both shows are finished now. You don't have to wait for one episode a week, you can watch as much as you want, on your own time. And on top of that, you don't have to watch both shows, back to back. In fact, I encourage you to take a few weeks, months, or even wait a year after watching FMA, before you start Brotherhood. And again, you CAN do that, no problem. Both shows are entirely complete and released. So you can watch them as quickly or as slowly as you want. And besides, if you watch both shows, you just get to watch more Fullmetal Alchemist. And more Fullmetal Alchemist is a GOOD thing. The only other thing I can tell you, before going to watch both of them, is tell you a bit about the movies. Both FMA and Brotherhood have one movie, each. FMA's movie is actually a finale to the entire show and is the closing act on Bones' ending. So that is an outright requirement to watch, immediately after finishing FMA. Brotherhood has a movie which is pretty much a non-canon side story. It's honestly not the greatest …

I originally watched FMA on Cartoon Network way back when and finally decided to finish the series by watching the whole thing subbed in the full glory of the original language. FMA is an interesting adventure following the Elric Brothers' pursuit for the sorcerers stone, hoping to regain their original bodies lost when they attempted to transmute their mother back to life. The series can be fairly dark at times and explores many themes such as what it means to be human in great detail. The series starts a bit slow but it quickly picks up the pace resulting in many cliffhanger endings, which induces rapid chaining. This is a very good classic and should be enjoyed by a wide variety of anime watchers. Animation: The animation is very good considering when it came out. There is some annoying CGI occasionally but it doesn't interfere significantly. There are a lot of battles and lots of special effects, all of which were done very nicely. While it isn't as crisp in style as current animes, it still comes off as being one of the better ones. Sound: To be honest, the OP/EDs and BGMs weren't all that memorable to me. The BGMs did complement the series well, but doesn't stand out as something I'd want to get the OST for. The VAs do a very good job as there are a huge range of emotions that all the characters have to go through in this series. Only one question remains: how does Al talk while just having his soul attached to an armor? Story: The story of FMA is very detailed and many events from earlier in the series will return to play a part later on in the series. The plot line is very well planned out and will lead to some very ironic or tragic moments. There are many mini arcs as Al and Ed become more famous for their actions around the nation, but these are minor compared to the second half of the series, which just explodes as a mass of intensity. The plot line throws many twists which keeps one wondering who is really on the good side... and whether any action IS good. The story builds to a large climax near the end where many secrets of the world and alchemy in general are revealed. It seems interesting how they tied the ending together, and how they made it relate to real life. The only qualm I have with the entire series is the ending, and the open nature of the conclusion. However, hopefully FMA2 will answer all the questions (and not turn into SNS2, where character development was completely thrown out in exchange for pure action). Character: There are dozens of characters in this series, all of whom play an interesting role in the series. The characters are well explored, and many episodes will give details about a character that may make one reconsider what they thought about that character. The series plays with one's senses of where the line is drawn between good and bad actions, and good and evil characters. Value: What is the value of your life? Is there an equivalent trade that one would make for their life? or is it as priceless as Mastercard says. FMA asks some very philosophical questions in addition to providing a strong set of characters and plot line to ponder upon. There isn't much in terms of romantic development as the show is action/adventure based, but the show is a great watch overall. Possibly a bit long for a full re watch but certain arcs are definitely worth it.

A Generalized Review of Fullmetal Alchemist Initial Review for Newcomers: Fullmetal Alchemist is a slow, dark, drama that focuses on character development and themes of sacrifice, hardship/struggle, maturity, morality and death. Dub or Sub?: Both. But, I do have to commend the English dub team. Each of the voice actors fit their roles very well. Story/Characters (10/10): The story starts off with a seemingly straightforward plot (e.g. boy and partner works on cases using magic) until the third episode. The third episode starts a flashback story that shows the backstory/driving force behind the two brothers' actions throughout the whole series. Over time, the brothers were forced to grow up fast when they faced many problems that challenge their morals and ideals. Along their journey they meet many people who either help or hinder their quest. (The supporting cast members consist of over 30 characters so I'm not even going to get started on describing them all.) Each of the characters have their own backstory describing their desires and ambitions. The emotions of the characters (both good and bad) run very high as they are portrayed brilliantly by their respective voice actors. By the end of the show, I felt very sympathetic to all of the characters. The show starts off a bit slow but it picks up the pace by episode 20. From there on, it only gets darker. (Note: this show is a spinoff. The main storyline is different from the manga. If you want to see the original story based on the manga go watch Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood.) Art/Animation (10/10): The art/animation is some-what modern. The art and animation still has a certain 1999's feel to it but it's not too bad. Sound/Music (10/10): The sound/music was good. The opening and ending theme songs were catchy and upbeat. Enjoyment (10/10): I thoroughly enjoyed it. This anime is a must watch for anyone who enjoys good anime. Summary/Overall (10/10): The story is great. The character development is awesome and the amount of satisfaction is enormous. After that, feel free to watch the sequel Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa. Review #6

Fullmetal Alchemist was my first "big" anime, and I loved it. I adored the characters, and the story was awesome. That said, I was very disappointed by the ending, and how many loose ends there were. I see a lot of reviews where people say FMA and FMA:Brotherhood are equal, or that FMA sucks and FMA:B is the best (and even vice versa)... in the end, it's all a matter of opinion. And this is mine: FMA is amazing, and worth watching, but if asked to choose, I prefer FMA:B, because it has a more complete story, a wonderful ending, and better development. Arakawa is a genius, and it stands to reason the person who created the characters and the story that draws you into the beginning of FMA would write the best version of it and give us a satisfying ending. BUT FMA is still very good, and should not be tossed aside. I will always remember it fondly as one of the first shows that truly sucked me into the anime world. ^_^

Let me start off by saying that this was my first anime and it's the one that got me interested in anime. If I had not seen this one first my overall acceptance of the anime genre wouldn't be what it is today. The characters were great and the story was amazing. Manga readers who came to watch this when it first came out I can completely understand their rage and preference of Brotherhood but honestly, to me, this one was the better of the two. Brotherhood is great for that it follows the original storyline but the plot line to this blew my mind. I love it through and through :)

I know that watching Fullmetal Alchemist at a year like this wouldn't be right, considering that it was almost a decade since this show was aired. Setting that matter aside, watching a serie doesn't depend on how old or how recent it was made but the moment a person realize and say, "The hell with this, I'll watch Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Ghost Fighter, Hunter X Hunter etc. right now even though they're all super old!" they just go on and try viewing it. For everyone to know, I actually watched Brotherhood before this. Now, you may think how fucked up I am and how idiotic my decision was because every review in Brotherhood specifically said, watch the original first but I didn't really pushed through that advice. So why the hell did I watched Brotherhood before this? I was baffled by its score and I thought that it would be pretty crappy but it turned out to be super awesome. Now, after seeing an outstanding masterpiece, I kinda miss the show and without further a do... here is my review of the original and classically made Fullmetal Alchemist (2003). Note: no comparison of Brotherhood and this series will take place so you won't get annoyed. Story: 8 Of course, the original Sci-Fi novel made by hiromu Arakawa is splendid and creatively made. By using the main power or the main ingredient, Alchemy and incorporating various characters that revolves around it. The story ventures on a European era that partakes in the year 1800's - 1900's. It is a story like no other but on the other hand, Studio Bones took care of its other half and completed the story by themselves. The first half, I think was completely loyal to the manga. It entails the journey of Ed & Al as they embark many obstacles in order to retrieve their normal bodies. Yes, it has many fillers like in every episode they meet a different character but end up failing to get suitable information. Also, you guessed it, it is pretty slow paced. The second half (I think starting from the second half of season 1), the staff ended up writing a different plot in order to lead a new conflict and theme. The storytelling may seem absolutely understandable and decent; however, the ending and the plot twists didn't sit too well for me and for the series itself. I get the idea and the point of Bones where you will see a new side of the Alchemic world but the truth is, it just didn't leave a good impression. Arakawa's work will always be classic, traditional, old-fashioned and well-thought but what this anime did may be a little injustice. Adding a modern twist to the ending just made things worse and also some of the characters that were left behind were just not useful to the plot. Evidently, I wasn't satisfied by the the ending but I didn't hate the anime on a long shot. On the contrary, I believe that the comedy impact was swell and amazing and also the episodes even though they are too long and it takes almost 2- 3 episodes to explain what was happening, they execute the story perfectly making everything not too rushed. The ending was just its downfall and everything that piled up and made a curtain call was just too forced. On the bright side, I appreciate the theory on how the Homunculus are made (that was a genius part of Bones' writing). Character - 9 The character development on this show was definite and spectacular. It completely introduces the characters on a productive scale and leaves a good impression in every single one of them. Sure Ed & Al are always the focus of the plot but giving more knowledge on who the Supporting characters are and how they interact with each other was just wise and organized. Showing back stories as well gives more definition on each character. My only concern is the lack of recognition of characters like Selim Bradley, Winry Rockbell, Von Hohenheim (in this case Light Hohenheim), and so many more. They didn't have to make them unuseful and those characters deserve more roles other than whining, dying, and being a cliffhanger or something. But I am grateful that they shown more of Roy Mustang's gang and what their doing and stuff, more history of the Homunculus, and a bunch of other stuff. Art - 8 Details are much shown and visible. I am fond of seeing old styles of art in anime. In this case, it reminds me of Hunter X Hunter and other 1990's anime wherein the lines and shapes are intricately drawn. It may not be HD but its got one hell of an impression. It isn't really comical and consistent when it comes to action, comedy, and dramatic scenes so it is alright. For some people its graphics could be a handful and uncomfortable to watch but seeing how it grows, it is most definitely captivating. Also, it isn't entirely sloppy. Sound - 7 FMA is known for its audible soundtrack with openings that has fast tempos and catchy lyrics and endings that would either have upbeat tones or slow and steady rhythms. Usually, when I think of FMA's OST we have alternative rock, rock and heavy metal (since it is dark) but out of all the OPS and EDS I only had an interest on Larc En Ciel's Ready Steady Go! and "Melissa" by Porno Graffitti. Most of the time, fans like almost all of the songs but I can only find two of them memorable. Ready Steady Go! sounds so playful and rusty at the same time. Melissa is also playful and it reminds me of a beachy kind of atmosphere. The background music were just original and natural. Leaving every episode with no dead air or awkward times. But, I have to be honest, using Beethoven's Symphony 5 isn't the best move. I recall that it was played at a very wrong moment which just made things unsuitable and disputed. The voice actors were intact and were really in character. Whether in english or in japanese, everything seemed so perfect. Overall/Enjoyment - 8 I wanted to joined these two categories together because let's face it, it would just lead to one answer. The story itself made things a little smashed up. The comedy level increased but the dramatic interpretation of the story was just not good enough for me. Many fans say, "Brotherhood did not made me cry enough as much as the original series" but in my case, I didn't cry one bit in the original. I'm not comparing or anything I am just saying an honest opinion. Yes, this anime is dark and heart-breaking but the approach of the sad parts were just too blunt for me and needed extra jolt on the drama level. I enjoyed its simple pacing but the plot itself and how everything was finished was just too fast and inexplainably horrible. Still, this goes without saying it but the original writer has still more in store for us and I honestly believe that Arakawa's lead to the story is much more compelling but both stories do give a different perspective to the fans. I recommend this to all you guys who are waiting for a show that has one hell of a ride and an incredible story to tell to watch FMA and its remake, FMA : Brotherhood. Both series are equally exquisite and unregretful to watch. Although, I am in no position to advice this but do watch the 2003 version before Brotherhood. Do not be an idiot like me. Tips: 1. Do not search pictures of FMA on google, you will see spoilers. 2. Stop liking or viewing its website, you will also see spoilers. 3. Never read reviews that has no spoiler warnings. 4. Do not watch amvs unless you finished the whole anime. 5. Watch FMA and FMA: B or else you are missing out something really awesome.

If you or someone you know has never seen anime before, this would certainly be my first recommendation. This show would immerse you so deep in the characters lives and story that you will not know what to do with your own life after you finish watching all the episodes. I recommend this to people new to anime because the traditions and life styles portrayed in this show are for the most part very western, however the art and certain gestures are very Japanese. For someone who is not used to Japanese symbolism's this show will be very easy to watch and understand. If you are someone who has seen many amines and have not yet seen this one, what's the matter with you?! The story and characters in this anime are guaranteed to make even the most stone cold emotionless people feel some sort of sadness (I speak from experience.) This is really one of those anime's that are top notch and truly deserve a 10/10 score. ADDITIONAL NOTE: I've seen this anime in both English dub and Japanese dub+English subtitles; I've seen them both separately and at the exact same time side by side. Unless you understand Japanese better than English, I strongly recommend the English dub. The voice acting cast for the English dub is superb and the subtitles don't do the show enough justice.

When the world of anime is talked about you know that the words Fullmetal will most likely come up, and I'm not talking Full Panic. Fullmetal Alchemist is an incredible anime based off of a wonderful manga. Phenomenal music, voice acting, art, development in the plot, characters, and emotion are only a few things that are morphed together to create this one of a kind master peice. The work and detication is shown tremendously through the accuracy and feeling that you can't help but notice. FMA is one anime that you shouldn't miss, and will never forget.

This is the show that got me into anime. Sure I'd already seen all of the Animatrix and the movie Spirited Away but I hadn't really considered myself a real fan of it until I had the good fortune to catch this on TV. I'm not in the business of doing spoiler laden plot summaries in reviews so suffice it to say that the story is about two brother Edward and Alphonse and is set in a sort of steampunk/fantasy world where Alchemy is the defining science instead of Physics as it is in our world. The show deals mainly with what it means to be human and exactly what the value of human life - or more specifically the human soul is and also the strong bonds that form between family and friends. That description makes the whole thing sound heavy handed though and the show can be quite arresting at times but it never falls into the trap of being unpleasant to watch. The show begins very dark although the tone is handled expertly throughout - shifting from horrific moral ambiguity and dark subject matter to some genuinely funny comedic moments, as opposed to the usual anime clichés of 'old man pervs over spunky girl and gets hit with a big hammer'. In fact avoiding the clichés is one of the best things the show does - none of the characters are generic 'anime types' despite how they may initially come across. They all have their motivations and their own world view which informs their actions and never feels like someone's acted out of character. I watched the dub for lack of another option when it was on TV and the acting really wasn't bad at all. I usually find myself turning to subtitled versions of shows because the voice actors usually seem to put the emphasis on disguising their own voice than on acting however that isn't the case with the majority of the cast on this show. The art and animation of the show is of a very high standard - everything fits together nicely and the movements in the action sequences are really fun to see. If you even have a passing interest in the genre (and let’s face it you're reading an anime review on the internet so you probably do) you should give this show a try. For those of you that are too lazy and just scrolled to the end of the review without reading it...Watch FMA!

Story I think everybody knows about the plot of this series because of all the hype it has received. But does the anime live up to the expectations and the hype? Well, yes. The story is wonderfully written and every character fits just right in this world. The way the villains are introduced and their origins are also great. The only bad thing I can say is that half way the series it kind of drags and at the end a character is introduce and dispose of in a very anticlimactic way. And the ending is in my opinion just plain horrible. But don’t get me wrong the ride these boys give us is an unforgettable one even though the destination wasn’t what we expected. Perhaps if the series was a bit shorter it would have been better. I decided to see the series because of the hype and ended up loving it, every single character was great and how each character evolves is also wonderful. The series tends to be mellow and funny at the same time, it’s kinda of weird to explain. I’m a casual anime fan that sees a series every now and then and trusts me this is no “Pokémon” or “Naruto” this is a great series that just happen to be mainstream just like “Death Note”. Don’t let the series popularity keep you from experiencing one of the best anime ever like it did for me for a long time. Both this series and “Death Note” deserve all the hype that they have unlike “Bleach” and “Naruto” which pretty much suck. Art The art is ok, not great just ok. It looks good but I don’t think that anybody will be attracted to this series because of its art. Sound Wonderful soundtrack you will be whistling to the series score for a long time. I love when a series has a score that is memorable and they are few, I can only think of “Rurouni Kenshin” as another series with a kick ass soundtrack. Character Well this is all what the series is about, characters. The series is about two boys and how they deal with what has happen to them, it is about a man’s obsession to rise to the top and about a man’s vengeance. How they cross each other path is pretty much what this series is about, I mean there’s more to it but I’m not entering in spoiler territory. Overall This is hands down one of the best anime ever, perhaps in the top ten ever.

Full Metal Alchemist is incredible; amazing story, beautiful music and brilliant characters all in a world were alchemy exists. The story is about the 2 Elric brothers trying to regain there lost bodies, but don't expect it to be this simple continue to watch as it goes deeper, darker and expect twists that will shock you. The story is the strongest point of the anime. The characters are all great, they all have different personalities some funny, some weird. Some are just so cool with there unique powers, although some are lame but hilarious, the greatest of all the characters has to be Hugh's...you'll see why. The music like I said is beautiful, completely goes with this anime. It can really help make the scenes more emotional the music can just play in your head for hours and it's not something you'll wanna beat out of your head. Animation isn't great but not bad either but hey with an anime this great, I'd watch it in black and white. Hell, I would even watch it if they were stick men. All in all, a wonderful anime one that can be compared to many others. I wish it was longer. Action could be better, but it's still incredible. The ending to me was surprisingly sad and happy, but moreover amazing.

This anime alongside Death Note are the only anime that in my opinion deserve a 10 out of 10 grade (of the ones I've seen). The story is something never seen before in another anime, and the way it is told is superb. From the first episode you can see how great it is going to turn and believe me when I say that you wont be disappointed. The visual quality is top notch and doesn't drop in any episode. Every song is a true masterpiece and really goes with the different situations that are presented. The character development is the best I've ever seen in an anime. Everyone's motivation is coherent and you really get the feeling of getting to know every character. There's one character (I wont spoil it to you) that you really get to hate and understand at the same time (even though you keep hating him), and it's this little details which makes you get into the world. I have no complaints with this anime whatsoever, as it manages to bring together all the aspects of a great anime: action, mystery, betrayal, friendship, laughs and almost every color that makes up a true human being. If you haven't watched it yet then you really have missed a lot. As a final comment, if you're going to watch it I recommend the japanese voices over the american dub. The japanese cast's voices are better suited for the personality and age of every character than the english voices.