Fullmetal Alchemist: The sacred Star of Milos

So the companion piece movie to the original FMA was to follow the series whereas this companion piece to FMA: Brotherhood can be watched at pretty much anytime as it is totally unconnected to the actual plot.

This didn't sit right with me and more than anything felt like a cashgrab, and I suppose it is. Just a random tale with the Elric brothers with not a homunculus in sight.

The original voice cast return though it is rather light on familiar characters, what damages it however is that it clearly isn't the same animation studio that made the show itself which was an odd choice. Not only is the animation style different but it makes the film feel less connected to the universe we know and love, doubly so in places where the animation quality is pretty ill fitted.

The story itself is competent enough and it's perfectly watchable stuff but certainly not on the level of the show itself. In fact I question it's existence, it just didn't need to be. I get the companion piece to the original FMA as it served a purpose, this just doesn't.

Watchable but even fans might want to skip over it.

The Good:

Has most of the FMA charm

Has its moments

The Bad:

Animation style is different than the show

Some of the animation quality if terrible

Script is well below par

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Life reflects art reflects life

I'm going to miss those wacky Elrics

How can someone describe Sacred Star of Milos? It's like if Fullmetal tried to be Bleach while still being Fullmetal.

Confusing? So is the movie! Plot holes and lack of continuity when compared to the Brotherhood series are the biggest problem of the movie and it can very distracting making this the Fullmetal Alchemist anime version with the worst history.

But at the same time it still has the characters that we know and love and even the new ones are surprisingly good and interesting.

But by far the best part of the movie is the animation! Holy Cow it is good!!! The design, the way the characters move, the angles and GOOD LORD the colors!!! If the story is the worst in Fullmetal's history than the animation is the BEST in Fullmetal's history.

If you are a fan, give it a try. It's not as dark and thoughtful as the classic series or as heartwarming as the Brotherhood series but is still pretty good

Well, this movie introduced me to one of the most critically acclaimed anime series of all time, "Fullmetal Alchemist". I believe this was one of the few FMA movies to receive mainstream distribution in theaters. I admit to not knowing much about the franchise, so I might get a couple of facts wrong when I critique it. I at least know the names of the main characters and understand some of the basic premise. This movie features the Elric brothers, Ed and Al. Although both are said to have lost their spirits, only a fraction of Ed's body looks mechanical. This movie features them saving a town called Milos by finding the scared star.

Yeah, the title says everything. There's this woman named Julia who appears and it was weird not knowing if she was a main character in the series or not. What I love about this film is how beautiful the animation is and how great the action scenes are. We get tons of creative environments and elements. While not a fan, that's all I want in something to love it! Anyone can enjoy this beautiful film that's nicely paced with great voice acting and likable characters. Ed(ward) is easily my favorite and that's pretty handy when he happens to be the main character. Should please any anime fan, just like me. ***1/2

In the lost holy land of Milos, the Elrics search for the truth behind an unknown form of alchemy. What secrets are hidden in Milos? Riddles must be solved and dangers faced before the truth can be found.

I am not really when does the story take place but if you enjoyed brotherhood you might enjoy this movie.

If you've read my review on "Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa" already, you would know that I am a fan of the Fullmetal Alchemist franchise, which was originally a series of Japanese graphic novels (often called "manga") written and designed by Hiromu Arakawa for "Shonen Gangan", a monthly magazine published by Square Enix. Yes. That Square Enix. It was turned into two anime television series sometime later, one starting in 2003 while the manga was still being written, and another in 2010 (dubbed "Brotherhood"), a few years after it was finished. Both of these anime series would premier in the United States on Cartoon Network's late night block, Adult Swim.

"Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos" (pronounced Mē-lŏss) is the second feature film in the franchise. While "Conqueror of Shamballa" is spun off of the 2003 series (and serving as its official ending), this movie is spun off of the 2010 series and is an original story, taking place somewhere near the halfway point of the show's run. It starts with a prisoner, an alchemist, breaking out of prison in Central City, despite only having a few weeks left in his sentence. The Elric brothers, consisting of Edward (Vic Mignogna), a young state alchemist dubbed "Fullmetal", and his younger brother Alphonse (Maxey Whitehead), decide to go after him. They end up near the edge of the country border, to a town called Table City, where they cross paths with a young girl named Julia (Alexis Tipton), who belongs to a society called the Milosians. Thus, the Elrics end up becoming a part of a conflict that could either bring peace and prosperity or the extinction of an entire people.

Even though I did say that this movie took place somewhere near the middle of "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood", I cannot say where exactly this movie is placed in the storyline. Even if I did know, the movie pretty much serves as just feature-length filler, and I don't really see that as a bad thing here. However, I do understand that there are a few fans of the franchise that will have a tough time wrapping their head around the overall plot. The animation is also pretty good for a theatrical release, though it's not the best work I've seen from Bones, the studio that has also worked on both the 2003 series and "Brotherhood", as well as other anime series and movies.

So, to sum up, I actually enjoyed this one. Could it be better? Yes, but what I got out of it is a rather thrilling (and sometimes brutal) adventure flick based on a Japanese franchise I hold as near and dear as "Cowboy Bebop". However, if you plan to watch this picture, I would recommend watching at least half of "Brotherhood" first. It may not help you fully understand everything this movie unfolds, but it would make it a little easier than it should.