Fullmetal Alchemist : Brotherhood

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, I think is the best anime ever made.

First of all the the voice cast were chosen to perfection every voice portrays the character as who the were meant to be.

Secondly The Storyline was so well written compared to the first series. story flows wonderfully as we witness the journey the characters take and the many twists and turns that occur.

Characterization was also excellent. once again I will mention the voices but also the way characters interact with the complex guidelines of the world they inhabit.

And lastly the animation is very fluid no cheap faraway shots where the characters are talking but not moving which is used commonly(see Neon Genesis Evangalion).

I will finish by saying that if you are going to watch one anime in the entirety of your life time Choose Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is amazing, I love every minute, the characters are great all of them receive a nice development, the voice acting is amazing too both dub and sub are great, animation and the choreography are awesome.

This is perfect series for anime and mainstream fans, just watch.

This review is mainly meant for anyone who watched Fullmetal Alchemist and is either considering Brotherhood, has watched a few episodes and not liked it, or has read one of the negative reviews and was put off.

When I first heard about Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, I was skeptical. Seeing as the original Fullmetal Alchemist is the first anime I have ever completely watched and is the spark that ignited my obsessive love of anime that I have today, a redo seemed unnecessary to say the least. What could possibly be improved upon a show as fantastic as Fullmetal Alchemist?

With hesitation and doubt in my heart I started watching the series... and instantly hated it. I won't lie, my first impressions were not only that the show didn't live up to the original, but that it was also an abomination that was dancing on the grave of a greater show.

I cried, I screamed, I broke things, I didn't do any of the above because I'm exaggerating and not actually crazy, but I was still quite upset. The criticisms bubbled up inside me until I was frustratingly glaring at the TV appalled at such changes as Alphonse's voice actor, or a lack of the opening starting with the classic "in those days, we really believed..." lines from Al.

With each passing episode the insults to Fullmetal Alchemist seemed to grow, episodes that were lovingly crafted in the original series were apparently being lightly brushed on. Moments in the original that got me hooked fell flat in Brotherhood, and I was fed up and ready to write the letter of complaint to end all letters of complaint. But then, my eyes began to open.

Right around episode 13 where the plot of the two animes separates I started to think that this story might actually be good. As the episodes began to fly I realized that it wasn't good, it was great. After finishing the series I knew without a doubt in my mind that what I had witnessed was my favorite anime of all time. The story of Brotherhood is better than that of the original on so many levels that the two shows truly don't compare. After having my eyes opened I was forced to drop the rating that I gave to the original to an 8 simply because now I knew how much lost potential it had.

If you enjoyed the story of Fullmetal Alchemist, stick with Brotherhood and I guarantee you that you will not regret it. Not only is the plot and storyline vastly improved upon and more satisfying, the animation, music (in my opinion at least, some disagree), characters, and overall feel is far better.

Therefore, if you are a true fan of the original series don't give up on Brotherhood after only a few episodes like I was so tempted to do, it is a show that grows into something that will go down in history as one of the greats of animation history and you shouldn't miss out.

Let's make one thing clear before I start this review, I have no experience with the previous incarnation of Fullmetal Alchemist. This series was my first foray into the world of FMA, & I must say, it is VERY excellent.

First off, the series has a huge cast of interesting & unique characters. They are each quite different from each other, and act in different ways. The way the series elegantly manages all the character's developments and story lines is a feat in itself. The series also has a fantastically crafted plot, filled with action, humor, & tragedy. Despite its mainstream appeal, it still maintains a mature tone that really grabs you.

The animation & art is top notch. You won't be getting any poorly edited sequences or grotesque looking art. The production values are great. I watched the series with the English voice track, and the dub did quite a good job. No complaints there. The soundtrack is excellent as well, particularly the opening & closing sequences that accompany each episode.

It goes on for some 64 episodes, & maintains your attention the entire time. It even manages to close everything up in a satisfying manner. A fantastic series. This show will make you laugh, cry, and even get angry a few times.

Loved it.

Having been an avid fan of the first Fullmetal Alchemist series, i was highly apprehensive on hearing about this reboot, but the more i found out about the series, the more excited i became. I've always been a fan of the Manga, and the new series is being based completely of the manga storyline. This had be hooked, so i waited nervously for the first episode.

The new series features better artwork that resembles Arakawa's style more closely than the last series. There is more humour, especially Ed transmuting a spear-head into his face. There is a new soundtrack, which admittedly, at times doesn't work greatly, but with some getting used too, i'm sure it will grow on me. Overall, i feel this series is a fantastic reboot, and is verging on turning Fullmetal Alchemist into the series it should always have been.