Fullmetal Alchemist

A friend raved about this anime, so I took a cursory scroll through it and found nothing worth noting. It just seemed so homogenized. The art didn't stand out. The characters seemed to be cookie-cutter determined types out to save the world. Even the name "Fullmetal Alchemist" seems completely avoidable with magic being the status quo in much of anime. I borrowed a disc anyways and watched it. I begged for the other discs in advance.

Fullmetal Alchemist has superb flow. 24 is the only thing in recent memory that has a comparable flow and that's only because that show supposedly happens in real time. In FMA, you have multiple reasons to continue each episode but the focus is not lost. It's always centered (unless if very appropriately not centered) on the two Alric Brothers who share perhaps the strongest bond in all of anime. This bond may be broken at any time, mainly because FMA takes place in a very dynamic world. A war may possibly re-surge. Fellow soldiers we meet rise in ranks and there are casualties. But amidst all this is a very pervasive mystery to which no one is safe. We are as blind to this mystery as the brothers and it's unnerving to stop watching, knowing that unseen forces may encounter our heroes at any time. Prepare to marathon. It's a continuous narrative, unlike that Cowboy Bebop crap.

Above all, FMA is a parable. We're told about the principle of equivalent trade, which is yin yang in other words, but we get much more than this taoist tidbit. We learn to deal with death. People do grow old and die. People do die for a reason. People do die for no reason. Some people may call FMA needlessly dark for a children's anime, but rather it's brutally honest. It's likely you will feel real pain. It's unlikely you'll forget the pain. Anyone we meet to whom a great misery befalls is so uniquely focused and blindly determined that the mechanics of his/her devastation become very clear. They seem proverbial, as though the Brothers Grimm were revived to create some of these characters. The series has enough fluff to get us through grim reality, but most of the time, it's really an opportunity to show how much heart many of the characters possess. It may seem odd for an anime centered around some teenage boys to have no sexual connotations whatsoever, but that'd just get in the way of the very strong emotions expressed in this anime. Friendship is the greatest form of love, and the one between the Alric Brothers is perhaps the greatest friendship in all of anime.

Concerning the Technical aspects once more, the animation is great where it counts (where there's action). Being a musician, I find it odd that I don't remember any of the music. It's definitely there and fitting, just not memorable. Doesn't matter. This anime could look and sound like crap and still be worth watching.

Whilst most anime is an acquired taste, falling into the fighting (think Dragonball or Bleach) magical girl (Sailor Moon) or romantic (Chobits) genres, Fullmetal Alchemist rises above all this. As the story gradually unfolds, you are drawn ever deeper into a believable alternative world where magic replaces science and its practitioners (Alchemists) are held in high esteem. Yet, few are what they seem and you cannot trust anybody. The good are, in fact, capable of deeds of great evil, and the bad are often doing what they do for good reasons. And just when you think you're getting a handle on it, something comes along that shocks you in such a way you are left thinking about it for days to come. Whilst there are obviously anime elements (the look, fighting segments) the story and, above all, the willingness to shock the audience by hurting and killing characters we have come to know and admire, make Fullmetal Alchemist well worth your time. Of course, you will have to invest a lot of time - 51 half hour episodes and a movie means 26 hours or so of viewing. But it is time well worth spending.

If I were to pick one word to describe FullMetal Alchemist, Hagane no renkinjutsushi, it would amazing, or ohmygod, or simply just a drop of the jaw and "wow." But that wouldn't do something this great justice. For those of you have heard this series can't compare with Naruto and Bleach, no, it can't, it's 100x better. This series will make you laugh, feel a very deep compassion for the characters, want to make you scream in rage, make you want to scream with happiness, and yes, even cry. Yeah. I cried a couple times. And the plot, oh yes, the plot. It's one of the best I've ever seen. Some might say it's too dark, I disagree, it's just honest. It explains that what's gone is gone, and we can't bring it back, people die for a reason, people die for no reason, life isn't fair, you only get what you give, all good things come to an end and we can only make the best of what we're given. Now the Characters, from Edward to Envy, Winry to Hughes, Scar to Rose, Riza to Roy, all characters have something special about them, and it will make you feel a deep compassion for them, weather it's Edward or Roy. Each character is developed and deep to it's full extent. The music is great, the Japanese voice actors are amazing, and the English Dub is one of the best I've seen. In short: If your an anime fan, or just dipping your toes, FullMetal Alchemist is a showcase of wonderful characters and plot, action, drama, tears and laughs.

This anime is about two gifted brothers who are intelligent, kind and ambitious. They live in a world where Alchemy, and subsequently Alchemist, is the law of the world (vs. science in ours). With alchemy, one can do wonders... repair broken items....change physical properties of a matter...etc. However, alchemy is bound to one rule....one cant take (or make) a thing without giving something in return. With this simple rule, the two brothers go in a maze of exciting adventures, meeting wonderful characters and even sometimes, respectable enemies. The anime is 51 episodes long, which might seem a little too long initially, yet fortunately...each and every episode will tie you to your seat and make you crave for more. Story line is good, a mix of brotherhood, friendship, love, humanity and (like any other anime) the effect of war on people, not to forget the hilarious moments this anime is mined with. Character development is excellent. Drawing is top notch and music is entertaining. Unfortunately, this anime is not concluded after 51 episodes. The movie, and hopefully the conclusion, is to be release 23rd July 2005. This anime is worth every second....a must see.

This series has one of the most amazing endings I've ever seen...ANYWHERE. Out the half dozen other people I know who've seen the entire series, not one of us was able to even come close to guessing the ending. FMA reminds me a bit of Harry Potter just in that, in both series, you have 1) child prodigies, 2) engrossing character growth and plot development, and 3) a story that individuals of all ages can appreciate and enjoy. One thing I appreciated and enjoyed very much about the series is that it's like one long fable--there's moral after moral after moral. As a side-note, it's one of the only animes that I've seen which spans several years, allowing for a lot more character growth and focus on the players in the story than is typically seen in most animes. Probably the single best anime that I've ever seen, and certainly in my Top 10 favorite stories of all time. Like Harry Potter though, it may at first appear to be a kids' story, but toward the end it's oriented more toward adults. Highly recommended.