Let's talk about Fullmetal Alchemist

[maddawg IAJI]

I love the anime. I like the characters, the story, the artwork and just about everything about it. I've yet to find any of the Manga, but I am interested in it now thanks to the anime.

That all said, I highly recommend you view the 2009 version over the 2003 one if you want a closer adaption to the manga. That isn't to say that the 2003 one isn't good, believe me, at the time it was pretty damn good in my opinion. The only sad thing about the 2009 one is that the English adaption is incomplete (Only 27 of the 64 episodes have been done in English) and since they seem to rush through the background in the first 15, it doesn't leave much.

In short, I hope you like Japanese with English Subtitles if you or anyone is thinking of watching the second series.

 

[emeraldrafael]

I watched some of the anime, but one thing confused the hell out of me. Why are they calling witchcraft "alchemy"? Now I'm not against the show, I just don't know why they bother calling it that.

they use the principles of alchemy. If you look, every episode takes something to make something. If it was witchcraft, they would have succeeded and brought thier mom back.

I personally liked the anime and manga. I like how the anime got a revamp of sorts (i'm guessing thats what it is now), and its just kinda cool and all. Its got once of those nice deep (ish) stories while still able to not take itself seriously.

 

[cricket chirps]

Fan boy about to talk ^^' i love it, the anime and the manga. saw the anime first; like the manga more. ive read ALL of the manga up to the point its at right now in america. i have the entire first series on dvd ^^' yeeeaaaaah i said i was a fan boy. but regardless im not just saying its good because of that. i see thing from every perspective and choose the most reasonable. All of which still lead me to believe the series both anime and manga is amazing! the new tv series(of which this sight just had a review) following the manga is just as good as the first if not better due to a VERY good job at portraying emotion! i know the whole story and i still find myself feeling sad for the characters and feeling apathy for the homunculus. ive never been more captivated by a story and i have read a LOT of books, seen a LOT of movies, and played a LOT of video games

 

[MassiveGeek]

I've heard endless praise for this particular manga/anime. I only watched a very, very, very tiny bit of it though, it was a scene

Spoiler

where Edward and his brother were doing a sort of "ritual" thing in the anime, trying to I think it was ressurect their mother, and it ended in Edward loosing his arm and blowing up his brother.

So, uh, I just didn't fall for it. Sorry, I might give it a shot later.

 

[Gigaguy64]

I really liked the manga and both anime series but I hated the ending to the first series and the movie for some reason... it just didn't sit well with me...

I HATE the movie.
So much.
It added too much BS to the already messed up ending the first anime had, and they killed Elysia.
That alone sent my rage over the edge.

Yeah I know what you mean I never really thought much of the movie... If they wanted they probably could have turned it into an original movie if they wanted to with some name changes and slight plot changes...

Really.
Its bad enough they went the LOL NAZI!11!!!1! routt but, by the end of the movie the main characters where worse off they were before the movie.

Yeah that's why I hated the ending... it solves nothing...<.< I was really just saying that the movie could have been improved if they removed it's ties from FMA...
Besides I always find it funny when Nazis are the villain in anime...

I cpuld see it being better if it was separate for FMA.
And yea the Nazi thing is funny, but in FMA it made me go "Really? that's the best you could come up with?"

 

[Outright Villainy]

The first anime is the best anime I've ever seen. I loved it. I started watching brotherhood, but the pacing felt all off. Though I've heard it gets better when it starts covering new ground, so I'll go back to it at some stage, probably when they finish the English dub.

But yeah, I fucking love the original anime.

 

[digitalarcane667]

I watched some of the anime, but one thing confused the hell out of me. Why are they calling witchcraft "alchemy"? Now I'm not against the show, I just don't know why they bother calling it that.

Well medieval alchemy was based on turning lesser metals in to precious metals, mainly gold. The creators just thought, "what if some one could turn any object into any other object?". It is just putting a medieval pseudoscience to its limits.

If I'm not mistaken, the work you are looking for is "trasmutation", and I know of a few video games that take the concept and expand upon it, (Diablo II's horadric cube transmutes, World of Warcraft Alchemy -- to a lesser extent well, unless you are a transmutation expert..)

But, back to the topic at hand. I've seen plenty of other anime series, but never took the time to watch FMA proper. Well, I had a little time so I went and revisited it. It was an interesting series, but it really starts to fall apart in the end, I mean, there's equivalent exchange in that you expend the right amount of materials and right types of materials in order to transmute something of equality, but then you have equality of energy -- not to give too much away to those still watching the series.

I loved the characters -- especially maes 'you need to get yourself a wife' hughes, shaska, and the Elric bros.

 

[Sacman]

I really liked the manga and both anime series but I hated the ending to the first series and the movie for some reason... it just didn't sit well with me...

I HATE the movie.
So much.
It added too much BS to the already messed up ending the first anime had, and they killed Elysia.
That alone sent my rage over the edge.

Yeah I know what you mean I never really thought much of the movie... If they wanted they probably could have turned it into an original movie if they wanted to with some name changes and slight plot changes...

Really.
Its bad enough they went the LOL NAZI!11!!!1! routt but, by the end of the movie the main characters where worse off they were before the movie.

Yeah that's why I hated the ending... it solves nothing...<.< I was really just saying that the movie could have been improved if they removed it's ties from FMA...
Besides I always find it funny when Nazis are the villain in anime...

I cpuld see it being better if it was separate for FMA.
And yea the Nazi thing is funny, but in FMA it made me go "Really? that's the best you could come up with?"

Well FMA was sort of an allegory for the first 2 world wars so they weren't exactly out of place... but I can't really say they fit in too well...<.<

 

[Uzbekistan]

This series is on my 'recomend' list.

Even though I watched the dubbed versions on Adult Swim, I still loved it.

All of the characters were well rounded, with both humor and seriousness in equal portions.

I love how there are limits to the alcemy(sp) (For example how Mustang tried to use his fire in the rain and his subordinate stopped him because he wouldn't have been able to get the spark neccesary for his fire to work) and the idea of the automail is AWSOME.

I want to watch Brotherhood. Is it any different than the original FMA?

 

[sageoftruth]

I watched some of the anime, but one thing confused the hell out of me. Why are they calling witchcraft "alchemy"? Now I'm not against the show, I just don't know why they bother calling it that.

I always assumed that it was a slightly incorrect translation.


I liked the anime, haven't read the manga. The first series at least has one of the few decent dubs that I've seen.

I'd say it is because if we were to call it witchcraft, people would start asking why Edward can't also fly on a broom or turn into a cat. Alchemy is just one of many things people saw as witchcraft centuries ago. Essentially, Edward's ability is to conduct alchemy without relying on the tools and labor necessary for it.

 

[Gigaguy64]

I really liked the manga and both anime series but I hated the ending to the first series and the movie for some reason... it just didn't sit well with me...

I HATE the movie.
So much.
It added too much BS to the already messed up ending the first anime had, and they killed Elysia.
That alone sent my rage over the edge.

Yeah I know what you mean I never really thought much of the movie... If they wanted they probably could have turned it into an original movie if they wanted to with some name changes and slight plot changes...

Really.
Its bad enough they went the LOL NAZI!11!!!1! routt but, by the end of the movie the main characters where worse off they were before the movie.

Yeah that's why I hated the ending... it solves nothing...<.< I was really just saying that the movie could have been improved if they removed it's ties from FMA...
Besides I always find it funny when Nazis are the villain in anime...

I cpuld see it being better if it was separate for FMA.
And yea the Nazi thing is funny, but in FMA it made me go "Really? that's the best you could come up with?"

Well FMA was sort of an allegory for the first 2 world wars so they weren't exactly out of place... but I can't really say they fit in too well...<.<

Hmmm, i see your point but
More so in the first anime i think.
Its been a while since i saw the first one and iv been trying to keep up with Brotherhood on Adult Swim but, it comes on a night where i haft to go to bed early >_>...

 

[Sacman]

I really liked the manga and both anime series but I hated the ending to the first series and the movie for some reason... it just didn't sit well with me...

I HATE the movie.
So much.
It added too much BS to the already messed up ending the first anime had, and they killed Elysia.
That alone sent my rage over the edge.

Yeah I know what you mean I never really thought much of the movie... If they wanted they probably could have turned it into an original movie if they wanted to with some name changes and slight plot changes...

Really.
Its bad enough they went the LOL NAZI!11!!!1! routt but, by the end of the movie the main characters where worse off they were before the movie.

Yeah that's why I hated the ending... it solves nothing...<.< I was really just saying that the movie could have been improved if they removed it's ties from FMA...
Besides I always find it funny when Nazis are the villain in anime...

I cpuld see it being better if it was separate for FMA.
And yea the Nazi thing is funny, but in FMA it made me go "Really? that's the best you could come up with?"

Well FMA was sort of an allegory for the first 2 world wars so they weren't exactly out of place... but I can't really say they fit in too well...<.<

Hmmm, i see your point but
More so in the first anime i think.
Its been a while since i saw the first one and iv been trying to keep up with Brotherhood on Adult Swim but, it comes on a night where i haft to go to bed early >_>...

It's predominant in both... but they each handle different aspects...<.<

 

[elcamino41383]

This series is on my 'recomend' list.

Even though I watched the dubbed versions on Adult Swim, I still loved it.

All of the characters were well rounded, with both humor and seriousness in equal portions.

I love how there are limits to the alcemy(sp) (For example how Mustang tried to use his fire in the rain and his subordinate stopped him because he wouldn't have been able to get the spark neccesary for his fire to work) and the idea of the automail is AWSOME.

I want to watch Brotherhood. Is it any different than the original FMA?

It follows the manga a lot more closely and has parts where its a lot more silly, or a LOT more dark and gritty. Its pure awesome. I watched the first series with a friend recently, then we started watching Brotherhood. It has a lot of similarities but a lot of differences too, but we think it's definitely an improvement on something that was already pretty friggin' good.

 

[Gigaguy64]

I really liked the manga and both anime series but I hated the ending to the first series and the movie for some reason... it just didn't sit well with me...

I HATE the movie.
So much.
It added too much BS to the already messed up ending the first anime had, and they killed Elysia.
That alone sent my rage over the edge.

Yeah I know what you mean I never really thought much of the movie... If they wanted they probably could have turned it into an original movie if they wanted to with some name changes and slight plot changes...

Really.
Its bad enough they went the LOL NAZI!11!!!1! routt but, by the end of the movie the main characters where worse off they were before the movie.

Yeah that's why I hated the ending... it solves nothing...<.< I was really just saying that the movie could have been improved if they removed it's ties from FMA...
Besides I always find it funny when Nazis are the villain in anime...

I cpuld see it being better if it was separate for FMA.
And yea the Nazi thing is funny, but in FMA it made me go "Really? that's the best you could come up with?"

Well FMA was sort of an allegory for the first 2 world wars so they weren't exactly out of place... but I can't really say they fit in too well...<.<

Hmmm, i see your point but
More so in the first anime i think.
Its been a while since i saw the first one and iv been trying to keep up with Brotherhood on Adult Swim but, it comes on a night where i haft to go to bed early >_>...

It's predominant in both... but they each handle different aspects...<.<

Yea, and the Ishvalans really remind me of the Jews...though that could be just me.

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

I remember watching the anime when I was younger and loved it, even though I missed a few episodes so some times I had no clue what was going on. I'm thinking of watching Brotherhood sometime.

 

[philosophicalbastard]

I honestly preferred the first anime adaptation, it was much more serious than Brotherhood which just gets a bit to silly for my taste.

 

[deathbydeath]

i love the manga, it's on my best read manga list (not the first, but still pretty good). what separates it from all other manga is that it ended on the best possible note, not prolonging its lifespan just because it sells well (hyperactive orange jumpsuit kid, im looking at you)

 

[Darktau]

Pro tip to anyone watching the non-bro-hood series, make sure to watch "The Conqueror Of Shamballa" to finish it off

 

[Gigaguy64]

Pro tip to anyone watching the non-bro-hood series, make sure to watch "The Conqueror Of Shamballa" to finish it off

Do you want to piss people off?

 

[Darktau]

Pro tip to anyone watching the non-bro-hood series, make sure to watch "The Conqueror Of Shamballa" to finish it off

Do you want to piss people off?

Feel free to correct me, but isn't TCOS the movie that ties it up, I remember one of them added a slightly more satisfactory ending xD, (I preferred FMA to FMA-B storywise btw >.<)