Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Zach Goodier

Realizing we don’t have a review up for this anime classic, I figured it was time to re-watch this series and dive right into what makes it one of the best anime titles out there, so if you don’t want to deal with me having nearly endless praises for this show, just turn back now.  For those that don't know, this is the original story of Fullmetal Alchemist, created after the original series deviated from the intended plot.  This is how the story was meant to be told, no offense to the original.  

Al and Ed, our troubled heroes.

Edward Elric is the “Fullmetal Alchemist,” and with his younger brother, Alphonse, he adventures throughout the country of Emesteros on a quest to restore the bodies of himself and his brother, who is soul bonded in a suit of armor.  Alchemy is relatively commonplace, with alchemists doing anything from building and fixing structures, to fighting in the army as “living weapons.”  However, there is one rule that must never be broken: human transmutation is forbidden.  This is because no matter what one tries to create or return a life through alchemy, it has never succeeded, and at great cost to the one who attempts it.  This is the rule that Ed and Al broke to lose their bodies.

Alchemy is relatively common, with alchemists able to do all
sorts of things.

However, the story soon gets more complicated, as Ed and Al soon find themselves caught in a conspiracy that quickly becomes a struggle to save the nation as monsters called Homunculi reveal themselves and start to cause disorder within the country, working towards some sinister purpose.  As Ed and Al make friends and allies both within the country and outside of it, they discover that this conspiracy runs to the very heart of the nation itself, and they must fight the nation itself to save it.

Mustang is one of the major side characters, but he never feels
like a sideshow.

There are a lot of amazing themes that run throughout this show, like equivalent exchange (having to sacrifice to gain), facing the realities of death and hardship, and accepting responsibilities for our mistakes.  There are touches of romance here and there, but it never feels too intrusive to the main and side stories, and never wanders into many of the clichés that plague romances in general, making it somewhat refreshing to watch, as it all feels natural. 

The Philosopher's Stone, seen as myth, but Ed and Al believe
it can get their bodies back to normal.

There is amazing action scenes, and the animation is fantastic all around, with beautiful backgrounds and detailed close-ups.  Everything from guns, to vehicles, to buildings all look very well done, as good as anime generally gets.  When the alchemists transmute things, they always look amazing as you watch the ground seemingly come to life or a weapon materialize out of the ground or floor.  It all looks impressive, and incredibly realistic.

Homunculi are able to perform all sorts of superhuman abilities, like regenerate and grow an unbreakable shield on their skin, like Greed here.

Some favorite characters outside of the Elrics include Col. Mustang, a state alchemist who uses ignition gloves to create devastating flames seemingly out of thin air.  Major Armstrong is a strongman who loves to show off his muscles, but also puts them to use transmuting whatever he punches.  But perhaps even more interesting are some of the villains, such as the homunculi Greed, Envy, and Lust,  all of whom have some great dialogue, and their perspective on humanity makes for some interesting moments where they challenge our notions of right and wrong, and call into question if humans are even capable of being noble as a whole.

An enigma, Ed and Al's father has been absent for years,
even after his wife's death.

The only real fault here is that the climax might be a little difficult to follow, since it throws a lot at you fairly quickly.  The show does a fairly good job explaining most everything, but it does reveal a lot of new ideas and concepts fairly quickly near the end, and there isn't much explanation of how it is even possible (like being able to swallow “God”).  These details don’t ruin the story as a whole, not even close, but do stretch slightly further than I felt they could grasp without feeling slightly whimsical by arguably overstepping its own logic a bit.  However, this is still without a doubt one of the greatest shows out there, and if you’re an anime fan you owe it to yourself to watch this as one of the great wonders of the anime world.

It's a rare feat for a show to throw so many characters at you and have them all be memorable.

This is an excellent example of a series that shows off what makes anime so awesome as a genre, exploring themes that challenge our beliefs with well-imagined characters that nearly anyone can relate to, and placing them in a world that would never look so beautiful in live-action.  This series is a must-watch for any aspiring anime fan, and an overdue joy for anime fans that haven’t watched it yet.  While a few details push the envelope a little too far, that is a very slight fault in an otherwise brilliant series.

Oh, and all of the opening and closing themes are worthy of download.  That might not be the most important thing, but I do love great soundtracks.

Good:

-Great cast of memorable characters and themes.

-Brilliant visuals.

-Quality action that feels epic, but not over-the-top like some action shows.

-Opening and closing themes are great throughout.

Bad:

-Can start to push beyond its own logical boundaries near the end of the series.

Scully Rating: 9.8 out of 10