Fullmetal Alchemist, based on the manga of the same title, is an action
adventure shounen series that takes place in an alternate version of earth,
where Alchemy flourished well into modern times and become the major basis for
technological and scientific advancement.
The show chronicles the story of a young State Alchemist named Edward Elric
and his younger brother, Alphonse, as they seek the legendary Philosopher’s
stone in hopes of correcting a horrible mistake made in their childhood.
Review: Fullmetal Alchemist
A critically acclaimed and well-renowned anime series, Fullmetal Alchemist
generally lives up to its status as one of the best anime titles of recent
years.
An effective blend of exciting action and adventure, combined with sharp
storytelling and likeable characters makes Fullmetal Alchemist a standout
among the more mediocre offerings in its genre.
Though the story takes a dark turn at about the half-way point, it remains
enjoyable throughout and, despite a few rough edges including the rather
disappointing ending, manages to keep us interested in the series from
beginning to end, which is impressive for an anime of this length.
The plot itself is not incredibly complex and is largely centered on the two
brothers’ quest for redemption.
Much of it is not vastly different from what you would expect from a typical
action adventure series, but the unique setting and the intriguing world of
Alchemy that keep things fresh and exciting.
We are introduced to many different and, generally speaking, interesting
characters, including the brothers’ childhood friend and aspiring automail
mechanic Winry Rockbell, Ed’s superior officer, the ambitious Flame Alchemist
Colonel Roy Mustang, and the lazy and outgoing Lt. Colonel Hughes.
However, even as the number of major characters balloons as the series
progresses, there is hardly a dull one in the bunch. Each is likeable or
intriguing in their own way and each has their particular quirks and nuances.
For instance, Ed is especially sensitive about his height, and will quickly
overreact to any comment that may speak negatively of it. Al, though fused into a giant piece of armor, is ironically surprisingly
sensitive.
The villains in the series are just as intriguing as the protagonists from the
mysterious Ishbalan named Scar (appropriately for the X-shaped scar on his
face) who sees himself as an instrument of God, to the Humunculus, evolved
humans who seek the Philosophers Stone for seemingly unknown purposes.
The consequence is an anime that is as much character-driven as it is plot
driven.
Thematically speaking, as aforementioned, the series explores many different
themes including the importance and meaning of friendship, the need for
redemption, and more controversial issues such as religious tolerance, race
discrimination and the nature of war.
Edward Elric and Alphonse seek redemption for their past.
Scar seeks to cleanse the world of Alchemy which he sees as a corruption of
God’s creation. Also of note is the difference in tone between the first and
second halves of the series.
The first half is notably more light-hearted and comedically oriented while
the second half became increasingly dark, melancholy and violent.
Though the meaning behind this is debatable the progression is nevertheless
there. Speaking of violence, there is quite a bit of it in Fullmetal Alchemist.
Though much of it is mild action violence, as the series progresses, the
violence becomes more graphic (i.e. bloodier). Some mild language and innuendo
is present as well but not much.
Though as a warning to younger audience, some of the images and scenes later
on in the series are also quite grotesque.
The first thing you’ll probably notice as you watch (Fullmetal Alchemist Crunchyroll) the series is the
outstanding quality of the art and visuals.
Made by BONES, who are well known for their work on the movie Cowboy Bebop: Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, as well as notable series such as RahXephon and
Scrapped Princess, the animation is sharp, fluid, and vivid.
The quality of the animation is particularly impressive considering that this
is a 51-episode series, which are often inconsistent quality-wise. Not so with Fullmetal Alchemist.
The animation quality remained consistently high throughout the series which
is an impressive accomplishment to say the least. Along with the striking
visuals, the audio is excellent as well.
Each of the character’s voices fit their roles remarkably well and even the
English dub is better than average, though most purists probably won’t be
impressed enough by the dub to bother with it.
The music is standout as well with memorable opening songs including the
excellent “READY STEADY GO” by the popular J-rock band L’Arc~en~Ciel.
As great as Fullmetal Alchemist is, it does have a few missteps, though
fortunately most are minor.
The biggest is probably the disappointing ending which I won’t spoil, but safe
to say it left me very unsatisfied.
Though the release of a follow-up movie Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shamballa does tie up the loose ends a little better.
Still, given the amount of time we spent with Ed and Al on their journey, it
would have been nice for the ending to be a little more convincing and little
less convoluted.
Some may also find the last part of the anime confusing and needlessly
complex.
Also, a few episodes, such as Episode 10, “The Phantom Thief” and Episode 37,
“The Flame Alchemist, the Bachelor Lieutenant & the Mystery of Warehouse
13" while funny and amusing in their own right, don’t fit too well into the
series overall (doesn’t add much to the plot or the characters).
Overall, Fullmetal Alchemist is series that almost any anime fan can enjoy.
Whether you like action, adventure, comedy, a good story, interesting and
multi-dimensional characters, etc. you’re bound to find something you like. And that’s part of what makes Fullmetal Alchemist such a great series.
Even though I can’t say it’s perfect, there really is something for everyone
in this series. It is a must-see for “casual” and the “hardcore” anime fans
alike.
If you care at all about anime or would like to see just what all the “fuss”
is about, Fullmetal Alchemist is a superb choice.
Miscellanies: Fullmetal Alchemist
The English Region 1 DVD release was handled by Fullmetal Alchemist FUNimation and was released in
13 volumes. Each of the first 12 volumes has four episodes each, while the last volume has
three.
In addition, volumes 1, 6 and 10 also have “special edition” tin boxes, each
of which includes a different series sound track.
The Fullmetal Alchemist manga, which is still ongoing and has past 16 volumes,
is quite different from the anime story-wise.
Though the first part of the anime and manga are similar and the basic premise
remains the same, each goes down a very different path. This makes the manga an interesting read even after finishing the anime.
Fullmetal Alchemist | |
| Genre | Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy |
|---|---|
| Episodes | 51 |
| Status | Finished Airing |
| Aired | Oct 4, 2003 to Oct 2, 2004 |
| Producers | Aniplex, Dentsu, Square Enix, Mainichi Broadcasting System |
| Studio | Bones |
| Rating | R - 17+ (violence & profanity) |
| Themes | Military |
0 comments
Post a Comment