Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Because 2003 already cover that, it make sense that they would speed trough it to get to the Manga storyline.

So should I start coming here for my reviews of the Brotherhood anime (which I am watching via Netflix), or keep using the general thread?

Edit: Just finished off episode 13 of the first season. Looking forward to seeing Ling and the Xinglians, since this is essentially the branching point between the original Manga / Brotherhood, and the 2003 anime.

It will be an interesting thing to see.

edited 5th Apr '14 5:11:11 PM by HandsomeRob

Finished it. Damn good show. Might well get me started on more anime.

FMA is a good introductory series to anime, in my experience. (In spite of generally preferring the manga storyline, the first anime was what got me into anime years ago.)

Bumping this because the General Thread seems buried, but this is related.

Just randomly ended up looking at the end of Maes Hughes.

Here's how Hughes originally got killed off

And the now more famous one from Brotherhood

I find it curious how the former is more action-packed and frantic, and ultimately when Envy shoots, it seems like an end, slightly out of nowhere. And this is in a version known for being "slow" and "filler" and "melodramatic"...and yet. But there is the feeling he could've lived if he had just instantly fished out Envy, rather than playing along.

The latter ends up being more melodramatic, but given what Lust did and being trapped in the phone booth, it's a little less shocking. Finally, he gets in some effective last words. In a storyline that seemingly favors action and alchemy over feeling and atmosphere.

The revelation Hughes discovers that gets him killed in the first place fits with the series canons, but the actual final confrontation with Envy does not.

P.S. If someone actually finds the General Thread, I'll cut-paste this.

... Interesting observation, I agree; but you have a funny definition for the word "original".

I've found that, when both anime share an emotional scene, I prefer the original anime's take on it. Ed and Al finding out about Nina, for example, was one I really liked. Tucker really seemed insane (and later in the series he damn well proved it), and Ed's anger and just... I don't know, it was done well. It helps that I prefer the first anime's dub over Brotherhood's too.

Comparing the scenes that exist in both versions is a bit unfair, because Brotherhood did a rush job on the material the first anime covered. Like, it was holding up a sign saying 'yeah, you know how this bit goes. Let's get the recap out of the way as fast as we can while also highlighting the bits where things are different in a way that'll matter later.'

Yeah, but that specific scene is the diverging point, and the scenes tones contrast the stereotypical tone of the series.

You'd expect the original anime to give Hughes those last words and more of an atmosphere in the phone booth. Because that's usually how scenes played out, things almost always went from Bad To Worse until the end of the sequence,without much glimmer of hope or forced humor. And the scene just built up from Lust ...until the phone booth

Whereas Brotherhood was practically ripe for a scene like the original anime's. Same quick pace, same sort of "make X character suddenly do something cool only for it all to flip" (the battle between Manga! Wrath vs Greedling and the North at the fortress is a fantastic example of that) And Hughes killing Envy was pretty cool.

rewatching Brotherhood right now

Good on you!

I'm rewatching it with my mom. It's slow going, and I think I'm going to take a break so I can show her Puella Magi Madoka Magica, but we're making progress. I'm not sure if she's extremely enthusiastic about it, but she says she's enjoying it.

edited 1st Feb '15 9:20:24 AM by KarkatTheDalek

You know, after seeing Naruto ending, it made me appreciate even more how well FMA ended the story. I don't think ive seen ANY manga that goes over 20 volumes and have such a clean and conclusive ending.

HOLY SHIT! the plot speeds up quickly after the Maria Ross smuggling

also watching episode 19 again was BADASS!!!!!!!!!(needs to be emphasized)

Damn straight.

I believe Arakawa had the entire thing planned from the beginning, which would explain why it had such a satisfying conclusion with little to no bullshit in-between.

big reason why FMA is top shounen for me.

i think the monthly release rate helps too.

granted,it also helps to make the chapters satisfyingly long too. /glares at Ao No Exorcist.

yeah, ultimately i think weekly schedules often have a very negative effect not only on the author's well-being but the actual quality of the story. The cutthroat environment of Jump has led to its fair share of bullshit in the past.

Really, monthly is superior in every way, except weekly gets more attention...which means pretty much everything.

edited 2nd Feb '15 3:54:11 PM by dRoy

Also, monthly means longer waits between chapters.

Which is related to the attention part.

has now reached episode 47, when the Attack on Central starts

EDIT: reached episode 49, the sun has now risen

edited 7th Feb '15 10:39:23 AM by MABfan11

doublepost

episode 53 and 54, "Flames of Vengeance" and "Beyond the Inferno"

...do i even need to say anything, other than don't piss off Roy Mustang.

and Armstrong is awesome(both of them)

damn Wrath is BADASS,stomping a tank with only a sword and a grenade. and it took the cooperation between Fu, Buccaner and Greeling just to slow him down.

That's what happens when your superpower is being untouchable.

Wrath's Ultimate Eye takes in all available sensory data and instantly calculates a flawless response, and his body follows suit. Nobody can land a hit on him because not being able to have a hit landed on him is actually his power.

edited 10th Feb '15 9:24:13 AM by TobiasDrake