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Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 Anime

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Neveratall Since: Apr, 2016
#1: Mar 18th 2020 at 9:17:32 PM

I wanted to see if anyone is still interested in this show at this point. Its an old show, but arguably a classic, and perhaps underappreciated these days. The other series, Brotherhood, has not one, but two threads dedicated to it.

Here: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=f8vrmwbm4bor1ohu6qw4swfr&page=112

And here: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=12992839540A85276100&page=136

The second thread is technically an FMA general, but has basically turned into a second Brotherhood thread. I felt that the 2003 series should have a separate thread for discussion, in case anyone is interested.

So, any fans of the show? Any thoughts on the plots or characters? Constructive criticism is fine, but I would appreciate it if people who don't like this show would keep it out of this thread, and post their thoughts to one of the threads mentioned above instead.

Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#2: Mar 20th 2020 at 6:16:07 AM

I don't necessarily dislike how the series ultimately went, but my falling out came from the moment when I realized that I hated the filler episodes. Specifically, before the series diverged, there were a handful of episodes where I went "huh, that really wasn't good." Then I go and read the manga and I go "huh. That's original to the anime."

A lot of the concepts are great; I love the Homunculi being the product of attempts at human transmutation way more than the manga and I still think of Bradley as Pride rather than Wrath.

But I find Dante less interesting than Father (who's already pretty generic) and I do feel like the execution isn't handled quite as well as the manga/Brotherhood. Though I still prefer the original anime's character designs, even if I must admit they're a bit more generic than the manga/Brotherhood's.

I like the original's openings/closings better, though. Kasenai Tsuni is straight fire.

Edited by Larkmarn on Mar 20th 2020 at 9:17:15 AM

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AegisP Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man
#3: Mar 20th 2020 at 8:27:36 AM

Kesenai Tsu Mi... Darling AH.

As long as this flower is in my heart. My Strength will flow without end.
Neveratall Since: Apr, 2016
#4: Mar 20th 2020 at 4:06:59 PM

The only episodes of this series that I didn't really like were the fake Elric Brothers episodes, and "Her Reason". You can probably guess why on the latter. I actually liked the episodes with the mannequin guy, and "Barry the Butcher". I even thought the Psiren episode was alright.

Neveratall Since: Apr, 2016
#5: Mar 23rd 2020 at 1:05:56 AM

Something I've wanted to ask for a while: what do people consider to be the best "sin" in the show, and which one is the worst? Like, which of them is the most interesting, or the coolest, or even the most powerful?

Personally, I think this show did a good job of making Lust into an interesting character. She also seemed to embody the tragic and morally ambiguous nature of the show. Sloth was neat too, particularly because of her connection to the Elrics. I never cared that much for Gluttony. He just seemed almost like Lust's pet, following her around and obeying her commands. Not that different from the other show actually. At least until the movie, where he changed.

windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#6: Mar 27th 2020 at 10:03:39 PM

Out of curiosity, does Hiromi Arakawa have any thoughts on the 2003 anime version of Lust?

Edited by windleopard on Mar 27th 2020 at 10:08:44 AM

Neveratall Since: Apr, 2016
#7: Mar 28th 2020 at 5:07:52 AM

[up]Can't find anything about Lust specifically. This is all I could find about her thoughts:

"During the development of Fullmetal Alchemist, Arakawa allowed Bones to work independently from her, and requested an original ending different from that of the original manga. She did not want to repeat the same ending in both media, and wanted to continue writing the manga to develop the characters. When watching the anime's ending, she was amazed about how different the homunculi creatures were from the manga and enjoyed how the staff speculated about the origins of the villains.[3] Because Arakawa was involved in developing the series, she was kept from focusing on the manga's cover illustrations and had little time to illustrate them.[7]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist_(TV_series)#Production

windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
jjjj2 from Arrakis Since: Jul, 2015
#9: Aug 9th 2020 at 8:56:17 AM

Nobody talks about this much, but my favorite character in both FMA series is probably 2003 Scar. I find him immensely compelling. At first he tries to justify himself, but eventually he realizes, "I'm not a good person, but I might as well try to do good with what I have." Unlike Brotherhood Scar, he doesn't find redemption, but I'm not sure I'd say he's bad either. What I really appreciate is that while his final act of killing 7000 soldiers is undoubtedly dark, there's still a nobility to it (saving Alphonse), and well he's fighting a Nazi Germany analogue.

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Dragonking56 Jack-o-lantern-in-the-box from Springfield, NJ Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Brony
Jack-o-lantern-in-the-box
#10: Sep 17th 2020 at 8:24:17 AM

Would you say that Lust from the first Fullmetal Alchemist anime becomes a Nice Girl by the end of her arc? I get that her manga/Brotherhood counterpart doesn't count for obvious reasons, but I have more attachment to the 2003 version of her character. Sure, she started off no different from the FMAB version, but near the end, not only did she pull a Heel–Face Turn, but I feel that she also Took a Level in Kindness. It's for this reason that I added the Dark Is Not Evil trope to her character page last night.

Ciao!
jjjj2 from Arrakis Since: Jul, 2015
#11: Sep 17th 2020 at 9:47:44 AM

My opinion is no. I love 2003!Lust and she does become more sympathetic, but she's still fundamentally ruthless. Willing to do whatever it takes to get her humanity, trying to kill wrath and sloth.

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Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#12: Sep 17th 2020 at 10:34:53 AM

Yeah, no. She does a Face turn and becomes fundamentally decent, but a Nice Girl or Nice Guy should be a character who's to some extent defined by their niceness.

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jjjj2 from Arrakis Since: Jul, 2015
#13: Sep 17th 2020 at 10:49:04 AM

Ooh now that I have you guys here, does anyone want to comment on my post [up]x4?

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Neveratall Since: Apr, 2016
#14: Jul 3rd 2021 at 4:57:54 PM

I remember hearing a while ago that the original plan for this show was to do a 12 episode sequel series to conclude the story. But the people behind the show were denied that chance, and were only able to do a movie instead. When they wrote the script for the movie it ended up being over three hours long. Naturally, this was considered to be too long and expensive, so they were told to trim it down. It essentially ended up being cut in half to a little over an hour and a half. This became Conqueror of Shamballa. So, the movie that ultimately ended up getting made was essentially just a summarized version of the story they had originally wanted to tell.

If they had been able to do the 12 episode series like they originally wanted, or even the original three hour movie they had written, then how much of a difference might that have made? How many people would want to see that? I've actually read some snippets of the original three hour script, and it had some interesting stuff in it. For example, Izumi was still alive (and living with Winry) at the start of the movie.

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#15: Jun 30th 2022 at 3:09:32 PM

Bump.

I really like Scar's voice in the show. The actor who played Scar in Brotherhood is not bad but the other actor had smooth voice.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
jjjj2 from Arrakis Since: Jul, 2015
#16: Jun 30th 2022 at 4:42:59 PM

I love Scar's voice here. Dameon Clarke does a fantastic tortured soul tormented by what he has lost but also caring for those he has found.

Edited by jjjj2 on Jun 30th 2022 at 7:43:09 AM

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raziel365 Anka Aquila from South of the Far West (Veteran) Relationship Status: I've been dreaming of True Love's Kiss
Anka Aquila
#17: Jun 30th 2022 at 10:47:18 PM

I will say, the fact that the 2003 anime is still a solid show despite the divergence to the manga is noteworthy on its own.

I do like the explanation for the homunculus for this series more than the one from Brotherhood, and while Dante doesn't have the weight that Father has, she at least makes up by being her wits, that rebuttal she gave to Edward about equivalent exchange is a pretty simple but solid deconstruction of the moral compass that he tried to cling to.

On another note, I find it funny how some elements of the anime ended up being echoed in the manga and brotherhood.

Instead of focusing on relatives that divide us, we should find the absolutes that tie us.
GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#18: Jul 1st 2022 at 6:10:27 PM

Indeed. I think that the anime does have its merits even if it veered away from the manga. I just wish that they finished the anime with the proper ending.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Synchronicity (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#19: Jul 10th 2022 at 8:25:17 AM

I am considering moving Anime.Fullmetal Alchemist to Anime.Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 so its subpages can be their own thing. Weigh in here if interested: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=15795462950A25528500&page=25#comment-623

Edited by Synchronicity on Jul 10th 2022 at 10:25:33 AM

Robbery Since: Jul, 2012
#20: Jul 10th 2022 at 11:12:12 AM

I recall thinking that Lust died way too early in the manga and the Brotherhood anime. I liked her use in the original anime a lot better.

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#21: Jul 22nd 2022 at 1:18:49 PM

I agree. On one level, it works thematically with that manga/Brotherhood anime. On another level, it feels like there should had been more with her.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
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