Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009) Anime Review

Title: Hagane no Renkinjutsushi (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Genre: Shounen, Dark Fantasy, Adventure, Science Fiction
Written and Illustrated By: Hiromu Arakawa
Synopsis: The Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse were living perfectly with their mother in a peaceful town of Resembool. They are both smart children and they excel in alchemy like their father. However, their mother died due to an illness outbreak and they were left alone. They know an alchemy in which they can resurrect a dead called "Human Transmutation" which is a taboo. Alchemy requires an equal value of exchange or called "The Law of Equivalent Exchange" to perform the transformation. In Human Transmutation, they need to give the most equal amount to resurrect a dead. They took the risk to perform this dangerous alchemy. As a result, Alphonse's body and Edward's limb were taken as an exchange and unfortunately the Human Transmutation is a big failure. Luckily, Edward was able to take Alphonse's soul back and placed it in an empty armor. In exchange of that, Edward's arm was taken. In order to take back Alphonse' body, they are searching for the Philosopher's Stone.

(Young Ed and Al before doing the Human Transmutation)

Thoughts:

Watching it once, I re watched it immediately and even though I already know the events of the story I still cried for the characters in this anime. This anime was being recommended to me for years but I only got the chance to watch this and immediately I included this anime in one of my favorites. Though I more like the plot of the first anime series, it's plot is still recommended to be watched. This anime moved me into tears most of the time. It never escaped the reality of the world. You can always see the desires of the people in this anime. Dark pasts of each of the character. Brutal killings and war against other places in one nation. Now who told you that anime is for kids only?

I appreciate the overall character development of Ed and Al in the story. Just imagine two 16 years old children fighting with their fate as the people who received punishment because of using the human transmutation while they are opposing the government because of their evil plan, killing everyone in their country and in order to achieve that they need to kill different kinds of people. I don't know how they can manage living doing that. Not just the two protagonist but a lot of characters in the story that has their individual dark pasts and dreams.

(Height difference from episode 9 to episode 46)

One more thing, there are no useless character in the story. Everyone has an important role except to that damn father who turned his daughter into a chimera. Nothing can be darker on that scene. Female characters are one thing as well. I really admire those female characters that has courage to fight like a man. Special mention: Olivier Mira Armstrong!! A Major General who can fight against homunculus though she only have her sword skills. She can fight like a powerful alchemist. 

(Izumi Curtis - Ed and Al's teacher)

(Major Alex Louis Armstrong and Major General Olivier Mira Armstrong)

Though this anime has a dark plot, the mangaka never forgot to give this anime some humors like Roy Mustang being the coolest and one of the strongest alchemist but he have so many running gags in the anime.

Comparing from the 2003 series, this series is better if we talk about the number of the fight scenes. If you watched the first series you can notice that the power of being an alchemist was not shown there rather it always telling us that they can fight using their brains rather that with their fight skills. But in this series aside from their smart brains, they fight using martial arts or any kind of fighting styles (for example: Lin using an Asian Martial Arts, Olivier using her sword skill) and that made me hyped for this anime series.

(Colonel Roy Mustang - The Flame Alchemist)

Animation: 10/10
First I was wondering, why does it look like a fight scene from Boku no Hero Academia and Noragami? Then I learned that it was BONES who did the animation of this anime! I was hyped! BONES always do a great job in animation!

(Colonel Roy Mustang and First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye fighting at the Promised Day)

Soundtrack: 10/10
Anime Opening and Ending songs are great! It makes me want to watch the whole series again whenever I hear it's songs on my playlist. Plus the meaning of the songs are so sad but hopeful that is really matching with the plot of the anime. KUDOS AGAIN FOR THAT. The original soundtrack is almost the same with the first anime series so I got no problem with that!

Overall: 10/10
Totally recommended to people who can take dark plots. But the ending is one of the nicest thing you will see in the anime world. Believe me.

A/N: Right now I am watching Dragon Ball Super to support for it's upcoming movie next year: "Dagon Ball Super: Broly" and reading he manga of Fullmetal Alchemist to know the difference of it from the two anime series.

Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) Anime Review

Title: Hagane no Renkinjutsushi (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Genre: Shounen, Dark Fantasy, Adventure, Science Fiction
Written and Illustrated By: Hiromu Arakawa
Synopsis: The Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse were living perfectly with their mother in a peaceful town of Resembool. They are both smart children and they excel in alchemy like their father. However, their mother died due to an illness outbreak and they were left alone. They know an alchemy in which they can resurrect a dead called "Human Transmutation" which is a taboo. Alchemy requires an equal value of exchange or called "The Law of Equivalent Exchange" to perform the transformation. In Human Transmutation, they need to give the most equal amount to resurrect a dead. They took the risk to perform this dangerous alchemy. As a result, Alphonse's body and Edward's limb were taken as an exchange and unfortunately the Human Transmutation is a big failure. Luckily, Edward was able to take Alphonse's soul back and placed it in an empty armor. In exchange of that, Edward's arm was taken. In order to take back Alphonse' body, they are searching for the Philosopher's Stone.

Thoughts: 

Finally, I finished the whole anime adaptation series of FMA but I still have the movie in 2005 left, let's get onto that soon ~ If I am going to compare the two anime adaptations, I can say that the anime series from 2003 is a better plot than the anime series in 2009. (To check out my review on FMAB click this link.)

This anime series is far different from the 2009 series. Though the main plot is still the same that the Elric Brothers will be looking for the Philosopher's Stone to get their bodies back to them but the whole information about the gate of Truth, Homunculus and even some character plots were changed. But let me focus on this TV Series alone.

 

(Elric Brothers before and after the Human Transmutation)

This anime has a dark and heavy character plots. When I watched this, I was not emotionally ready so I stopped from watching it for a while (LOL that was almost half a year). I am not just talking about these 12 and 11 year old brothers who performed the most restricted thing to do in Alchemy which is Human Transmutation but also the characters around them. You'll be seeing their personal desires and the darkness in their hearts, the sins of their actions and the results of their mistakes.

The series just circulated to the reality of the society, how sinful a human can be and at the same time how wonderful being an ordinary human is. It has less fight scenes and it is almost heavy plots which completes this anime. 

At the last episodes of this TV Series, I can't understand how the Gate of Truth really works. It is such a confusion maybe because I haven't watched the movie that comes after the the series. 

(Lust, a Homunculus)

Animation: 10/10 
BONES was the one who animated this series that is why it has a similar animation with My Hero Academia. Since it has small ight scenes you won't be enjoying a long good animation.

Soundtrack: 10/10
KUDOS FOR THIS! The OST of the series is very good. You might not notice it but the BGM of the crucial scenes is heart racing adding to the tensing feeling for that particular scenes. I can even feel every line in my face that strains my facial muscles whenever I watch an episode with heavy feels.

(The famous scene of Roy Mustang crying before Hughes grave saying "it's raining")

Overall: 9/10
Though I said that the plot is better than with the remake, I hate it was ended with Al and Ed got their bodies back but living in a different dimensions. It is actually really sad for me. 

Full Metal Alchemist Live-Action Review

Heya! Elle here ~ It's been a while now! 

Actually I have been in semi-hiatus mode in these 3 months due to incoming school requirements that I need to work on. However after my last post, May 30, 2018, I got really busy to the point I can't open my PC to update my files and my blog. I was on hiatus in my Johnny's WEST fandom as well (OMFG I am missing my Kotaki). Anyway, I AM FINALLY A JOURNALIST STUDENT!! And since I already finished everything, finally I got time to go back and flail again. To be honest, my list for all of my to-do reviews became long since I am watching anime during breaks. But it's good to be back on track. Now I need to lessen my queue. Here it is, Full Metal Alchemist Live-Action Review from Netflix! 

ADDED ON NOVEMBER 12, 2018

I will be editing this blog since I finished the whole FMA anime series and re-watched this movie. There will be changes in my comments about this live action film. This blog was originally posted on July 8, 2018.

Title: Full Metal Alchemist 

Genre: Adventure, Dark Fantasy, Science Fiction

Written By: Hiromu Arakawa

Synopsis: The Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse were living perfectly with their mother in a peaceful town of Resembool. They are both smart children and they excel in alchemy like their father. However, their mother died due to an illness outbreak and they were left alone. They know an alchemy in which they can resurrect a dead called "Human Transmutation" which is a taboo. Alchemy requires an equal value of exchange or called "The Law of Equivalent Exchange" to perform the transformation. In Human Transmutation, they need to give the most equal amount to resurrect a dead. They took the risk to perform this dangerous alchemy. As a result, Alphonse's body and Edward's limb were taken as an exchange and unfortunately the Human Transmutation is a big failure. Luckily, Edward was able to take Alphonse's soul back and placed it in an empty armor. In exchange of that, Edward's arm was taken. In order to take back Alphonse' body, they are searching for the Philosopher's Stone.

 

(The Elric Brothers are having a fight)

Thoughts: 

I am such a failure watching and making a review for this while I haven't finished the whole anime series. I am talking about the "Fullmetal Alchemist (FMA)" in 2003 and the FMA: Brotherhood in 2006 (I guess?) With this I rewrite this whole blog to straighten my comments about this film. 

When this live action movie was announced, seriously a lot gave a negative comments about giving this anime a live action. Up until now, FMA is one of the most popular anime due to it's story. It lifted my feelings about this when it was announced that Yamada Ryosuke is the one who will be having the role of Edward Elric. Being bias aside (since Yamada is from Johnnys), Yamada is one of the best actors in Japan not to mention he is a popular idol/singer/model from a well-known talent agency named "Johnny's Entertainment". From that moment I knew that this live action will be safe. The movie was produced by Warner Bros. which is also a good thing. 

From my original review of this film, I mentioned that this movie didn't follow the real story of the anime but then I realized that I was wrong. |It was actually following the plot of FMAB. That time when I published the original version of this blog, I only finished FMA but now I am almost finished with FMAB.

This is really a good movie, aside from the movie was based on the anime (since I haven't read the manga, I am just comparing this movie from the anime adaptation). Maybe there are some changes but those are just minor changes. As expected, Yamada greatly portrayed Edward. I really commend him for being the best guy suited for our protagonist. Not only Yamada, the whole cast portrayed their roles perfectly. LOL I am not being bias, I am really telling the truth. Well, just one thing about Winry. Winry is not that soft-hearted. She is kind but not that kind. I am sure that you will understand me until you watch this movie.

 

(Edward facing the "Gate of Truth")

Cinematography: 10/10

Yes. They had good CG in the first fight scenes of the film however I am noticing the changes of the quality of the CG as the movie continues. Well it was a great one however if the staff will do a great CG in the first part of the movie, I hope that they putted that same effort up until the last scene. But it is still a good one. I liked how Alphonse's armor was made and also the chimeras in the film. (Oops I don't want to post the photo of Nina's chimera cause it is really a MAJOR SPOILER)

I am also thinking if the "Gate of Truth" was also a CG. Personally I believe that it was a real thing made for this movie. I want to commend that for making a big detailed Gate of Truth for this. It makes me wanna buy it and place it in my room (though my room is small ;-;)

Soundtrack: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

Last time I told that I can't recommend this movie but this time I RECOMMEND THIS EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE ANIME ADAPTATION. You will like it.