Anime Pop, in Addison, is a great place to go for anime. While there, you may come across Fill Metal Alchemist. In this two part article we talk about the original series and then the new series that came out recently called Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. We talk about the similarities, differences, and how each compares to the anime.
Many people in Dallas have watched and consider the first series of Full Metal Alchemist to be one of the best anime of our time. The original and second series were both localized by FUNimation Studios, the same ones who brought us Naruto and Fate/Stay Night, who did a great job with the translations and voice acting in this series. This is honestly one of the times where the voice actors did as good as, if not better, job then the Japanese cast. They understood the characters very well and brought them to life believably.
Animation is great in Full Metal Alchemist. We get to stay with characters through every sequence and there are not many places where we are left with empty screens. We are not left with many static characters either and there is plenty of motion and movement displaying the artist skill. The color pallet leaves a little something to be desired because the colors do not experience much change and stay bright even in dark situations. For that reason, and the fact that the second series improves upon animation in the few key areas the first lacks, it must receive a four for animation quality.
Story is the main reason most people watch anime. The stories handle adult themes and situations in exciting and unique ways and the two series are no exception, yet at the same time this is the main area where the two diverge. Both stories are good but only one is true to the source.
Each series starts the same with the boys opening up in a city called Leore, this is true to source. Over time the original diverges down a different path. Similar elements come to play and the over arcing story of “what would you do after you realize you lost more than you gained trying to regain something you lost earlier.” In this instance the boys’ mother dies and they use alchemy (magic) to try to bring her back. In the attempt the younger brother, Alphonse, loses his entire body and becomes a suit of armor. His older brother, Edward, loses a leg and then his arm putting his brother’s soul in the armor. From there the two spend their time looking for the Philosopher’s Stone to regain their bodies.
As they go down this path they make many hard decisions and end up fighting an old woman who, along with their father, has lived forever and seeks to make more stones to continue to do so by jumping from body to body. In this series the enemies called Homunculus are created by trying to bring someone back to life. The failed attempt becomes one of the creatures. In the end the boys save the day by stopping the woman from turning using the Philosopher stone to stop the woman.
The original has many twists and turns and is an overall good series with an OVA sequel called The Conqueror of Shamballa. Both are really good and must watches. You can find either at Anime Pop or your local Movie Trading Company The second part is coming soon and will conclude with Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
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