Fullmetal Alchemist

I was sick last year (2005 this is '06) for three days straight. So as a result I ended up 'channel surfing' all day and all night. I didn't get ANY sleep.

Eventually I turned the channel onto Adult Swim. Mostly because I had seen the title Full Metal Alchemist and was drawn in. I remembered the myths about alchemy although vaguely mostly from random books I had read.

The episode I ended up watching was the exam episode which should've been the actual beginning to the series but is actually around the third or fourth episode.

And was hooked. I had thought that anime was a useless Japanese art form. Man was I wrong! Intriguing storyline AND amazing animation. This was an aspiring animators dream world.

I ended up spending the rest of the year watching all the episodes on Adult Swim...I'd even wake up in the morning and think Full Metal Alchemist's on tonight! And plan my day accordingly. I also ended up buying the Manga which if you have cash to burn and love the series you should do so.

The story itself is pretty straightforward at first and seems almost like Inu Yasha where there's the same premise behind every episode but that's only for a little while until you know the characters and than it starts adding to the background situations starts to show whats really going on and whats really behind their quest.

The animation in itself just adds to the story with the rich backgrounds and the amazing fights.

Overall this would be a good anime to start with if your looking for one. There's only 51 episodes, a movie -Full Metal Alchemist and the Conqueror of Shamballa- and a couple of games so it won't burn too big of a hole in your pocket.

This anime is about two gifted brothers who are intelligent, kind and ambitious. They live in a world where Alchemy, and subsequently Alchemist, is the law of the world (vs. science in ours). With alchemy, one can do wonders... repair broken items....change physical properties of a matter...etc. However, alchemy is bound to one rule....one cant take (or make) a thing without giving something in return. With this simple rule, the two brothers go in a maze of exciting adventures, meeting wonderful characters and even sometimes, respectable enemies. The anime is 51 episodes long, which might seem a little too long initially, yet fortunately...each and every episode will tie you to your seat and make you crave for more. Story line is good, a mix of brotherhood, friendship, love, humanity and (like any other anime) the effect of war on people, not to forget the hilarious moments this anime is mined with. Character development is excellent. Drawing is top notch and music is entertaining. Unfortunately, this anime is not concluded after 51 episodes. The movie, and hopefully the conclusion, is to be release 23rd July 2005. This anime is worth every second....a must see.

If I were to pick one word to describe FullMetal Alchemist, Hagane no renkinjutsushi, it would amazing, or ohmygod, or simply just a drop of the jaw and "wow." But that wouldn't do something this great justice. For those of you have heard this series can't compare with Naruto and Bleach, no, it can't, it's 100x better. This series will make you laugh, feel a very deep compassion for the characters, want to make you scream in rage, make you want to scream with happiness, and yes, even cry. Yeah. I cried a couple times. And the plot, oh yes, the plot. It's one of the best I've ever seen. Some might say it's too dark, I disagree, it's just honest. It explains that what's gone is gone, and we can't bring it back, people die for a reason, people die for no reason, life isn't fair, you only get what you give, all good things come to an end and we can only make the best of what we're given. Now the Characters, from Edward to Envy, Winry to Hughes, Scar to Rose, Riza to Roy, all characters have something special about them, and it will make you feel a deep compassion for them, weather it's Edward or Roy. Each character is developed and deep to it's full extent. The music is great, the Japanese voice actors are amazing, and the English Dub is one of the best I've seen. In short: If your an anime fan, or just dipping your toes, FullMetal Alchemist is a showcase of wonderful characters and plot, action, drama, tears and laughs.

This series has one of the most amazing endings I've ever seen...ANYWHERE. Out the half dozen other people I know who've seen the entire series, not one of us was able to even come close to guessing the ending. FMA reminds me a bit of Harry Potter just in that, in both series, you have 1) child prodigies, 2) engrossing character growth and plot development, and 3) a story that individuals of all ages can appreciate and enjoy. One thing I appreciated and enjoyed very much about the series is that it's like one long fable--there's moral after moral after moral. As a side-note, it's one of the only animes that I've seen which spans several years, allowing for a lot more character growth and focus on the players in the story than is typically seen in most animes. Probably the single best anime that I've ever seen, and certainly in my Top 10 favorite stories of all time. Like Harry Potter though, it may at first appear to be a kids' story, but toward the end it's oriented more toward adults. Highly recommended.

When I had heard that Fullmetal Alchemst, one of the most popular cartoons in Japan was coming to America, I must admit, I was a bit excited.

I had heard about it many times form several of my friends who were die-hard fans of anime of any kind. I myself am not a particularly big fan of anime - I enjoy one every so often, but this absolutely blew me away.

The tragic story is of the two Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse ("Al" for short). In a tragic accident, their mother is killed. Devastated, the boys decide to use the ancient art of Alchemy to bring her back to life - but there's one complication: The main rule of Alchemy. This rule of "Equivalent exchange" states that "Nothing can be gained without first losing something of equal value." The boys succeed in resurrecting their mother, but at a horrible cost - Edward's left leg is taken, as is Al's body. Desperate to restore his brother's life, Edward uses his own blood to inscribe an Alchemic circle in a suit of armor, binding Alphonse's soul to the metal. In doing so, he makes yet another sacrifice - his right arm is lost to the demons of the abyss.

To recap - Ed loses his right arm and right leg, and Alphonse's body is taken. Now, you'd think that would be an equivalent enough exchange - two body parts and a whole body for their mother's life. But then you'd be wrong, of course. The thing they bring back is not their mother, but an inhuman creature composed of hastily put-together body parts - something that is human and yet not human. An abomination that cannot move or think on its own. From that point on, Ed and Al set out to learn the secret of "Human Transmutation," the one Alchemic skill that would have any hope of bringing back their mother. But at a cost that they may be unwilling to accept...

Overall, the series is gripping. Well-written dialogue, intense plot, and the best voice acting I've heard in a television series in a long time. Vic Mignogna, the actor who plays Ed in the American cast is absolutely brilliant - the voice he provides is believable and emotionally charged, a task most voice actors tend to fail miserably at. Aaron Dismuke, the voice of the 14-year-old Alphonse is excellent as well - not only does the irony of an adolescent voice coming from a six-foot-tall suit of armor succeed in getting a few chuckles, but the voice represents the character well. The voice acting brings the characters to life in a way that no other anime ever has before.

Overall, it's an incredible series. I'd recommend this to anime fans, and fans of fantasy or sci-fi of any kind (unless you just can't stand Japanese cartoons). FullMetal Alchemist is definitely one of the best television series out there.