Fullmetal Alchemist

Hagane no Renkinjutsushi

Also Known As: FMA

Genre: Action/Drama

Format: 51 Episodes

Allegiance: Studio Bones/Square-ENIX

Director: Mizushima Seiji

Vintage: 2003

Intelligence Agency Report by: Ritalin

The Law of Equivalent Trade dominates the actions of Edward Elric, age 15, and Alphonse Elric, age 14. In order to gain something, one must present something of equal value, so says the Law. Ignoring these laws after their mother passed away from an illness, Ed and Alphonse researched their runaway father’s studies on the forbidden techniques of human transmutation to try and bring their mother back to life. The result: Al lost his body and Ed lost an arm and a leg. During their recovery, Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, contacted them to tell the brothers to take a test that allows them to become Nationally Certified Alchemists. Ed does so, and learns of a Philosopher’s Stone that breaks the laws of alchemy. By obtaining this stone they can return to their normal bodies and a normal life. However, getting their hands on this legendary stone is no simple task.

Field Agent Report by: Ritalin

Plot
Characters
Impact
Visual
Audio

9.25
9.75
9.75
8.25
8.00

Overall

9.00

(not an average)

What a joy ride this anime was. It starts off strong and ends strong, with literally no filler in the 51 episode run time. Fullmetal Alchemist is a plot-driven anime, and the plot it holds is magnificent. It has you constantly trying to predict what will happen with the whys and how's, but always manages to throw in a twist so fast you lose your balance and end up in a daze by the end of an episode. It starts out slow, and ends rather rushed, but the sheer quality of the story-telling easily makes up for that.

Studio BONES has produced such respected and memorable anime such as RahXephon, Wolf's Rain, and done animation for Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven’s Door, and Fullmetal Alchemist holds true to BONES’ standards, and goes much further. The animation is top-notch for the setting, and complements the series well. It isn't fancy CG like most anime are doing nowadays, but its absolute eye-candy with its colorful (yet not messy) appearance. The quality is consistent from episode 1 to 51, never once losing its edge. The OST is wonderfully composed, and catchy to boot. With openings featuring the renowned L'Arc~en~Ciel, Asian Kung-Fu Generation, and endings by YeLLoW Generation, J-music and anime fans alike will drool over the soundtrack on a constant basis. The music during the episodes are fully orchestrated, bringing pleasant sounds to the ears and worth listening to over again. However, I was not particularly fond of the third ending, entitled "Motherland" by Crystal Kay - R & B just didn't sit well with the series and I feel something else definitely could have been better.

The heart of Fullmetal Alchemist lies within its well-rounded and intensely rich characters. Each one has a past worth digging around in and learning about; not one character is left out in importance or is uber-glorified. It isn't always about alchemy, in some cases we see families grow and others celebrate birthdays, all of which only add to the connections of each character to the viewer. Ironically, thanks to the slower beginning we learn enough of each character to allow later development and actual growth, not just characteristics. What I found most appealing was this series didn't overplay a character, and sometimes pushed the border on not showing some characters enough. In the end, I found that to be a good thing. Said characters are then memorable and don't lose their quality. That said, I should note it would be wise to not trust every character... this anime is extremely plot-driven with twists and turns, so the characters naturally pick up on those twists as well. Don't be fooled into a false sense of security with some of the characters!

The only redundant aspect of this anime was how it reinforced the point on equivalent trade at the beginning of each episode. After about 5 episodes we got the idea, so there really was no more need for it until the last 10 or so episodes when it changed. The final episodes seemed rushed, but fit well enough. The final episode ends in a manner where it doesn't need the upcoming movie to complete it, but leaves room for the movie anyway.

Overall, Fullmetal Alchemist lives up to the seemingly unnatural amount of hype surrounding it. It is truly BONES’ best anime up to date, and will stick with otaku as a masterpiece. The story-telling is awe-inspiring and unquestionably worth the time to complete. If you haven't checked this anime out yet, you better do so now. You're really missing out on a grand tale.

Field Agent Report by: Orax

Plot
Characters
Impact
Visual
Audio

9.00
9.50
9.00
9.00
9.25

Overall

9.25

(not an average)

From the looks of the first couple of episodes, it might not seem that Fullmetal Alchemist is an extraordinary series, but I promise you that it doesn’t take long for it to grab your attention only to beg for more. If you aren’t convinced by the third episode, a taste of FMA’s potential can be seen by the seventh episode.

From the art to the music everything is top notch. Smooth action scenes are abundant and never slacks in the quality, the gorgeous music only bolsters each scene and makes it that much more impressive. Whether it’s sorrow or dramatic, FMA’s music delivers wonderful tunes that I couldn’t help but fall in love with. Add a talented seiyuu cast and you’re looking at a technically superb anime.

The technical aspects only complement what’s really at the core of this anime, which is the strong bond between the two brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric. Those with siblings can easily relate to their feelings. Each brother lives for each other and this purpose is their drive to succeed in the difficult path that they’ve chosen. Each blames himself and therefore each vehemently strives to restore the body of each other. Not only are the main characters good, but each character regardless which side they’re on, regardless if they’re evil or not is given each his own attention and it’s noticeable that a certain love was evident when making this series.

There are only a few minor things to complain about. There are times where the comedy of the series pops up at the most unfortunate of times. Also, I also felt that the first half of the last episode went by too fast. Finally, I felt that not the same level of care and justice were given to a couple characters when compared to others. Regardless the ending left me satisfied and even though it leaves open enough room for the movie, if it had ended that way, I would have been happy regardless. This is truly a fantastic piece of work and should be seen immediately.

Field Agent Report by: Drake

Plot
Characters
Impact
Visual
Audio

9.50
9.50
9.75
9.00
8.50

Overall

9.75

(not an average)

After nearly a year of having numerous people badger me to watch Fullmetal Alchemist, I finally gave in. The moment I finished watching the first episode, I was unable to stop until I finished the series. Yes folks, you can say it, Drake is an addict.

It starts off in full motion and does not lose momentum, steadily revealing the plot detail to the viewer. In the whole running of the series, there is not one filler episode to be found. Each episode plays a vital part to the series, which is a very rare event considering most anime usually have a few filler episodes thrown around.

The character development in the series is truly amazing. Regardless of how long any character was in the series, the impact of their presence is truly felt throughout the story. Some characters lived for three episodes or less before being killed off or disposed of; despite the short time, I truly felt for the characters and wanted to cry alongside them. That aspect of FMA truly touched and amazed me.

The series doesn’t end with the phenomenal plot and characters either. It keeps on pushing with beautiful animation, crisp action scenes, and much more. Each setting in the series, from the battles to the birthday parties and even just journeying in a desert, was beautifully done and ceased to amaze me. The series delivers some great hits from Porno Graffiti, L'Arc~en~Ciel, and many more. I’m personally fond of Melissa by Porno Graffiti; it really was a great opening song. The rest of the soundtrack was also very well done, with some beautiful music that flowed nicely with the series.

In the end, FMA stole a place in my heart as one of the best anime I’ve ever seen. Everything, from the characters to the plot to all the technical aspects, was done extremely well, making for a very enjoyable series with a great rewatching value. Enough of that for now, though. The bottom line is, if you haven’t already seen FMA, I suggest you get out from under your rock and watch it.