Ranked #24

Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist is often considered an essential viewing for any anime fan and a stepping-stone for many newcomers to the world of anime. It's received universal acclaim and if you were to ask any anime fan about Fullmetal Alchemist, chances are, he/she probably has some knowledge of this series.

*Review may contain minor spoilers, may hint at things, and will not be reviewed as an adaptation of the manga and how it compares, but as a standalone anime*

Story: 9/10

The basic basic synopsis of the story is about "The Fullmetal Alchemist" Edward Elric, and his brother, Alphonse Elric, and their quest of searching for the Philosopher's Stone in order to bring back what they've lost and fix a mistake made in the past.

From the synopsis that you might read on the back of a DVD cover or so, an anime about a quest and a siblings' search for a treasure sounds something light and fun, but in actuality, the story of Fullmetal is very dark. Right from the beginning, we're introduced to a gruesome nightmarish scene depicting what would be the major mistake Ed and Al make with Ed screaming in horror; it's almost as if the director wanted to point out "This isn't going to be some happy nakama anime about fighting, this is a dark anime about redemption, tragedy and the story of two brothers who will do whatever it takes to fix the mistake they've made." The story knows where its going and there's a good sense of direction, though the series does lose a bit of focus as it reaches its end, it still manages to finish strongly with what I think to be one of the most creative and nicely done anime-exclusive endings to an adaptation of an on-going manga. They could have just dumped it like Inuyasha, but they didn't, and actually formulated their own anime ending, which I think is commendable.

Art and Animation: 8/10

The character design is simplistic and kind of quirky, but decent. Character designs vary enough that you can clearly differentiate who is who and most of them have their own sense of individuality versus 'slap a different hairstyle on the same model' designs (ex. Gundam Seed). And having one of the main characters as a walking suit of armor is definitely a unique idea and the Homunculi are just great antagonists, design-wise.

The animation quality for the series is top-notch. The colors are vivid and characters are detailed with no shortcut taken in the animation and the fights are fluidly animated. Unless you pay extra attention, shortcomings in animation is something you won't find in this series.

Sound: 10/10

The music fits so well in conveying the emotion and feelings of the characters and scenes, and invoking the atmosphere and sense of wonder in Fullmetal, its music is what ultimately captures the spirit of the show, and brings the world of Fullmetal to life. With pieces like "Brother" "Homunculus" and "Dante", Fullmetal easily has one of the best OST's I've heard in any anime series.

Character: 8/10

For such a large cast, Fullmetal manages to characterize most of the characters to a decent extent. But the most well-developed characters are without a doubt Edward and Alphonse, and their selfless brotherly relationship. What I see Ed as, is the Shounen archetype ( Loudmouthed, hot-headed, and proud), but done right, and with more depth than any of his counterparts. Despite his quirks, and his stereotypical Shounen characteristics (Acting arrogant? Check. Hot-blooded personality? Check. Childhood romantic interest? Check.), Ed has proven to be an extremely mature character, with the resolve to do whatever it takes to protect his brother.

Besides Ed and Al, Mustang also has a very well-written background to his character and shows that, in actuality, his arrogant personality is just a facade to cover-up for his doubt in what he did in his past.

Now the main quirk I have with the cast of Fullmetal is the lack of development for the antagonists. They're such a colorful cast of characters, and yet we know little or nothing about them. Yes, we have Scar, who's pretty well characterized, but what about Lust? Greed? And Gluttony? They may be artificial beings but they should have their own history and character right? The series only manages to touch on those characters and give us a small taste of the stories of the Homunculi.

Aside from that, overall, the "good" side of the cast is pretty well-developed while the Homunculi are developed to only the minimal extent. Which is passable considering this was an adaptation of the manga when it was still in its early stages. And while I do commend the anime team that worked on Fullmetal to cook up its own original villain, I find her to be extremely uninspired, incompetent, generic and just a poorly done villain in general.

Enjoyment: 9/10

Not much to say besides the fact that Fullmetal is very enjoyable, it's one of those series that keeps your eyes glued to the screen from the start and manages to keeps you entertained through the whole ride with its revelations and twists, and ends leaving you speechless.

Overall: 9/10

Is Fullmetal Alchemist an essential viewing for every anime fan in the whole wide world? No. But is it a good stepping-stone for newcomers, or just a very enjoyable anime for anyone who wants a good equilibrium between great action and a well-written story? I say hell yes. For such a critically-acclaimed anime, it isn't anything that's overly groundbreaking nor does it escape the clutches of standard Shounen cliches. But for what it is, it's a bloody well done anime.


Too long didn't read version:

Story (A) : Well-crafted, intriguing, original and overall, very enjoyable and intelligent.

Art and Animation ( B+) : Good character designs, fantastic animation. Homunculi are interestingly designed.

Sound (A+) : Wonderful soundtrack, conveys the mood and scenery perfectly.

Character (B) : Military cast is developed nicely, Homunculi gets the short end of the stick and the main villain is disappointing.

Overall (A) : An enjoyable anime that has a colorful cast, fantastic story and great music. Would recommend.

Cheers.

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What I hate the most when it comes to anything remotely to do with Sci-Fi is science that doesn’t make sense (e.g. Doctor Who). I thought FMA would be like this, just spewing out any crap to explain the situation or how they saved the world and call that science. Fortunately, this isn’t the case with this anime. I was actually quite impressed with some of the science used behind it, e.g. the fight between Greed and Edward…and the use of carbon (won’t say anymore, trying to keep it spoiler free).

“Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of equivalent exchange."

Thus the concept of Equivalent Exchange; it’s a fundamental theory throughout the series and movie and that had constant speculation; whether or not if this was true - applying it to real life situations, without the alchemy business. I think I like this theory mainly because it’s a lot similar to the concept of Karma - “What goes around, comes around” which sometimes has me and many others asking if its true or if we just choose to believe it to make our own lives easier? Unintentionally, this anime has produced quite a philosophical theory giving it a real life sort of edge that has me thinking and intrigued at the same time.
The show was a bit slow for me at first, but strangely enough it wasn’t boring, and being the type to get bored easily with an amazingly short attention span this certainly was a spectacular job the anime had done. I’ll be fair - it does take quite a few episodes to get into it, but it’s time worth spent once you’re sucked into this world of alchemy.

I won’t go into the story that much since the summary does a good job of telling the gist of the anime. What the summary doesn’t tell you though is that there is a fair deal of dark themes, psychopaths and mad scientists/alchemists. I was surprised how bloody, warped and twisted it got especially around episode 7. The anime does a good job of using both dark and comedy/adventure themes and it does lean towards the latter most of time but still has the seriousness and tension that makes it exciting.

The cast of characters were very well ranged. It didn’t seem like there were too many characters or any useless characters - they were all pretty much important to the story and you get a mix of personalities, characteristics etc. Some may be there for comic relief, but none at all were boring and it didn’t seem like it was annoying to see them. Edward Elric, our protagonist of the story is sort of your average funny, short tempered, stubborn chibi hero but he doesn’t fall short there, he also brings along brains as well as brawns which he does use from time to time amazingly enough. He’s a likeable character and he isn’t too noisy to the point where you want to punch his lights out (e.g. Naruto, Ichigo), and I really do admire the bond he and his brother, Alphonse has. Edward is a little different from the typical super power shounen character in one aspect: Motivation. He’s not just a do-gooder who does it because it’s right; he’s actually doing it to repent for his past deeds and to restore his brother’s body.

For me, the art was a plus. I understand some people did not like the art but for me I liked the unique style it had; it didn’t try to make everyone look so pretty or with pointy chins etc. and Roy Mustang actually did look Japanese to me. This is probably my favourite art amongst all the anime I have watched because it’s so different yet it’s not an eye sore - it’s refreshing I guess.
I watched this over 6 months ago and still I can remember the music used - so it definitely isn’t forgettable. The openings were all amazing, especially the fourth one which I’ve even downloaded on my phone and have made me an Asian Kung Fu Generation fan ;).

I did think this show was a bit over hyped and overrated at first, and maybe it still is, but after watching the series I understand why it is so loved – It’s simply exciting. You have comedy, action, adventure, magic, tiny bit of blasphemy, some science, brotherly bonds, friendship, psychopaths, conspiracy theories, political issues and even a little romance if you’re willing to look deep enough into it. read more

I'm a big fan of Fullmetal Alchemist, so it's a-must for me to write a review.

STORY
10/ 10
Fullmetal Alchemist takes place in a world that seems similar to our own, but not as technologically advanced. Trains and steam powered engines are used a great deal, and the science of alchemy is far more prevalent than machines of our time. In alchemy, there is the rule of equivalent trade: you must give something of equal value in order to get something. And above all else, human transmutation is against all rules of alchemy, and does not work... or so it seems. Rumors have it that the Philosopher's Stone can give the alchemist the ability to even raise the dead, but it is long since sought after and never found. Enter Al and Edward, two young boys who attempted this heinous act once their beloved mother died. The act failed, causing Ed to lose his arm and leg, and Al to lose his body, trapping his soul in the body of a machine. Full Metal Alchemist follows Ed and Al as they search for the Philosopher's Stone to get their bodies and lives back... and that's just the beginning.

Full Metal Alchemist is, in a word, brilliant. It's hard to explain exactly why it was so good, so you'd probably just have to see it for yourself. There is a perfect blend of comedy, action, intrigue and excitement all in one. Filler episodes are wonderful and fly by quicker than a bullet train. I never at any point in the series was bored, even for a second. In the beginning, there are a great deal of mini-arcs that deal with events in a certain town or location, but all are still somewhat involved with the main plot. Once the end of the series rolls around, you realize that all of these seemingly unconnected events or places really ARE connected, or come back into play somehow. This comes down to FMA's epic nature at heart, and maybe that's why it was so good, who knows.

ANIMATION
9 / 10
The animation style for FMA was superb, and held a perfect balance of serious scenes and comedic chibis. Let's face it, the comedy played a big part in the series, and comic relief was badly needed in harsh scenes. The longest running joke was Ed being called short, and his irritation always manifested itself by him turning chibified for a few minutes. Whereas this would annoy me in most series, it seemed totally appropriate in FMA. Colors used were incredibly bright and vibrant, and character designs looked, well, normal for a series in this time period. The alchemy was definitely the most impressive part, showing us beautiful special effects and sequences. I believe a bit of CG was used, and was seamless, but I could be wrong on that point. Backgrounds were gorgeous, monsters were creepy, and the violence and disturbing parts were animated in a very... well... disturbing fashion as well.

SOUND
10 / 10
There are barely any series that I see that make me want to get the soundtrack, and this is one of them. There was a piano tune in the later half of the series that was haunting and gave me chills every time it was played. Every piece fit the series in some way, from the upbeat lighthearted tracks to the moody depressing ones. Orchestral music dominated the series, mostly piano and violins.Even the intros and outros (except the last two outros, which were pretty terrible) shone. I don't usually rate the music score on the intro/outro, which is why this still gets a 10. Flawless music all the way around, and enchanting enough to make me want to buy the soundtrack, which is a really big deal in itself.

CHARACTERS
10 / 10
I honestly can't see how anyone could think the characters score should be lower than a 10. All the characters, even the secondary ones, were developed extremely well. Al and Ed, obviously, had the most revealed about their pasts and motivations for the future, but even the bad guys and non-important folk seemed to have twists and depth attached to them in some way. We see characters grow close and drift apart. We see characters born, and characters die unexpectedly. We see masks cast aside from familiar faces, showing us that what the people we thought we knew, we really didn't at all. Everyone has layers that are peeled back and shown to us slowly... and in general, it was done in the most effective way possible.

ENJOYMENT
10 / 10
I can't say enough good things about this series, but I feel like watching it for yourself would make you understand why I gave it a perfect score. Everything about the series is flawless, from the epic and involved story to the pacing and mood, to the music and animation and depth of characters. It really is rare for a series like this to come along that not only succeeds at keeping your attention for 26 episodes, but for 51. Whether you like action, adventure, comedy, a good story, interesting and multi-dimensional characters, etc. you’re bound to find something you like. And that’s part of what makes Fullmetal Alchemist such a great series. So what are you waiting for? Check this out as soon as you can!



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The very first thing I can say about this anime is that its strongest foundation is its cast of characters that exhibit its multiple themes in relation to the concepts behind the story whether basic ones such as brotherly bond, or bigger issues such as ethnic cleansing, or crazy cults that make scientology look good. I feel that the bond that Ed and Al share is something that everybody can connect and relate to, especially if you have your own sibling(s). I felt their relationship does more than enough to exhibit a majority of its distinguishing qualities, as well as the other supporting cast members and their motivations and relationship to Ed and Al.

At times, I did question what defines Ed’s idealistic views beyond just brotherly love. Despite his status in this anime as a teenage military officer, there are many times you can admire his stance on certain moral issues some people can think are simple and/or complicated, but during those moments, you do wonder what does motivate him to feel that way. Is it because of his age that gives him that kind of way to view things? Or is it because of his experience? Sometimes I felt it couldn’t have been a combination of both. To give some elaboration, I just thought that his mentality at times, even at the most idealistic of moments was just him being a naïve kid who has yet to fully grow up, or was it really because how he has faced so much adversity to give him that much hope. I felt Al despite being Ed’s primary motivation also serves as an excellent foil to Ed whenever he got out of hand. In a way, I feel those who are the younger sibling can relate to him. A lot of us know how bossy older siblings can be just because they’re older, and I think Al and his relationship with Ed does a great job of portraying this relationship in a realistic way, and yet so comedic at times.

Before I give some conclusion to what I felt about the story and characters, by the laws of equivalent exchange, I feel I do need to point out a flaw in conjunction to my praise until now, and which I will give again at the conclusion of the story and character part of this review. And that of course is that it at some point it loses track from the original manga source material which has inspired the April 2009 installment. Upon buying the DVDs, I started reading the manga with it. If there was one thing that upset me between the differences between the two mediums, it was definitely the handling of Barry the Butcher in the anime. This will be a spoiler, so skim to the next paragraph. What I liked in the original manga is that he was simply that sadistic soul in the crazy armor acting stupid. In the anime, he is given a different, but elaborate back-story in which he kidnaps Winry and Ed. I mean, the guy freaks Ed out to the point that he seemed to pee his pants and I felt it kind of cheapened that moment that Ed was scared for his life during their initial encounter in the anime. When Barry was reduced to being a comic relief character, I felt those moments in the anime were kind of ruined for me, and I felt it was the only time the comedy didn't feel right. I guess this is what happens when you adapt an anime from a manga in which there was limited material at the time.

Now that I mentioned the comedy aspect, what I also found unique about this anime was how it combines a dark story with some lighthearted comedy, especially with Armstrong who reminds me of Gai-sensei from Naruto, and the never ending jokes about Ed’s height. Despite my criticism of the anime handling of Barry the Butcher, it’s very rare to see this combination pulled off so effectively by still keeping a consistent tone in any medium whether American or Japanese animation, or even live action. I feel it does a great job that it can appeal to just about anybody who is either new or strongly familiar with anime.

The character design, specifically the faces, I’ll just call very fan art friendly. It’s basic and simple, but yet very distinct. What helps define that distinction first is the costume and clothing designs. I felt they were very appropriate for the time period it takes place in and compliments the frame of the characters. I really thought the design of Al was quite original, especially in use. It appropriately makes him unassuming and I like how the beads in his eyes convey that he’s an innocent soul thanks to the support of the voice acting (in both English AND Japanese) which I will elaborate later. The special effects are top notch, and the action sequences are timed and coordinated excellently. It’s easy to follow, and still elaborate. I like how it combines martial arts and the alchemy attacks. I like how this anime redefines the shounen energy action sequences to something more directly scientific and not over the top such as FF7: AC, or as technical as Rurouni Kenshin. The city designs are breath taking and I like how all kinds of environments are portrayed. In addition to old cities, you also got rural villages, forests, deserts, ghetto slums in which our heroes will explore.

The Japanese and English tracks are equally excellent. I feel this is one of those animes where you can watch it in Japanese for one episode, and watch it in English, or you can simply exclusively watch it in one language or another. I feel the English and Japanese respective actors for Ed and Al had perfect chemistry, and really brought out the qualities of them as individuals. I felt that Paku Romi and Vic Mignona did an excellent job of making Ed sound mature, idealistic, and appropriately childish and stubborn. While Kugimiya Rie and Aaron Dismuke accurately capture Al by being that eternal and yet mature child who always shows concern for Ed. It’s hard to believe that he played the role at 12 years of age, the same age as Al. He’s far more talented than a majority of dubs I’ve ever seen in my lifetime of watching anime. The anime in both Japanese and English overall share an all star cast of the best talent you can find.

The soundtrack is also an undeniable quality. The first two opening themes are performed by Porno Graffiti and L’arc~en~ciel, who also did the two opening themes to GTO. But their style to the songs they contributed to this anime brings a much different flavor from what those two bands contributed to GTO. For Melissa performed by Porno Graffiti, in comparison to Hitori no Yoru, the 2nd opening theme of GTO, it feels much more relaxing and laid back, but yet the imagery along with the song gives an adventurous and mysterious feel to it. I also somewhat feel the same about Ready Steady Go, the 2nd opening theme by L’Arc at some capacity as well. The last opening theme is Rewrite by Asian Kung Fu Generation, in which many of you may know as the singers of Haruka Kanata in Naruto. They also bring that hard and loud style to this song and reflects more on the action orientated nature. The background music is more generally grand and orchestrated and accurately reflects the mood and atmosphere of the moment.

Like I said before, I feel this anime can be watched by just about anybody whether you’re not just new or familiar with anime, maybe you don’t have to be an anime fan to appreciate its universal qualities and themes. I feel that the characters are people we can relate to for pretty much every reason possible.I feel by watching this anime, by the laws of equivalent exchange, you'll get something inspiring out of it.

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FullMetal Alchemist follows (to a certain extent) the manga made by Hiromu Arakawa. Taking place in a different world, where alchemy is commonplace, the story follows the brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric's quest to regain their normal bodies, by creating the Philosopher's Stone.

The concept - in my eyes - is very fascinating. Some people may say that alchemy is no more than just another form of magic from just another series, but it's not really like that. It's not like they just draw out some hidden power and poof, they've made something from nothing. They use alchemy by decomposing, restructuring and rebuilding materials. For example, they can take normal sand, decompose it, restructure the materials it's made of, and build it up again as a hard rock wall. That's what separates alchemy from magic/etc. as seen in other series; it's more a science than, well, magic.

The story of the series is enthralling, captivating and deep. It starts out simple; two boys wanting to regain their original bodies, which were lost due to something that went wrong in their past. However, it soon goes much deeper, with the military coming into the picture; who's good and bad there, conspiracies, ulterior motives etc. There's also the deal with the Philosopher's Stone; the hidden motives, the dark secrets, lots of stuff which will often leave you on the edge of your seat, wanting to know the truth behind things.

It is important to note that the story differs greatly from the manga from around episode 32 or so. So if you've read the manga, you'll have to adjust to that fact. However, the ending of the series is actually very good in my opinion. A lot happens, and there are some loose ends, but it's really great. I think it's the kind of ending you'll either love or hate, having read the manga or not.

I liked the animation in FMA. It's very flawless, and the color palette is varied. Light effects are good too, during transmutations and such. However, something that drags it down is that it's pretty simple. I'm not a fan of "simple is good", but if you don't mind it, you'll have no problems with the animation of this series.

The music in FMA is very good; it has very good OP/ED themes, and the background music's very good, setting the mood perfectly, while at the same time being great as stand-alone songs (I'm especially fond of "Brothers"). The soundtrack of the series simply cannot be missed.

The characters are okay. There's a lot of good characters, but not that much character development; how they are when they are introduced is pretty much how they are at the end as well. But as said, they are good when they start out, and that somewhat makes up for the lack of character development.

All in all, this was a series that I enjoyed a great lot. I'm not really a fan of giving popular series high scores, but this is one of the series that just deserved it.

To 'Not Helpful' voters (and you 'Helpful' voters too): Feedback greatly appreciated =) read more

5 WORDS OR LESS REVIEW: Heartwarming, fun and Exciting. Recommended.

Fullmetal Alchemist is another one of the series I wish I’ve seen sooner. The reason why I didn’t watch it right away was the number of episodes. Usually, I prefer series that have a maximum of 26 episodes, because series with 50 episodes or more tend to lose its juice somewhere around the middle. It was not the same for Fullmetal Alchemist.

Fullmetal Alchemist definitely kept me entertained. I don’t think there was a time during any of the episodes that I felt bored – there was always something that caught my attention. The storyline definitely had a lot of depth to it and had something for everybody. It had me laughing, crying, and sometimes feeling like I was having a heart attack. Watch it and you’ll know what I’m talking about. A word of caution though – sometimes it tends to be bloody, and possibly cruel (SPOILER – A lot of unexpected deaths). There's also the scientific aspect of it that I like. Alchemy, the law of conservation and even the food chain is embedded in the storyline.

I love all the characters. They too, had a lot of depth to them. Ed can be cheeky and rude sometimes, but he has his morals. I didn’t think he was charismatic at first, but after a few episodes, I started to like him. I like how he gets mad when people made comments about his height. He’s such a good big brother to Al. And Al! He’s probably my favorite characters from the series. I know he’s huge, but he’s just so cute. I really believe that he’s a kid even if he doesn’t look like it. The villains are really convincing too – they really made me hate them. My favorite has to be Envy, because he’s really sinister, and Wrath. He’s a cute kid, but he’s kinda psychotic. Other characters I like are Winry and Hughes.

I think the voice acting contributed a lot to the likeability of the characters. I love the fact that they picked female seiyus to portray the 2 main male characters. As always, Romi Paku did a good job of portraying Ed. Romi Paku’s voice is perfect for teenage boys with a lot of personality. I absolutely love Rie Kugimiya’s depiction of Alphonse Elric. All throughout the series, I kept saying how cute Al’s voice was and how it was one of the most clever voice acting ever. Rie Kugimiya should do less loli roles and choose roles that are more like Al.

One trait I noticed in BONES productions I’ve seen is that their art style is always simple. At first I was disappointed, thinking it was too simple, that the characters looked too stubby, but I learned to appreciate it after a short while. I guess they focused more on the story, which is more important than the art for some. I also realized that Winry is really beautiful, even though her design is not perfect.

The music was good too. I love all of the BGM tracks. They were all beautiful and nicely done. As for the opening and ending themes, I am amazed at the roster of class acts that were involved with FMA’s music. My two favorites would have to be the second opening song, “Ready Steady Go" by L'Arc-en-Ciel and the other would be the fourth opening song, "Rewrite" by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION. "Tobira no Mukou e (To the Other Side of the Door)" by YeLLOW Generation was also nice.

One of the resonating themes that went on throughout the series was the importance of life and being human. Living was important to Ed and Al, and it was the same for their enemies. I also like how they said that life (or the world) isn’t perfect, but that’s why it’s so beautiful. There’s also the importance of family. The characters (especially those with brothers) were all very family-oriented, which is something you don’t see in the real world. It’ll make you cherish your family more.

And with that, I strongly recommend Fullmetal Alchemist to everyone who reads this review. I think that almost anyone will like this anime and will definitely enjoy it. I can confidently say that I haven’t seen an anime like this before. read more

Full Metal Alchemist.
Synonymous to: Amazing.
Yes, I am well aware that there are probably more rave reviews for FMA than necessary, but I seriously could not help myself. It had to be said. :3

Story
The plot is nothing short of brilliant. It twists and spirals more than a rollercoster, yet provides depth, and is easy to pick-up and follow. The introductory episodes, which can also be considered as the 'flashback' episodes, are sometimes bland, but once the real plot gets going, you'll get hooked immediately. Of course, even the flashback episodes themselves have their own merits, as they provide much appreciated character development and establish the foundations of FMA as a whole (such as Ed and Al's quest, why they lost their bodies). Plus, they're usually high on action and are often times better than you'd think.
Once the real story does pick up, FMA spins its web of tales in earnest. Each show reveals little by little, the overall goal of the homunculi, their identities, and where the anime seems to be heading. Plus, the show does an amazing job in weaving the character relationships. Nearly every recurring character is somehow involved in the overall plot, no matter how random they might be. In the final stages of the series, all of these connected characters are brought together, providing the audience with a resolution that satisfies immensely. Though the occasional incongruity keeps it from being a true masterpiece, FMA does earn its 10 by keeping me hooked with a plot that's fluid and a pleasure to watch

Art
I don't consider myself the best art critic out there, but I'd still have to give high marks here as well. Nothing in the anime seems ridiculously complicated or simplified, and everything is visually appealing. Unless you're a truly seasoned anime connoisseur, chances are that you'll be satisfied with the animation regardless of the reviewer's opinion.

Sound
Square Enix contributed to the production of FMA. And wherever Square Enix goes, good music is bound to follow.
This might be too much of a generalization, but for FMA, it holds true. The background music mends in seamlessly with the rest of the sounds such as the special effects and the dialogue, but also manages to help evoke emotions within the audience
However, the main reason for FMA's spectacular performance in the sound category are the opening and closing themes. In my personal opinion, one of the best anime song collections are the openings of this particular series. I mean, who hasn't gone crazy with an air guitar pretending to play AKFG's "Rewrite" ? ... or is that just me?

Character
Finally, the area I believe that FMA truly shines in every aspect. I touched upon the characters somewhat while praising the plot, and I'll go into more depth here.
The characters encountered are probably some of the most dynamic and well-rounded ever created. I've heard many people complain about how Ed and Al never really managed to beat an enemy outright, and how their fights sometimes seem boring. Well, I'd hate to break it to those folks, but it would be even more boring if the protagonists won every single battle without a sweat. Not every encounter can be flashy and brilliant, and that is what provides a sense of reality here. In addition, most characters give the impression that they're actually simple and predictable, but when it really counts, you'll be surprised at how different they can be. It definitely adds to the personalities of the characters and makes them seem much more realistic. One of the most striking examples of this duality is Maes Hughes. He's the type of character who can knock you off your chair with laughter one second, then make you cry the next. And he's not the only one. Many of the main and supporting characters have different sides to their personality, and discovering each of those is quite the experience.
In terms of relationships between characters, FMA doesn't disappoint. Every character is in some way, shape, or form related to the others. And none of them feel like a stretch. Even though most of the characters are from all over the place and seem to be random additions, it always turns out that they were placed for a reason. In many anime, meetings between characters are often shown as chance occurrences, or fated encounters if you will. But FMA is deviously well-crafted to the point the audience would eventually think that it was obvious that a certain character was tied to someone else.

Enjoyment
One of the main factors of enjoyment in FMA is the comic relief. It's extremely well done so you truly feel that it doesn't detract from the overall seriousness of the plot. This is probably because the hilarity and levity is well balanced by equally serious and slightly darker elements. However, you will literally fall off your chair/couch/sofa/bed at least once while watching this. I guarantee it... but don't take my word for it.

Overall
Perhaps in the far future, if anime still retains its popularity amongst western (and even eastern) audiences, Full Metal Alchemist will be one of those titles included in the "classic anime titles you must watch" section. It certainly deserves its place in history as one of the best fantasy/shounen anime of the early 21st century.

*please forgive any lapses in spelling, grammar, or sanity I may have had in the process of writing this review* read more

This is an example of an anime I categorize as a "well rounded shonen". Even though it is indeed included in the genre of shonen, action, steampunk , drama, adventure, thriller etc. this anime encompassed those fields emerging as an anime masterpiece, not imprisoned in those areas' stereotypes.

Story: 10

"You cannot gain anything without giving something in return. To obtain something, one must trade an equivalent value - that is the law of Alchemy and the law of the world."

That simple concept of alchemy gave way to top-notch anime action, character conflicts and heart-wrenching questions.

First of all, Full Metal Alchemist watchers will be excited with its shonen attributes mainly: "what will be their powers or fighting skills?","Who will be their enemy?" or "When will cooler characters come?". FMA is like that yet I was amazed on how this anime is stereotypical yet does not feel like that at all: It mixed "coolness" with heartwarming and thought-provoking drama and philosophical thoughts like "what is evil? It is science or religion?", "What makes us human?" when it is full of action packed and with some suspense.

It portrayed the maturing of a boy as he encounters trials with his brother and how they sticked together as family as they repent for their sins. The story showed that sin does pay-and it can be very painful. It is the same with the sick world. Actions caused people to suffer and longing to get something unobtainable will make them lose more- alchemy as a tool of war and religion as an excuse for it.

And even in those hard times, one will be touched by the presence of kindness within the characters. People have different lives but all they want to live; but all has a price to pay.

Art: 9

The animation is very consistent, richly colored and vibrant. What I really liked about the characters are; because this anime only used realistic hair colors like blond or brunette, a lot of characters have them similar (Riza and Winry) yet they are still easily identifiable, characters are very distinct from each other. The places,clothing, car and cities' designs are based on the early 1900's, realistic and nicely detailed. The art of the transmutation circle are also worth appreciated and is very memorable.

What I also loved in its art is the distortion of the female or" kind" image to show evil and abomination in a intriguing way.

Sound:9

Opening themes rock and ending themes nice, appropriate and anticipated. Though the background themes are not very addictive, they give you the necessary mood; hatred, horror, military, farewells, happiness, mother etc. They are very Baroque/Romantic/Classical European with modern arrangements, therefore familiar and eerie at certain times.

My favorite song in FMA, "Bratya" the image song of Ed and Al, and will surely warm your heart and will make you curious what the lyrics are.

Character:9

FMA is one of the animes with a strong character both in its plot and characters.The story was well portrayed, both in its succession and foreshadowing; well portrayed that humorous scenes are funny and serious scenes are serious and ungoofy. It is also very age and gender-friendly and very redeeming indeed.

The characters have well-composed personalities and developed that are quite "human" and unstereotypical. The story progresses with their interactions(that are unforced) as their dramas coincide with each others'.

The main protagonist. Edward Elric has a strong character which is a very good asset to the series. He balances his tough guy and confident shonen image to his maturity and sensitivity to others' feelings.

Enjoyment and Overall:10

No episode out of 50 is wasted in FMA, and every episode clearly show either story or character- it is really amazing.

I really enjoyed watching this (watched it 3 times) and I really recommend this to all anime fans, this show should not be missed nor overlooked. This anime deserves its awards as one of the best. My only criticisms are; first there were tini-tiny overuse of flashbacks in some episodes and because it is very well rounded, it did not appeal to some anime fans preference; example, a fan likes drama and found that FMA lacked it or a fan likes action and many fight scenes and thinks that FMA wasn't cool enough. It's like a circle.
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Well.. In the beginning I didn't want to watch this anime. I thought, this is a pattern show, which has a lot of fan. Of course I was wrong. This is a wonderful anime, with such a great and unique story.

I think this anime is one of the best. You can't compare it to the others, well at least I can't. The story is so complex, it contains drama, mystery, action, romance and of course adventure. The characters (even the supportingcast) and their background story was perfect, not to mention the design and the music. I think within the characters eveybody finds his or her favourite.

I just want to say: watch it! It really worth it. read more

Good story line that doesn't reveal everything at once and has room for surprises, good artwork that rivals to anime being released in 2008, good music especially the opening, awesome characters that all have a history, high enjoyment, overall 9.