Fullmetal Alchemist
| So about a week ago I finished the brotherhood series and I loved every second of it. And because I can't get enough of it I decided to watch the 2003 series :D I don't really care about the 2003 series "Not being loyal to it's manga"as long as it's good and enjoyable.I just wanted to know what are the main differences between them and from which episode the 2 series split from each other? Thanks for reading :) |
| the story takes a very differnet turn starting with the backstory episode with the island Izumi sent Ed and Al to train when they were kids (ep 12 in FMAB, 28 in FMA) that is the main split, but FMA 2003 has more things happening before that, incl. introducing the antagonist so better not skip the first 27 :V |
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| the first part is the same, though handled much better in 2003 version. Then 2003 derails from the manga and what makes it completely different is how homonculus play part in the story and what they actually are. it's definitely completely different experience so it's worth the watch |
| They differ basically from the first episode on because the adaptions choose a different starting point and also the first anime started to gradually change into it's own thing, there isn't a super clear cut-off point. Brotherhood also goes through the parts that are similar at a faster pace because it had already been done. In general those early parts are better in the original anime I'd say, and it's also quite good as a whole but I still find Brotherhood to be the more well-roundend and cohesive anime overall. I honestly don't know if watching the 2003 version after is great, but the other way round it definitely didn't make Brotherhood any less enjoyable for me. You should just watch it from the start since there isn't one episode where it starts deviating, but rather a lot of small things in almost every episode that are just a bit different. |
| I probably regret this post by now. |
| Brotherhood stays on track with the manga's story. It also has slightly more graphic violence. (2003 FMA is PG on Funimation's DVD and PG-13 on MAL, while Brotherhood is TV-14 on Funimation's DVD and R on MAL.) |
| "No, son, you may not have your body pillow at the dinner table!" |
Pullman said: They differ basically from the first episode on because the adaptions choose a different starting point and also the first anime started to gradually change into it's own thing, there isn't a super clear cut-off point. Brotherhood also goes through the parts that are similar at a faster pace because it had already been done. In general those early parts are better in the original anime I'd say, and it's also quite good as a whole but I still find Brotherhood to be the more well-roundend and cohesive anime overall. I honestly don't know if watching the 2003 version after is great, but the other way round it definitely didn't make Brotherhood any less enjoyable for me. You should just watch it from the start since there isn't one episode where it starts deviating, but rather a lot of small things in almost every episode that are just a bit different. Oh alright.I'll start from the 1st episode.Thanks for the comment :) |
| This is my summarization of FMA 2003.... Start: Oh this is pretty good Later: Wow this is interesting Later: Okay...? Later: How the fuck does that make sense? Later: Okay now this is just getting weird Later: I'm scared Ending: -Pulls out gun and holds to head- In other words... It's not worth it... You literally go "what the actual fuck" as you progress through it... If you watched Brotherhood first then don't watch 2003 |
| The 2003 one is darker, and had different rules~ish for alchemy. |
| Fullmetal Alchemist is less bad than Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. |
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| 2003 is a lot darker and focuses on the war while brotherhood has a more standard "battle shounen" tone and focuses more on the Philosephers stone. 2003 also spends a lot more time on the earlier episodes that brotherhood rushed through as it sort of assumes that many viewers had already seen 2003. |
| The early events in the 2003 version are altered to lead into the main plot, which differs from the manga/Brotherhood. For that reason, it's worth watching the 2003 version from the beginning even if you've seen Brotherhood since there are many new plot elements which are integral to what follows. For example, the Fifth Laboratory is present in the 2003 version, but differs from BH in both lore and in the events that occur. Same thing with the markings on Scar's arm. And it's not until much, much later when the plot diverges entirely. |
| I liked the basic plot of the first one more but it had a horrible ending. |
| I will not write a journal like some people so this is a summary of differences There are too many diffirences such as the animation , the end especially the end , the last episodes (they were rushed) , the 2003v has so many fillers .. you should watch both of them to know more cuz i do not want to write spoilers |
  "elles sont bien noires les pensées des nuits blanches"  |
| The points about the story have already been given, so, what's left? - Different voice actors apart for the two heroes, - a different soundtrack, - a different chara-design ("geometry" of the faces, notably), - and while Hagaren 2009's concludes itself, Hagaren 2004's finale was set apart for a theatrical release (movie). Also, the first anime adapted bits of other medium and not only the manga. |
| 2003 has the better start (2009 is very rushed, underexplains many relevant things, it's kinda exhausting and abuses of comedy gags) 2009 has the better, more well-rounded ending (2003 is rushed and it's kinda...weird?) 2003 overall is more dark and serious than 2009, while 2009 focuses more on action and suspense 2003 gives a better treatment to the main group of enemies, it takes the time to explore them more Those are the main non-plot-related differences I guess |
| if you don't care about the manga, nothing really fmab is a better adaptation |
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| 2003: + Handles character development much better + Handles the early material masterfully + More disciplined, deliberate pacing + Does a better job at portraying the horrors of Amestris + Better portrayals of Lust, Mustang, Hughes, Ed, and Al - LOTS of uninteresting filler episodes - Derails from the manga's storyline after the halfway point, and not in a good way - Its central antagonist is one of the worst, most ill-fitting and poorly-conceived antagonists I've seen in anime + Introduces tantalizing new elements unique to the series... - ...and promptly has no fucking idea how to use any of them Brotherhood: + Stays closer to the excellent plot of the manga + Has a much grander scale, making the brothers' journey more engrossing + Has more interesting characters that still get a more-than-satisfactory amount of development + Feels like a fully-complete package that hits all the right spots + Better portrayals of everyone else - The first 13 episodes are rushed to hell and back, because... - The series assumes you've already seen 2003 - A lot of the horrors that happen happen way too quickly and don't leave as big an impact as they should - Still not the greatest central antagonist in the world, but Father >>> Dante all day long |
 This glorious signature image was created by @Mayumi! I am the Arbiter of Absolute Truth, and here is my wisdom: "Anime was always influenced by the West. This is not news. Shoujo is the superior genre primarily aimed at young people. Harem/isekai are lazy genres that refuse any meaningful innovation. There is no 'Golden Age.' There will always be top-shelf anime. You should be watching Carole & Tuesday." |
| Envy was better in 2003, Bradley was better in 2009. I thought Dante was ok. |
| "My only agenda is to eviscerate any who might try to rule over and control me"- Sousuke Aizen "Maybe, just maybe, there is no purpose in life... but if you linger a while longer in this world, you might discover something of value in it"- Orochimaru "All men are not created equal... both in birth and in upbringing, in sheer scope of ability, every human is inherently different"- Charles zi Britannia We are the Contra Mundi. We serve the great inimical Goddess who in her own time will destroy the world. Tremble, reprobates, in fear of her pitiless gaze. |
| The 2003 anime peters off in it's own direction, and the Brotherhood anime sticks to the source more faithfully. |
| "Laws exist only for those who cannot live without clinging onto them." -Souske Aizen "Bleach"  |
| To touch on some technical elements: Brotherhood is 16:9, FMA '03 is 4:3. Brotherhood was animated at 540p afaik, so the HD versions of both shows are studio upscales to some degree. Brotherhood's Japanese cast is almost completely different from '03, aside from Ed, Al, and maybe a few others; the English cast is almost completely the same, aside from Al's VA being switched out because his voice deepened. It's hard for me to really determine which one's better. I'm not one to care about manga fidelity, and I have some sentimental attachment to FMA '03 as one of the first 40 anime I ever saw. Otoh, I was much more of an anime veteran by the time 2009 rolled around. FullmetalAlias said: I agree; I got the feeling that FMA '03 was going for some allegory with some of the real-world wars going on / starting up at that time as well.2003 is a lot darker and focuses on the war while brotherhood has a more standard "battle shounen" tone and focuses more on the Philosopher's stone. |
on Zelkiiro said: 2003: + Handles character development much better + Handles the early material masterfully + More disciplined, deliberate pacing + Does a better job at portraying the horrors of Amestris + Better portrayals of Lust, Mustang, Hughes, Ed, and Al - LOTS of uninteresting filler episodes - Derails from the manga's storyline after the halfway point, and not in a good way - Its central antagonist is one of the worst, most ill-fitting and poorly-conceived antagonists I've seen in anime + Introduces tantalizing new elements unique to the series... - ...and promptly has no fucking idea how to use any of them Brotherhood: + Stays closer to the excellent plot of the manga + Has a much grander scale, making the brothers' journey more engrossing + Has more interesting characters that still get a more-than-satisfactory amount of development + Feels like a fully-complete package that hits all the right spots + Better portrayals of everyone else - The first 13 episodes are rushed to hell and back, because... - The series assumes you've already seen 2003 - A lot of the horrors that happen happen way too quickly and don't leave as big an impact as they should - Still not the greatest central antagonist in the world, but Father >>> Dante all day long Thanks.I was looking for a comment like this. :) |
| well i would say but everyone above have alredy mentioned it but in short 2003 stays from the manga since the manga was ongoing during the time and didnt wanted to spoil the ending for the manga reader so the creator of anime came up with the story, brotherhood stay true to the manga. |
| Moved from Anime Discussion Looks like everything has already been said, but yeah, 2003 is more serious and makes sure that Equivalent Exchange can't be broken, while Brotherhood is more comedic and action/adventure-ish and stays closer to the manga. I'd say both are good and can be enjoyed as two separate interpretations of the same source material. 2003 has greater details on the initial events while Brotherhood fast-forwards most of it, where the split happens somewhere around Brotherhood's split happens around Brotherhood's 15th episode and the 2003 version's 33rd episode, which deal with Greed and eventually Ling. |
| 2003 version is far better. It doesn't have that stupid comedy segments. |
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Zelkiiro said: 2003: + Handles character development much better + Handles the early material masterfully + More disciplined, deliberate pacing + Does a better job at portraying the horrors of Amestris + Better portrayals of Lust, Mustang, Hughes, Ed, and Al - LOTS of uninteresting filler episodes - Derails from the manga's storyline after the halfway point, and not in a good way - Its central antagonist is one of the worst, most ill-fitting and poorly-conceived antagonists I've seen in anime + Introduces tantalizing new elements unique to the series... - ...and promptly has no fucking idea how to use any of them Brotherhood: + Stays closer to the excellent plot of the manga + Has a much grander scale, making the brothers' journey more engrossing + Has more interesting characters that still get a more-than-satisfactory amount of development + Feels like a fully-complete package that hits all the right spots + Better portrayals of everyone else - The first 13 episodes are rushed to hell and back, because... - The series assumes you've already seen 2003 - A lot of the horrors that happen happen way too quickly and don't leave as big an impact as they should - Still not the greatest central antagonist in the world, but Father >>> Dante all day long This is it in a nutshell, i overall prefer Brotherhood but the 2003 version is also worth watching in my opinion because they are different enough, i enjoyed the darker tone of the 2003 version more. |
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