Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is probably one of the highest acclaimed animes I've ever seen ever. Though being the later adaptation that stayed true to the manga, I'm confident to say that this series' reputation is well deserved.
Story: For those of you who haven't tried following FMA manga or the first animation series, the story is about two brothers (Edward and Alphonse Elric) who committed taboo by trying to revive their dead mother using Alchemy. As a result, Ed lost his left leg while Alphonse lost his whole body leaving his soul behind. In an attempt to save Alphonse's soul, Ed then sacrificed his right arm to place his brother's soul on a suit of armor. Together, they decided to do all they can to bring their original bodies back.
Though the story might seem ordinary, the challenges they encounter to bring their bodies back is beyond beautiful. This series is an intricate weave of reality and fantasy and viewers won't have to worry of dreadful cliches.
Art: The art of this series doesn't show candy eyed characters, pastel hairs, or awe inducing magic filled fight scenes but viewers will sure love the crisp simplicity that is served. There are times when the quality seems to drop a bit but not enough to be such a big deal. One thing to take note of this series is it's ability to produce easy to remember characters (even if almost all of them wears the same outfits ) without the whole color-coding some series follow these days.
Sound: The series showcases five different opening and ending themes throughout, coming from big artists such as Yui, Nico Touches the Walls, Shoko Nakagawa and Scandal. There isn't much need for insert songs and music for the show but when they do, they make sure that the music matches the mood of the scene. Glad t say that there are no disturbing and unneeded sounds as those can be distracting.
Characters: When watching any shows, my main focus is on the characters, no matter how bad the story is,if the characters are interesting enough then it's a yes for me so I am really really pleased the FMA:Br exceeded my expectations. From the very start of the series until the end, no character was wasted. Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY is essential to the story. The protagonists are really likeable. Ed as the main is not your typical hero, his personality is very well balanced. Same goes for the loveable Al. The supporting characters lives up well to their roles and gives the necessary boosts for the main, all while maintaining their own individuality. The antagonists for me are such delights. I want to spoil so badly, but let me just end this and say that viewer's will probably love everyone in this show.
Overall . FMA:Br is a must watch. Every factors compliment each other making it truly unforgettable. Viewers won't have to worry that FMA might be a drag because of the rather high episode count. No episode is wasted (that means no fillers for us, YAY!) and at the end, you'd probably be aching for more.
