I loved the first series, but Brotherhood blows it out of the water!
Brotherhood explores various complex and interesting themes such as; morality and the need for revenge. The murder of Nina as a chimera challenged the beliefs of the Elrics' as they witnessed, through their eyes, the destruction of a little girl. These emotional scenes constantly challenge the ideals that the boys possess. These scenes are done extremely well in the anime because the viewer is able to see conflicting views and truly share the heartache of the characters.
Brotherhood may feel slightly rushed at the start compared to the 2003 series, but i don't believe it misses out any important points, it just increases the pace of the series. Every episode has its own importance and plot progression which means that there is never a feeling of bore or plot diversion.
The characters are well developed and there are interesting links between certain characters. Ling and May are both competitors and comrades, reaching for the same goal for the same reason. The characters that are introduced in the series have very interesting and varying backgrounds from; a foreign prince to a dwarf in a flask. The way the characters change through the series adds to the overall quality, an example could include Greed, who showed little compassion and trust in his comrades at the start but thanked them for their companionship ,seconds before his demise.
The aesthetics are top-notch and everything flows very well, with the action scenes being a highlight of the series. The OST used in the series is decent but i don't believe it reaches the same heights as the 2003 series.
Overall, i believe that Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood is an extremely enjoyable series that boasts an intriguing set of characters with a gripping plot. I highly recommend the series to all, due to its action, romance and plot twists.
