Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Review

In the nation of Amestris there are people who one would consider gods, the Alchemists. Alchemy is a science of equal exchange, where to obtain something you must first be willing to give up something of equal value. For example, if you clumsily knock over a radio and break it into tiny pieces one would think that it’s gone for good. However with alchemy it can be fixed, an alchemist would draw up a transmutation circle, place the broken parts on the circle and then activate it, at this point the radio is rebuilt, like magic.

Alchemy is based on equal exchange, this isn’t always the case, for some things there is no equivalence. Our protagonists Edward and Alphonse Elric learned this as young children. Around the age of seven Ed and Al’s mother Trisha died of an illness that burdened her for years that her children didn’t know about. Heartbroken from their loss they decided they would bring her back to life. During the transmutation the reason human transmutation was illegal became clear, there was nothing you could give up in place for the soul. Regardless of having the right ingredients of the body, they didn’t have what it took to make a soul. Instead they made a monster, something that wouldn’t be described as human, it was simply horrifying. As sacrifice the little brother Alphonse was taken, along with the left leg of the older brother Edward. In dear attempt to get his little brother back Ed sacrificed his arm to attach Al’s soul to a suit of armor in the corner of the room. Ed was then given auto mail, metal limbs, by a family friend and vowed to get their bodies back. With this in mind Ed joined the military and became a State Alchemist.

State Alchemists are funded by the military to research their specialized field; Amestris is a military nation so alchemy is used in war unlike other nations. With state funding Edward researched the Philosophers stone, a mythological stone that allows one to do alchemy without abiding to the laws of equivalent exchange, even human transmutation.

Along their journeys Ed and Al run into a group called Homunculi, Artificial humans, at their core: Philosopher stones. Another group is also looking for the philosopher stone as a key to immortality, a prince from the nation of Xing. Along their journeys to get their bodies back the military becomes ever watchful, this becomes apparent from Führer King Bradley visiting Ed when he is in the hospital and telling him good luck finding out everything he can about the philosophers stone and human transmutation and to report the results to the military.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is a breathe taking story about two brothers who wish to get their bodies back, want to make everything right, and want to make sure no one else dies on them along the way. Each episode is brilliantly made; when one episode ends it has you begging for the next one. Each episode makes you emotionally drawn in and you feel for the characters thanks to the great writing. There are parts that will make you laugh hysterically such as Edward throwing a fit about being called short as he exaggerates and changes what the person said. There are also times where you will cry, you will feel sorry for the characters loss. Lastly there will be times where you feel uncomfortable (in a good way) because of the animes dark storyline. Time after time I would recommend watching this anime, it truly is a masterpiece.

The story flows nicely; since the series is 64 episodes some people would think it would be very drawn out. However every episode sticks to a topic and finishes it within the episode and leaves you will a nice little cliff hanger making you want to see the next episode.

While watching the series you are constantly on your toes because the characters you care about are constantly being put in life or death situations. Whether they’re fighting a Chimera (a creature born from fusing two animals together with alchemy) or fighting some crazed man who wants you and what you represent dead. The main characters have no real advantage over everyone in the alchemy world so they are fighting to save their lives at many points with a lot of close calls.

The writers did a great job in creating their own world, filled with people with emotions, real reactions; you could believe these people really could exist. They are bold and stand up for what they believe in and love the hobbies and fields of work they are in such as Winrey Rockbell and making automail (metal limbs).

Note: This series is called Fullmetal alchemist: Brotherhood, not to be confused with the original series Fullmetal Alchemist. When the first series was being developed it caught up with the manga, at this point they were given the permission to create the rest of the story themselves. Brotherhood is not a sequel to that series; it is the original story in the manga. So some episodes of Brotherhood will be similar until the point where the first series split from the manga.