Yeah, it's a great series. Lots of moments where things go awry and/or get really tense, though, especially toward the end. You'll see for yourself what I mean.

I find it amusing how they can have this entirely dramatic storyline, though, and still be able to insert humor into it at the right moments.

I have all 51 epsisodes in the collecters tin boxes. I think vol 1 with the first box is like as low as $200 on Ebay.

Great series, perhaps my favorite anime of all time. =D Not to mention the lovable characters excellent music and English voicework. I got my little cousin into it over the summer. ^^; She's been watching it on YouTube, and it's her first anime. Awwwww.

~T2K

One day I will spend the timme (and money?) that's required to watch this reputedly awesome series. But for now I know very little about it.

I have to say that episode 25 - at the funeral of you know who - was the first time an anime EVER got me to cry. It was just so heartbreaking to hear the little girl.

FMA: Brilliance.

i've only been able to see 20 episodes or so of it. i got so used to the great japanise voice acting that the american voices were just wierd. ^^;

but so far, it's proved to be one of my most fave anime so far. it's a shame i read a magazine that had a review of the movie that happens after the TV series..it told me what the philophers (sp?) stone was and everything. argh! i didn't realise it was spoilers until i read it!

Oh, that's easy. It's...

Spoilers (Select To Read): Soylent Green.

Although I think by 20 episodes in, the big plot twist concerning that stone was already delivered.

I'm never able to keep up with TV shows. I'm stuck with the Manga. Still, Awsomezorz. n.N

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

I was watching the show up until Al and Wrath got into their first, maybe only, fight, and then they went to reruns. I was not able to watch the beginning of the 2nd season; however, and I missed the end. Thankfully, Adult Swim is just about to return to the point I left off; I will not let myself miss the rest of the series, if I can possibly help it.

I still havn't seen even a single episode of this.

I should really fix that.

Yeah, you should. FMA is one of the better anime's.

~Rico

The plural of "anime" is "anime."

The "greengrocers' apostrophe" you used only makes it worse. You must have been actively trying to summon me.

I think everyone has tried to summon you, although with the intention.

I're knot trieing two sum on u, tho.

Shadow Hog, if you cannot be a sun, please do not be a cloud.

(OOC: ok, I think I'm done hijacking this otherwise perfectly good topic)

Go back to realigning your remotes.

EDIT: *pulls up his pants, puts on a transformers shirt, adheres tape to his glasses, and fakes a massive overbite*

You baka, The plural of AHHHHnime is CLEARLLLYYY AHHHHnime. Stop being baka you baka...chan.

~Rico

Sailor OCD, I suggest you look at the irony in that remark.

~Rico (Catches the pot calling the kettle black yet again)

Anime, anime's....as long as I know what you mean I don't care how it's said. XD

I wanna get the movie, but....eh, I'm a big fan who wants all the rarities so I'm waiting until November for the collectors edition that comes with the soundtrack and all.

That'll go great with my collectors tins, two forms of the pocketwatch, my FMA beanie, and my two FMA necklaces.

Crazy? Maybe I am, but I don't care. =D

~T2K

This show really restored my faith in anime, I really loved it. It was great because it had no flab. No throwaway characters. Everything was used like some crazy artist's commune where they eat every part of the deer because they don't want it to go to waste.

That being said, I had a few minor quibbles with the movie, but since it seems like a lot of you didn't see the end of the show yet, I'll leave spoilers out of it.

If you don't want to be spoiled to the end of the series, don't even look at the CASE of the movie man. THat's how it happenned to me.

Yeah, they kinda threw that out there a little too fast. Oh well, you knew it was going to happen eventually.

Anyway, I've seen the movie, so as long as you use spoiler tags... what bothered you? I mean, the ending didn't entirely satisfy me, and I wish it was still going, but it's probably a good thing it didn't allow itself to drag on.

Oh, I had no problem with FMA being over per se. I liked the ending of the original show just fine, even though it did cry for a conclusion, which the movie was...more or less. I'm surprised you think it's over, considering they practically set the thing up for a sequal from the first five minutes.

Spoilers (Select To Read): My issue with the movie was minor, but enough to make me slightly uncomfortable in my seat. As a history lover, I thought it was awesome to see an anime actually be faithful to history outside of Japan's for once, as they tend to play fast and loose with Western concepts sometimes. I think I just liked the whole "other world" thing when it had more mystery to it. The more information they gave, and the fact that a direct consequence-free portal is possible kinda makes it a little cheap in my opinion, and like every other anime involving a portal from one world to another. Not to mention with both Ed and Al firmly on our side of the gate, I have a feeling any sequal is going to bring up the prospect of more gates.

A...your sig...Dr. Wily wants that skeleton to babysit his grandkids or something?

That'd be the Undead Warrior from Guardian Heroes, who you give commands for him to execute. Wily's just barking out the "Attack" command.

I suppose this is what I get for referencing such an (apparently?) obscure game, although I seriously wanted to give it some kind of tribute-thing.

TGRJURFTKMDSXJNUSEWYHRIJUE55E5EXFMKRDFJDTUE5IE5E5IK5K3W5EIK @ every episode. (and points to whoever makes that an acronym)

I CAN'T STOP WATCHING BUT I NEED TO PACE MYSELF. But I need to see it all so I can see the movie in theatres.

I now have the 2nd season downloaded. The wonder of being able to see it faster, but the curse of it being over faster. They better make a sequel series.

Does anybody know hoe to find the movie in theatres? It came out on September 12 apparently.

Unfortunately, the theater release was VERY limited (and on August 25th, actually) - you'd be very lucky to find one anywhere near you. I know I couldn't. Checking up on Funimation's listings, you'd have to live in Texas by this point to see it in theaters.

Fortunately, the DVD came out the day you mentioned, September 12th. That's what I got. Includes both sets of voices, AFAIK, so if you're more attatched to one set over the other, go for it.

I saw the end (not the movie) and wow. But I have some questions. Now for nitpicking. Plot holes, or confusion?

Spoilers (Select To Read): If equivalent exchange is only a principle and not a law, why did Ed have automail when he came to earth the 2nd time?

Why can't Hohenheim and Ed use alchemy if they have their bodies? Hohenheim said each person in their universe had a mini-gate inside them.

What did Kimbley steal from Greed that let him know Greed died?

What does "sealing homunculi" mean? Greed said he was sealed 140 years but they never said what that meant except that it was different from killing them, but when Lust was killed they called that sealing too, and it was the same situation Ed used on Greed.

Why did Envy and Wrath, who were babies, age?

Why does Dante have mind control that has nothing to do with alchemy? I'm pretty sure this is just a plot hole or perhaps a convenience (Rose being shocked into manipulation?) but why was she able to control Rose? They didn't really need to do that either, it's not like the writers painted themselves into a corner and needed Dante to have mind control. Rose could just be a prisoner. I guess they wanted to up her creepiness level.

How did Dante find and feed Lust?

Quote:

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Spoilers (Select To Read): If equivalent exchange is only a principle and not a law, why did Ed have automail when he came to earth the 2nd time?

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Spoilers (Select To Read): I wouldn't know, because I've honestly not given that note much thought. I'd say that, since he'd given himself up to a gate full of ravenous, barbaric black thingies that'll rip your limbs off in an instant, that there's the problem.

Quote:

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Spoilers (Select To Read): Why can't Hohenheim and Ed use alchemy if they have their bodies? Hohenheim said each person in their universe had a mini-gate inside them.

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Spoilers (Select To Read): I think Dante said that, though. Regardless, I'm pretty sure she said that it could be used to summon the gate through alchemy - and if alchemy wasn't possible, then you couldn't call the gate to make it possible. I suppose that's a bit of a causal loop, but I'm tired, and that's another question I've not given much thought to.

Quote:

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Spoilers (Select To Read): What did Kimbley steal from Greed that let him know Greed died?

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Spoilers (Select To Read): His former self's skull. You know the deal - homunculus gets too close to their original body, and they become paralyzed. It was going to be used against Greed, but Greed figured it out pretty quick, and escaped from a tight spot - only to wind up back in one with Dante. (Can't get a break, can he?) When Ed officially killed Greed, the skull crumbled along with Greed's other remains and Greed's homunculus-body. Just the ropes of a homunculus' death, I suppose. Same thing happens with Pride's skull after Roy force-feeds him grade-A flame a few hundred times.

Quote:

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Spoilers (Select To Read): What does "sealing homunculi" mean? Greed said he was sealed 140 years but they never said what that meant except that it was different from killing them, but when Lust was killed they called that sealing too, and it was the same situation Ed used on Greed.

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Spoilers (Select To Read): Sealing a homunculus is just kinda mostly-permanently paralyzing them. Greed happened to be in that status for 140 years. I suppose you could call it a step toward officially killing them (as demonstrated by Dante and Ed), but they could be kept in that status indefinitely if the alchemist so choosed. And Dante did initially, with Greed, hence his 140-year tenure at Lab 5.

Quote:

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Spoilers (Select To Read): Why did Envy and Wrath, who were babies, age?

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Spoilers (Select To Read): Envy aged quite a bit before the mercury poison killed his human self (I think he was in his late teens when it happened). Plus, factor in the shape-shifting allowing you to be pretty much ANY age, and Envy aging becomes a moot point. Wrath, on the other hand, is just kind of unusual. I know Dante prides on Pride for being the only homunculus to age like a normal human being, but it's entirely possible that Wrath somehow got the same skill, thus making Pride's claim to fame erroneous. After all, Dante had no idea that Wrath existed until Ed and Al found him on that island, many many years after his creation, so how was she to know that Pride's skill wasn't entirely unique? (Of course, both have other abilities in addition to aging - Pride has his eye-thing, while Wrath can perform alchemy due to Ed's limbs.)

Quote:

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Spoilers (Select To Read): Why does Dante have mind control that has nothing to do with alchemy? I'm pretty sure this is just a plot hole or perhaps a convenience (Rose being shocked into manipulation?) but why was she able to control Rose? They didn't really need to do that either, it's not like the writers painted themselves into a corner and needed Dante to have mind control. Rose could just be a prisoner. I guess they wanted to up her creepiness level.

---

Spoilers (Select To Read): Rose was pretty damn traumatized by the Amestris army (it's not outright stated, but it's implied she was raped during or after the Liore uprising), and having Wrath come really really close to killing her baby doesn't help matters. Since she's in a daze, but had been trusting of Lyra (ie: Dante), all Dante had to do was keep some of the more brutal aspects of her activities away from Rose, therefore making Lyra-Dante still seem like a normal, friendly woman that she could trust, and not the centuries-old, homunculus-creating, body-hopping hag she really was. So yeah, I suppose the "shocked into manipulation" idea kinda works, although it's more hiding the truth from Rose than shocking her.

Quote:

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Spoilers (Select To Read): How did Dante find and feed Lust?

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Spoilers (Select To Read): I'm pretty sure she knew everything about Scar's bro; how he was willing to create the Philosopher's Stone to save his dead girlfriend and everything. So, when it seemed like he was on a breakthrough (we know he at least had created Lust by this point), she decided to intervene, and sent the military in through Pride. Kind of backfired when Scar's bro was taken out by Kimbley, thus preventing him from actually making the stone, but at least she had the homonculus he created - just pop her some red stones, and boom, more human-like.

GAH THE NOTHING APPROACHES SOON IT WILL DEVOUR THE FORUM

I suppose Neverending Story and Full Metal Alchemist are kinda similar when you think about it...

Well, I saw the movie.

Spoilers (Select To Read): The movie is a generic action movie story, not the dramatic and powerful writing of the series. It had ok moments, but overall felt very mediocre. Hohenheim's death seemed tacked on and unnecessary (do you need a homunculus to be eating something to open a gate with it?).

They never made it clear whether Wrath reuinited with Izumi before she died, and if not that doesn't seem to make a lot of sense what with him dying to get to her.

I couldn't get what the deal was with the dead soldiers. Why could they still attack? Why were they and the villain covered in goo? Was it the black things in the gate?

The physicist and Eckart are hard to take seriously as villains. In the case of the physicist it was sorta ok, but it's hard to buy a goo covered hatemonger monologuing too knowledgably on the human nature of hate, condemning her own actions and then getting beaten very easily.

Ed and Al getting stuck on the "real" earth was a letdown, especially with earth Al and Hohenheim getting killed and an invasion happening in their quest to be reunited. Reunited was the important part, but I saw no reason to stick these 2 alchemists on a strange world without alchemy, about to be sent into world war, away from Winry and the others. With the level of suspension of disbelief involved in what went on, in the movie particularly, it didn't seem necessary to put them there and didn't have the emotional impact that Ed, Al, and Hohenheim reunited on their world would.

The best moments in the movie are simply little things that remind you of the series, whether it's Al temporarily in the armor or them finally using the awesome soundtrack of the series towards the end. It made me think that really the problem is that there was too little of the spirit of the series. It needed less overbearing historical references and more screen time in the FMA world.

Afterwards I rewatched the episode 51 ending, just to get back into what made the series so strong. Maybe I don't really want to see the movie ending as the "real ending."

I think I'd need to re-watch the movie to reconsider some of these things, but I think they put Hohenheim in Envy's jaws to pacify it. Plus, the serpeant devouring its tail is a powerful image in Germanic and Nose mythology. Think they were trying to invoke that image.

Spoilers (Select To Read): Hohenheim seemed to suggest he was voluntarily doing it to get Ed home. I suppose if they have to keep Envy in a circle that makes sense, but I wonder if that was the only way to hold him. He's seen in the circle before then, and it's never specified whether Envy still has shapeshifting powers (apparently not, since he was captured so easily).

Did they ever say why the presence of a homunculus allowed them to use alchemy on earth?

Spoilers (Select To Read): Envy can't use alchemy; he's on the wrong side of the gate. No alchemy = no transforming. Hence, he's stuck in his serpentine form.

As for the fact that they could open the gate with Envy - must have something to do with A) the ouroboros that Envy makes, and B) Hohenheim's life being used as some kind of sacrificial thing (note that Wrath and Gluttony had to be sacrificed on Al's end, as well).

Just read the manga.

Assuming that doesn't mean "I have just read the manga" and instead "you should just read the manga", I'll point out the manga and anime completely diverge about halfway into the anime (around Spoilers (Select To Read): Hughes' murder) and have completely different outlooks on various things, like the Philosopher's Stone, how homunculi are created, the Gate, Al's out-of-body situation, what exactly's up with Hohenheim, or who the overall enemy #1 is (Spoilers (Select To Read): the anime has Dante, while the manga has some Hohenheim-lookalike called "Father" - who apparently has some past with Hohenheim, and constantly calls him an "it").

Right, I've heard about those differences. Frankly, I've had to wonder if I'd enjoy the comic book as much as I enjoyed the anime, as they seem to have very different messages. I suppose I'd have to buy it to find out, but money being what it is right now for me, that's unlikely to happen.

Quote:

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Assuming that doesn't mean "I have just read the manga" and instead "you should just read the manga", I'll point out the manga and anime completely diverge about halfway into the anime (around Spoilers (Select To Read): Hughes' murder) and have completely different outlooks on various things, like the Philosopher's Stone, how homunculi are created, the Gate, Al's out-of-body situation, what exactly's up with Hohenheim, or who the overall enemy #1 is (Spoilers (Select To Read): the anime has Dante, while the manga has some Hohenheim-lookalike called "Father" - who apparently has some past with Hohenheim, and constantly calls him an "it&quot .

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What I was actually saying was the plot in the manga in is not as convuluted as the plot in the anime, so you should read the manga. I wasn't saying I just read it. I've seen the whole anime. I watched it during its first run on adult swim, so I know the differneces.

I've been reading the manga since posing these questions and it is very impressive. However, the anime does do some things better.

The early parts, in particular, are handled to much stronger dramatic eddect in the anime, and certain parts of the story are ordered differently and, IMO, better (the medium helps too, since the anime has the advantage of music and being able to show movements). Trisha Elric is barely introduced in the manga, and most of the lines that drove me to tears were from the anime. Plot holes are the result of so much rewriting, however. So your preference may be based on whether you like a story to avoid plot holes or have insane amounts of pathos. The anime's plot holes are mostly very easy to explain by speculation, or easy to avoid, so I don't get why they left them in. Rushing is my best guess.

They are quite different genres. The anime is more of a suspense/tragedy/adventure/drama, while the manga is more of an action comedy. However, the further I get in the manga, the more suspenseful and dramatic it becomes. Hughes is sort of the turning point in the manga where you finally start to see it get some pathos that surpasses equivalent scenes in the anime. Still, not much has compared to the most intense scenes of the anime yet.

One major difference is the homunculi. They're not quite as tough in the manga, so they actually lose some battles, which has the effect of making more action, but making the homunculi not quite as scary.

Watched 1-51 + movie all the way through twice over in the past few days. My thoughts are reflected in previous posts; the characters are all put to good use and the drama/action/humor melds sublimely.

Maybe I'm just greedy, but I wanted Lust, Greed, Hughes and Hohenheim to get more screentime. I think they died too early, too, even Hohenheim. Speaking of him... I especially wanted to see Hohenheim kick some ass.

Brief thoughts on the movie: I don't like Alphonse in any way, but borrowing his brother's look somehow made him awesome. That was cool. Him, Ed and their father{dead! i object!} getting trapped on Earth blows, though. I don't like the whole Earth thing at all actually.

I take it noone knows why Gluttony has a taste for Lust? Pardon the pun, but I haven't seen any official info on it.

Edit: Wrath aged while inside of the gate, right? I guess you could put it down to the human limbs. I think Sloth being pegged as his mother is pretty funny considering that she's actually younger than him.

WHY IS EVERYONE ACTING SO GEEKEY? whats worse than a PC geek is a anime-geek,technicly theres nothing wrong with anime but wach to much and you think you Are part of that anime or you think you have "power" and you go nuts(which everone alrady has...)but beleve me
BEING A GEEK IS BAD! BE A BULLY OR A JOCK INSTEDDROP THAT MOUSE AND DO SOME SIT UPS NOWoh and i like FMA too i even have a game FMA broken angel.......ok im done now i had to get that off my chest

P.S STAY AWAY FROM STAR TREK

that is all

what

GET OUT OF MA HEAD CRAZY VOICE

still havn't seen even a single episode of this.

I should really fix that.

It's om one of the more obscure digital channels rather than Adult Swim over here, Crims. I wouldn't have known it was on if I hadn't accidentally tripped over it, and I still haven't actually sat down and watched it yet.

Its ended over here Sam. Yeah it was on Rapture. Which apparently wants to become a full time Anime and Games program channel along with the rave music.

Adult Swim is on Bravo now. ATHF <3.

That much I know - I'm occasionally found watching Robot Chicken, Harvey Birdman and Moral Orel.

I know one of my roommates is an intense Venture Bros. fan.

Lately, actually, we've been watching the WHOLE Sunday Night line-up. ATHF, Moral Orel, Robot Chicken, Metalocalypse, Assy McGee (that last one's fairly new), Venture Bros., Squidbillies, et al.

...one of these things just doesn't belong!

Good Archer you look kinda roboticized.

So what's the word on the OAVs? Will we be seeing them dubbed anytime soon or should I make the effort and just watch them subbed on YouTube or something?

I believe the FMA OAV's (or OVA, I think they are interchangable) will probally stay Japan only, unless the first two (chibi, present day children) are included with the FMA movie DVD that got shipped worldwide. The third one (Alchemists vs. Homunculi: non cannon brawl of epic proportions) as pictured above almost seems like part of a park ride and will probally stay Japan only.

Either way, its best to view them with subs on Youtube just to be safe.

That alchemists vs. homunculi video got me excited (it even threw in 2 lines from the manga that weren't in the anime, and made me lol @ Ed not knowing Envy was in disguise when attacking him, plus had wrath using the alchemy he had in the 4th intro and rarely used in continuity), but then ended the whole thing on a deus ex machina 5 seconds after the whole group showed up (which didn't even have greed or pride). I wanted an out of continuity ed/al/armstrong/mustang/scar/greed vs. lust/gluttony/envy/wrath/sloth/pride brawl, not a stupid self-insert ending.

BTW, now that I've heard the Japanese VAs, this is the first time I can say I like the English VAs MUCH MUCH to the infinity power better. Especially Al, whose VAing practically carried the series at times in English.

LOL @ Hawkeye in the Chibi OAV.

The kids OAV is very good and gives some nice closure that the movie didn't.