fullmetal alchemist

what is fma

Fullmetal Alchemist and it's reboot Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are two amazing series about a pair of brothers on a mission to restore their bodies to their original forms. When Edward and Alphonse were little, they attempted to bring their dead mother back to life, even though it was never done succesfully before. They obviously fucking failed and the experiment resulted in an accident that left Ed without an arm and leg. It left Al without an entire body with his soul attached to a suit of armor. So, they are researching to find the philospher's stone, the only item that can grant them their wish.

The show explores ideas of corrupt governments, embracing humanity, value of family and found family, the horrors of war, and racial discrimination. All of which creates a story that says and means more than the sum of its parts.

versions of fma

Fullmetal Alchemist (2003)

With corresponding movie Conqueror of Shambala

This is the original anime. It was aired before the completion of the manga, meaning it has a much different middle and ending

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (FMAB)

With movie The Sacred Star of Milos

This is the newer vers. released in 2009. It is the more popular version. It adapted the manga as it was written

FMAB is seen as more polished and better overall but i dont want to give that impression because I love both equally

watch order: which vers. should i watch?

the watch order is difficult for me to say definitevly. i first picked up 2003 in 7th grade, watched up until maybe 30 episodes and then totally forgot about it. then about a year later i watched brotherhood. i kinda unknowingly got the best of both shows by doing that. the first dozen episodes of 2003 are so strong to me. when it comes to just character, i really think 2003 is better.

so i would say, if you are just a straightforward shounen lover, then watching brotherhood alone would be enough. (dont get me wrong, the show is NOT straightforward). but if u are like me and appreciate slow pace, maybe watch 2003! the endings are different, but not in a bad way. both conclusions have so much to say about humanity.

After the show, next watch the respective movies

Next, each show has their respective OVA shorts.

watch it now

scattered writings about fma

cw: death and shit

nonspoiler

Ultimate Taboo

before this year, i don't think i truly understood why young ed and al committed the ultimate tabboo. I thought I would never be that dumb, tp not heed warnings like it being a fucking national crime/sin. Because of this I saw Ed as partially guilty. but after facing the hardest grief of my life i feel like the entire story has a new meaning for me.

my mind wandered to the plot of fma after my friend's death. I could finally see myself in Ed's world, the utter desperation that was conveyed in the story became my reality. When she died, I genuinely looked up if there was any witchcraft that could bring her back. I was too stubborn to have known before, but if I was in Edward's situation I wouldv'e done the exact same thing.

spoiler

Racism

An under discussed theme of this show is ethnic cleansing. thats one of the reasons why i recommend it. everyone should see what it has to say about it. Anime fans like to pretend that a country like Japan is ignorant about race. Its baffling, because the race allegory isnt even trying to be subtle (esp in 2003. Amestris is the counterpart to straight up nazis.)

As a black person in the US, I can only have sympathy for what Scar does in the show. Its cathartic, like watching a revenge fantasy, watching him literally blow his opressors brains out of their skulls. I dont blame him at all. Along with Ed and Al,the viewers realize in horror that the characters we are rooting for are on the side of genocide. Mustang, Hughes, Armstrong, Riza, who we grew to adore, are all guilty of killing innocent people, justified by the cause that they are of a different race + culture. this show made me anti-military. Its a WELL NEEDED REMINDER that the American military did exactly what this fictional military did to the people that look like Scar in the real world. The ethnic cleansing was not in any sort of hyperbole even in this fantasy setting.

with the ongoing, year long genocide in palestine, FMA's themes have become extremely relevant again. Mirroring my sympathy for Scar's character, I deeply sympathize with palestinians fighting against their oppressors. I wrote this page a year ago. I never thought the ethnic cleansing would go on for this long. Needless to say, we need a free palestine. Any fan that disagrees, ur disgusting get off my page.