Full Metal Alchemist – Brotherhood

Anime reviews: Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a remake of the original classic anime about two young alchemists trying to regain their lost bodies after breaking the ultimate taboo…

When looking at great anime of the past it seems only right that Full Metal Alchemist is given a mention especially with the recent release of the remake entitled Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The plot consists of two young alchemists who are attempting to regain their lost bodies after committing the ultimate taboo; the storyline is set in the world of alchemy and has spawned many incarnations including an anime series, film, manga and light novel. However these are not the only genres of which this popular anime has branched into. There are now video games, drama CDs, collectable card games, supplementary books, soundtracks, original video animations (OVAs) and a multitude of merchandise including action figures to be purchased. But what has brought this anime back into the limelight is the second series – a remake of the original which is taking the anime world by storm.

As the norm goes, the original manga was soon turned into an anime, although it bares very little resemblance to its manga origins bar using the characters and having a vague approximation of the storyline. Full Metal Alchemist was first aired back in late 2001 and in 51 episodes it told the story of Edward and Alphonse seeking the philosopher’s stone in order to return their bodies to normal – but instead discovering a much darker world of alchemy.

For some fans, its lack of fidelity to the manga brought a new and interesting twist to old characters but for the most part its original audience were left craving the original storyline. The positive feedback however seemed to overcome the negative and soon a film was to follow. If you look past Hitler as the enemy, the animation and action made it what it was and created a grand finale to the series.

Although the original anime series finished years ago, the long-running manga is still going helping to fuel the creation of the remake, Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood (first aired in April 2009). This series keeps close to the original manga storyline – which for many viewers who cut their teeth on the anime, not the manga, means watching a practically whole new plot. A bigger budget has allowed for improved graphics. This series also features likable characters and fast-paced action which has put this anime off to a great start. (If you only watch one episode make sure it’s number 19). In a bid not to give anything anyway, as every piece of information in this anime is vital, this is all that can be said – it’s time to go out and watch it for yourselves.

It may take a while to get into this remake – especially for fans of the first series. However, it is almost guaranteed that once this anime is given a chance it will enter anybody’s top 5 anime list. The original stories of Edward and Alphonse written by Hiroma Arakawa is constantly growing and spreading into a huge franchise. What is the secret of its success? It could just be consistent creative talent. Or some darker alchemy, perhaps…