Fullmetal Alchemist (2003–2004) User Reviews

I still enjoy this version

[Rectangular_businessman · 9/10 · 29 June 2018]

I know most fans tend to compare this series unfavorably to "Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood", but personally I think this version of the story did many things right (and in some aspects, I think it handled a couple of parts of the story in a better way than the original manga) doing a pretty good balance of drama, suspense and comedy, with plenty of beautiful moments, even if the plot wasn't a 100 % faithful adaptation of the original manga.

And honestly, I prefer that it tried to be its own thing instead of stretching the plot indefinitely with lots of pointless filler (like Naruto did) and its conclusion, while quite different to the one from the manga, is still managed to be something quite satisfying.

Both versions of Full Metal Alchemist are good, and personally consider both of them to be worth-watching.

Top , non-Miyazaki, Anime

[eagleknight98 · 9/10 · 26 June 2005]

This anime is about two gifted brothers who are intelligent, kind and ambitious. They live in a world where Alchemy, and subsequently Alchemist, is the law of the world (vs. science in ours). With alchemy, one can do wonders... repair broken items....change physical properties of a matter...etc. However, alchemy is bound to one rule....one cant take (or make) a thing without giving something in return. With this simple rule, the two brothers go in a maze of exciting adventures, meeting wonderful characters and even sometimes, respectable enemies. The anime is 51 episodes long, which might seem a little too long initially, yet fortunately...each and every episode will tie you to your seat and make you crave for more. Story line is good, a mix of brotherhood, friendship, love, humanity and (like any other anime) the effect of war on people, not to forget the hilarious moments this anime is mined with. Character development is excellent. Drawing is top notch and music is entertaining. Unfortunately, this anime is not concluded after 51 episodes. The movie, and hopefully the conclusion, is to be release 23rd July 2005. This anime is worth every second....a must see.

Dear, Dear, anime fans who obsess over Naruto and Bleach-YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET

[vanillasquirelll · 10/10 · 7 July 2007]

If I were to pick one word to describe FullMetal Alchemist, Hagane no renkinjutsushi, it would amazing, or ohmygod, or simply just a drop of the jaw and "wow." But that wouldn't do something this great justice. For those of you have heard this series can't compare with Naruto and Bleach, no, it can't, it's 100x better. This series will make you laugh, feel a very deep compassion for the characters, want to make you scream in rage, make you want to scream with happiness, and yes, even cry. Yeah. I cried a couple times. And the plot, oh yes, the plot. It's one of the best I've ever seen. Some might say it's too dark, I disagree, it's just honest. It explains that what's gone is gone, and we can't bring it back, people die for a reason, people die for no reason, life isn't fair, you only get what you give, all good things come to an end and we can only make the best of what we're given. Now the Characters, from Edward to Envy, Winry to Hughes, Scar to Rose, Riza to Roy, all characters have something special about them, and it will make you feel a deep compassion for them, weather it's Edward or Roy. Each character is developed and deep to it's full extent. The music is great, the Japanese voice actors are amazing, and the English Dub is one of the best I've seen. In short: If your an anime fan, or just dipping your toes, FullMetal Alchemist is a showcase of wonderful characters and plot, action, drama, tears and laughs.

Changed my mind about Anime

[JayDSan · 22 September 2005]

I might as well just come right out and say it to start with--I have never been a fan of Anime. In general, I watch it if it happens to be on, but more as background noise than for the actual plot content. But this series changed my mind about all that.

The first few episodes I watched were on Adult Swim. I liked the idea of magic being explained in a (somewhat) scientific fashion, so I found recordings of the aired episodes online (with subtitles) with the intention of watching them whenever I was bored.

I say without shame that I, who have not watched more than a half hour of anime in a single sitting, watched all fifty-one episodes in a single sitting. And it had me sitting on the edge of my seat every time. When a few of the episodes were corrupted, I even edited the videos manually with a hex editor to get them to play properly.

I was really turned off to Anime originally because of the way the Japanese animators use frame rates. You only really need one or two frames per second to show movement--and this contrasts with the relatively constant frame rate in American cartoons. It can look rather ugly if you're not used to it. For action scenes, though, they bring out the full 30fps, and the sudden contrast between 2fps, with the character standing there, and 30fps, where the character is executing these stunning martial arts moves, is an incredible sight to see.

But I would like to say that this series is a complete series. The last episode does, in fact, contain the conclusion--no premature terminations here. Most anime contains a "Lead-out" which gives the viewer something to think about. It makes it seem more like the characters are still doing something, still living, even after the series is over. I must say that makes the end of the series even harder to bear, because believe it or not, it's like saying goodbye to a close friend.

This series has definitely had a major impact on me. It is worth the time (or money) to acquire it. I wouldn't recommend watching all fifty-one episodes together like I did. The intrigue of the plot is intended to hit the viewers like a hammer, and it keeps them coming back week after week. If you watch them all together, it begins and ends so quickly you feel like you've been hit by a truck when it finally DOES end.

Full Metal Alchemist is a prime example of excellent story writing. It'll make you laugh and maybe even make a few of you cry, but one thing it won't do is leave you disappointed.

Utterly addictive pleasure

[rawlinson_stephen · 9/10 · 6 January 2007]

Whilst most anime is an acquired taste, falling into the fighting (think Dragonball or Bleach) magical girl (Sailor Moon) or romantic (Chobits) genres, Fullmetal Alchemist rises above all this. As the story gradually unfolds, you are drawn ever deeper into a believable alternative world where magic replaces science and its practitioners (Alchemists) are held in high esteem. Yet, few are what they seem and you cannot trust anybody. The good are, in fact, capable of deeds of great evil, and the bad are often doing what they do for good reasons. And just when you think you're getting a handle on it, something comes along that shocks you in such a way you are left thinking about it for days to come. Whilst there are obviously anime elements (the look, fighting segments) the story and, above all, the willingness to shock the audience by hurting and killing characters we have come to know and admire, make Fullmetal Alchemist well worth your time. Of course, you will have to invest a lot of time - 51 half hour episodes and a movie means 26 hours or so of viewing. But it is time well worth spending.

My favorite Anime

[aw58 · 10/10 · 8 August 2006]

I was sick last year (2005 this is '06) for three days straight. So as a result I ended up 'channel surfing' all day and all night. I didn't get ANY sleep.

Eventually I turned the channel onto Adult Swim. Mostly because I had seen the title Full Metal Alchemist and was drawn in. I remembered the myths about alchemy although vaguely mostly from random books I had read.

The episode I ended up watching was the exam episode which should've been the actual beginning to the series but is actually around the third or fourth episode.

And was hooked. I had thought that anime was a useless Japanese art form. Man was I wrong! Intriguing storyline AND amazing animation. This was an aspiring animators dream world.

I ended up spending the rest of the year watching all the episodes on Adult Swim...I'd even wake up in the morning and think Full Metal Alchemist's on tonight! And plan my day accordingly. I also ended up buying the Manga which if you have cash to burn and love the series you should do so.

The story itself is pretty straightforward at first and seems almost like Inu Yasha where there's the same premise behind every episode but that's only for a little while until you know the characters and than it starts adding to the background situations starts to show whats really going on and whats really behind their quest.

The animation in itself just adds to the story with the rich backgrounds and the amazing fights.

Overall this would be a good anime to start with if your looking for one. There's only 51 episodes, a movie -Full Metal Alchemist and the Conqueror of Shamballa- and a couple of games so it won't burn too big of a hole in your pocket.

The Greatest Anime Series I Have Seen

[graceseeker23 · 10/10 · 18 October 2005]

It has been 2 weeks since I have finished this series and the ending is still lingering with me. I heard that this was an excellent series from a friend so I decided to check it out myself. Well, all I can say is that FMA has exceeded all my expectations and have become my favorite anime in recent years. It has actually surpassed my other favorites including Neon Genesis, Cowboy Bebop, Berserk, Escaflowne, GTO, and even Gungrave which is second on my list. The writer and director of this series has such a wonderful imagination. I just don't know how they come up w/ these ideas. The voice acting (Japanese), writing, animation, music, and action is awesome. I just can't praise FMA enough. This is definitely a journey worth taking for all those looking for a good anime.

It might not follow the manga completely, but its own original story is a masterpiece.

[Achyut_Prashast_Singh · 10/10 · 25 May 2021]

I have watched both the 2003 and 2009 versions, and while I think the 2009 version is superior, just like the majority of viewers seem to think, the fact that the 2003 version is overlooked also can't be denied. While it does go a completely different route from the manga after a point of time, the fact that it's something original at par with it instead of being a low quality filler-like string of episodes is the biggest reason I hold this version in high regard.

I was so hooked that I watched almost 13-15 episodes a day and binged the whole thing in just four days. While some of the faces seemed drawn a little awkwardly (Roy Mustang's eyes having too much gap, for example), the overall animation quality is splendid. The action scenes are neatly drawn and beautifully crafted with sufficient tension and intensity to match the show's rather dark tone. There's some humor from time to time, but it is indeed pretty dark and serious, especially when you compare it to the similarly action-packed and dark but also the hilarious second adaptation.

I know that the second adaptation is more faithful to the manga and far more epic, but this 2003 version uses a comparatively smaller percentage of the manga and expands it using original storylines developed by the creators, which is a huge plus point and remarkable. The character drama is well developed and something that adds soul to the proceedings. The ending, while dividing a lot of viewers, actually is pretty good given how the rest of the show unfolded, And yeah, the soundtrack is pretty cool and worth revisiting. I can't really say this is the superior version of the two, but this is surely a worthy competitor given how much originality it brings to the table on its own, which is again still laudable given how much it differs from the source material.

Without a doubt one of the best anime series ever made

[chrichtonsworld · 10/10 · 19 June 2007]

When I heard of "Full Metal Alchemist" i didn't know what to expect! But only after watching the first episode I knew this series was special! From the start it drew me in and took me on a journey in to incredible adventures! It is the story that is truly amazing! At first the story is quite simple,but after a couple of episodes you will get some twists and turns you won't see coming! They managed to dazzle and surprise you almost every episode! Once you start watching "Full Metal Alchemist" you will not stop! The anime successfully mixed different genres (sciencefiction,drama,action,horror and comedy)! Also FMA throws in some serious subjects for us to think about and be entertained at the same time! But what really makes this anime works are the characters! A lot of attention is paid to them! The good guys,the villains all have their good qualities and bad qualities! Evil characters don't have to be pure evil! And the good characters also make mistakes! In that sense most of the characters are very similar to us humans and therefore are very appealing! This anime sure will make an impact on you on different levels! A MUST SEE!

Hagane no renkinjutsushi: Hugely hit and miss

[Platypuschow · 6/10 · 5 September 2018]

I don't think I've ever seen such an inconsistent show, I don't mean in it's plot I simply mean it's quality. My rating per episode fluctuated to crazy degrees and the average is a very underwhelming just above average overall

Full Metal Alchemist is one of the premier anime series, hugely popular and I've heard no real criticism of. Sadly, I have plenty.

It tells the story of the Elric brothers, two young boys who tragically lose their mother and attempt to use the art of alchemy to bring her back but with unfortunate consequences.

It's scored well, the animation is great, the voice acting is flawless and it's full of genuinely interesting engaging characters who over the course of the 51 episode single series I came to care for.

So why such a low rating?

For start I hate the overexaggerated reactions, I don't mean how anime characters insist on shouting all the time I mean when they constantly break from serious animation to show a silly overdrawn facial expressions complete with symbols around their head. I really hate that nonsense!

Next the plot as it develops begins to get a bit far fetched, yes I know we're talking about a world of alchemy but I mean the character additions, character behaviour and generally how an interesting plot gets convoluted to an extent it simply didn't need to.

I like Full Metal Alchemist, I'm certainly glad I watched it. It has some fantastic qualities but it as a package deal is badly flawed and leads to a finale that left me scratching my head. Not because I didn't understand it, more that I couldn't believe 51 episodes has led to that and how ultimately it was a combination of moronic and mind numbingly stupid.

Regardless I would recommend FMA, I just hope the sequel feature movie fills in the blanks that by all rights the show should have. And after that onto Brotherhood which I'm told is superior.

The Good:

Incredible voice acting

Some very good ideas

Several powerful moments

The Bad:

Silly expressions

Lack of consistency

Dumb finale

Things I Learnt From This Show:

Edward might possibly be self concious about his height

At no point did Edward during their long walks think it a good idea to get into Al (Then again when you put it like that...)

I spent the entire show trying to work out if Envy was male or female

Anyone who wants you to call them "Führer" is probably up to no good

This was a very fun anime (warning for spoilers)

[WeAreLive · 10/10 · 20 July 2020]

When Edward and Alphonse were kids there father went leaving their mother Trisha Elric to look after them. In the main time these two brother learn chemistry behind alchemy from their fathers notes. One day after coming home from playing with their childhood friend Winry Rockbell the Elric brother witness a very devastation sight of their mothers death. After this they end up committing a crime which was forbid in Alchemy. In attempts to revive their mother Edward ends up losing an arm and a leg and alphonse ends up losing his entire body leaving his sole into a robotic like/knight armour. The military find out of his crime and instead of arresting them they plan to train them into becoming soldiers and find away to bring their bodies back.

The anime's story just takes me on journey which is not only touching but at the same time an adventure within the 51 episode count. While it may not be like the manga which is why brotherhood exists. I still enjoy it for what it is on its own merit.

The voice cast is excellent Vic Mignogna put his heart and soul into the role of Ed and I honestly don't think anyone else would have had the same impact on me if it were someone else. With of course Aaron Dismuke giving an excellent performance as Alphonse who was 12 at the time when he was recording this. He not only sounds like adolescent boy but at the same time it made certain scenes look feel realistic. I am so glad this kid never left voice acting it's definitely the best role of his career. The rest of the cast were also pretty good.

The music, the animation and everything else was excellent as well.

Great in its own way

[sisubalan · 7/10 · 11 August 2022]

Rewatched without skipping with open minded , actually better than last time i watched. Great villains and characters development. Few flaws on the plot but its alright. Great but not as perfect as the brotherhood. Recommended.

Inspired and ambitious series, but built on misguided writing

[trcky1 · 5/10 · 17 April 2011]

Well, I can understand why anime fans love this series, but personally, it contains a lot of the stuff I personally *don't* like about anime. My main gripe is with the writing for some of the story lines. I do like the overarching series themes about equivalency, man's role in the world, and more specifically the adult themes of government corruption. However, I felt that the story lines to support these themes were poorly written, as if they were written by a child for a mature audience. For example, in that episode where there's an obvious rift btw Edward and Al, the reason for the tension is completely ludicrous. The method used for this is immature and clichéd, and is the type of plot vehicle used in really bad Jerry Bruckheimer action films to form a skeleton of story on which to base action scenes around. The end of the series has less of this type of trash writing, but it's quite a lot of garbage to wade through in order to get to a decent end.

Overall, good action, cool adult themes, but bad writing from the beginning through the middle of the series made it a negative experience for me. I haven't watched much of FMA Brotherhood yet, but it looks like it's a reboot with less garbage writing, so I'd recommend skipping the original, and watching Brotherhood instead.

I'm not the biggest fan of anime, but I can tell you - this is an excellent series

[kaboomzor · 15 October 2005]

When I had heard that Fullmetal Alchemst, one of the most popular cartoons in Japan was coming to America, I must admit, I was a bit excited.

I had heard about it many times form several of my friends who were die-hard fans of anime of any kind. I myself am not a particularly big fan of anime - I enjoy one every so often, but this absolutely blew me away.

The tragic story is of the two Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse ("Al" for short). In a tragic accident, their mother is killed. Devastated, the boys decide to use the ancient art of Alchemy to bring her back to life - but there's one complication: The main rule of Alchemy. This rule of "Equivalent exchange" states that "Nothing can be gained without first losing something of equal value." The boys succeed in resurrecting their mother, but at a horrible cost - Edward's left leg is taken, as is Al's body. Desperate to restore his brother's life, Edward uses his own blood to inscribe an Alchemic circle in a suit of armor, binding Alphonse's soul to the metal. In doing so, he makes yet another sacrifice - his right arm is lost to the demons of the abyss.

To recap - Ed loses his right arm and right leg, and Alphonse's body is taken. Now, you'd think that would be an equivalent enough exchange - two body parts and a whole body for their mother's life. But then you'd be wrong, of course. The thing they bring back is not their mother, but an inhuman creature composed of hastily put-together body parts - something that is human and yet not human. An abomination that cannot move or think on its own. From that point on, Ed and Al set out to learn the secret of "Human Transmutation," the one Alchemic skill that would have any hope of bringing back their mother. But at a cost that they may be unwilling to accept...

Overall, the series is gripping. Well-written dialogue, intense plot, and the best voice acting I've heard in a television series in a long time. Vic Mignogna, the actor who plays Ed in the American cast is absolutely brilliant - the voice he provides is believable and emotionally charged, a task most voice actors tend to fail miserably at. Aaron Dismuke, the voice of the 14-year-old Alphonse is excellent as well - not only does the irony of an adolescent voice coming from a six-foot-tall suit of armor succeed in getting a few chuckles, but the voice represents the character well. The voice acting brings the characters to life in a way that no other anime ever has before.

Overall, it's an incredible series. I'd recommend this to anime fans, and fans of fantasy or sci-fi of any kind (unless you just can't stand Japanese cartoons). FullMetal Alchemist is definitely one of the best television series out there.

Well done, one of my favorite Anime.

[Chibichasechan · 9/10 · 15 March 2007]

Full Metal Alchemist, about 2 loving brothers who get thrown into a world a war and war craft just to receive a certain something, which therefore leads them into a completely different world, and opinion of their objective.

I have been a fan of anime for a while now, ever since I was very small watching Sailor Moon and Pokémon. But ever since then I was blinded from the world of anime and wasn't into it anymore.

Well, until I contacted my long lost ex-girlfriend after about 6 months on MSN, I can seriously say I was hooked, for the first time in my life.

So I downloaded all of the episodes and watched about 10 a day, my eyes couldn't move off the screen as they were fixed on only one thing, the show. Which then later got me into reading the Manga, well only the first 5 since I cannot find the rest.

The story and it's characters go through so much. From Ed and Al longing for the philosopher's stone to revive their dear mother, to despising it on learning how to create it, then to learning on what the Homculus group is really doing to Ed and Al.

I would definitely prefer watching this amazing Anime, then read the manga, believe me, it's worth the time.

My review of the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime series

[mccrillisnsiah · 10/10 · 24 October 2017]

Always been my most favorite show of all time and the only anime I truly love and care about. For a series that explores warfare and genocide, the darker tone and realistic atmosphere fits the series very well. I'm so glad that the directors and writers of this show adapted the mediocre stereotypical manga into a more philosophical, religious, and coming-of-age tale that is the original 2003 anime. I enjoyed how much the protagonists - those two alchemist brothers named Edward and Alphonse Elric - had more screen time which allowed their relationship and love for each other to blossom. The backstories, origins, and identities of the villains and were well done. Really loved how secretive, competent, and thrilling they all really were. There were numerous morals and sheds of gray throughout the show overall, rather than the usual lame old thin line of black and white seen in many other shows. The State Military characters were great as well, such as Roy Mustang, Maes Hughes, Kimblee, Shou Tucker, Maria Ross, Sheska, etc. Had the anime been following the manga directly from start to finish instead of deviating from the norm, it would have never had been this great. All of the major death scenes were handled extremely well and the ending to the whole show was beautifully bittersweet. The ending was by no means depressing and neither did it made you want to cry or anything like that. It was just simply bittersweet. Despite endless tragedy, the characters still believed in hope and made the best of their situations.

Not only was the show depicting warfare, genocide, sin, redemption, and overall human nature maturely and realistically, but also a character-driven series as well as a coming-of-age tale for the Elric brothers. Unlike in the original manga series of the same name and its 2009 anime rebooted version, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, no character was a side character or a filler character. Each character played an important role, they moved the story on. The story felt neither too fast nor too slow. It was moving at a steadier pace, unlike many other anime shows, which allowed us to grow attached to the characters rather than the action. The show may have not had as much action, but when it did, it was so immersive and left a huge lasting impact, easily beating the several episode long fights featured in many anime, including Brotherhood. Each and every action caused by a character always came with a consequence in the end and tied up neatly, further proving how horrible the world really is. Each time there was an action scene, the characters were using their minds to think things through within the situation rather than just only their powers. The protagonists also often would lose against the antagonists, which made the show seem more realistic and believable. The show proved how much it didn't need conventional villains or fights being flashy/explosive or the characters being more bad-ass in order to be a good show.

The show also didn't constantly hammer every piece of information into your head in terms of character dialogue like you're a preteen; neither did the show overused those annoying chi-bi comedy faces during any of the serious moments because the directors and writers knew those things only work in manga format, so therefore they wouldn't translate well into screen because they wanted you to be heavily immersed into what's going on with the characters and their surroundings. It was very subtle and trusted you to get it on your own. It only needed to tell the most important information and that's it. It never over-clarified what you needed to know just so you don't forget. It's only a matter of paying clear attention so that you can get what you need to know while processing through the show. When you are watching the show, do not expect it to be a roller-coaster ride from start to finish. This show will always keep you at the edge of your seat, just to see what will happen next and hell, even by the end, it will leave you with wanting more. The first 34 episodes of this show are based more-or-less on the first seven volumes of the original manga, but numerous differences and foreshadowing clearly indicted that the directors and writers knew they were gonna overtake the manga as the show went on. So yes, the anime did caught up with the manga which led them to two choices: either jump to filler or make up their own original story, the latter was chosen. Anyway, I just wanted to tell the directors and writers of this anime that I give them a big thank you for producing this masterpiece. I don't even see anything majorly wrong with it at all, contrary to the popular belief. The show's second half seems perfectly fine...to me at least. Once again, thank you to the show's writers and directors for the wonderful story, characters, villains, and oh...can I just mention one last thing how awesome the somber background music in this show really is?! It really fits the show very well.

The Godfather of anime

[m_abunde_ze_first · 10/10 · 1 February 2008]

When I first started viewing anime, I was at the age where anything action-packed was likely to impress. I regarded the classic DBZ and Gundam Wing to be the best anime ever made and quite frankly I did not agree with the later charts which placed Fullmetal Alchemist above all others. The name said nothing to me but the fact it constantly received comments of high regard persuaded me to watch it...It did not take more than the first episode to bring the realization that this was something of higher class. A superbly polished and well-built story which takes the viewer away from traditional level-up characters and fillers, combined with some of the best characters ever drawn make Fullmetak Alchemist a totem of originality. Whoever said anime are for kids has not been exposed yet to the sheer genius of this series. At the end of the viewing, the only regret for anyone will have been that only 51 episodes were committed to the story (and there is not one which can be called disposable). Fullmetal Alchemist sets a standard of anime which will probably stay unsurpassed for years to come.

Change "free time" to "time well spent".

[roninfire · 10/10 · 1 October 2006]

I finished watching this two weeks ago and I have been recommending it to other people even before I finished the series.

"Full Metal Alchemist" is a world populated with people who use technology and alchemy to achieve roughly the same powers as those found in North American comic books. Instead of their powers being based on a mutant gene or exposure to radiation or a refugee from another planet, alchemists get their abilities by altering the molecular structure of matter.

If you liked "Ninja Scroll" because of its story, unique characters and action; than you will be blown you away with the depth and constantly changing plots and subplots of Full Metal Alchemist.

I also have to mention I watched this from poorly subbed DVDs; it was so bad that in the last DVD one of the main characters had a different name in English subtitles but it was still the same in the Japanese audio. There are 51 episodes, I initially watched one or two episodes per day but in the end I watched the remaining 20 episodes in two days. From what little I could understand from the subtitles I still thought the Full Metal Alchemist is amazing and I look forward to watching it again with proper English dubbing.

It is very important to watch this series in a row.

This is not an anime for kids.

BTW: The 52nd episode in the series is the movie. Full Metal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa. The story is still open even after the movie ends.

+++++Spoilers Below+++++ If you are willing to give Full Metal Alchemist a chance than do not read the following. ++++++Spoilers Below+++++

The series is about love, loss/death, revenge, abandonment, loyalty and the mistakes people commit when trying to do the right things. With that in mind, the main bad guys are named after the Seven Deadly sins (Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, sloth).

There are also "good" people, I am not sure if they are supposed to represent the Seven Virtues but some do have those qualities.

The main plot starts off with the two brothers needing to find the Philosophers stone so they can undo a mistake they made. So it starts off like any other story with the great never ending search but with Full Metal Alchemist they do find what they are looking for early on in the series. However there are shocking revelations surrounding the stone.

One of the best examples of balance

[miguelweidlich · 10/10 · 4 December 2018]

In 2003 a anime giant was born in the form of Fullmetal Alchemist. The first and one of the very few shows in general (not only Japanese or animated) to be well balanced. It got great action, but it also got great dialogues! It got great humor but it also got great drama! It got a great timeless soundtrack but once it also got great pop songs in the openings and endings! It got it's flaws (particular with the ending). But even then it's balanced up! It's very hard to find a story THIS balanced in any media, and when I find a show like this, it just make my day better. I definitely recommend it.

I watched brotherhood first, but...

[mikeydewsnap · 10/10 · 18 August 2020]

Coming from someone who used to say Brotherhood was his favourite series, I can honestly say this series is equally as good as the remake. In many ways this show's story and themes are much more mature than the more adventure focused 2009 series. It also has a superior soundtrack and stronger story boarding and colour direction.

I strongly recommend new fans watch this series first!

Great Anime, Disappointing Ending

[Asmith580 · 6/10 · 18 May 2009]

All I can say is "Wow". This is an excellently done Anime. Kudos Bones. Most Anime fans will love FMA. It is very well done with great dubbing and fluid fight scenes. The story line twists and turns keeping you on the edge of your seat and constantly saying "this is getting intense" FMA is never predictable and always leaves you guessing. The relationship between Ed and Al is truly something to be admired and your really begin to feel for the two as if they were your own brothers. FMA takes you through an emotional roller-coaster with strong character development that keeps you engaged in the series. If the measure of a good show is its ability to leave you wanting more, then this anime really makes the grade.

Now that I got the praise out of the way, let's talk about the reason this anime didn't get a 10 from me. If anyone has read my reviews in the past they will note that my biggest pet-peeve when it comes to movies is a poorly thought out "cop-out" ending. Low and behold this anime, unfortunately, doesn't fail in that. The build up in FMA is so intense that nothing short of a great ending would suffice. It seemed as if the ending to this series was forced out in the last two episodes because they ran out of funds or something. For those of you who have not seen FMA, I recommend you do so, and then read this as it will spoil the series for you. Everyone else, feel free to read on as you already know the basic story and I don't have to explain the entire thing. So Ed and Al get the philosopher's stone. So they should be able to just make everything right in the world. But I guess not, they find out they have to fight Dante who has the ability to send them through the gate. Rose sends Ed and his dad through the gate. The other side of the gate is our world, London in WW2. This is just stupid. All this build up for that! All I can say is this was a big let down. So Ed makes his way back and gets killed by Envy, who is his step brother. Al uses the stone and revives him, but is taken to the gate and is floating between worlds with his body; witch again is stupid because he shouldn't have had to this happen to him as he was the philosopher's stone. Then Ed transmutes to the gate and destroys the city that all the bad stuff happened in. Al appears in Risunbule with no memory of the events and is in his 10 year old body. We don't know where Ed is. It then turns out Ed is trapped in our world with his father. Now Ed and Al have to be separated until they find a way back to each other. I thought this was such a horrible ending, that didn't explain anything and made all the events of the series completely pointless. Here are some key points of needed explanations:

1. Why did Wrath have such a strong connection to Ed and Al's mother? 2. Why did Ed and Al's step brother turn into a dragon while going through the gate? 3. What was the gate and why was it there? 4. Why do Humunculi float in between worlds? 4. Who was Rose's baby and how did she get it? 5. Were homunculi partial human transmutations that just needed the soul to be reattached? 6. Was the philosopher's stone really what it claimed to be? If so, why couldn't Al get his and Ed's bodies back no problem?

So as you can see this series completely bombed in the end, but it was fun while it lasted. And call me cliché, but when people go through so much, give them a happy ending! Sometimes I like to feel all warm and fuzzy inside and cheer when the heroes achieve what they went through so much to get.

much more than an anime

[joana98 · 10/10 · 24 November 2021]

I used to watch this anime as a child. Of course I enjoyed the fantastic magical part of it, but despite everything I still remember the opening quote: "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth."

much more than just a cartoon.

I was impressed

[bebop_378 · 6/10 · 28 August 2006]

When I first went into FMA I really wasn't expect much and with the first 4 batch of episodes I wasn't really blown away, it just kinda looked like another generic shounen series. I was however increasingly impressed as it went along and came to like a majority of the characters and loved the plotting of the series. The series goes a lot darker and more dramatic than I initially expected but it worked well. The series proves once again why BONES is the finest animation studio in the world today. The series takes a little while to get moving and seems kinda generic at first but after it gets moving it is quite good. It has a couple problems with character development but excellent with plotting, decent animation, and decent soundtrack. Overall a great series but I've seen better.

Total disappointment

[mohd-j-abu-sharkh · 5/10 · 26 May 2012]

I'm a big fan of anime, and I have to say FMA was on my watch list since ages. Having read several reviews here, and having some of my friends telling me that this series is NOT to be missed. Hence, the decent positive reception & high ratings on several website for this anime. I have to say I simply cannot understand the fuss over this anime.

This series almost lacks everything that should be in an anime series. First of all let me address what I've read many times about the bond between the two Elrics, and how strong it is. Yet many times it seemed so weak, and I'm not talking about their fights, hence that's normal for brothers. But about their trust for each other and confidence in each other's decisions in very crucial moments/situations. Mostly due to Al's sudden stupidity like when he couldn't recognize his own mother from the homunculus. Or when he began to question his own memories. Or due to Ed's ego and complete disregard to what his brother says, failing to use his own sense of logic many time.

I have to say many episodes contained MANY plot holes. And there has been very few thrill, tension, drama. Many times the plot contradicted it's own logic (and I'm not talking about our -real world- logic, but the anime's), and many things I did not understand how they happened, or why they happened.. And if explained, the explanation would be so dull and shallow that would bring up the reaction of "uh-huh? --- meh".

I personally think this anime is very over-rated. But I understand this may just not be for me. For those of you who wonder what are my favorites. In order: Samurai X, Samurai Deeper, Bleach, Death note. So maybe I'm more into the Samurai stuff after all.

A story with an ending no one I know could even guess

[STEofMiamiU · 10 September 2005]

This series has one of the most amazing endings I've ever seen...ANYWHERE. Out the half dozen other people I know who've seen the entire series, not one of us was able to even come close to guessing the ending. FMA reminds me a bit of Harry Potter just in that, in both series, you have 1) child prodigies, 2) engrossing character growth and plot development, and 3) a story that individuals of all ages can appreciate and enjoy. One thing I appreciated and enjoyed very much about the series is that it's like one long fable--there's moral after moral after moral. As a side-note, it's one of the only animes that I've seen which spans several years, allowing for a lot more character growth and focus on the players in the story than is typically seen in most animes. Probably the single best anime that I've ever seen, and certainly in my Top 10 favorite stories of all time. Like Harry Potter though, it may at first appear to be a kids' story, but toward the end it's oriented more toward adults. Highly recommended.