Introduction
This anime, Fullmetal Alchemist, is probably my top anime of all time. It is with great honor that I present reviews for this anime.
Fullmetal Alchemist
This review is written by templar132.
Full Metal Alchemist.
Synonymous to: Amazing.
Story
The plot is nothing short of brilliant. It twists and spirals more than a rollercoster, yet provides depth, and is easy to pick-up and follow. The introductory episodes, which can also be considered as the "flashback" episodes, are sometimes bland, but once the real plot gets going, you'll get hooked immediately. Of course, even the flashback episodes themselves have their own merits, as they provide much appreciated character development and establish the foundations of FMA as a whole (such as Ed and Al's quest, why they lost their bodies). Plus, they're usually high on action and are often times better than you'd think.
Once the real story does pick up, FMA spins its web of tales in earnest. Each show reveals little by little, the overall goal of the homunculi, their identities, and where the anime seems to be heading. Plus, the show does an amazing job in weaving the character relationships. Nearly every recurring character is somehow involved in the overall plot, no matter how random they might be. In the final stages of the series, all of these connected characters are brought together, providing the audience with a resolution that satisfies immensely. Though the occasional incongruity keeps it from being a true masterpiece, FMA does earn its 10s by keeping me hooked with a plot that's fluid and a pleasure to watch.
Art
I don't consider myself the best art critic out there, but I'd still have to give high marks here as well. Nothing in the anime seems ridiculously complicated or simplified, and everything is visually appealing. Unless you're a truly seasoned anime connoisseur, chances are that you'll be satisfied with the animation regardless of the reviewer's opinion.
Sound
Square Enix contributed to the production of FMA. And wherever Square Enix goes, good music is bound to follow.
This might be too much of a generalization, but for FMA, it holds true. The background music mends in seamlessly with the rest of the sounds such as the special effects and the dialogue, but also manages to help evoke emotions within the audience.
However, the main reason for FMA's spectacular performance in the sound category are the opening and closing themes. In my personal opinion, one of the best anime song collections are the openings of this particular series. I mean, who hasn't gone crazy with an air guitar pretending to play AKFG's "Rewrite"? Or is that just me?
Character
Finally, the area I believe that FMA truly shines in every aspect. I touched upon the characters somewhat while praising the plot, and I'll go into more depth here.
The characters encountered are probably some of the most dynamic and well-rounded ever created. I've heard many people complain about how Ed and Al never really managed to beat an enemy outright, and how their fights sometimes seem boring. Well, I'd hate to break it to those folks, but it would be even more boring if the protagonists won every single battle without a sweat. Not every encounter can be flashy and brilliant, and that is what provides a sense of reality here. In addition, most characters give the impression that they're actually simple and predictable, but when it really counts, you'll be surprised at how different they can be. It definitely adds to the personalities of the characters and makes them seem much more realistic. One of the most striking examples of this duality is Maes Hughes. He's the type of character who can knock you off your chair with laughter one second, then make you cry the next. And he's not the only one. Many of the main and supporting characters have different sides to their personality, and discovering each of those is quite the experience.
In terms of relationships between characters, FMA doesn't disappoint. Every character is in some way, shape, or form related to the others. And none of them feel like a stretch. Even though most of the characters are from all over the place and seem to be random additions, it always turns out that they were placed for a reason. In many anime, meetings between characters are often shown as chance occurrences, or fated encounters if you will. But FMA is deviously well-crafted to the point the audience would eventually think that it was obvious that a certain character was tied to someone else.
Enjoyment
One of the main factors of enjoyment in FMA is the comic relief. It's extremely well done so you truly feel that it doesn't detract from the overall seriousness of the plot. This is probably because the hilarity and levity is well balanced by equally serious and slightly darker elements. However, you will literally fall off your chair/couch/sofa/bed at least once while watching this. I guarantee it but don't take my word for it.
Overall
Perhaps in the far future, if anime still retains its popularity amongst western (and even eastern) audiences, Full Metal Alchemist will be one of those titles included in the "classic anime titles you must watch" section. It certainly deserves its place in history as one of the best fantasy/shounen anime of the early 21st century.
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shambala
This review is written by realanimefan.
This is a brilliantly written film that works in the tension of post WWI Germany to the plot exceedingly well. The people who wrote this film know their history and their folk lore, using aspects of the Nazi society (including Hitler's supposed obsession with the occult) to pen an enthralling experience. I went and looked up a number of the references made in the film to find out most of them were real. The setting also leads to lots of character conflict. For instance, Hughs (the Maeyz of our world) is a soldier in Post WWI Germany suckered into joining the Nazi party out of desperation. He genuinely thinks the Nazis are doing the right thing (remember, none of these characters have the luxury of knowing where all this will lead) which puts him at odds with Ed. It's very moving.
The characters from the TV series are all there. Ed takes center stage, with the majority of the film taking place in our world. Al and his alternate version feature prominently, though. Al's bit in the underground city with Wrath and Gluttony is amazing. Some of the other characters, like Winry and Hawkeye, are somewhat cheated of screentime, but practically every character from the show gets to make an appearance, even if it's just their alternate version (there's one cameo at the very end of the movie that's absolutely hilarious).
The animation in this movie is non-stop eye candy. The fight scenes and action sequences are all fluid and choreographed to perfection, but that's only the half of it. The backgrounds and environments are lush and detailed and are just dripping with beauty, even when the setting is the dank bowels of a castle. I'm so thankful I got to see this film on the big screen.
It's hard to rank Conqueror of Shambala. If you've seen the TV series you will adore this film. If you haven't seen the show, you'll like all the pretty animation, but the story will go completely over your head. Still, if viewed in the proper context, this film is worthy of a 9 to 10 rating. And if you haven't seen the TV series, do yourself a favor and go check it out. You'll be glad you did. Full Metal Alchemist is one of the best things to come out of Japan in a long time.
Download
I already have a lot of downloads for this anime. I just need to find it an upload it in the future.