One of the problems with something being truly good is that every so often it becomes a victim of its own success, and in a sense that's what happened with the fans of Full Metal Alchemist.
Arakawa Hiromu's tale of two brothers and their adventures in alchemy is one of the most well known stories in anime and manga to date, and has spawned a horde of games, a movie (with a second one planned), numerous doujins and fanfics, piles of merchandise ranging from tatoos to chibi plushies, and two very different anime series. The story itself is very typically shounen at times, however there is ... a depth to proceedings that belies the initial look and feel of the manga. While things begin innocuously enough, it's not long before the reader finds themselves wrestling with moral, religious, and even philosophical motives and actions as the Elric brothers make their journey towards their destiny.
Enough waxing lyrical, on to the nitty gritty. Anyone familiar with Arakawa's other works, especially her one shot manga, will undoubtedly find some surprising similarities to certain events and situations that occur in Full Metal Alchemist. The reason for this is because Arakawa had the foresight to test out various ideas in another form and format before adapting them for use in her flagship title, and this refinement process shows throughout the story. Although this is a shounen tale in the truest sense, there's a degree of complexity and innovation which has been carefully applied in an effort to draw the reader in, and this is one of the hallmarks of Arakawa's storytelling style.
As with any work though, there are a few areas that could have been improved upon. In an effort to lighten the mood from time to time the mangaka has seen fit to apply a few doses of comedy here and there, and while stories like Raiden 18 make it clear that Arakawa has some skills in that department, the application of humour in Full Metal Alchemist is sometimes a bit haphazard. That said, it seems like the mangaka herself also had a similar realisation as the tone of the series becomes much more serious during the latter half, and the frequency of comedic moments drops quite sharply. Surprisingly, the humour is less of a distraction and more of an anodyne for the reader during the later stages of the story, which is a testament to the idea that "less is more".
The artwork is very typical of the mangaka, however once more there is that look of refinement about the characters and settings, and even some of the action sequences. One big plus is that the reader is given a more visual, and sometimes visceral, look into the author's world than one might find in other shounen manga. That said, Rumiko Takahashi's InuYasha is a serious contender in this department, but like that manga, Full Metal Alchemist also suffers from the same problem - the highly stylized characters.
The main issue with the design is that some people may find it doesn't suit their tastes, which will in turn impact upon their appreciation of the story. That said, as an advocate of more individualism in manga and anime, it's nice to read something that remains true to the author's style as there are far too many titles that look identical to each other (e.g. harem romantic comedies and about half of the shoujo manga out there).
As for the characters themselves, suffice to say that the development of the lead roles is very good indeed, and the supporting roles are given a healthy amount of space to shine as well. One of the more interesting aspects is the pace at which the characters are developed throughout the story, and a big plus is the degree of attention given to the "bad guys", especially later in the series. It's a sad fact that shounen tales are filled with shallow antagonists who serve no other purpose than to give the lead character a wall they must "beat down" in order to move the story forward, and while Full Metal Alchemist contains the basic elements of this type of progression, it manages to mask them far better than most action manga out there.
Is there a major downside then? Well, unfortunately there is, but it's one that's very much dependent on personal taste. The reason why the Full Metal Alchemist franchise is a victim of its own success is because of the original anime adaptation of the unfinished manga.
Now one of the problems that fans have is that the two versions of the tale are wildly different in terms of atmosphere, story and character mentality (basically they're like chalk and cheese). The main issue at hand is that while the manga version of Full Metal Alchemist is an excellent series, the original anime adaptation is becoming maligned and misunderstood because it deviates too much from Arakawa's story. Personally I consider both to be equally good, just not in the same way.
Here's what I mean.
Arakawa's manga is a very good story that incorporates a number of typical shounen aspects like never giving up, trusting in one's friends and allies, etc, and while the tale is excellent in both content and execution, in all honesty, it lacks a degree of "darkness" that was inherent in the first anime. One of the things that struck me about this dissonance was the fact that the whole theme of obsession seems to peter out by the end of the manga, whereas the first anime actually ended with that theme still running strong.
Now, some of you maybe a little confused by that perspective, especially as both tales feature the same characters to a degree, however one look at their respective endings will begin to make things a little clearer, and pay particular attention to Alphonse Elric as he is the reason why I consider the two tales to be so very different (and if you're still unsure, then feel free to ask me about it).
It's pretty obvious that I enjoyed Full Metal Alchemist immensely, however my only real gripe with the manga, especially after reading Arakawa's other works, is that there are too many occasions where it feels like the author has purposely moved away from a theme or situation that was used in the original anime, and this can make parts of the story feel a bit rushed. That said, this is actually a minor problem as the whole tale fits together extremely well, and in terms of content Full Metal Alchemist is easily on par with Takahashi Rumiko's masterpiece.
What Arakawa Hiromu has given us is a work that is truly good, despite some minor niggles here and there, and while there are some typically shounen aspects to the tale, Full Metal Alchemist, like Inuaysha, is a far cry from what one would consider a typical shounen manga.
Isn't it ironic then, that the two of greatest shounen tales weren't written by men?
Alternative TitlesSynonyms: Full Metal Alchemist, Hagane no Renkinjutsushi, FMA, HagaRen, Fullmetal Alchemist Gaiden Japanese: 鋼の錬金術師 InformationType: Manga Volumes: 27 Chapters: 116 Status: Finished Published: Jul 12, 2001 to Sep 11, 2010 Theme: Military Demographic: Shounen Serialization: Shounen Gangan Authors: Arakawa, Hiromu (Story & Art) StatisticsScore: 9.041 (scored by 157,965 users) 1 indicates a . Ranked: #82 2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #20 Members: 294,477 Favorites: 30,251 Available AtResources | ReviewsJun 13, 2010 One of the problems with something being truly good is that every so often it becomes a victim of its own success, and in a sense that's what happened with the fans of Full Metal Alchemist. Arakawa Hiromu's tale of two brothers and their adventures in alchemy is one of the most well known stories in anime and manga to date, and has spawned a horde of games, a movie (with a second one planned), numerous doujins and fanfics, piles of merchandise ranging from tatoos to chibi plushies, and two very different anime series. The story itself is very typically shounen at times, however there is ... Jun 10, 2010 I shed a tear as I read the last chapter of this manga. A manga that I've been following since I was in Primary School has just concluded with the most epic and satisfying finale. I'm sad to see one of my favourite series of all time finish, yet I'm happy to see such a great ending. I really want to procrastinate more, but I should press onwards with the review and leave that for discussion in the forums. Fullmetal Alchemist is one of the most innovative manga I've ever had the pleasure of reading. The concept of Alchemy itself was a superb idea, and in ... Mar 7, 2015 Fullmetal Alchemist is not spectacular. What I mean is that nothing about the art or the plot immediately strikes the audience as impressive or unique. The art is not flashy or detailed. It gets the job done, but only just. The action is easy to follow from panel to panel, and it is just dynamic enough to be interesting. The characters are all pretty much distinguishable from each other, despite their simple designs, and some of them look kinda cool. More than anything, the art is solid. It never gets in the way of the audience's enjoyment. And sometimes that's enough. The only times I ... Apr 5, 2008 Fullmetal Alchemist is one of the most amazing, interesting, emotional series I've ever been fortunate to read. The powerful mix of brilliant characters, an outstanding plot, interesting settings, and thoughtful concepts drew me in from the very beginning. Story: (10) I give this series 10 when it comes to story. Fullmetal's plot is one of the most well-developed and interesting plots I have ever encountered when dealing with manga. Every event has a reaction that ends up playing larger roles in the story than you would think. Art: (8) I give this series an 8 when it comes to art. Hiromu Arakawa has, without a ... Mar 7, 2008 First review for a manga series because I have to do this! I can't believe no one has yet written one!! Story: I am not going to go in the whole 'this happens and that happens' as you can read that in the summary up there *points* About the story itself, all I can say is that it has one of the best developed plots I have ever encountered. Everything comes closer and closer to the main goal and even when you think it has nothing to do with the story, you find out that it has a tremendous value to the whole tale. It definitely ... Jul 19, 2015 Full Metal Alchemist is the Harry Potter of the manga world. And when I say that I don’t mean that their plots are remotely the same (although both have a main villain who splits himself seven ways… that’s actually cool) or that they're such big names in their respective mediums and genre (while it's true FMA has nowhere near the same amount of fame internationally as Dragonball or Naruto, it's almost always one of the first anime recommended to new-comers and frequently put on top anime lists); just in the way that absolutely everything about FMA has set itself apart from other shounen manga - ... Jun 11, 2010 Recently I have found it impossible to find a good shonen series to watch or read. It's come to the point that if it even looks remotely shonen, I stray away from it with untamed fury. Why do I keep coming back though? Why do I still look for shonen manga to read? It's all because of series like Full Metal alchemist. When it comes to critiquing, I'm somewhat merciless. I'm sure some of the people who have seen my reviews of their favorite series think I consider myself a know it all, but nothing could be further from the truth. Often I see "but they ... Sep 11, 2021 Little bit spoilers-- gosh this was such an enjoyable read, i can't believe it took me so long to finish it! i love love love the show and reading the manga felt like the biggest "welcome back" hug :) in a way, it was kind of the oddest time to read this when my mind is still totally buzzing with attack on titan, but it was also so nice to come back to this, to something familiar. the story is so expansive and yet you can still follow all the different threads and it's absolutely brilliant. also i forgot how funny this is! not necessarily laugh out ... Jun 13, 2010 Normally, I don’t write reviews. But after I read the last chapter, I thought FMA deserves a review. Maybe it’s not that good, but I still hope you find it useful and decide you want to read it, since FMA is the best series I have ever read. Story: When you read the story synopsis, it’s not that special. You find more stories like that. But, what makes FMA special is how it’s thought out. The story is really deep, nothing is unimportant. Characters aren’t forgotten, they keep coming back, and everything is explained. And it’s always surprising. You think you got the whole story figured ... Aug 3, 2009 Okay, so let me just start off by saying that I am writing this review mainly because of the numerous people who will probably check the manga out after the FMA: Brotherhood hype, which as I'm sure everyone knows, is following the manga storyline. Hopefully this will be able to clear up any doubts or misconceptions some might have about the series. I can safely say that I started the first FMA anime early this year. A few years back, I tried picking up the FMA manga but it didn't manage to captivate me at all, and I ended up dropping it after the first ... Jun 12, 2010 What to say about a masterpiece? All good things must come to an end and that is what happened with FMA's legendary run. When I finished the last chapter today, I seriously shed a tear of joy for all the character development and so many things I was rooting for since I've been following this manga (since last 3 years). The two anime spin-offs pretty much assure full enjoyment and deep storyline that keeps the reader/viewer on the edge of their seats with anticipation and speculation. The best thing about FMA is not only its story but the alive characters. The story is definitely fantasy but ... Sep 28, 2010 I being a huge fan of FullMetal Alchemist enjoyed reading this. I only wish other characters such as Roy, etc...could have been added. I gave "8 for character" because there could have been at least a few afterwords on everyone else lives. I gave "9 for overall" because I just felt again, the other characters could have had a few mentions. But it's about Ed, Al, and Winry's life after the end of the manga so I'll deal with it haha :] Overall its a warming conclusion full of love. Long live FMA! Jun 11, 2010 In the huge bountiful production of Shonen series out there many continue to go on forever and are filled with cliche's and troupes galore. Fullmetal Alchemist is a series that shines above the rest. There is no pointless power-up, fight the bad guy and continually lose and come back only to repeat the cycle over and over again. It is very story driven. And character driven. Every character takes a part in the grand scheme of things. Every conversation has value and shows importance to the advancement of plot and development. It is a powerful tale of sacrifice, love, friendship, family, and reaching your potential. I ... Dec 15, 2008 Fullmetal Alchemist was the first anime/manga that I ever saw, and after reading tons of other stories it's still my favorite. Maybe I'm being a little biased because it was the one that really got me into anime, but I'm not lying when I tell you it is a phenomenal piece of work. For one, the artwork is amazing. It's some of the nicest I've seen and certainly keeps your eyes wanting to continue to look, which I think is a vital part about manga 'cause lets face it; who wants to look at something that isn't appealing to their eyes? Another is the story. ... Jul 3, 2015 I remember when I had only four chapters left of this manga, I almost cried at the thought that it is the one I enjoyed the most, which means I may never come across something this awsome ever again. I absolutely don't regret reading it and I wish I could go back in time so that I can read it for the first time. Art: I always drew manga charcters just for fun, without even watching or reading the series they belong to, but the fullmetal alchemist manga made me think seriously about taking it to the next level. Arakawa Sensei's drawing style is outstanding, apart from ... Jun 19, 2011 First you got to know that Fullmetal Alchemist Gaiden is an epilogue to the acclaimed Fullmetal Alchemist manga so if you haven't read the original manga you really should before checking this one if you want to understand and also because Fullmetal Alchemist is one of the greatest manga out there. With that said of course after the end of the Fullmetal manga people wanted more and this one shot serve as a closure and gives us info about what happens to our hero after the original manga. For those who have read Fullmetal Alchemist and I hope you have, you will not be in unknown ... Dec 9, 2009 This manga is great, I love the characters, the art, the story. I also love how the characters have so much emotion, it just makes me feel like I'm really there watching! Also I love how it makes you have to read more to know what's going to happen. Great manga, I'll be watching for new chapters! =3 Dec 22, 2008 Im afraid that im a FMA fan alright a 10 for everything becos im just mad haha Story: well if i were to tell u the story line u wudnt see the end of this review so ill just make it short and simple for those that have not read this before.Basically its about alchemy where u will have to draw a transmutation circle to perform renkinjutsu(alchemy) . The 2 main characters , Edward Elric know as Ed and Alphonse Elric known as Al ..these 2 are pretty popular and famous and are known as the elric kyoudai (elric brothers) . I think that they are ... Mar 9, 2010 This is my first review (sorry for my bad english) When I began to read the manga (and it was about 4 months ago), the story immediately captured me, I sat and read for two weeks until I read 101 chapters, now every month I waiting for a new chapter. Events are incredible, chapter goes only once a month, and is plagued by fans themselves: "What will happen next?", The plot is simply stunning, and with each chapter becoming more interesting. This manga will end soon, but probably for the better,I do not want FMA to become 400 serial shounen. Drawing is very simple, you should not strain ... Feb 14, 2010 My review is about Fullmetal Alchemist. Personally, I think it is one of the best mangas with its well developed plot, beautiful art, and unique characters. Story (10): I think that Fullmetal Alchemist has one of the best plot lines out of all the mangas I have read. The author thought out the story really carefully and developed it very well. It may seem like there are a lot of irrelevant parts in the story but they all connect together to form the bigger picture. Some of the smaller points even become a substantial role in the story. Art (8): Hiromu Arakawa put just enough detail into ... |