When I talk about some of the best series that withstand the tests of time? Chances are, I’m not referring to the favorites you’d usually hear about, such as One Piece or the like. Because as big as those particular anime is, they aren’t cult classics that you can revisit multiple times and discover something new each time. An anime like that is a wonder every time you watch it. Like Akira, Cowboy Bebop, and, relatively recently, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is one of those must-watch anime that everyone will recommend because it’s unanimously beloved. This is surprising because it was not the original adaptation of the popular manga series by Hiromu Arakawa. That was Fullmetal Alchemist, released in 2003 and considered the weaker of the two because it divulged from the manga. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, on the other, was released five years after, and it stayed faithful to its source material.
And you can see why. Because the original story by the mangaka was so good, Brotherhood is all the more superior for it. After all, it has glowing reviews by critics and fans alike, lauded for its emotionally charged story and nuance. It doesn’t matter where you stood as an anime fan, you knew what Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood stood for. By the time it was reaching its climax, it had already cemented itself as one of the best anime of all time.
This is why I don’t think I need to repeat why this show is such a mainstay in the anime community. You shouldn’t be watching this show because some random person on the internet told you to. But if you’re still on the fence about whether a decade-old anime is for you, here’s why you need to start it right now.
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: The Alchemy Of Two Brothers.
Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric are two brothers whose father was a skilled alchemist known as Hohenheim. But he abandoned his family when the two were still young. Raised by their mother, Trisha, the two brothers start showing the same enthusiasm for alchemy but soon, their mother passes away.
However, their curiosity proves unfortunate because an alchemy attempt to bring their mother back goes wrong. Alphonse’s body starts to disintegrate, so Edward rushes to sacrifice his limbs to keep his soul, binding it to a suit of armor, so it doesn’t disperse out of the mortal realm.
The two are rescued by Pinako Rockbell and her granddaughter, Winry, who is a bio-mechanical engineering prodigy. Using her talent, Winry constructs the prosthetic limbs for Edward to train with. The Elric brothers embark on a journey to restore their bodies. How? By finding the Philosopher’s Stone, a powerful jewel that defies Equivalent Exchange such as human transmutation in alchemy.
As Edward and Alphonse travel, Edward starts going by a moniker. Now he is ‘Fullmetal’, an infamous alchemist. However, it isn’t a simple exploration together, as the two brothers find themselves intertwining into a rising conspiracy that looms over everything they hold dear and more.
The Breakdown: A Series Both Action Packed And Emotionally Charged.
What can I say about a show that is as famously revered as Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood? It’s everything you want an anime to be. Its action scenes are gorgeous; its subtler ones poignant. It touches all the right notes for the perfect show. But that isn’t why you should watch it.
No, this is a feat of writing magic. The mangaka, at the time, wrote under an ambiguous moniker because she knew that no one would give her Shonen-Fantasy a chance otherwise. But she believed in her writing, and she persevered. This also shows up in her characters, with Winry being one of the most independent and amazing female characters we’ve had, especially from an anime made in the 2000s.
Today, this anime is a legend unto its own. The manga did so well that it warranted a reboot that stayed faithful to it. All because it was so goddamn well written.
The Verdict: A Rite Of Passage For Serious Anime Enthusiasts.
This is a PSA: If you’re a fan of watching great storytelling, you need to get on watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood ASAP. Get started today; you won’t regret it!
Have you watched the original Fullmetal Alchemist before? What is your review on it? Let us know in the comments below!
