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Full Metal Alchemist
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FMA vs. Brotherhood - A Rant
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Okay...I've watched every episode of Brotherhood so far, and I think I've finally got a solid opinion formed on it. Bear with me; this is kinda long, but I really need to vent this out. Also, before reading this rant, keep in mind that I was introduced to FMA through the first anime series, and I read the manga afterwards. So unlike a lot of fans, I haven't gone through the frustration of reading the original epic stories and then watching something that goes in a completely different direction.Okay. Manga enthusiasts, don't kill me...but I've tried to give Brotherhood a chance. I've tried SO HARD to love it and plug into it, and now and then I have truly loved it...but it's just not working. Something's missing; something vital that the first series had. And I've finally figured out what it is. It's heart. Don't get me wrong; I'm glad they're doing another series, and there are many things about Brotherhood that I love. I'm glad it's following the original, stronger storyline, the art is GORGEOUS, the world is bigger and better, and because I've read the manga, I know the characters are going to grow and develop a lot more (and EdWin will finally get the attention it deserves!!). =D But Fullmetal Alchemist did something for me that no other anime could do: it told me a story. It drew me in and made the characters so vibrant and rich and real to me. It took time to let me laugh and cry along with them and truly care about what happened. And it wasn't just the characters...it was everything. The themes and messages explored, the pacing, the music (I still melt whenever I hear "Bratja"), the voice-acting (both the Japanese AND the English), the animation consistency, the way each episode was directed and put together...forget the anime part; it was a good TV show, period. Everything was so top-notch. Granted, it had its flaws (plot holes, too much angst in a few places, a slightly out-of-character Ed, a lame Al, a lamer main villain and NO PROPER EDWIN!!!!) and the ending was a bit weak. I think most fans can agree on that. But overall it was wonderful. I'm a somewhat critical person when it comes to entertainment of any kind. If I like something, I usually like it for a reason. And FMA impressed me on so many levels, especially as an anime newcomer. Brotherhood isn't telling me a story. It's merely depicting a chain of events. Like I mentioned before, it has many good elements in it...but they aren't working together. Everything feels so inconsistent; one moment it meets the bar, and the next it crashes (and that ESPECIALLY goes for the music. Ugh. I WANT THE RUSSIAN BOYS CHOIR BACK, DANGIT). The pacing and the way everything's put together feels so frenetic and clumsy. Instead of pulling me in, Brotherhood just sits back and leaves to me skim around on the surface, wondering why I can't connect to the characters like I used to. It feels like they aren't even really trying. (The ONLY episode I feel has matched the first series so far is episode 19, with the Roy vs. Lust fight. That one brought tears to my eyes, it was so good...) There's no heart in it, no depth, no empathy; and because that vital part is missing, everything else falls flat for me. It's like they sacrificed the storytelling and character depth for pretty pictures and dippy Japanese humor. >__> FMA deserves better. And about the humor...I've heard many fans say that the first series was too dark and didn't have enough of Hiromu Arakawa's comedy in it. And to some extent, I agree; it was a little more serious and there wasn't a lot of her manga humor in it. But believe it or not, I liked it better that way. It made everything feel more realistic and down-to-earth. Arakawa's cartoonish humor is wonderful in the manga, but when it's in anime form, it loses magic and becomes jarring and annoying. And another thing: I don't think a lot of people appreciate what little humor there was in the first series. Seriously. There were some HILARIOUS parts in that show (episodes 13 and 37, anyone? And let's not forget the priceless line:"Tell him fine, there's no way I'm dying before you do, you morally bankrupt Colonel with a God complex!"). When there was humor, it was clever and genuinely FUNNY...not just your generic, slapstick Japanese comedy. Anyway...I wish to God that I could say different about this new series, because FMA is such a marvelous story and I love the manga so much...but I can't. And that makes me very sad. =( Maybe as I keep watching and they go through more manga material and later get it dubbed in English, I'll feel different. And I really hope I will. But for now, Brotherhood is just another nice anime for me to watch on Monday afternoons.
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Let's see... I first found my way into the series with volumes 1-3 of the manga. I went on to watch the first series + movie before furthering myself into the manga-verse.
Many complain and badmouth anime1 because it greatly deviates from the original manga, but I'm not ashamed to admit that I enjoy both versions of their tale, albeit the former not as much as the latter. To have two terrific versions of the Elric Brothers' journey is more than a dedicated fan can ask for.
I understand and agree with - to an extent - your sentiment on how FMA1 'tells a story' and Brotherhood is just 'a chain of events'. I mean, the first anime offers a bit of a darker view on things, certain characters don't develop to their full potential, and the ending is weak, but it's still a good story! On that note, the movie may have disappointed fans, but as Vic Mignogna - Ed's English VA - puts it, it truly does represent the meaning of their story. Sacrafice.
Brotherhood moves much too briskly and doesn't delve as deep into the story and characters as the manga and first anime do. It skips over small details that, to put it truthfully, make the tale... whole.
Fullmetal Alchemist is an outstanding story and I don't feel it's altogether what it COULD be. Don't get me wrong. Animation is great - though I could do with toning down Ed's hair color a tad bit, OP/ED themes are wonderful, and to see some of my favorite manga scenes come to life on the small screen is appreciable... but there's still something missing. FMA doesn't come to life as it did through anime1 and the manga.
As Dearheart here has, I've tried to love Brotherhood; I honestly, with all my heart have. I'll keep watching, to see more of my favorite manga happenings in motion, and I eagerly await Vic, Travis, Caitlin, and the others' reunion... It's just that, to me , it'll never mean as much as the manga or perhaps even anime1.
Sora
I'll add some input as I'm a huge fan of the first anime.
To put it bluntly, I still haven't started watching the new version even though FMA ranks in my top 3. This is solely because It's the ONE anime EVER to make the English voices better than the Japanese. I refuse to watch nearly any anime in English, but this one is is the exact opposite. Vic Mignogna's voice acting is seriously a masterpiece. The voice acting pulled me in when i was young (FMA was around when i was about 15 (20 now)) on Adult Swim, and my brother and I literally spent every saturday night watching it for months, even reruns, even now if it's on we'll partake. It's that good.
Now, they brought it back, but unlike most anime series having a sequel, this is a reiteration, and I'm plenty excited for it. As I said, I'm waiting till April 2010 for the English to come out before enjoying more FMA, however, what you've said disheartens me.
I began watching FMA for the story; the emotional attachment - the feeling of sadness when you watch Hughes die, the joy of Ed and Al triumphs, and the silly situations they get into; it all played into an amazing adaptation of the series. From what you both seem to be saying, it's not so much there this time (I'd blame the director on that, though Yasuhiro Irie is quite well known for his works) and that really puts a damper on my mood. FMA without the engaging story is just...incomplete. Hopefully when I get around to it it doesn't disappoint - there are far too few animes with a unique, original plot that present it as well as Fullmetal Alchemist did. Most of the anime I've watched has been very good (Just finished Gundam 00), but it has that sort of cliché, "i'm the hero of justice" sort of feel. The only series that really took that idea to a totally unique feel was Death Note, another favorite. Finding a great series (or even game, FFX anyone?) is just too hard in today's world. Truly, it is.
So what was I talking about...ah, right: FMAbrotherhood-notasgood-bigdowner
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