Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: The ultimate action mystery

 

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (also known as FMAB) is the 2nd anime adaptation of the manga Fullmetal Alchemist. It released in 2009 to universal acclaim, commonly referred to as one of the best anime out there. It was animated by Studio Bones, the same studio behind My Hero Academia, Soul Eater, Oran High School Host Club, Mob Psycho 100, and so many more. The entire series is on Netflix and Crunchyroll both subbed and dubbed.

This was one of the first anime I loved when I was getting into anime. I had watched anime occasionally but after I watched My Hero Academia I began seeking more. My sister went on to recommend Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood to me. FMAB cemented my path to becoming a full on anime fan. To this day it stands as one of my favorite shows of all time.

 Today I would like to tell you about what make Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood so special. 

The setup

(Amestris world map)

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood takes place in the country of Amestris. The country is defined by its use of Alchemy, a science used to deconstruct and reconstruct any material. The country is full of Alchemists who use alchemy to transmute materials into something new. Whether that means molding the ground into stairs or making a sword out of a metal wall in an instant. The rules of alchemy are defined as such: 

1: The Law of Equivalent Exchange, To create something you must supply something else of equal value

2: Human Transmutation is strictly forbidden. Don't try and create life

Our main characters are two brothers who broke that second rule and paid the equivalent price for it. Edward Elric lost his arm while Alphonse Elric lost his entire body. Edward also lost his leg to make sure Alphonse's soul was not lost and bonded that soul to a suit of armor. Once Edward gets an automail (mechanical) arm and leg, he decides to join the military as a state alchemist to find a way to get his and Al's body back, starting with the only lead they have, the Philosopher's stone, a powerful substance that lets alchemist theoretically create anything.  

Themes

One of the strongest aspects of Brotherhood is how well it communicates its themes. FMAB is a show that slowly reveals what its trying to say over the course of the entire series. It has a lot to say about life, the nature of the soul, humanity, military powers, and most prominently the dangers of both faith and science. 

The themes are tied closely with each character, they all offer different perspectives on all topics while keeping their own focus. Alphonse is a great example of this. His soul being tied to a suit of armor is explored to its fullest. Is Al still himself if he doesn't have his own body? How does he know? What is a soul? All these questions are considered by Al. He comes to his own conclusions so he can move forward with his life and quest.

Other examples include Roy Mustang, the military colonel who recruited Ed and Al, explores the themes of ambition, government corruption, and revenge. Scar, a victim of the Ishvalan war of Extermination, similarly goes into revenge, the cycle of hate, and racism. Edward has to grapple with the dangers of science and faith, trauma, morality, and the value of human life. 

Edward's exploration into faith and science are important overarching themes for the entire show. To demonstrate how the show explores these on a smaller scale, I'm gonna talk about specifics from episodes 3 and 4 of the anime. If you don't want spoilers go ahead and watch those episode. They are early in the series but they also outline what the show wants to say on this subject succinctly.

In episode 3, the Elric brothers arrive in Liore, a district in Amestris that is dominated by the church of the sun god Leto. The leader of this town is a priest who can apparently create anything he wishes from nothing. The Elrics are puzzled by this since they strictly believe in the Law of Equivalent Exchange. They spend the episode questioning the church and confronting the priest. This episode highlights the dangers of blind faith and how it can be weaponized for people in power.

Episode 4 sees the Elric brothers staying with a man named Shou Tucker, an alchemist known for creating a talking chimera, so that they can research the Philosophers stone. In the process they get attached to his daughter Mina and his dog Alexander. Meanwhile Shao Tucker is on the verge of losing his state alchemist title. This results in one of the most devastating and disturbing scenes in the show. This major moment shows the dangers of the blind pursuit of science. The blind pursuit of science is explored further in the series as alchemists are treated like scientist. 

The themes are the heart of this show. It has a lot more to say about all the topics I mentioned. It's a rich show that can be dissected as much as you like and still be valuable. 

Characters

As I mentioned in the section on the themes of the show, each character interacts and focusses on different themes. This makes the world and the character interaction feel natural. Since individual characters focus on different things that affect the world, their outlook on life can clash with some characters and strengthen bonds with others.

A good example would be with Riza Hawkeye and Roy Mustang. Riza is considered a close ally to Roy with their long shared history in the military with each other. Since both characters are tied to the themes of government corruption and war they end up getting alot of time together to show their bond. Using these two the writers give us different perspectives on these themes. Their similarities and differences make their partnership believable and fun to watch.

I can't talk character relationships in this series without Edward, Alphonse, and Winry. Winry is a childhood friend of the Elric brother and an accomplished automail engineer, this world's version of a mechanic, who made Edward's arm and leg. These three are the heart of the series' characters and all focus on similar things. 

The character's personalities outside of the main themes are charming as well. Edward is brash, impatient, incredibly smart, and hates being called short. Alphose is kind and mellow to contrast Ed's brash nature. Winry is almost like a mix of those two while being an accomplished engineer in her own right.

I could go on and on about all the characters in the show and how they stand out from all the rest. from their designs to their personality to how they interact with the themes of the show. All of this makes a cast of characters that feel like individuals with proper motives and goals.   

Plot

This will be a shorter section to avoid spoilers but it is still important to understanding the appeal of Fullmetal Alchemist. The overarching narrative in this show is one of the most polished I've seen in any form of media. The different beats that prompt our characters to explore the themes of the show are compelling and tie in with each characters motivation. 

FMAB is the ultimate action/mystery series and its plot reflects that beautifully. You don't go for very long without being presented with either questions or answers. Conspiracy is an integral part of this series. If you go into it with a watchful eye, you might be able to piece things together before some characters in the show.

The mystery is the final piece that connects the other aspects I have mentioned in this analysis. The themes tie into the mystery as the answers relate to these ideas, the themes tie into the characters as they learn about themselves, and the characters unravel more of the mystery providing new questions and answers. It's a symbiotic relationship that makes the entire show feel connected and cohesive.

The action portion does its part to make things exciting and lively. The Fights in FMAB are fast and energetic while using alchemy in creative and fun ways. Ed can make his metal arm into a blade, Roy manipulates fire in fun ways, and others use alchemy to gain higher ground or wall off attacks. 

Miscellaneous stuff I like

Outside what I think of as the main appeal there are a lot of smaller aspects that I love about this show. I want to at least mention them here.

The World

The world itself is a very fun place to explore. The show is set in a steampunk fantasy world. Some people have automail limbs that are sometimes fashioned as weapons. For the kind of story FMAB is trying to tell, the world is well realized. 

Comedy

This is not a comedy show, however comedy is still used to great effect to make sure the tone of the show doesn't get too doom and gloom. It's fun when you seen Ed and Al joke around with Winrey, Roy teasing his fellow officers, and Riza putting Roy in his place. It's important to have fun while unraveling intricate mysteries and fighting evil. 

Alchemy

The use of Alchemy is everywhere in this show. In one episode you might see Al fix a radio he accidentally broke, in another you see Ed make a spear out of the cement below his feet. The versatility combined with the clear rules of alchemy combine to make one of the most interesting battle systems and scientific focal points.

The Openings

Every single opening is rich with symbolism and foreshadowing in this show. They basically serve as the pitch for the series. They also have really good music. I don't have as much to say on them but I still wanted to highlight them because they are really good.

The Dub and Sub

This is one of the rare shows that I would say the dubbed and subbed versions are equal. I don't want to get into the sub vs dub debate but I would like to point out that FMAB is just as good however you wish to experience it. It was impressive to me that I could switch between versions and not find the voice changes jarring. On top of that the voice casts are all excellent and do a wonderful job embodying their characters.  

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is a show that is rich in every aspect. You can dig into any part that interest you and find layers of thoughtful design and exceptional talent. Each aspect of the show is well thought out and connected in meaningful ways. The characters drive the plot and uncover mysteries, the mysteries emphasize the themes of the show, and the themes motivate and challenge the characters. I have rarely seen a show this well thought out from start to finish. This show is far more than the sum of its parts and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is one of my 3 favorite shows because of this. 

Let me know why you like Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood or what anime I should check out/cover in the future. Thanks for reading and have a great day!