So yeah, for the past few weeks I’ve read a lot of comments about people who are disappointed with some of the cuts that this version of the anime made. They’re thankfully not annoying to read (unlike a certain other show), but they are rather one sided. From what I gathered from all of the comments I read by the manga readers, the manga seems to be the most perfect thing ever, and the Brotherhood adaptation is a flawed adaptation.
From my perspective (as I haven’t read anything from the manga), Brotherhood is doing a pretty terrific job so far. The thing I especially like about it is how it toys around with your emotions, and this episode was an especially good example of this: Ross escapes from prison after being framed for the murder on Hughes. Roy then comes and kills her off, of all things! The episode ended without any clear hint about what happened to her, whether it was a clever decoy from Roy or whether he really turned into such a bastard that he’d actually kill her for Hughes. That scene in which he sits in his office… I didn’t know whether I should laugh, mourn Ross, feel sorry for Roy’s co-workers or get angry at Roy for what he did, and there were a lot more scenes with similar effects, in which so many different emotions rush through at the same time. Did the manga have the same effect?
So yeah, I pretty much loved this episode. Barry indeed was awesome in the way he bust Ross out of prison. The whole escape scene in fact was awesome, in the way that Lin tagged along, and when they ran into Ed and Al, so many things happened at the same time. The scene later, with Ross’s death only made things better, when this series kept reminding Ed how helpless he is in protecting the lives of others. This was also the first time that I saw Armstrong seriously angry… and that made a lot of impact as well.
Rating: ** (Excellent)
The manga had the exact same effect on me. Pretty much a kaleidoscope of emotions….not gonna give spoilers but look forward to the episodes to come they should get better and better. Love your reviews btw
As a manga fan I actually think this episode did a good job of adapting the chapters it covered. Episode 16 did make some changes that I personally was not happy with. But hey I am happy that you and other non-manga readers are enjoying Brotherhood. At least it is a closer adaption to the manga storyline than the 1st series was by far. Other than that it’s true that some of us manga fans (I am including myself in this) can be a bit picky when it comes to changes. But that is just because we really love the FMA manga.
Oh and yes the manga definitely had the same affect you speak of regarding these scenes. Also imagine waiting a month to find out what happened since the FMA manga is monthly. In fact a chapter actually ended on the scene when Roy burned Maria in the alley just as Ed ran up. That’s pretty much a typical way Arakawa ends a chapter each month. 🙂
Yes, the manga had that kind of effect. IMO is still that the changes they made give it less effect, but the manga has its own flaws, which will very likely carry over to Brotherhood, since FMA’s strength is in its characters, which Brotherhood has weakened, and its weaker aspects are in the story and plot, which Brotherhood is doing its best to keep intact with a faster pace. Maybe that’ll lessen them a bit, but I love the manga enough that I should probably just stop mentioning it in front of people who don’t read much manga.
I do feel there’s a case in which you need to be nagged and irritated, though.
Bokurano finished.
Reaching the finish line can’t be that painful, especially since you’ve gotten past 99% of what the director kept the same in the anime. As my other favorite manga, I want to hear your thoughts. If you’re that bad at reading manga, try some oneshots and shorter series to get a little more into it, or even buy some stuff-holding a book makes a difference, especially next to downloads vs. DVDs. I and others would be glad to make recommendations.
I agree with all the comments above – the manga had the exact same effect on me as well (this was the first FMA chapter to actually leave me speechless).
I’m glad that you’re not too annoyed with our complaints about how the new anime leaves some things out. As for me, I still consider Brotherhood to be a really good adaptation, even despite those cuts, and the fact that you like it so far makes me really happy 🙂
See, people had the same reaction when we complained about the first FMA as well. “But it’s so good! Those dang manga readers are just bitter that not everything’s the same!”
Something can be amazing and still not as good as the original. I’m not saying that it’s true 100% just because some of us complained about the last episode, but I’m just saying. People who bash on the manga readers should at least READ THE MANGA first. Some anime like Ouran High School Host Club and Fruits Basket were, in my opinion, much better done than their manga counter-parts, but if someone only knows one-side of the story (har, har, bad pun), then firmly sticking to the fact that anime/manga will always be better and not flawed as an adaptation/as the original is rather… well.
I agree with how manga readers tend to have high expectations on having every scene the same. An anime is an adaptation so it’s impossible for every scene to be exactly the same.
I have read the manga, but since I’ve forgetten the sequence of events in it, I find that FMA Brotherhood does a good job on its own. Although there were some scenes that were cut that I do remember that I quite liked, I’m still enjoying the show.
Overall though I do find that the manga does tend to be better than its anime conterpart (with the exception of Princess Tutu, the manga sucked while the anime’s a masterpiece), though for me I think it’s really which version I read/watch first.
i think the anime is doing a fantastic job of keeping the main elements of the manga. face it, it has a limited run of episodes adapting a piece of work with essentially TWICE as many chapters. plus manga is a medium that allows the creator to procrastinate with filler or giving secondary/lesser characters extra depth/time that becomes superfluous in an anime adaptation.
i like the pace. NOTHING is filler. filler destroyed an equally fantastic anime (rurouni kenshin) before the revenge arc could be animated. filler (long, drawn-out-over-several-episode battles and too many goddamn characters getting airtime) is why i never watch(ed) overhyped drivel like bleach, naruto, one piece or dragonball z. i have no use for soap opera anime.
great job so far by the animators. the next few weeks will be EPIC.
@Bobby: If all you watch is action/shounen, then I suppose you don’t know, but there’s a world of difference between filler and meaningful character development. Filler is filler becuase it takes up space and possesses no other function. It’s purpose is to not accomplish anything. Fleshing out characters =/= filler. We’re complaining in the first place because they’re cutting SUBSTANCE. Ignoring how ridiculous it is to say that an original manga would use filler, it offends me that you’re referring to a chunk of what makes FMA awesome as filler. If what’s missing is superfluous to an adaptation, then that adaptation is doomed to be inferior. Not bad, but never as awesome.
@Bobby: Well, One Piece is the only shounen anime where most of the fillers are actually really good and enjoyable to watch (with some of them being simply hilarious, and other having interesting plot), the same applies to most of the One Piece movies (and I usually don’t give a damn about movies, no matter what the anime), so yeah, if you don’t watch OP, then don’t comment on it, since, apparently, you don’t know what you’re talking about 😛
Sorry for the slightly bitchy comment, but I don’t like it when someone criticizes my most favourite anime ever, that is OP (soap opera, yeah right), clearly stating that they don’t watch it. If you have to criticize something, then let it be something you did watch, so that you at least know what you’re talking about.
I’m glad you’re figuring out the plot line. you can see right now how this plot far surpasses the first anime in complexity and inteligence, of course that will be more obvious when more things are explained and you see how it all makes sense
Well, there are indeed some cuts from the manga and of course I would like to see those scenes but, they are mostly litle comedy scenes and reall not important stuff. I mean, they don’t really make that much of a difference, people are just overreacting. I also think the anime is excelent.
As for this particular episode, the only thing I remind being cut out was the scene where barry goes to the locker in the prison and gets Ling’s sword for himself, to which Lin’s bitchs and cries lol. he’s seen later holding the two weapons but, not really important.
the anime is excelent and the next episode or 2 are going to be really awesomely action packed.
Yep, same mixed emotions, trying to figure out what’s happening with Roy lol
@senerikfred @kagura YIKES lol i kinda knew i would get some responses when i started putting down some of the “big-name” anime. i’ll state it like this. i’m not japanese so i definitely don’t have the sensibility/appreciation for the different TYPES of anime.
i’ve seen different anime in my lifetime and me personally i definitely DO NOT LIKE the “to be continued” animes that drag a fight/filler over more than 2 episodes. i’m sorry. that’s asking me to invest waaaaaaay too much (actual) time without advancing much (anime) time.
as for FMAB, i understand that some stuff is omitted/cut, but it’s fair to note that A LOT of stuff that’s there is very faithfully rendered (i liked how when ed fought greed a virtually the entire fight and visual seemed to be word for word and panel for panel with the manga). i don’t see how you can be overly critical with an anime that’s at least 90% faithful to what’s happened in the manga story. for example, 51 eps is too short to go show a throwaway ed/al adventure with an insignificant character like yuki, or maybe armstrong and sig meeting (and flexing LOL). yes it would be nice, but unless you have an hour-long FMAB, cuts like these have to be made.
i agree with selenitedreams, if you use the manga as merely a guide to the basic story and view the anime as a standalone, IT’S A GREAT SERIES. great music, animation, characters, battles, etc.
sorry for unintentionally offending anybody with my views on other animes and this one. we all have different tastes and expectations, so i care respect your views as long as you can do likewise with mine 🙂
@Bobby:
I’m not Japanese either, but somehow that fact doesn’t stop me from enjoying different types of anime – I’m the kind of person that likes a little variety in life 😉
I can understand you not liking dragging on a fight or fillers, which often happens in Naruto or Bleach, I’m not very fond of those things either. But it’s different with One Piece, since this one particular series has much more to offer than just fights, I mean like: some of the best characters I’ve ever seen in anime (with amazing voice actors), interesting plot, lots of equally interesting sub-plots, variety of colorful side-characters, great humor, amazing music and some of the most moving and touching moments ever. Even though it’s already lasted for 10 years (=410 episodes), it still feels very fresh and only gets more interesting plot-wise (I know it seems kinda unbelievable, but that’s how it is). I know lots of people who usually don’t watch shounen anime and are very picky about anime in general, all of whom still love One Piece. That means there must be something more to it than meets the eye, right? Maybe if you gave it a chance, you’d like it too (or maybe not, who knows).
But my point was you shouldn’t just randomly criticize something only because you don’t watch it or because it’s not your thing, regardless of whether it’s a “big name” anime or not.
I agree with the rest of your comment though, so… peace 😉
> Did the manga have the same effect?
Been answered by many others before me, but yes, it had a similar effect, though I wasn’t torn — it was one of the few times that a manga made me furious enough to want to vomit. It took me a long time to forgive Roy Mustang after that. Anyway, I wanted to add that I’m glad for your perspective (of viewing FMW while not having read the manga) and relieved that the anime stands well on its own merits. Thanks for your blog posts on this show!
@kagura hahaha now you got me monitoring this board LOL.
i actually HAVE seen a bit of one piece (“i ate the forbidden fruit”, etc.). ditto for DBZ, naruto, bleach, etc. one piece is kinda “kooky” to me, i like the zoro guy (cuz i tend to like swordsmen i guess), the characters/design is just OUT THERE. very, um, original (lol). if its 10 yrs long, i couldn’t get into cuz i like to start from the beginning and 400+ eps is too much old material to go over.
the only way i could get into DBZ and naruto were where cartoon network marathoned them years back… rock lee fighting gaara was one of the best anime fights i’ve ever seen… BUT it was over 4-5 eps. unacceptable. DBZ was even worse at this. bleach is on adult swim right now and in addition to not seeing it from the start and being totally lost its the same drawn out fight, plus bleach in particular has just TOO MANY CHARACTERS/GROUPS IMHO.
MY opinion, that’s all.
i appreciate your defense of your favorite anime though, if it means something to you, fight for it, right? of the animes i’ve seen my favorites are/were:
rurouni kenshin
fullmetal alchemist brotherhood
samurai champloo
cowboy bebop
tekkaman blade
deathnote
berserk (just for gatts, as a whole it isn’t in the caliber of what i’ve mentioned IMO)
based on those i listed what other anime does anybody recommend or think i might like?
I’m actually thoroughly impressed by Brotherhood. The original Anime pales in comparison.
There is a scene I’d like to have seen in Brotherhood, though.
http://www.animepalm.com/images/fma-hilarious.jpg
@Bobby
No, no, it was you who got me monitoring the board 😉
(seems like I’ve been having too much free time lately :P)
So you have watched some OP…well, that’s good… but I think you can’t really appreaciate an anime if you watch only a few episodes taken out of context. It’s better to watch from the very first episode. 400 episodes is not that much as it would seem, really. I first started watching OP a year and a half ago, on a recommendation of a friend. I watched two episodes a day at first, then about 4-6 episodes, when the plot really sucked me in. I remember I finished the whole thing rather quickly. And yeah, Zoro is my favourite character too. He gets even more awsome later on.
As for Naruto and Bleach, I still watch them regularly, but I’m not that much into them as I used to be. They’re definetely not among my favourite anime and I watch them more out of sentiment than anything else. Bleach was really good in the beginning (episodes 1-60s), until it went into filler mode. Personally, I like it when there’s many characters/groups, and in Bleach they are all fleshed out really well.
And here’s the list of my favourite anime (it’s rather long) in no particular order: Baccano!, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Mushishi, Natsume Yuujinchou, Samurai Champloo, Black Lagoon, Michiko to Hatchin, Peace Maker Kurogane, Mononoke, Towards the Terra, Jigoku Shoujo, Eureka Seven, Blood+, Full Metal Panic!, Twelve Kingdoms, Last Exile, Darker Than Black, Ergo Proxy, El Cazador de la Bruja, Gintama, Honey & Clover, Nodame Cantabile, Nana, Princess Tutu, Cardcaptor Sakura, Toradora!, Lovely Complex, Saiunkoku Monogatari… and probably some others that I forgot. They’re the ones I’d definetely recommend (if you don’t like romance/slice of life/magical girls anime, then you should probably cross out everything from Honey & Clover to Saiunkoku)…
As for Rurouni Kenshin, I like manga much more (the fillers pretty much killed the anime for me), same with Death Note.
OK, I think we should end this discussion before psgels ban us or something 😛
LOL. Don’t worry, the only people I ban are spambots and people who look like spambots. Just don’t mind me and continue your discussion. 😉
I really liked and still like very much the first Fullmetal Alchemist anime, but I do like this one very much as well. Both go for me.
Bones is doing very good job with brotherhood, the animation and story are going so damn smoothly.
As for this episode. I really wonder what Mustang is going to do in the following episode with that smile of his and saying “Now all the hindrances are away.” Gives a creepy wipe.
Well .. what should i say … that episode left a sour taste in my mouth (in a good way … like psgels said .. it toyed with the viewers emotions).
The whole ominous scene with Roy pulling his glove while walking slowly and then waiting for the escaping Ross before killing her mercilessly indeed had its full emotional impact (i can’t compare it with the manga since haven’t read it)
And i still can’t even guess if he really killed her or not (it seems the writers are planning to toy with us a bit longer .. cruel !!!! XD) …. given Roy’s record in the previous Isbalahan war .. he indeed can toast people alive … but i expected him to at least confirm that she really did it (i mean he asked Barry the chopper -a criminal- and accepted his answer .. yet toasted Ross without a word) … they played it well …can’t wait to figure out which way it went.
As for the whole FMA manga VS FMA:BH VS FMA … i can only compare Brotherhood with the old anime adaption and i’d rather leave the managa out of it since it’s more fair to me to compare anime to anime … to this point the old adaption has a slight edge over Brotherhood for me … but since brotherhood isn’t over yet i will of course reserve my final judgment until i see its ending.
Who knows .. BH could win me over … and it did take a large step towards that with this episode … still even if it did i will probably still consider both the old and the new FMA as great anime series.
I’ve heard a lot of people now say they think the first FMA series watch botched. While the storyline did get a tad weird at the end, it was still one of my favorite animes (and still is). Yes, I never read the manga. However, I believe an anime can be appreciated apart from the illustrated version.
That is why I think the original needs to be defended. While I like the new Brotherhood, there are three things from the first series that can’t compare:
1. Music – It was beautifully produced and did a good job of enhancing the emotional tone of every scene.
2. Art – The new series seems cheaply drawn and not as vibrant as the original. Still good on its own, although it reminds me too much of “Big O.” 😛
3. (Most importantly) Character Development – The first two points I could make do without. But this one is the major sticking point for me. As you guys mentioned above, the pace of the series just doesn’t seem to allow for a lot of focus in this area. This is especially apparent in how Ed and Al’s relationship is portrayed (which is ironic in a show called “Brotherhood”). Not enough time is devoted to it.
A good example of how all three play together: Compare the scenes of when Izumi confronts Ed and Al about their attempt at human transmutation. In the first series, you had the strings in an orchestra playing heavy, solemn music as the three stood alone on a hill with an orange sunset in the background. The dialogue that took place, the merciless beating that Ed and Al endured, and then the hugs Izumi gave them almost brought me to tears. In the new series, the three just happen to be standing outside when Izumi confronts them. And then it’s like…”Okay, you’re expelled.” Not really emotional, deep…just “eh.”
Then again, that’s just MY opinion.