Well, that fatherly reunion surely turned out different from the first season. The Hohenheim there was like a burnt out businessman in need of retirement (but then again, who can blame him with the things he went through), but this visit was much shorter and businesslike. He just came to warn Piyoko to leave the country, and Ed happened to be there at the same time. You can see here that he regrets seeing what his son turned into, but at the same time you can see that he’s too busy with a lot of different things to be able to properly take care of his son.
And I think that that’s the biggest difference between the two Full Metal Alchemists: the first series was much more focused on the past, and how past events have influenced people, and how they’re still obsessed over them. It returned in just about every major character. The major villain there was just clinging too much to the past, rather than striving for world conquest. I guess that that’s why all of the characters were toned down in terms of strength: they weren’t of the type of a cast that simply goes forward and forward.
Brotherhood however is of this type, though. Even though the characters sometimes take detours, you can see that everyone is trying to move forward. Whether it is for Ed to find Al’s body back, the Humonculi to carry out whatever evil plan they are carrying out, Roy Mustang’s quest to catch the Humonculi. It’s much more straightforward.
Anyway, this episode was one for the character-development, with the biggest shock being that the “creature” that Ed and Al transformed back then wasn’t actually their own mother. It was just the body of a random guy. Who knows if the guy was actually alive at one point and the two brothers took his body from somewhere. Judging on how Al’s body was taken away, I’d say that it was, and there’s some sort of grown up Al walking around somewhere in the world. If that’s true, then what about Ed’s limbs? And Izumi’s baby? (that probably was the most emotional scene this episode: when she found out that she didn’t actually kill her own child).
Now, we all know why Hohenheim was involved with human transmutation in the first season, but Brotherhood still has a lot of questions lying around, the biggest being why the leader of the Humonculi looks like him. Is Hohenheim some sort of clone of this guy perhaps?
Anyway, when commenting, please refrain from mentioning events that happen after this point in the manga, because the spoilers have gotten a bit out of control recently and I’ve received a couple of complaints about them. It’s fine if one person gives off a subtle hint of what’s going to happen next. It becomes annoying when the twenty people next to this person get the same idea.
Rating: ** (Excellent)]]>
Full Metal Alchemist – Brotherhood – 20
Yep I always say the FMA manga storyline is much more about moving forward despite the past. Whereas the first season was more about dwelling on the past. Personally I prefer that this story is more hopeful (not that the characters don’t have setbacks and doubts from time to time).
Remember when I told you Barry will turn out to be a great character. It’s the same with Hohenheim. Although it will be a little while before we get to see what he is really about.
How can you be so sure that Hoenheim is not the Father himself? Father could have just come out of his “hideout” (where Greed was toasted) and arrived at Risembool! 😉
Fuck yeah, they still made room to keep Izumi’s bit in. Sounds like it was pretty well done, though there are some things you didn’t mention that I guess will happen next episode. Weird place to end, but things are going to get really hectic for a while, suppose they might as well squeeze all the development they haven’t gotten to yet in the next episode where the action will be set up.
And yes, Arakawa’s storyline and characters are highly straightforward, something that I personally love. Watching characters who take responsibility for themselves and their world can be very refreshing.
well…all I have to say is, “wait”…because the story in brotherhood and the manga version has lots of question..hell I was confuse in most of the parts in the story to, but trust me, what ever questions that’s hanging in your head will all be answered, that is also what i like about fmab.
The body of the random man was created by the materials they used (the amount to create an average adult human). Al’s soul was the soul transmuted inside of the newly created body.
Basically, Al’s body was aken away to give form to the newly created body and Ed’s leg was taken away to put Al’s soul inside of the mutated body’s soul. There was a body soul rejection where the body died, and then Ed transmuted Al’s soul into the armour, thus losing his arm.
Also, there isn’t Izumi’s baby out there some where as it was already dead, and FMA is pretty clear on the whole “you can’t revive a dead person no matter what you do” deal. Everything else will be revealed in due time so I’ll keep my lips sealed on that. :3
Sorry for double posting, but I just finished watching the episode and I just have to say that DON’T WATCH THE KEYCHAIN PROMOTION AD as it gives away who Pride is. (Oh, also, everything I’ve said in my previous post was revealed in this episode, so I don’t think I’ve spoiled anything)
Watch the beginning of the first OP carefully. It will give you a little clue about Hoheheim.
Just to note, it is Homunculi (the plural of Homunculus). It is derived from the Latin for “little man,” from homun (or homon) for man and the suffix serving as an diminutive.
I don’t know. From the first time we see Hohenheim in the manga, he’s pretty likeable. He just has this lovable clumsyness to him, but in this episode none of that was shown. He was just shown as some stereotypical cold, silent and what not. And I just don’t think that’s Hohenheim at all. He’s supposed to be a kind, gentle, and lovable person and this was just not him.
Cornwiggle: that’s really weird, actually. I can’t imagine any situation in which Hohenheim fits as a kind and lovable gentleman: he leaves his family behind for many years, he never even bothers to give a call, send a letter or check up on how his family is doing, he leaves his children behind with access to dangerous alchemy that could have ended up killing them, when he does come back on that occasional time, he simply looks down on his children. How does that fit the description of “lovable”?
In this episode, I saw a man who did regret his actions and had troubles expressing himself unlike the stereotypical cold guy that you mentioned, but kind and lovable is a bit of a stretch here.
They cut out so much, very important continuity and fact about what happened.
I’m liking this series less and less honestly. I appreciate the animation and what they DO they do a good job with, but I’m just so tired of the skimming. What’s the point of adapting this when you’re skimming through it?
psgels, how far have you read into the manga?
Pick up volume 10 and read the chapter where Ed and him meet in front of the grave. You’ll notice he’s a lot more tender (while still being sad).
If you’ve read all the chapters yet, you’ll know WHY he left her in the first place and that it’s actually really sad. He’s lovable because despite all of this, he’s come to terms with it, and does nothing but attempt to comfort and help anyone he meets. You’ll see that later. And you’ll also see later that Hoheinheim is a very gentle and kind hearted man. That’s why I hated him being so cold here. He’s never cold, not once, ever, in the manga.
Cornwiggle: psgels fails at manga. I’m still trying to nag him into the rest of Bokurano, which he loved. It’s the only manga he’s even touched.
*cough* go finish Bokurano already so you can give a cool analysis of what it did better than the anime and vice versa, psgels.
@moo
ahh jeez, a manga is a medium MADE for in-depth development and STRETCHING THINGS OUT. that’s why the FMA manga has been ongoing for like 8+ years now!
heck, i’m still kinda pissed at the latest chapter she released BECAUSE of the stretching! (LOL) chapter 96 ends with great anticipation and… nothing really happens or is resolved in 97. try condensing 8+ years of work into 50-odd half-hour eps and see if you can achieve that WITHOUT “skimming”.
i’m sorry, i’m just tired of this BS argument. they can’t animate EVERYTHING, but they get the MAIN, ESSENTIAL parts of her story. give them due credit for that, and for how damned well they do that. last week’s ep ALONE is testament enough to that. as a huge fan of the first series, this one blows it COMPLETELY out the water IMHO. btw, its no knock at YOU moo, don’t take it personal or anything, i’m just a HUGE fan of it so far so i’m “protecting my baby” i guess haha
@Cornwiggle
i agree, hohenheim did seem a bit too cold and businesslike for me in that ep compared to his more light-hearted moments in the manga (like b4 the grave scene with ed when he realizes they burned his house down LOL). even the seiyu didn’t seem like a good choice to me. dunno WHAT voice i was expecting, but that certainly wasn’t it LOL
Yeah, the voice didn’t work for me either.
Though, I have to disagree with not thinking they abridge too much. The first FMA included almost EVERYTHING from what they adapted (early portions of the manga, hell EVEN THE OMAKES!
I get what you’re saying, but you’re also failing to realize something. Instead of cutting Envy’s fight with Ling, why couldn’t that whole thing just be TWO episodes? That would have been more than enough to fit everything. There was no reason at all as to WHY it HAD to be in one episode. That’s what I don’t like about it.
I agree that they are skimming far too much. Other then Bones’ obvious obsession to cram everything into 50-odd episodes, there is no purpose for it. There are plenty of animes out there that go well over the 200 ep mark (…hello naruto bleach etc) and make up their own plots in the process. With FMA they could easily have 100 episodes and still have it all be canon from the manga if they would just plot it reasonably.
Not saying that I’m not enjoying Brotherhood… because I am. But I think it would be far better if they quit cutting character developement and entire sequences just to meet their self imposed cap.
For instance in this one ep I really miss a lot of the scenes between Ed and Hoho. Like his comment about Ed ‘having the same hairstyle as me’ and Ed’s furious reaction. Or Hoho asking plaintively ‘where is my house?’ lol–all things that developed his character and didn’t leave the viewer feeling that he was merely cold and buisness-like.
This episode was very quiet compared with last weeks huge fight scene. But it definitely didn’t disappoint. It was a very moving episode with some big revelations. This is the first episode where I feel it diverging completely, in both tone and story, from the original anime.
The music in this episode really stood out. Normally, backround music is negligible and goes unnoticed by me. Instead, this episode featured a very sombre and pronounced soundtrack (at least for me). It greatly helped the mood.
FMA: brotherhood is turning out to be an excellent series. It had a bumpy start, but it found its legs. Now the real question is do I read ALL the manga, or do I wait until after the anime is over? “To spoil the anime or not to spoil?” that is the question. I DO NOT KNOW!!!
Read the manga, Umbrella Man.
For a complete story, I would recommend that. Especially getting all the main plot points discovered by a skimming series, the manga is definitely the way to go.
Come on guys, you have to consider lots of facts when you talk about an adaptation like this. I agree with those who say that this series go too fast sometimes. But it’s not like they could just run an anime with brotherhood’s quality for 100 eps just because they want to. Plus, when you move from manga to Anime, the format change always brings a different peace. That means thay they have to operate in a more dynamic way.
I miss most of the things that they have cut off (the island flashback felt really empty without the masked guy), but I belive some changes are for the greater good. Considering ALL the limitations they have when making Brotherhood, they are executing it pretty well.
Now, as a fan I have to say that I loved the last 2 chapters and we are finally seeing what Brotherhood is about =)
I was disappointed with this episode. To me, their explanation of what happened and its importance wasn’t good. Al’s speech at the end, along with Eds felt too dramatic, and the music during that time made it worst.
I think they blew it a little this week, honestly. This was the first real introduction to Hohemheim, and there were just too many good parts cut out.
As others have said, he came off way too cold and abrupt in this meeting. The real heartfelt regret and sadness he expressed at the grave, as well as Ed’s reaction, were pretty powerful. Not only that, but I think they would have translated very well to the animated format.
I’m slightly torn. On one hand, the episode was decent when taken on its own merits. On the other hand, there was a lot of missed potential.
@rr101
I completely agree with you! That’s exactly how I feel about this episode. And I don’t know if future eps will be any better b/c obviously they will continue to cut things out, but from this point onwards, whatever they cut from the manga will still be a shame, considering hardly any panel from the manga is pointless and not enjoyable to see animated. (the manga is that good!)So…
@Umbrella Man
If you really wish to enjoy this series to its fullest, don’t hurry to read the manga. The best time to read the manga is after this anime is finihed. (Of course you can read it in parallel with the anime, but I doubt you can stop it in between)The manga hasn’t yet finished anyway, and there’s a good chance it will finish at the same time as the anime does.
@bobby
Your tastes lead you to prefer this version. I don’t know really why but my tastes tell me otherwise, and it seems most people think this way (at least most of my anime watching frieds IRL).
My name is Justin and I suck faggot cocks.