Another excellent episode, aside from the parts that focused on Winry. You know, I understand what purpose she has: keeping Ed and Al down to earth. The thing is that she just keeps hogging up too much screen-time even though she’s mostly unrelated to the story. Especially since the creators are pulling this series at a high pace, cutting several scenes along the way, and yet they seem to refuse to want to cut any of her airtime. It’s a good thing that she’s returned to the Auto-mail City. That’s also going to enable her to grow as a character.
Anyway, this episode really showed Lin and Lan Fan’s abilities, both as thinkers as as fighters. I really expected this fight to end with both parties simply retreating, what seems to be the trend in a lot of other series with lots of fighting, but Lin actually succeeds in not only capturing Gluttony, but he also manages to trick Wrath at the same time. Lan Fan cutting off her own arm… that just shows how well she must have been trained and how deep her devotion is. I personally can hardly imagine how one would be crazy enough to successfully cut off one’s own arm, but if the alternative is death…
But at the same time, Hawk did make the mistake of using a bit too obvious of a disguise. Anyone who works for the military who has worked with her could have seen through her, which is especially risky since they’re suspecting King Bradley to have something to do with her. Interesting subversion of the “Sailor Moon”-syndrome, though.
Anyway, that little girl that was with Scar finally comes in action. I have no idea who she is, how old she is, why she’s helping Scar and how she became so incredibly good at alchemy despite being just a child, but she seems to be someone to look out for.
Rating: ** (Excellent)]]>
Full Metal Alchemist – Brotherhood – 23
Lol the glasses thing worked for Superman for ages, so Hawkeye must thought it would work for her too. She probably should have shot Scar a few more times so May able to guide him to safety.
Ling was pretty GAR in this episode. Not Mustang-episode-19 GAR, but a commendable effort nonetheless.
Winry is not just related to Ed & Al now she also has a connection to Scar. Take that for what you will.
As for Lan Fan cutting off her arm that actually came about because of Ed. Remember he said the exact same thing to her about his automail arm when they first fought and he tossed it aside to trick her in their fight. Of course throwing away your real arm is a bit different but she got the idea from Ed.
As for Mei being just a child (this is not a spoiler because her age is never given) but I doubt she is just a child. People just think that because of how she looks and acts in funny scenes. But the fact that she is a gifted alchemist & fighter and she traveled across the desert on her own for her clan points that she is older than she appears.
It looks like the first half of the show is going to end at one of my favorite parts of the manga! Yessss
I think Ran Fan is the GARest of them all. By the way, Lan Fan could mean ‘lame rice’, if said in the right way in Chinese.
Ran Fan would mean ‘soft rice’.
Ok we get it, you don’t like Winry. You don’t need to repeat it every time she has screen time. On another note, I’m excited because the anime is getting near on one of my favorite parts of the manga!
Its his blog, he can say what he does and doesnt like as much as he wants.
At least for this episode, I thought that Winry’s role worked out just fine. She didn’t seem as angsty or overdramatic as some other parts, and I thought it helped balance out an action heavy episode.
Other than that, this is easily the best episode since 19. The action was very well done, the dramatic elements were played out well, and the plot was moved forward solidly.
Hawkeye had a similar disguise in the Crimson Elixir video game, and they made a joke there about how hopeless it was. She’s just too straightforward for undercover work.
I’d be perfectly content if Winry wasn’t in the serious at all. I find myself skipping over all of her scenes and airtime just because she irks me more than anything.
I wouldn’t mind if she actually had some importance in the anime, but every time we see her she is crying and being a little bitch. Hopefully now that shes back home she wont’ be around as much
geez i think i’m addicted to this series. the translated subs took an extra day to arrive and i was in SERIOUS withdrawal like Ryuk from Deathnote during an apple shortage (lol).
anyways like rr101 implied finally a new ep approached the creamy goodness of ep 19. i have to admit psgels has a point about the fact that while manga stuff has been cut out in the interest of time winry’s stuff has been left intact, which has just detracted from the general awesomeness that’s happening while she’s in weep-mode. i cringed when they cut away to her for a bit this ep but now that she’s back in “Automail City” (lol) all is right with the world again.
this series is EPIC, i’ve seen some of the old series (which i liked) since brotherhood started, and WOW, talk about superior product. glad they decided to revisit the manga, just a FANTASTIC storyline.
Bobby: damm right! i read the manga first and LOVED it! then i went to the anime and was like wtf is this!? im so glad someone decided that Brotherhood was worth making!
i also agree that this episode was fantastic, it played out perfectly and im so happy they are getting to the part with gluttonys true form!
***SPOILERS (kinda, and not even really on my part, but spoilers nonetheless) ****
Is it just me, or do some of these titles really give away a lot about the next episode.
****ENDSPOILER ****
The direction this week is pretty damn good. It added a lot to the fighting, I think. Plus, Lin is GAR as hell in this episode. Not quite ep19!Mustang GAR, but not too far behind, either.
This episode kicked some serious a**. Lan Fan definitely showed some major chops by cutting off her own arm. It appeared to me that she had already lost the use of her arm during the fight, so cutting it off might have been made just slightly easier.
Also, I can see why everyone one loves Ling. He is so cool!! He’s seems sort of a goof, but then turns all bad a** and stuff. He made this episode.
I absolutely love the animation of Full metal Alchemist brothood and the action packed pacing! The downside is the music which sometimes doesn’t set the right tone for some FMA scenes. I also believe that in the original FMA the unbreakable relationship between Ed and Al was established better, while in this i feel as if Al is in Ed’s shadow. however knowing the manga i know the plotline is fantastic, so you lose some and win some. 😀
Question: How the fuck did Lan Fan manage to survive so long without her arm? >____> Rather, how does anybody in this anime survive for extended periods of time whenever they lose their limbs? You’d at least think they’d go into shock or something. But hey, thus is the joy of anime…anything is possible.
do they cut winry out of fma after the movie????
The funniest thing, which lots of people missed because it’s not emphasized as much in the anime (just a single throwaway line in May’s introduction episode) but May has heard rumors of the Fullmetal Alchemist and has developed quite a crush on this mysterious, handsome, tall, Edward-sama…
So how does she greet him when they first meet? A swift kick to the face.