Full Metal Alchemist – Brotherhood – 38



Well, so next week there’s unfortunately going to be a hiatus, but as if to make up for it the creators tried extra hard this episode. The direction was really among the best we’ve seen from this show in a long while, which made for a really entertaining episode.

I like how the creators decided to tell Yoki’s story through a quick flashback. It allowed them to rush through a story that wasn’t really that good or important, and yet it finally explained where this guy came from. Very clever. This also brings up hope that the creators are saving the Ishbal background for later. In any case, that flashback scene was utterly hilarious. In fact, nearly all the facial expressions of Ed were brilliant, and Al also had his moments of greatness.

And I admit. Twenty episodes ago I rather disliked Winry and her uselessness, but at least it built up her character for this episode very nicely, and this episode used it very nicely in her development. And sure, at the end she just got kidnapped again, but something tells me that she’s not going to be a damsel in distress in the next episode. I mean, Scar kills a lot, but Winry’s parents were the only ones he killed without a reason. Let’s see him make up for that in that next episode.

Then, the Chimera. It shows that Father has been working on them for quite a while. which begs the question: what about Shou Tucker? Why was he special for making a chimera that understood words? Why did he become a state alchemist for it even though Father could achieve much more? Or was this simply used as a cover? Something like “making chimeras is very hard, so don’t bother with it”.
Rating: *** (Awesome)

10 thoughts on “Full Metal Alchemist – Brotherhood – 38

  1. My understanding is that they made Shou Tucker a State Alchemist because he did it in public. If they didn’t people would question why the government didn’t make him one when he apparently made an advancement in Chimera research.

    It’s not like the government can go out and say that they have been taking soldiers against their will and turning them into chimeras, and then reporting that they died to their families.

  2. On Shou Tucker, I have to add that they believed he only used animals, no humans were supposed to have been used. It meant that he managed to give animals the ability to talk.

  3. @NguyenSon

    That was my understanding as well. All of the talking chimeras we’ve seen so far have been modified humans. Tucker claimed that he was able to make them from animals, which would have been a big deal if true.

  4. Father made the chimeras? Does it show that somewhere?

    From what I gathered, I think the chimeras have something to do with the doctor with the gold teeth. He just has the look of a mad scientist about him.

    You know the one who put the philosophers stone into King Bradley when he was young, and the same dude that came and heeled Kimblee when he was hospitalised after fighting Scar.

    Its just a hunch, but I dont think we have seen him for the last time.

  5. yoki’s backstory WAS necessary, but it went a bit overlong IMHO, don’t recall him encountering Armstrong’s sisters (speaking of which, the older ones, WOOF! lol) in the manga tho i haven’t read that part in ages…

    i’ve read elsewhere ppl commenting that the background music could be more/more varied, i actually agreed in this ep the whole gregorian chant kinda music they got is getting a bit old, the only music parts i genuinely look forward to hearing is “clash of the alchemists” and “next chapter” (the OST names) and the music that played when ed got ling and envy out of gluttony and he ended up at the gate of truth…

    PS for a supposedly big ghost town everybody sure bumped into everybody else pretty damn easily LOl!

  6. Yoki didn’t meet the armstrong sisters in the manga, but otherwise we wouldn’t have seen them (They were in an omake). I laughed hard when I saw them, though. Animation was wonderful and the expressions were great.

  7. This is a random guess (since I haven’t read the manga), but it looks like they staged Winry’s abduction. After all, she’s probably safer with Scar’s group than Kimblee’s group, and he’d provide the perfect excuse to get her away from Bradley’s reach. As someone else pointed out, Scar usually only kills for a reason, with the exception of Winry’s parents and he’s shown some regret (I think?) over that incident.

    That, and it looks like the preview is hinting there was more to that conversation before the explosion.

  8. @Troyen

    I totally agree. My thought was that her kidnapping was deliberate. We know Scar is with Mei and Dr. Marcoh, so it makes sense that by having Scar “abduct” Winry, we get her out of reach of the military and into safer hands (Big Brother won’t be able to watch her then). This way it also protects the Elrics from getting into trouble and puts the blame on Kimblee.

    This show just keeps piling it on. Lovin’ every minute!!!

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