Okay, so we may not have Roy Mustang in action for about twenty episodes or so, same with the people around him, but I loved how in this episode it becomes clear how much he managed to prepare in the time he was away from the spotlights and how many allies he managed to gather. And even Ross and Havoc, who disappeared for even longer, have been carrying out their own agenda in an attempt to assist him. And while they pretty much slaughter the army in this episode, the creators did take care to give every one of these soldiers their own identity with this subtle characterization, rather than just packing a clone army of mindless slaves or something.
The second half of this episode was more about the stealth, as Ed and his father try to get to Father. In the meantime, we have also three homunculi who are trying to do the same (Envy is nearly at Father, Pride will get rescued by Sloth any minute now, and Wrath also should show up somewhere in the next few episodes). Truly promises to be an action-packed finale. Especially considering how at the end of this episode the clones were activated. I really have to give credit to Bones: that was one creepy scene.
In the next episode we should also see the new and final OP, if the creators indeed planned to have a new OP at the start of every season. I wonder whether it can beat the current one, though. It’s been by far the best OP of Full Metal Alchemist yet for me (including the first season, of course). But damn, this really means that at this point the total amount of Full Metal Alchemist Episodes is already in the three digits. The thing I really hope for this season is for its success to inspire more series to just go with the right amount of episodes that their story requires, rather than just stick to 26.
Rating: *** (Awesome)
there’s one,from SID (the OP) and Shoko Nakagawa (the ED).Actually it’s a little bit disappointing,since they have used SID once (for the first ED)
@mds
I agree. I don’t know until I’ve heard and seen the OP, but I was kind of disappointed when I heard SID would do the OP… Also, I didn’t exactly LOVE them in the first ED either, although I did get that song stuck in my head for some time.
However, this episode was awesome as always. Of course they leave out small parts of the manga here and there, but not really important stuff, although some of it are funny jokes I really liked to begin with. This adaption is really good, definetly on of the best I’ve seen from manga -> to anime. 😀
The activation of the Clones reminded me of
D.Gray-man (love that manga) anywho, this was a one of my favs. loved how Hohenheim said his own son was a terrible person LMAO.
“The thing I really hope for this season is for its success to inspire more series to just go with the right amount of episodes that their story requires, rather than just stick to 26.”
You mean like Naruto? And Bleach? And Dragon Ball? And One Piece? And Yugioh?
My point is that after awhile, series that go on TOO LONG like those mentioned above, get stale. Why? Because of pacing issues. In my opinion, FMA:B got special treatment because its source material finally had enough to make a whole serious, unlike last time (though the first series was pretty awesome), and that it was almost done anyway. Then I guess it went just over 51, so they just decided to give it another season.
I wonder how didn’t Al feel suspicious or get it that PRIDE is giving out signals for help through the pattern he’s playing on the armor’s head! i felt there was a kind of a slight stretch here , also i cant understand why does Mey listen to ENVY !!! yet she’s a kid. me too i LOVED the way Hohenhiem said ED was a bad person!!!! and the return of HAVOC and ROSS was awesome!!!
Da5id, Brotherhood was given 60-something episodes from the start. This was known way in advance. The point is that too many animes get to the 50-episode mark and then jam their ending into 1 or 2 episodes. Brotherhood works so well because we’re at episode 50, and the ending still has another 13 episodes to play out over. It’s probably the most well-paced anime I’ve seen.
The series you just mentioned are all like 300 episodes long. There’s a huge difference between 60+ and 300+.
Oh, the next episode is going to have a new OP? Nice.
I liked all the OPs for FMA so far.
@Keith:
The only reason why those anime can be that long is their manga are ridiculously popular. And FMA can be this long also because it is very popular too.
You ask for quality, but unfortunately the decisive factor here is money. More episodes means more money. No one pays that much if they can’t gain equivalent profit.
psgels, this is your fav OP? it’s certainly okay to me, but my favorite is the 2nd one, followed by the very 1st one, certainly musicwise, plus both had great visuals as well. i might seriously need to learn japanese cuz the J-pop i’ve heard due to anime has been pretty damned entertaining.
another GREAT episode. this is the payoff we get for all of those buildup/low-action episodes during the Briggs arc: every single major character on both sides has been doing SOMETHING behind the scenes and now the chess game has turned into checkers on steroids.
there’s really not going to be another lame episode the rest of the way. UNBELIEVABLE. and to think, most of these episodes to come take place over a single day! it’s like the manga version of “24”. who’s jack bauer though LOL?
Next episode is Barry’s final appearance in the series. I can’t wait to see it.
Judging from Mustang’s conversation with the guerrilla, I assume they have appeared before, but I don’t seem to remember them appearing in the anime before, did I just forget, or was that another cut out part? Any manga reader’s care to fill it in?
they appeared during the Ishbal arc of the manga that was covered in ep. 30 of Brotherhood. like many ppl said at the time, Bones left a lot of little stuff/characters out of that ep (maybe should have been a two-parter since many ppl’s characters were fleshed out)
mustang is known as “the hero of ishbal” and these are members of the platoon he led/saved during that battle so they’re still loyal/grateful to him
The part that mustang and his team in action is superior.It’s very excited ep.Although I read comic to the last chapter now. It can’t stop me to feel exciting with this anime.
Damn this adaption is so awesome.
For me OP2 and OP4 is my favourite. But can’t wait for new OP too.
And I love too see this series have a chance too finish Its story.It better than wait for new season or left it unfinished.(But the first adaption that decided to write their own story in latter half didn’t bad either. It’s very rare to see something like this.)
The activation of the clones really reminded of Soul Eater and how they potrayed Ashura in that show.