The animation in this episode felt a bit off fro usual. Especially in the first half, the charactr’s expressions lacked sould and detail, it seems. This is especially strange considering we just had a recap a few weeks ago. My guess is that something went wrong with the outsourcing this time, because the characters’ expressions looked stiff and forced.
Anyway, as for this episode: i don’t understand why people were complaining about the lack of development for Knox during the previous episode: he actually got some attention in this episode. We see some of his past apprentices, what has become of them and we got to see a glimpse of the work he did in the past. To me, this seems like the creators have decided rearrange a bunch of chapters. Have some faith, will you?
In any case, this was clearly a build-up episode so there’s not a lot to say about it, other than that we finally get the proper introduction of Kimbley. thankfully he seems less stereotypically evil, although the scene between him and Envy was a bit too much of a contest to see who could create the biggest evil grin (like I said: the facial expressions in this episode were just OFF).
Rating: (Enjoyable)
I wonder if the next episode will contain the revelation about “that” character… Can’t wait! xD
Well the series cut a few of Knox’s scenes (including the part on why his family moved out in the first place) which would have made the scene with his family all the more poignant. That being said I am at least glad they didn’t cut the scene with his family completely. It’s one of my favorite moments from the manga.
Kimbley is one of my favorite villains because there is actual logic in his madness. You will will see he is not just the crazy blow things up guy of the first series.
@ egress63
I think I know what you are talking about and that still has a little while to go. And if anyone else knows what I am talking about please do not leave character names because that can spoil things.
@kim
Nope, I think it is going to be the next one. I just saw the title of the next episode which pretty much seals it.
Hmmm.. Now that I think of it, this is some drastic reordering. episode 32 will cover events for the 70th chapter! Wow.. I don’t know if I can call this a good thing or bad. But one thing is for certain – even seasoned manga readers of FMA can not really guess what is going to happen next with certainty.
Well I admit I haven’t seen the episode/preview yet so if what you are talking about is going to happen in the next episode that means they are severely messing with the order of events (and I will not be happy if this is the case).
i did as some of you suggested and read the manga chapters 58-61.
so far i think that they surely cut some things but none of them was really essential.
the only thing i really liked was the portrayal of kimbley in the manga. it seems that he is not just a dull antagonist. instead i even think some of his views are undeniable reasonable.
Knox got screentime? YAAAAAAAAAY
Looks like this is the episode where Ran Fan gets put on a bus, though. Boo.
Still WTF reordering and leaving cool things out.
egress63: no they arent going to reveal “that” that cant happen until everything in the north with the tunnel has happened. if they did “that” next episode it would not make sense.
and see Kim i avoided mentioning it. also people pls dont leave hints, there almost the same as spoilers.
i’m not a reader of the manga, but I definitely felt Knox was a highly undeveloped character, the scene with his family this episode felt quite empty for me, since I have nothing to relate to. And his constant self-depreciation only confused me, made me feel I missed an episode or something, or did I?
hey, does anybody know if this series is just gonna keep running without the usual season break? cuz i was getting ready to go into withdrawal until sometime next year, but lo and behold wikipedia has updated episode names and airdates for the next 5-6 weeks (which kicks A$$ !!! lol)
kimbley is a strange character. if he had the stone all along why the heck didn’t he just break out and do something else? i mean if he’s working with the homunculi he’d be a valuable ally if he were outside from the START, maybe they wouldn’t have lost lust or infiltrated so much by mustang’s faction. i do agree a lot of his logic is pretty understandable especially when he was talking to mustang/hawkeye in the last ep.
about the pacing, it’s a GOOD THING they’re already in the later chapters of the manga. a TON of (FECES) happens after this point and the more eps they have to play with the better they’re gonna do it. ep 30 obviously glossed over some things but the previous 3-4 episodes were VERY faithful to the manga, which is what i’m expecting to get later on when the action REALLY counts.
I’m disappointed with the analysis of this episode does not seem a critical goal of anime, the truth is not that episode you saw, because this has been excellent in all its aspects (animation, soundtrack, plot) highly praised by most Critics and fans in general.
I recommend you watch the episode again since he had many good points, Kimbley is not the typical villain of many animes, he has a different logic for killing her smile and always has been since the first anime and manga, of evil …
Daniel: “Kimbley is not the typical villain of many animes, he has a different logic for killing her smile and always has been since the first anime and manga”
“her smile”? you mean that Kimbley is a girl? Wow, I indeed missed a lot in this episode. 😉
Seriously though, I just report how I experienced this episode, and for me it was an episode that was less powerful compared to the others. The evil grinning competition just felt too overdone for me. I know that it’s part of Kinbley’s character and all, but to have him smile nearly all of the time is just stereotypical.
I think they were referring more to how “pleasant” Kimbley is outside of his work mode. Or even then as you have a small glimpse from the trunctuated Ishvalan war flash back he does have some “logic” that doesn’t make him such a stereotypical psychopath. Course he is still blood thirsty, and latter on I would say he de-generates more to being a homonculi 2.0 considering how die hard that guy is or avoids it.
I agree with you comments on the animation being a bit. The scene with Roy and Ed in the car was a WTF am i watching Moment, it was if the animators had suddenly decided to view everyone with bishi specs on.