Summary:

Years ago during the Ishval conflict, Mustang had expressed his ambitions about reaching the top in order to protect people, and Hughes was willing to help him. As Mustang now prepares to transfer to Central, he has a dream about this. Meanwhile, Ed is describing Envy to Hughes and Armstrong, and they try to put all the clues together surrounding the mystery of the laboratory. To their surprise, King Bradley himself comes to see Ed and to talk about the investigation. King Bradley knows that there have been some disturbing movements inside the military, and he reveals that all the people who were researching the Philosopher’s Stone have gone missing. Given the danger involved, he forbids them from investigating any further or telling others since they can’t trust anyone. He then sneaks out to avoid the people looking for him, and Winry comes to see Ed soon after with the train tickets he wanted. Ed and Al are going to see their teacher, and when Winry figures out where they’re going, she convinces them to take her too because it’s near the automail holy land, Rush Valley.

The next day, Hughes is unable to see them off, so he sends his best wishes through Winry. On the train, Ed explains to her that they’re going to see their teacher for two reasons: to get stronger and to ask about the Philosopher’s Stone. Back at Central, Hughes talks to one of his men about recent uprisings in Lior, the North, and the West, and he realizes something. He goes to the book room to look into it, but right as he starts to figure things out, Lust appears. She attacks him for knowing too much, but Hughes tosses a knife at her head and manages to get out of the fight with just a shoulder wound. He stumbles towards the telephone area to call the Fuhrer, but he reconsiders and decides to go use an outside phone instead. There, he gets the operator to put him through to Mustang, but while that’s getting relayed, he is approached from behind by Ross with a gun. Hughes realizes though that it’s not really her because she’s missing a birthmark under her eye, and he’s shocked to see her add it on the fly.

Hughes prepares to fight with another knife, but when he turns around again, Ross has changed into his wife. She shoots him before he can do anything, and by the time Mustang picks up on the other end of the phone, there’s no one there. Envy hangs up the phone for Hughes and leaves him bleeding to death, and Hughes final words are an apology to his wife and daughter because he won’t be able to come home early. Unaware of what’s going on, Ed, Al, and Winry meanwhile enjoy some of Hughes’ wife’s pie on the train and reflect on how Hughes was nice enough to come see Ed frequently even though he was so busy at work. Back at Central, everyone attends Hughes’ funeral, including Mustang and Hawkeye. Noticing how his old buddy got promoted posthumously, Mustang tells Hawkeye that he now understands the Elric brother’s feelings when they tried to transmute their mother.

After shedding a tear, Mustang tries to piece together what happened by visiting the scene of the crime, and he wonders what Hughes was trying to tell him. Armstrong is able to reveal that they have suspects on the murder, but they don’t know exactly who those people are. He isn’t able to say any more, even when Mustang tries to pull rank on him, however he does reveal that the Elric brothers had been here recently. Mustang is able to pick up several clues from the conversation, including how there are multiple people responsible, how someone higher-up is preventing Armstrong from talking, and how it involves the Philosopher’s Stone. He doesn’t understand how it all connects together yet, but he vows to investigate once he gets transferred and to find Hughes’ killer. With Hawkeye willing to follow him, Mustang is ready to go up against the top brass.

Preview

Even when I thought I was ready for Hughes dying all over again, the Elicia scene still got me a little misty-eyed. However, it soon became clear that they weren’t going for what was most powerful emotionally, and so they didn’t linger on the after-effects of his death as much as I thought they would, unlike the first series had the Mustang-rain and ghost-Hughes-waving scenes in quick succession to end episode 25. This version still had the Mustang crying (but not ghost Hughes waving), and it moved on fairly quickly to Mustang trying to figure things out, ending the episode on his determined face. In fact, considering how the episode began with a Mustang dream, it felt like there was more focus on him than Hughes, which I thought wasn’t very appropriate. This was still a pretty good episode; I just think the first series covered Hughes’ death much better.

On a side note, King Bradley is as creepy as ever this episode, and he’s obviously not a good guy, but I couldn’t help but be amused by some of his actions.

94 Comments

  1. Epic episode.

    Loved the way Hughes died this time as well as funeral scene – Elysia shouting, Bradley’s hands trembling, etc – very nice.

    VAs did a good job too.

    Unknown Voice
  2. Not nearly as good as episode 25 of the first series, but probably the best episode of this one thus far.

    They really rubbed it in with stuff like Envy hanging up the phone, blood going over the photo, Hughes getting some last words, etc.

    Ugh, next week is Rush Valley, the worst part of the manga. One episode of that will be enough, like the last time.

    penguintruth
  3. @Unknown Voice

    The first series incorporated those things into the visit to Risembool, and it fit that much better. Also, the baby delivery being of Elicia by the brothers and Nina in the first series was a better use of the material, too, by making them closer to Nina and Hughes. Rush Valley is largely a time-waster that only serves to hold up the flow of the plot just to develop Winry a little more. I prefer Winry to be a little downplayed.

    penguintruth
  4. The ghost!Hughes thing in the first anime was as cheap as it gets, and proved that BONES thought EMOfying everything for no reason turns a story into something ~*DEEP*~. But of course.

    Also, the complete fuck-up of mixing gratuitious Hughes with Rush Valley plot fit much better? Well, it turned him into a retard who leaves his wife IN LABOUR in the “hands” of a crippled kid, an empty armour, a little girl and a dog, so yeah. It contributed to completely messing up the timeline, too. Also, I’d take a Winry storyline over nearly anything, she’s one of the most interesting characters in the series (something the first anime took care to destroy too).

    I love the fact that, in the manga, Hughes’ death affects his family and Roy – people like Ed, Al & Winry are nowhere as damaged because they didn’t know him that well after all. Yes, it affects them, but it’s got more to do with guilt than anything. Not everything has to be about the main characters, that’s one of the things I love about the manga. But BONES was too busy making it all about Ed and some nazis the first time around.

    hamsterfactor
  5. @hamsterfactor

    0/10, at least try.

    Are you telling me all the gratuitous Hughes scenes in this in other episodes are any less hamstrung than the “ghost” Hughes in the 25th episode of the first series? Please. They spent this entire episode rubbing the viewer’s faces into Hughes’ death. If anything is “emo” (that is, melodramatic), it was this episode and its lingering over the characters’ death.

    “Making it all about Ed and some Nazis”? Admit you have no argument. The first series was never about Nazis. Even the movie was mostly about the Thule Society, with Nazis only being dressing.

    penguintruth
  6. Not to mention, Winry’s development in the manga often comes at the cost of the flow of the plot. Downplaying her in the first series suited her fine. She developed only as much as she served the plot.

    penguintruth
  7. @penguintruth

    Winry had development at first series? :

    Never noticed it.

    Maybe because FMA1 was too busy on whole “its ed’s fault and the world is eviiiil and fracked up” concept, forgetting, you know, side characters.

    FMA manga and FMA2 thankfully, won’t be just “world revolves around two brothers” story, it will be more realistic, just as manga, fleshing out all characters, instead of putting all the guilt and bad things on two people.

    Unknown Voice
  8. @Unknown Voice

    Apparently you never actually watched the first series. Not only is your assessment of Winry wrong, but it NEVER made Ed look like the reason behind all the problems.

    Winry developed as much as she needed to, coming into her own as a young woman who does things without the brothers around, making the decision to help Sheska, then to go back to Rimsembool, deciding that Roy was a good person even if he was responsible for her parents’ deaths, and being emotional support for Ed and Al. All this without doing anything to slow down the main plot.

    Fleshing out the world is fine, but when you cram in a lot of things that aren’t neccessary for the plot to progress, it’s lousy editing, which the manga has in spades.

    penguintruth
  9. @penguintruth

    Never saw that in FMA1.

    Let’s see:
    – Her affection and love towards Ed was never developed.
    – She went over the “he’s the killed” way too easy, it felt flat. Manga way blows it out of the water both emotionally and character-wise.
    – For the last ~30 episodes of FMA1 or so she was either comedic element or background detail, that’s not how characters should be developed.
    – FMA1 never lets you care for her, or you know anyone else but Elric Brothers. yes she is there, that and that happened, but there’s no emotion in it, no background. To say it straight and short – she is underdeveloped there.
    – In FMA1 she never really matured(maybe because she almost had no character development there?), while in manga I and many others enjoy seeing her interactions and reactions over the course of series. SHE FEELS HUMAN, to say the least, as opposed to “background decoration” role of FMA1.

    Unknown Voice
  10. @Unknown Voice

    – Her affection towards Ed was clear. They didn’t need to ship the two like Arakawa does. Because it wasn’t important to the plot.

    – Winry did exactly all that she should have without getting in the way of the more plot-relevant characters.

    – FMA did make me care about Winry, especially with how she had to confront what happened to her parents and how she tried to reconcile that with the fact they were killed by somebody, who for all intents and purposes, was not a bad person.

    – She absolutely matured through the ordeals in the series.

    Downplaying Winry was one of the best things for her, because in the manga she’s always being shoved into situations where she doesn’t belong and is just plain annoying. I enjoy the character, but a little of her goes a long way.

    penguintruth
  11. Woah, seems like there’s a strong debate about Winry…Well I probably can’t give much insight because I’ve never watched FMA1 all the way through. But my opinion is I’ve always liked Winry as a strong and important character. I don’t think she’s “shoved in situations where she doesn’t belong,” can you give any examples?

    kkg22104
  12. Well, the Briggs arc, for one. And while her presence was somewhat plot-related, her level of involvement in the events in it and after was almost too much to bare.

    penguintruth
  13. Yes god forbid the manga gives characters besides Ed & Al development & screentime. Winry never took away from the plot, not in Rush Valley or Briggs. And for the record the Rush Valley arc develops: Ed, Al, & Winry.

    Kim
  14. I like the effect of Hughes’s death in manga more than in the first series. It effect Roy and his family more than Ed and Al. It became part of Roy’s motivation. I agree with hamsterfactor that the first series tend to make everything revolved around Ed and Al too much, which is fine by me ’cause it’s the directer’s decision from the start and they want to tell a different story. But I just like the manga’s direction much, much better.

    Same goes with witnessing the baby’s birth event. While I like it, it was also a shame they arranged the event to fit Ed and Al’s story. Because in a manga it was when I saw Show Spoiler ▼

    And Winry is not a side character in the manga. Same goes with many characters that was pushed into the background in the first series. Everyone move the story.

    The first FMA anime choose to focus on the Elric brother’s journey. But the manga goes beyond that. The Elrics are part of the bigger story. There’re Winry arc, Roy arc, Roy-tachi arc, Scar arc, etc, to flesh out the characters. Then their decision and interaction will move the story forward. You don’t have to crammed everything into the main protagonists.

    K2
  15. @ PenguinTruth

    Most of your problems with the manga seem to be that Arakawa wanted to create a fully realized world where everyone mattered not just Edward Elric. Sure Ed is important, but the whole fucking show doesn’t need to revolve around him. While Hughes death does hurt him, it hurts Winry, and Roy a whole lot more.

    Hell Roy basically stops giving a damn about hughes after the funeral, how many times did we see Roy ask who killed Hughes? I don’t even think once. Hell the man never even confronts Envy like he does in the manga.

    One of the best things about Fullmetal Alchemist are the things that you deride it for, that not everything revolves around Edward.

    Charred Knight
  16. Charred Knight while I agree with your points I don’t think you have to spoil the manga storyline for other people. You can’t erase or edit posts on a blog. Please people think before you post.

    Kim
  17. Great episode. Not looking into arguing about which version handled it better as each version handles it it’s own way, so I’ll leave it at that.

    Personally, I can’t wait for some Ed, Winry, and Al character development coming up. This episode was sad as hell, and I almost shed a tear, especially at Elicia, but life goes on. We’ve gotta move on. =[

    Akiyama
  18. Arg, why don’t you all understand that the first series was like a Gaiden of the manga, THIS IS THE REAL STORY. Actually the first series over exaggerated the burial ceremony of Hughes.
    I’m impressed on how good this is looking, they are following almost EVERYTHING the same way it is drawn in the manga, I’m cannot wait for when Lin appears.

    ShikiGami
  19. I can barely remember what happened in the first series or even the manga! I do remember really liking the first series though even if it did get increasingly sombre, and loving the manga even more cos it retained its lighthearted-ness throughout. It really surprised me with how different the manga was when I first read it.

    I agree with Shikigami. Can’t wait till the Xing characters appear!!!! They’re hilarious. And I like how Mustang’s and Riza’s past are developed more in the manga as well.

    tango
  20. You guys are just mad because Winry got completely OWNED in the first series…. this remake/reboot is just lame, without the careful planning of the first series and the excelent development of the manga Bones just made a really lame recap with the a rushed development and direction.

    klonet
  21. okay, guys, youve been fighting because youve been comparing the first and second seasons, and thats just wrong! because, yeah, the first season was good and had potential, but the second follows the manga and is also good. So, instead of getting all hot headed and pissed because of two different stories is useless and tiring. Its nice to compare and contrast but just dont get pissed.
    Enjoy this series as you enjoyed the first one.

    andrea
  22. @Charred Knight

    I never felt like the first series had a world that soley revolved around Edward at all. But, unlike in the manga, he was clearly the main protagonist, and we followed his trail.

    As for Hughes, give me a break. After the Ross incident, nothing is made of his death until Roy battles Envy, which was a hamfisted attempt by Arakawa for Roy to get his revenge on a character that had already been defeated, and should have stayed that way. It was an afterthought. So don’t tell me that Hughes’ death had no effect in the first series, because it was forgotten about in the manga until Arakawa realized she had done nothing with it for over 50 chapters.

    And anyway, it’s not neccessary that Roy actually confront the homunculi that killed Hughes, as Envy was part of a bigger system, and to Roy, in the first series, the Fuhrer represented that system, because he was the one who was leading the country and lying to everyone, manipulating them.

    penguintruth
  23. @penguintruth – instead, in manga, Fuhrer gets some developement. was there even a point in homonculi’s existence in the first series? also, who should kill Envy in Your opinion?

    as for the first series, was there some sort of plot past Hughes’ death? it seemed to me that there wasn’t. past certain point nothing really made sense (with the pseudo villain dante that came from nowhere and didn’t have any significant impact on anything). while it was a good series, it’s developement made it nothing more than a normal shounen anime.

    bgi
  24. @bgi

    Now you’re just being belligerent. Admit you have no argument. “HERP DERP, NO PLOT PAST HUGHES’ DEATH, HUHR DUHR.” Please, if anything, the manga has since slipped into a more traditional manga, whereas the first series was more dramatic and thematically mature, and unlike you, I can actually argue on my points.

    Show Spoiler ▼

    penguintruth
  25. @ Penguintruth

    Do you even re-read the manga?

    Nearly everytime Mustang met one of the Homunculi he asked if they killed Hughes. The revenge sequence was to show how different Mustang is from King Bradley. It also shows the growth of Scar.

    You know characters other than Edward, who show natural growth, instead of instant character development like in the first anime.

    Look I know the first anime did expand some things pretty well, but in both the birth scene, and Hughes murder (in particular the birth scene) they shoved Edward in for no apparent reason and stole the spotlight from someone else.

    Hughes was Roy’s best friend not Edward’s.

    Charred Knight
  26. @Charred Knight

    Growth of Scar? In the manga, he has none. He’s kept around until Winry can confront him about her parents’ death and then doesn’t do anything for the rest of the time. He’s a walking plot device, not a character.

    Please, Arakawa had already written a good send-off for Envy. That Envy comes back just to easily be beaten by Roy after a single chapter of combat is laughable. It made me want to stop reading, but luckily the chapter after had good bits with the Armstrong siblings.

    Edward’s growth in the first series was very natural, going through his stages of disillusionment, his reaffirming his goals, his steeling his resolve to do whatever it takes after the Greed arc, his distrust of Roy and his coming to trust him, and his willingness to sacrifice himself for his brother time and time again, when he starts off nothing more than a cynical, but damaged young boy is absolutely naturally done.

    Stealing the spotlight? Winry doesn’t deserve the spotlight. She was better handled in the first series where, while she developed at a slower pace, she did exactly what she had to in order to draw attention to the important themes of the story, rather than her own irrelvant progress. She remained important without being an impedement to the progression of the main plot.

    And Roy was aboslutely affected by Hughes’ death in the first series. Maybe you should go back and wawtch how his ultimate decision to no longer let his ideals let him overlook his relationships with important people to him led him to confront the Fuhrer and put it all on the line to do all he could to remove such a person from the process that killed his best friend.

    penguintruth
  27. @PenguinTruth

    I am just going to assume you have confused the first anime Scar with manga Scar, unless you actually do zone out and stop paying attention whenever Edward is not in a panel.

    Charred Knight
  28. not to interrupt your fight or anything, but i love both the manga and first anime series for completely different reasons and i don’t know i guess u just have to understand that the first series was more serious and paced i guess is the word that im going for. I enjoy the manga on a more comedy action basis compared to the drama of the first series

    Setsuna00
  29. @Charred Knight

    Don’t make me laugh. The first anime Scar was relevant and developed from the moment he appeared to his final scene. The manga’s has become but a shadow of his former self, a walking plot device with no relevance except to compare and contrast with others.

    penguintruth
  30. @Charred Knight

    He didn’t abandon his quest for revenge. He found a way to both save a people who were being taken advantage of and massacred like his people had been and get revenge on the military. Granted, at the end of his plan he intended to have the Philosopher’s Stone himself, but saved Alphonse instead. That’s even more development, because he saw how the brothers loved each other and was changed by it.

    penguintruth
  31. ํYou guys, while I enjoy sitting back and see you all work out. Can you please use a frigging. SPOILER. tag?

    It’s not that hard. Show Spoiler ▼

    See? If you can type all those long paragraph about how you love or hate whatever version this is, why can’t you type this short tag? Don’t ruin other people’s experience just because you’re pissed.

    K2
  32. @penguintruth – Show Spoiler ▼

    bgi
  33. I was reading through the comments looking for enlightening discussion on FMA2, and all I find is penguintruth using insults and “MY WORD IS GOLD” arguments. Jeebus. “Admit you have no argument.” My, my. If you are that vehement against this particular anime rendition of the FMA manga, at least stop calling people names or belittling them. They are unneeded when you present an argument.

    sako
  34. Oy, as much as I love seeing debates, it’s clear that nobody’s going to back down and change their opinion on this. Both the first anime and the manga have their ups and downs, really. But continue if you must.

    I guess this episode really rubbed the sadness in, but it was pretty good otherwise. My faith’s returning at last.

    Trashcan
  35. @sako

    If somebody makes general statements and opinions, they’d better be fully prepared to support them with evidence, otherwise they need to keep their mouths shut. When your arguments are reduced to just throwing out stupid “OH YEAH?”-type statements, you have no argument at all.

    @bgi

    Show Spoiler ▼

    penguintruth
  36. I think it was done well. It was less impactful because they did not build up his character as much as the previous anime. Though his kid at the funeral about got me going. I like how the this anime is going, i think they are doing a good job. It makes sense, with him being a less significant character in this anime his death shouldn’t be drawn out. It was good enough to push the story forward, and is done well for those who never watched the first series.. Its different for us who watched the first one..

    Matt
  37. @Matt

    well, I did watch FMA1 and the only thing I liked better in that was well…nothing? Overall, while its the same emotionally for me, FMA2 handled it a lot better.

    There was no ghost-waving or overly cheesy moments. It was quick crude and realistic(minus the long farewell he said while dieing).

    Overall I am happy that in manga and in FMA2 this death IS major event that will move plot and not something to be forgotten after few episodes like it was in fma1.

    Unknown Voice
  38. I cried a little when I read this part in the manga, and this ep was full of impact. I thought the seiyuus did an awesome job..Elicia gave me the goosebumps and my tears were welling up when Hughes’ body was shivering before his death. He is one of my fav. characters and I don’t think I’ll ever forgive the mangaka for killing him off.
    I didn’t watch the first series, but from the description about Hughes’ ghost, I think I like this version more. It gives his entire death a more poignant touch, because it feels like he IS gone forever. I thought Roy’s determination in the end highlights the main effect of Hughes death and conveys a sense of newfound strength given by Hughes.

    yukino
  39. wow, that debate was exhausting! hehe.
    I like the manga better. But I’m a Libra and from Sweden, which meens I have absolutely no will to discuss or make arguments. I would just agree with everyone whatever they
    say, like I did here, reading for myself, because everything makes sense…most of the time…
    Haven’t acctually seen the episode yet ^^. But soon. Looking forward to see manga-scens animated!
    Love and Peace

    Lily
  40. I love Hughes so much lol.
    His death was epic all over again.
    Sooooo sad. And awesome. Obviously he was severely outpowered…but nevertheles in a symbolic way it’s beautiful that they only succeeded in killing him by exploiting his one weakness, his love for his family. Greatest FMA character RIP!

    GrimmerLoch
  41. The first series was better on the emotional scenes since they weren’t rushing with everything but it would be bad if this series went with the same pace… I only wish that they wouldn’t make the important episodes feel so rushed

    ConfusedGirl29
  42. *whiping away tears*
    I wasn’t paying attention to the episode, so all of a sudden he had died…So I didn’t start crying until Mustang said he understood how Ed and Al felt when they wanted to resurrect their mother…then it came…I’m such a crybaby….(but nothing beats Extreme Home Makeover, I get dried out! hehe)

    Lol, I never noticed in the manga that Roy ruffled (or something) his hair! I had to go check the manga, and he did.

    Winry has weirdly fine nails for a mechanic…

    The baby birth in “FMA1” was -hilarious-, especially when Nina screamed one long, earpiercing tone!! LMAO!!! (but I wasn’t very pleased how they made Ed all of a sudden capable of non-transmutationcircle alchemy. And f you take that away, the manga-birth has a bit more importance.) I can’t wait to see manga-birth animated!! AArrrgg!! One weeeek leeeft!!! NOOO!!!

    United we stand, under Fullmetal Alchemist! One fandom! One life!

    Lily
  43. @penguintruth and charred knight
    Hey i think the manga did a pretty good job, and i don’t think the manga has bad writing or whatever, but, indeed, the first series were more serious and had more type of development with each character that was different from the manga, and it was pretty well done, is just that you have to get into your head that the manga and the first anime are two TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORIES, the first series stops following the manga and it becomes different because its WRITTEN BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE so, STOP COMPARING and just enjoy whatever has been given.
    Would it had been better to nor have a season season at all?
    Just enjoy and watch compare, but stop fighting against someone’s opinion, its okay to have a mind of your own and all, so getting all pissed because someone else has a different argument is just immature and childish, not that I’ve never done it, but chill and relax.
    P.S. I’ve just given my opinion and is okay to give yours just RESPECT what others think.
    And if you’re not okay with their thoughts just ignore them or how you say in Spanish:
    “Dales el avión”

    akane984
  44. @penguintruth
    @charred knight
    Mugi owns Mio. oops wrong thread.

    anyway, comparing the two versions is like comparing apples and oranges, cliche if you must, but basically, same category, but essentially different. as much as i try to resist i myself cannot stop from comparing the two. but always, what i do is treat the series in an independent manner, meaning if i did not watch the first series (and the read the manga for that matter) would i have enjoyed it? just my two cents.

    gg
  45. I agree with you on the fact that Hughes’s death seem less emphasized this time around. The emotional part I’ll give some slack given that I’ve watched his death from the first series about 2 million times. I also think the music from the first series was a good contributing factor in tear jerking.
    It all just felt way too rushed for a death as important as Hughes’s.
    Though I think you’re right about the emphasis being switched to Mustang in Brotherhood, especially with the emphasis on how he just barely missed the phonecall from Hughes.

    albertleturtle
  46. I will always have the words that Mustang gave in the manga, and I think in the anime too.
    “It is rainin…” were the obvious is that he will shear a tear, but a detail I noticed (unintencionaly or not by the writers) is that it may algo refer to Mustang inability to do something for Hughes.

    OriginZX
  47. @penguintruth:
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Can you elaborate on that please?

    As for Hughes, I think of him more as a lovely father type minor character at this point than a major character. Remember what is shown about him so far – the flashback with Roy, his doting on his family, his insistent phone calls to Roy (reinforce the contents of the flashback), etc. No matter how much he looks like the Hughes from the first series, he’s a different character with different functions to the story line and such.
    There have not been many scenes with him in this series. That’s okay. He is not an “OMG IMPORTANT” character at this point. (Slight spoiler here)Show Spoiler ▼

    He was one of Mustang’s supports, and he’s still pushing at Mustang even after his death. An important support, if I might add, since confiding the desire to topple a military dictatorship to the wrong person can land you in jail or worse. As for the Elrics, they’ve only seen the father/military officer part of Hughes. Hence, it makes sense for Hughes’ death to affect Mustang more than the Elrics or even Winry.

    Once the dead are dead, they’re gone. Why emphasize the act of dying or the dead? There is no development death. There is development in the living. It is through the impact a death has on the living that reveals the importance of the dead.

    Dark Fishie
  48. Well, in two or three weeks we’ll be hitting the part of the story where the first anime fully diverged, so we’ll have no more of this ”First series did this better/No, the second one did” arguing.

    Crossword
  49. Mustang’s immediate determination to avenge Hughes is part of his character, he handles his emotions like a man, basically. Throughout the manga Hughes death still haunts, effects and motivates him in obvious ways and finally culminates in a dramatic scene far far later in the story. In the first anime Hughes was eventually forgotten, so I’d say Roy hanging on to the memory of his best friend and his series-long obsession with avenging him is going to be better than a cliche shot of “ghost Hughes”.

    Sai
  50. something that follows the manga exactly panel by panel isnt exactly a good thing. it gets boring and repetitive. i think i absolutely despise this new director. nothing is ever emotionally impacting at all

    i hate the angles, i hate the pacing. i used to like the art, but the chalky backgrounds makes the whole series more childish.

    roy’s character is far better in FMA2 though. FMA1 he was just an emo child who did absolutely nothing throughout the entire series lol.

    yea, it’s weird that FMA2 gave show much screen time to hughes, and then uh made his death not really the focus of this episode. instead, it was about roy, which i didnt really mind, except the fact that they seemed to make hughes a much bigger character in the remake. hughes appeared much less often in the manga, and his death didnt affect me as much there.

    lol and at the earlier winry debate – FMA1 and the manga are completely different stories; diff character development, focus, plot, etc. i personally did think winry was developed nicely in FMA1. FMA1’s focus was the elric brothers, and winry was a strong character who was able to realize that it was not her fight and that the brothers needed to do this, something that most other female characters from other anime in a similar situation would not have done. she wanted to follow/stop them, but she didn’t, and her selflessness stood out in my mind.

    you’re free to disagree with me, of course 🙂 i just wanted to throw in my two cents ^^

    nn
  51. As a lurker on this site for years, you all have finally irritated me. I never got past 3 episodes of the 1st FMA because it was completely boring to me. This one, for a new watcher (who hasn’t read the manga) is awesome and engaging. I wish I had started watching when it first came out, but now I can marathon it during the holidays, yay. Usually reading the review and comments on RC after watching is like my dessert after a meal. Not so with this show >(

    bloodntragedy

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