Summary:

Winry is very excited to be at Rush Valley where there’s automail equipment everywhere, but it’s Ed’s arm that attracts everyone else’s attention. In the middle of this, Ed’s State Alchemist pocket watch gets stolen, and so they go after the culprit Paninya. Ed and Al make full use of their alchemist abilities, but it’s Winry who catches Paninya because she wants to get a good look at Paninya’s automail legs. Paninya ends up leading them to the home of an automail mechanic named Dominic, and after seeing Dominic’s expertise, Winry asks to be his apprentice. Unfortunately, he immediately rejects her. Al meanwhile becomes interested in how Dominic’s daughter-in-law is many months pregnant, and he and Ed touch her belly. Later that day, Paninya tells Winry how Dominic saved her when she was young and gave her automail legs. She wants to pay Dominic back, so Winry advises that she not pickpocket and work hard instead because that’d make Dominic happier. Paninya agrees to do so, and she gives back the pocket watch.

Curious about what’s inside the watch since Ed isn’t around, Winry pries it open and sees that there is a note, “Don’t forget 3.Oct.11”. Understanding its significance, Winry becomes motivated again to try to become Dominic’s apprentice. Before she can ask him though, Ed comes running because Dominic’s daughter-in-law has gone into labor. They can’t take her to the hospital due to the storm that’s started outside, so Dominic goes out to get a doctor. The baby can’t wait however, and while everyone else is panicking, Winry swings into action and takes charge of the delivery. Ed knows that she is qualified to do this because she had been raised reading medical books instead of picture books, and he and the others urge her to do her best. While the baby is being born, Ed and Al wait outside and hear terrible screams, and even though Ed doesn’t think that there is a God, he prays this one time. Fortunately, the baby is delivered without any major problems, and Ed can’t help but marvel at the birth of a life, something that alchemy can’t do.

Unable to get up after the delivery, Winry has Ed carry her to chair, but he drops her after she admits that she saw what was inside his pocket watch. Ed isn’t angry though, and he reveals that he hasn’t even shown it to Al. The message serves as a warning to himself and as his own resolution, and Winry starts crying because she can remember that it was on that date that Ed and Al burned down their old house. Ed then suggests that Winry return home, but she refuses because she wants to improve her skills so that she can equip him with better automail. Given this, Ed tries to help her become Dominic’s apprentice after Dominic returns with the doctor, but he rejects her again. Dominic, however, does offer to introduce her to another skilled automail technician, and he permits her to come visit him and his new grandchild. Winry thus stays behind in Rush Valley while Ed and Al board a train to continue on to go see their old teacher.

Preview

Like many of the episodes so far, this wasn’t a great episode, but not bad either. It felt like there was a frenetic pace through the first half of it where there’s tons of humor and action (I liked the joke about Ed being taller than everyone else), however things settled down a little in the latter part of it when everything got more serious. The manga apparently spends a number of chapters on this, but I don’t see Paninya and Dominic and company as very important characters, so maybe it’s for the best that they got through it all in one episode. It’s also hard to compare with the first series since the contents were significantly different the original episode 26, with Winry staying behind to train her automail skills and Izumi not appearing until next time. At least the Ed and Winry scene was nice, and I think the series could use more of those moments.

On a slightly different note, the second OP and ED were announced recently. The OP will be Hologram by NICO Touches the Walls, and the ED will be LET IT OUT by Fukuhara Miho. Both will apparently premiere on July 12th (episode 15).

70 Comments

  1. Hypocritical as it would seem, I almost (ALMOST) regret that they did the Rush Valley bit in one episode. I mean, it was so RUSHED. I suppose they accomplished all they needed to, but I’d probably have been more pleased with it had they included the bridge thing.

    penguintruth
  2. Overall, despite certain guy screaming the stupid memetic keyword for FMA:B, I felt that this episode was really well-directed.

    Although i miss some of the skipped scenes, I did not really feel anything “rushed” in it.

    And F-yes for EdWin watch scene done PROPERLY this time :3

    Unknown Voice
  3. @Unknown Voice

    Are you kidding? The music was abominable. Especially that Italian restaurant piece when Winry was crying.

    Oshima’s score makes this music sound like beer farts.

    penguintruth
  4. @penguintruth

    LOL Italian Restaurant piece.

    As for FMA1…well….you are talking to a person who, out of all FMA1 music, only liked OP songs.

    While FMA2 music. The music during Hughes death, the music during funeral, music this episode when Winry was crying – such pieces beat the FMA1 out of the water.

    Akira Senju was the best choice to liven up the series. The only way it would have been better was if it was Kajiura Yuki.

    /Victory Gundam fanboy talking thar tho/

    Unknown Voice
  5. @Unknown Victory

    It figures you’d like V Gundam, one of the worst pieces of garbage out of the Gundam franchise. There wasn’t a single stand out piece of music in that series, either, because as with everything else in V Gundam, the music was half-assed. Shit, they didn’t even bother coloring or shading half the time in that show.

    Oshima’s score for the first series was no less than brilliant, one of the best anime scores I’ve ever heard. “Brothers”, “Amestris”, “Sin”, and so many other pieces beat the blended together crap Senju cooked up for this series, especially in moments like Hughes’ funeral.

    But I’m sure that one piece Yuki Kajiura does would have been good too, right? I say “that one piece”, because all of Kajiura’s music sounds exactly the same.

    penguintruth
  6. Okay guys, let’s not start another 5 page debate, this time about the soundtrack. The first and second anime seasons are going to be DIFFERENT, and there’s no going around that. They’re both good in their own ways, and people are going to have DIFFERENT opinions. Respect them.

    Anyway, I’m glad to see they included the EdxWin moments, with the piggyback ride! ^^

    kkg22104
  7. @penguintruth

    While I do not want to feed the troll, I am inclined to reply.

    “Brothers” has to be one of the MOST overrated OST pieces of all times. Seriously, there’s nothing amazing in it, a random OST piece from any Gundam series or FMA2 or Kajiura Yuki can beat that.

    This is exactly what I hate about FMA1. People overrate the music in it, despite of the fact that there was just NOTHING interesting in that OST.

    While Victory Gundam was not the best gundam series (considering the best were Zeta, CCA and 00), it had one of greatest soundtrack compositions of all times, only beaten by certain OST tracks in TurnA and Zeta.

    And Kajiura Yuki Sounding the same? Geez, and why I bother with trolls like you?…

    Unknown Voice
  8. I do like Oshima’s score a little more so far but I think Akira Senju’s score is beautiful as well. People have different opinions it doesn’t matter which score another person likes better and arguing about it is pointless.

    Kim
  9. @Unknown Bad Taste

    A troll is a person who says things merely to get a rise out of another without supporting their positions. I have always supported my opinions, so no, I’m not a troll.

    Thanks for showing your entire lack of understanding of the term.

    FMA had an excellent soundtrack in which nearly every piece had a clear narrative purpose and worked well in every scene in was put in, without becoming the scene or without blending together. Trust me, nobody will be clamoring to get the soundtrack for Brotherhood. Those tracks are mediocre and blend together into a forgettable mishmash, much like most of Kajiura’s work.

    Look at the scene from episode 51 of the original series, in which Roy finally defeats Pride, and the piece “Sin plays up”, and how it transitions to Alphonse standing up to Dante and the homonculi. There’s no more perfect example of Oshima’s amazing talents than in that scene. The piece is perfect.

    And please, don’t put Gundam 00 with masterpieces like Zeta and Turn A. It was a middling series at best.

    penguintruth
  10. @pengiuntruth – it’s only Your opinion, please stop reffering to everything You think is right is a fact. in my opinion the only good track in all FMA1 OST’s was ‘Keiji’, and Brotherhood’s OST beats it in every aspect, so what? Your ‘arguments’ are only based on personal feelings, not on a well known truth.

    as for gundams, while watching Zeta i get the feeling that it’s somehow overrated, maybe it will get better later. but please, it’s only my opinion, don’t start flaming me because it doesn’t match with Yours.

    bgi
  11. @bgi

    Is that so? Which particular piece of music in Brotherhood stands out to you?

    The only halfway decent piece I can pick out is the vocal version of the Italian bistro tune, but I find it a pretty poor substitute for “Brothers”.

    I find everything else to be generic background music, like the composer didn’t even bother composing new, he just took random musical pieces that were lying around. None of them have the FMA feeling to them.

    penguintruth
  12. @penguintruth

    “you supported your opinions” by the usual “its right because i liked it and its the only way”.
    While in previous threads it was not as visible, comments in this and previous episode show it clearly.
    Surprisingly your “opinion” is not the “only right one”.
    Its just that – opinion.

    So yes while you ARE acting like a troll right now, you are basically an elitist.

    and yes, I have to agree with bgi that the only tracks in FMA1 that do not feel as filler-material are “Keiji” and “Kodoku”, and that OST scores in Brotherhood still beat them out of the water.

    Akira Senju wins over the series with anything he composes – be it an overly epic orchestral score increasing the drama and epic-ness of fight scenes or “restaurant piece” increasing the emotional effect of certain scene in this episode.

    I would comment more on what you wrote, but the lower part of that comment is nothing more than silly try to belittle OST of FMA:B.

    Unknown Voice
  13. @penguintruth

    What stands out?

    The music playing during “gate opening”, anything in Lior episode, Anything in latter parts of Nina episode (stairs scene :3), anything in scar episode, the scene where they find out the ingredients of PS, anything in “Hughes death” episode(especially the phone booth and funeral scenes).

    Seriously the last anime to have such massive OST scale of greatness this year was Gundam00.

    Unknown Voice
  14. @Unknown Voice

    All those tracks are the same one track they keep replaying since the first episode of Brotherhood. There hasn’t been a new piece since episode 4.

    Also, I found Gundam 00’s OST to be one of Kenji Kawai’s more middling efforts. A lot of it was very reminiscent of his Blue Seed OSTs and pieces of Patlabor’s OVA OSTs. I guess that’s because he did all of those, but I thought he did a lot better job with Moribito’s OST or even the live-action Death Note films.

    penguintruth
  15. I am pretty sure the music at Hughes funeral was only used in that scene. Also the music playing when Hughes & Winry were talking in episode 9 (my personal favorite track so far) was also never used before. It seems this series continues to add new tracks as the series progresses.

    It’s not like the first series had a million tracks, it had many variations of the same track as well. That is how most OST’s work.

    Kim
  16. Opinions and tastes are totally subjective.

    No matter how much you justify, one’s opinion will never be a fact. Believing that is so is to be supremely arrogant, and this is obviously a huge turn-off. Stop imposing your opinions on others. Accept that others have different views, and different pieces of art appeal to different people. There is nothing wrong with your own opinion, but similarly there is nothing wrong with others’. Backing up personal opinions with evidence – which in itself actually comprises of more personal opinions – is obviously not going to be ‘well-supported’. But opinions need not be well-supported, since they can never be anyway.

    Meanwhile, discussions of opinions can be fruitful. Defend your own, and try to see the strengths in others. It is only via such that you can gain a better appreciation of the piece of art that you so like anyway.

    boku youna
  17. Ludicrous.

    Opinions can be supported by evidence of why one prefers something or thinks one way. They show that you simply aren’t saying things for the sake of saying them. You absolutely can support opinions.

    Obviously, you can’t support them entirely, as, of course, opinions are subjective. But obviously saying, “I disliked that [insert thing here]” is not supported, whereas “I disliked [insert thing here], because I felt [reasons here].”

    Just because I’m more articulate than you are doesn’t mean I’m forcing my opinions.

    penguintruth
  18. @boku_youna – LOL. Epic WIN.

    And, of course, I have to add my two cents now: I like the both the original series OST and the one from Brotherhood. I think they fit their respective series well. And that’s the point of the OST – it should support what we’re seeing/hearing/feeling at the time of the playing. So, in that respect, I think both are successful and good. 🙂

    koolkatnumber5
  19. yay for supporting Your opinions. and being more articulate.

    with none of the above being true.

    if You don’t like something, why are You watching it? i think it’d be time better spent watching some masterpiece than, well, “shit”, and telling us, little minions, how inferor it is.

    as for the episode, by looking at screens i think they did a pretty good job. highlighted battle, only to be won by otaku-Winry, and the birth of a child (which i think is very importatnt for one character’s developement later). i think that the pace suggests that they still want to get to the later partsas fast as possible, so they can have more time to do the different route this series takes. also, manga chapters untill some point contain less material than later ones, so it’s only a given they’d make one episode out of few chapters. well, you can also call it “rushed” if you really want.

    bgi
  20. Hey, I like music, meaning EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD also like music.
    It means that it cannot be DISLIKED by ANYONE else.
    A person cannot disagree with my choice in music, or else their choice in music blatantly sucks.

    ^^^
    That’s how the argument sounds like in my head.

    jamieeT
  21. all of you just shut up. everyone has different views & different tastes. one man’s meat is another man’s poison.
    although it is human nature to defend what you believe that you think it is the “best”, but don’t go become an extremist. sad to say, if majority believes that it is good, then it is accepted by the general public that it is “good”. those who disagree & stand firmly on their points will be viewed as egoistic & prideful by the general public. humans have an innate desire to be an elitist, believing that their thinking is the “best”.

    i sound like a cynical realist, eh?

    gah
  22. again?! Penguintruth…could you guys respect everyone’s thoughts and stop criticizing what others think! For God’s sake….!!!
    Its okay to get say what you think but with respect and patience…
    Good episode by the way…

    akane984
  23. @penguintruth
    If you hate fullmetal alchemist brotherhood STOP WATCHING IT!
    that’s it! stop saying everything you say is a fact and if you hate it so much don’t watch it or don’t read this blog! Solo andas chingando!

    akane984
  24. Let’s be fair. Oshima’s work in FMA1 was fantastic, but with the movie score, after 10 minutes of listening to it, it felt like I was hearing the same thing over and over. That’s not to say that there are some really good pieces in there; but in general, I can’t say that Oshima is “perfect”.

    Akira Senju has made a good job. Note that it’s just GOOD; while the first episode was really promising in terms of music, the rest of the episodes have been pretty average…not bad, but nothing really remarkable either. Akira’s OST have been a good complement to the series, but it isn’t something that I’d like to listen in my iTunes or MP3 player.

    And as much as I love Kajiura (and Kanno too, but that’s another story), I don’t think she would be suitable for Hagaren; her works are way better for fantasy-themed stories =)

    Kasumi
  25. Well it was an extremely condensed version of the events in the manga, however I love the way Paninya was portrayed here, much better than the first anime and much truer to how she is the manga. Loved her voice too.

    Sai
  26. Where is anyone getting the impression I dislike Brotherhood?

    Oh noes, I’m pointing out a few things I dislike about it! I apologize if your fragile fanboyism can’t handle it. If you look back, there were also plenty of positive comments about it by me.

    Sorry that I don’t love EVERYTHING about it. I didn’t realize I had to fall into lock step.

    penguintruth
  27. @penguintruth – it’s not about Your liking or disliking this series, but about the fact that it seems You are trying to impose Your opinion on everyone else. and from what i remember, most of Your comments about FMA:B episodes are negative. now please end this topic, and let’s go back to discussing our views on the episode, and not trying to get everyone to think the same.

    bgi
  28. To be perfectly honest, BOTH soundtracks (excepting OP/ED) of the two series have been completely forgettable.

    If you played a song from this series or the original one, I would be completely unable to recognize the series. Perfect proof of this? A lot of people seem to have gotten the 11th seiyuu of the second quiz by the FMA OST. I didn’t recognize the tune AT ALL.

    I recognize Yuki Kajiura’s music from Mai-Hime and My Otome immediately. Yoko Kanno’s from Macross or Ghost in the Shell. Kenji Kawai’s from Fate/Stay Night. Yasushi Ishii’s from the original Hellsing series.

    Nothing from *either* of the FMA series has ever made such an impression.

    Melchior
  29. I agree with BGI in that the argument is pointless, its gotten to the point where both UnknownVoice and penguintruth have become nothing but trolls. Unknown, you need to learn to end it when there’s no obvious ‘victory’ in an argument/discussion with someone who thinks so highly of himself in his views. This just turns you into an accessory to his trolling and makes you no better than he is. Penguin, you’re nothing but an idealistic elitist that thinks so damn highly of himself. You impose your views onto others while at the same time saying you aren’t, when people try to say that everyone has their own opinions and are justified in how they feel, but others have the right to think differently, you say that they aren’t articulate enough. No one can even have a simple discussion with you without you belittling them, stop trolling the site boasting your views onto others while downplaying anyone who may think otherwise. You have in no way proved that your views are fact, in none of your posts have you stated why the ost was better, never went into real depth of how it was better, of course you’ve said when the music was used and that it made the scene perfect but you never went into depth of how you were compelled by the music and what captured you by that. Not once have you given ample reason as to why you like those pieces. You’ve only ever lightly touched the reason behind why you thought that and immediately after discredited anyone else.

    Do you even know the meaning of being articulate? Being articulate doesn’t mean being arrogant, it means knowing how to describe how you feel, and being able to bring feeling into words and how to truly represent how you may feel while giving well endowed evidence behind your thinking. Not only that but you’re also able to take in others views within your own and able to identify and respect theirs while at the same time being able to represent your own. That is the true meaning behind that word, and you’re sure as hell not one of those people based on your behavior.

    anyways, I thought the episode felt as though it was a little rushed, but overall it was still a pretty good episode. Tho I think I prefer the original a little more just because i miss what they left out that was in the original one. Its still hard adjusting to the fact that this is a new series and that it’s not going to be the same as the old one was.

    DaramaDoc4U
  30. @klonet
    Its not about “opinion” its about how he presents it. Different Opinions are OK, however the problem with Mr.Penguin is that he counts his opinion as “superior” to everything else said. he does not accept the opinions of other people and any argument with him goes into the “My opinion is right because I like that this and this way, thus your opinion is wrong” discussion.

    And that is not acceptable kind of discussion to be had.

    Unknown Voice
  31. Ah, the chapter where they were actually in Rush Valley was kinda fun, so I’m a bit sad that they blitzed through it, but I can see why they would want to speed through these chapters, given their content. Week after next we should be getting into the storyline with Greed, since they already covered most of Vol. 6 in episode 2.

    Heh, Paninya was voiced by Akemi Okamura this time around, so I kept hearing Nami from One Piece (who is also a thief) whenever she opened her mouth.

    Crossword
  32. Can’t wait for the new op and ending!
    I’m a lil disappointed by the fact that they cut out the part where Dominic shrinks in fear when he realizes that Winry’s related to Pinako, but overall enjoyed this ep.

    Winry’s one of my so-so heroines in that I don’t hate her or love her. She looks good w/ Ed but I find her personality not all that interesting. Maybe she’ll change my mind as the series progress, just as Sakura from Naruto did (I became a fan after she pulled the cutting-off-hair stunt).

    yukino
  33. I like this episode so much. It is so funny.I love winry and edward.They make an awesome couple. In the manga, winry at rush valley relize she has always been in love with him.

    Flacon
  34. FMA1 did have a better soundtrack in my opinion. Rarely do I go around hmm anime songs with no lyrics to them. FMA1 did that for me. FMA2 has a kinda lighter feel to it more mainstream i want to say with less of the older classical music sound that fits in with the FMA universe. I do kinda like the FMA2 OP sense it hypes u up for an ep but the rest is lacking. FMA1’s opening will always be what sticks in my head though.

    The music in FMA2 is more Ambient sound then a “character in itself.” Like the scenes where you have the trees, moving water, wind, and movements of the characters done in an artsy way. It moves the story along and gives it an organic feel but, the sounds are still background. FMA1 had music that could really sway you. Tension that you couldn’t cut with a knife, carefree liveliness, or mystery. The music in FMA1 felt like it MADE the scene and couldn’t work without it. FMA2 I can watch a scene and think of a ton of other songs that would be just a effective.

    I see how some people me like to have music that doesn’t way so heavy on the story, or others may find the dramatic character of the songs to over impose and distract for the scenes but FMA1 was a different feel then 2. FMA2 is in an abridge mode right now and doesn’t have the time for the dramatic sounds and development. In my opinion its using move-it-along songs to make the show meet where it needs to be. the songs are still good, just not Great to me.

    I prefer Oshima’s more, doesn’t the other guy is bad just not what i prefer. Simply state why you prefer want you prefer, a point of opinion shouldn’t be made into a right or wrong discussion when ethics aren’t a major factor. Music and Anime are the only factors.

    And I don’t think Unknown Bad Taste called Peguintruth a troll because of lack of supported info… its the tone of how you address people like “It figures you’d like”. Its somewhat condescending which is always regarded as disrespectful. Also the term troll has more than one meaning. The general meaning of trolling on a “Internet Community Forum” Is delivering antagonizing cynical, sarcastic, or condescending remarks to others without initially provocation-a ban worthy offense if its a constant habit. I know I admin and moderate for a site.

  35. I’ve recently watched the episode. It was FullMetal Alchemist as always. That means I am unable to look critically at anything FMA, and just think everything is amazing. I have no own will….lol, I’m just not sharp enough too make up arguments, not even in my head. I simply think all is great!

    About the popular subject soundtrack, I have some kind of disease that makes me unable to hear music played during a movie or episode. I hear ending and openings, but the music in between, I simply can’t hear it!………NOOO!! I’m a guy!!! I can’t fokus on more than two things (text and the “action”) at a time!!! NOOOO!!!! and it certainly won’t help watching english dub, cause I’m not english (which you’ve probably noticed because of my grammar).
    yea yea, I’ve never really liked instrumental songs anyway….

    Lily
  36. what i think is sad is that people keep coming back to reply to stuff in comments – seriously why do people do that, seen it on youtube like a million times – unless your asking a question,i think after you read a review and/or read a few comments you should just get on with your life no refreshing the page a mill times to see if anyone said anything about your comment – maybe if you like the discusion its fine but continuing a comment war is just sad (especially for youtube).

    some guy
  37. “”Trust me, nobody will be clamoring to get the soundtrack for Brotherhood. Those tracks are mediocre and blend together into a forgettable mishmash, much like most of Kajiura’s work.””

    thats funny, thats exactly how i found this page, im looking for the Brotherhood OST. anyone have any leads for download? i find the pieces sad and beautiful, if perhaps a bit predictable. still id really like to have the brotherhood ost, any leads appreciated.

    originalgaga

Leave a Reply to kkg22104 Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *