First Impressions / Fullmetal Alchemist

「扉の向こう側」 (Tobira no Mukou Gawa)
“The Other Side of The Gate”

With the fight against Father looking like it was pretty much settled last time, I wasn’t expecting Greed to get pulled back into the fray for his philosopher’s stone. More so than that, Greed tricking Ling into giving up on the fruitless struggle so that he can play hero was something I really didn’t foresee. I guess it wouldn’t feel like a true ending if one of the homunculus were still kicking around, so it was nice to see Greed go out with a bang and take Father down with him. After softening up from the inside, it was pretty cool to see Ed come flying in and punch a hole through Father’s brittle body, which led to an explosion of Xerxes souls. If nothing else, that spectacle helped signify that Greed’s sacrifice wasn’t in vain, though I could hardly feel bad for him when he went out chirping away insults like he always does. The icing on the cake had to be seeing Father have a little run-in with his own truth, or “God” if he so prefers, and get hauled off into a black abyss of despair and (hopefully) never be heard from again.

Given how things progressed last time, the only real surprise in how all that unfolded was the loss of Greed, which leads us to the real concern, Al. Upon seeing Ed at the gate in the preview last time, I pretty much ruled out the possibility that he’d use Greed or Hohenheim’s philosopher stones. With Greed unexpectedly gone though, the philosopher stone that Lan Fan picked up seemed like the most logical choice. Seeing Ed faced with that option, I’m not surprised he chose to adhere to his promise with Al to get their bodies back without sacrificing anyone, but had to question if it was really worth holding onto that promise now. I mean, those souls aren’t going to regain their human forms anymore and Ling is probably intending to use them anyway, so that kind of took away from Hohenheim offering his own life to get Al’s back. Quite frankly, I couldn’t fathom the possibility that Ed would sacrifice his own living father if he wouldn’t even use some souls that don’t have a future anymore. The order his options were presented to him didn’t quite add up, but it did provide an opportunity for Hohenheim to try and act like a father for a change and for Ed to call him one (albeit a bastard of one). Ultimately, Ed does perform a human transmutation, which I would’ve honestly liked to be surprised about.

Incidentally, I must say that his line about this being his final transmutation did have me wondering for a bit if he was going to give up himself to get Al back. However, it was difficult if not impossible to imagine an ending where Ed doesn’t live to see it through as well, so it wasn’t all that suspenseful to see him choose to give up his alchemy by trading his gate (and subsequently his truth) to do so instead. Be that as it may, I like how no one had to be sacrificed at this point so that we can have a happy ending, plus it was kind of cool to learn that sacrificing your truth is the right way to overcome the hardships that come with equivalent exchange. Despite how handy alchemy is, it’s hard to deny that it’s been the root cause of all their struggles and hardships, making it sure as hell seem like something they’re better off without. Besides, who needs alchemy when alkahestry is so much better and just harnesses the power of the Earth and not human beings. =)

In any case, the best and most touching scene this episode had to be Hohenheim showing up to Trisha’s grave to tell her he’s home and say some final words to her, including how Ed called him “father”. In hindsight with how little time Hohenheim had left, it sure seemed like a good trade to use his life to get Al back. Of course, that would’ve meant that he wouldn’t have found his final resting place beside Trisha, which was very bittersweet as the opening theme played with a montage of the Elric family. A part of me still wishes that Hohenheim survived though, even if it meant he only had one life remaining. At least he passed away with a smile on his face until the very end… =(

 

ED Sequence

Preview

156 Comments

  9. Whoa they ended with Hohenhiem’s death. They way they did this ending made a lot of impact for me personally since it had closure for the person who had to live through the entire ordeal. Next week we will get the closure for the brother’s journey. YAY Al’s body is back!!

    Cherubium
    Reply

  10. Just watched this and my god what a ending. I too felt that Hohenheim should have survived but it was great to see he returned to trisha grave and passed away smiling.
    Next episode looks great and I wondering how ed will live after destorying the gate of truth.
    Divine looking forward to reading your final views on this. I also would like to say this had to be the best anime so far.

    Dragonite88
    Reply

  11. Omg I’m first like finally!!! Such a great show and more importantly this is the best Anime Blog that I’ve ever come acrossed! Thanks for all the great coverage of the best anime series. > : )

    rifT_Theory
    Reply

    1. Damn apparently I’m not first T^T Oh well, looks like that eyeball got what he deserves. Which goes to show that the human race can overcome just about anything.

      rifT_Theory
      Reply

      1. Does being first really matter?

        Honestly, you need a hobby or something important to worry about if you think posting first on a blog (or anything) earns you any kind of merit whatsoever.

        Cornwiggle
        Reply

  12. Ahh think about the gate thing, you lose something to take “truth”, a knowledge that isn’t yours. It’s mentioned it’s conceited. However you can get something back if you give something. Not the knowledge you took, but the ability to use it. Thus you’re humbled, left with knowledge but no alchemy at all, neither clapping or circles. You can’t use it, thus you break even. Before you had no knowledge but ability and your body, after human transmutation you gain knowledge and further ability but lose your body, finally in giving up the gate you regain the body, keep the knowledge but lose the ability.
    However! In giving up your gate there is no way back to the real world, you give up that as well. Except by preforming the same human transmutation the boys linked their gates. Al’s gate is the exit, even when Ed’s is gone.
    Thus Mustang can’t get his eyes back the same way. He could give his gate but in doing so would lose his only exit.

    senefen
    Reply

    1. Interesting thought process. I noticed one caveat however, Father, or Homonculus as he’s properly known, was pulled into the gate and sealed there having been bestowed despair. Hence the gate can’t be the exit. (Unless its can be ‘pointed’ to another direction)

      My own thoughts on the theory are similar to yours, but I do think that the others who lost something in exchange for the knowledge can re-acquire what was lost if they can evolve and show that they have grown. I say this because of the manner in which ‘Truth / God’ was telling Homonculus that he had not matured at all, hence as a reflection of him he would bestow upon him despair.

      Ashan
      Reply

      1. Well, as a matter of fact the door of homunculus doesnt have any sign at all: It´s a plain door. I supose it means he doesnt have any Truth at alla from the very beggining.

        Javo
        Reply

  14. please tell me they are going to alter the conlusion of the anime slightly similar to how they changed the end of the death note anime from the manga. I like the final chapter but thought that the second to last page was very cheesy and just put everything out their in the open. also i hated the last pages of the death mote anime but loved how they gave it an alternate ending which i loved. please tell me they are doing this for fullmetal

    psycoball2011
    Reply

  18. The last episode is the epilogue where we find out what happens to Ed, Al, Mustang, and the rest of the cast. Those expanded scenes we should get are going to be awesome.

    Charred Knight
    Reply

  19. It went further into the chapter than I had predicted, but not that much further (they played around with the order of things, though – there’s a couple of scenes set before Hohenheim’s death that’ll be next week instead, I suppose).

    You could definitely tell they working off storyboards rather than the finished manga, since while the events were the same, some of the visuals were different.

    Kinda amused at how the next week trailer looks rather similar to the end of the first anime – not sure if that’s intentional, but a compare and contrast could be fun.

    Anyone catch next episode’s title?

    Hoho ;_; Greed ;_;

    Masked Anon
    Reply

  24. Also, damnit, no screenshot of it but when Ed punches Father through the guts, Anyone whos a fan of thatguywiththeglasses especially Linkara should know this but “I want to hear Ed screaming” “IM A MAN”.

    rzerox21xx
    Reply

  25. “Besides, who needs alchemy when alkahestry is so much better and just harnesses the power of the Earth and not human beings”

    Alchemy does not harness human beings. I asume you asumed this during Scar’s explanation of what his circle did, so to make it short: alchemy is alkahestry, but concentrated on the earth’s crust. The PS’s network Father layed out was to act as a filter/valve, to control an regulate alchemy within the country. If it acted as a power source, then nullifying it would have rendered every single alchemist more useless than Mustang on a rainy day XD

    Anyway, the episode looks pretty nice from the screens. It’s nice seeing they changed the ending sequence slightly to match Hohenheim’s death and reunion with Trish. I would have liked him living longer, spending more time with his sons and all, but that was still a nice way to see him go. After centuries of struggles, I suppose he deserves to rest now.

    Lagunamov
    Reply

    1. Actually, I was alluding to how alchemy ended up tapping into human souls as the source of its power in accordance to equivalent exchange, while alkahestry is more about harnessing the energy around and shaping it into some usable form. i.e. Chi/Ki.

      divine
      Reply

      2. uh, not to be rude to you, but, i kinda like the name i chose for him, because, it’s fanon, it’s everywhere. don’t bash it. because that says a LOT about yourself. i’m not gonna discuss this anymore, because we don’t need to burdon anyone else with this.

        Lucky-Katt
        Reply

  27. Despite how handy alchemy is, it’s hard to deny that it’s been the root cause of all their struggles and hardships, making it sure as hell seem like something they’re better off without. Besides, who needs alchemy when alkahestry is so much better and just harnesses the power of the Earth and not human beings. =)

    Be this as it may only Ed gave up alchemy and he cannot perform alkahestry either. They are ultimately the same thing just derived from different power sources.

    Also alchemy does not come from human beings. But Lagunamov already summed this up.

    Kim
    Reply

  29. Wait-WHAT!? It’s here!?
    Question Divine. Was this the TBS broadcast(I don’t even know show it there)?

    Never had a chance to watch this live but I was planning to.

    megalith
    Reply

  31. “Besides, who needs alchemy when alkahestry is so much better and just harnesses the power of the Earth and not human beings”

    Alkahestry is based on the same knowledge of Alchemy (same gate, Ed will never transmute anything again), the only difference is while alchemy uses earth’s crust movement power, alkahestry uses chi, a flow of energy that goes around the entire planet from what is said. The only difference was that Father could control the use of Alchemy with his network of souls that acted like a barrier, preventing the energy usage.

    Ukyo
    Reply

  32. Damn… the anime original ending from the previous series was a total failure, at least this is kinda better. Now they can destroy the previous adaptation of this manga ASAP xD

    A pity I still think this anime is boring as hell, but still much better now it follows the manga storyline. Nice.

    Unknown
    Reply

  35. But still, they animated this pretty darn quick if you ask me. xD What, 2 weeks or so?

    Oh and whaaaat. So I’m guessing the next episode’s gonna be all candy and sunshine?

    AznCoffee
    Reply

    1. They got storyboards for it a month before the manga came out – which may be why it’s slightly different from the manga, they were working from a draft instead of the final version.

      Masked Anon
      Reply

  37. Being redeemed by Ling, Greed went out with a bang by giving Father one last fatal blow. Looks like Ling will be using the Philosopher’s Stone picked up by Lan Fan to become Emperor.

    A bit surprised Ed didn’t have to sacrifice anything substantial save his own alchemy in exchange for getting Al back. It must be one of those “Hey, this is too easy! Now why didn’t I think of that all this time?” moments for Ed.

    Ed got his right arm back because Al returned his soul back to the Gate, Ed in turn got Al back in exchange for his alchemy. So I take it Ed did NOT get his left leg back because he did not offer anything in exchange for that?

    Here’s looking forward to the series finale.

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

      1. “Could have gotten it back if he WANTED to”? You mean he chose not to?

        Maybe he wanted to keep Winry happy in case he’s thinking about marrying her, knowing she’s a crazy automail otaku and all. lol

        Kinny Riddle
        Reply

  40. Something I noticed during this episode, is that the Truth’s voice is different depending on who’s at the Gate. When the Dwarf was at the Gate, the Truth had his voice. And when Ed visited the Gate, the Truth had Ed’s voice. Didnt realize that that the Truth sounded like Ed till now, even went back to the previous episode and checked. Makes sense since when people ask him who he is, his final response is “And Im YOU”

    damian
    Reply

    1. He also takes on their appearance.

      It showed it as a woman when it was Izumi, a man when it was Roy, and a kid when it was Ed (as a kid) and Al. Now that Ed is grown up, his Truth is too.

      Cornwiggle
      Reply

    1. Bling people can’t “learn” to see.
      Deaf people can’t “learn” to hear.
      Mute people can’t “learn” to speak.

      ANY form of equivalent exchange uses the gate inside of you for transactions.

      In a sense transmutation is sacrificing the materials to the gate for result, no matter on if its alchemy(which does that by using the movements of earth’s crust) or alkahestry(which uses the planet’s energy). It still uses gate.

      Ed’s gate is destroyed, he WILL NEVER be able to learn or use alchemy.

      In a sense while EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD has the capability to LEARN at least smaller alchemy trick, Ed has lost the “organ” required for alchemy, alkahestry or anything with EE.

      UnknownVoice
      Reply

      1. I think it was brilliant for Arakawa to make Ed completely unable to use any kind of Alchemy forever with no possible way to ever write it away.

        That way, if some shitty company decides to keep milking the series, it will be nearly impossible.

        I bet James Cameron wishes he would have done the same thing at the end of Terminator 2.

        Cornwiggle
        Reply

      1. That’s a peculiar way of putting that.:) He keeps the automail leg for two reasons.

        Show Spoiler ▼

        Starshade
        Reply

  45. During this episode and 62, I couldn’t help but notice that Ed’s right arm was reattached to his shoulder without anyone first removing the broken automail implants. Having all of those broken pieces of metal inside his shoulder must hurt a lot. Surely someone eventually takes them out, right? I mean, ow. They’re even still sticking out of his shoulder, for crying out loud.

    StWolf
    Reply

  47. I LOVE that the English episodes match up with these. The english one started with Hohenheim standing in front of Trishas grave, and this one ENDS with him before the grave.
    There is just NO NO way these are coincidence. It’s to freaky weird XP

    NYA
    Reply

    1. I don’t think any true FMA fan really gives two shits about the god-awful english dub of Brotherhood or its schedule.

      And yes, it’s a complete coincidence. It happens so many times with so many other shows being broadcast simultaneously, a lot.

      Cornwiggle
      Reply

      2. So someone who doesnt have access to illegal fansubs for WHATEVER reason and instead decides to watch a series in a language they’d understand is not a “true fan”? I grew up in Mexico and watched anime as a kid on TV, like DragonBall, Saint Seiya, Captain Tsubasa, etc. And I LOVED them. But I guess since I didnt watch them in a computer in Japanese, Im not a “true fan”.

        The way your brain works never ceases to amaze me, I’d give anything to look inside it just to see why youre such an idiot.

        damian
        Reply

      3. I meant it more as “OMG THE DUB VERSION HAD HOHENHEIM INTRODUCED IN THE SAME EPISODE HE DIED IN JAPANESE”

        Wow. Talk about a stupid declaration. Yes, I know what you mean about having no other choice, but in all frankness I don’t think that, if anyone, obligated to watch or not, thinks that dub is GOOD, and doesn’t even want to watch it in Japanese is a true fan. They’re dubbies; plain and simple.

        Cornwiggle
        Reply

      4. And, by the way, “Damian”. There are others ways to watch it in Japanese besides fansubs.

        FUNimation releases the subbed episodes every Thursday; official releases.

        So much for your point.

        Cornwiggle
        Reply

      5. Or you know they think the English dub version is better. Japanese version Armstrong has nothing on dub Amrstrong, and the same with Mustang. Vic is frankly a much better fit for Ed considering that Ed shouldn’t sound like his a 12 year old child. His a man at the end of the series so he should sound like one.

        The only character that is a lot better in the original Japanese is Hohenheim, and the english version has only had one episode.

        Charred Knight
        Reply

      6. I’ll admit I love Chris Sabat, but let’s take into account that he can’t even say Armstrong’s name right. “Alex Louis Armstrong”
        Louie, like Louis Armstrong. French accent.

        How do they say it in the dub? Louise. Fail.

        Haha. Mustang is better? You need to get your ears checked, maybe even have them replaced.

        I’ll admit to say that Vic is probably the only really good voice actor on that show, but what you just said is typical dubbie slop. “HeS BetER As Ed CUZ he DOeSN’T SOund LIek A GIRl”

        What a stupid comment. That’s why I hate dubbies. If you honestly think the dub is good, I pity you immensely.

        Don’t get me wrong; Funimation makes many great dubs, but they really dropped on the ball of FMA: Brotherhood.

        Cornwiggle
        Reply

      7. Charred Knight:

        2 good voice actors in a sea of terrible ones =/= good dub

        I’ll list the dub FMA voice actors I have a problem with:

        1. Maxey Whitehead, Al. If this is “acting”, I don’t want to hear what bad acting sounds like. Watch episode 19 in english, then in Japanese, especially the part where Al defends Hawkeye. It’s butchered in english. She’s the worst in the show as far as I’m concerned.

        2. Ling. Everyone was so excited to hear that Todd Haberkorn was going to do his voice. His natural voice would have been excellent as Ling. But guess what? He opted for the “totally fake, nasally balls-being-squeezed voice” and everytime he talks I want to smash my head in. Maybe over time he’ll start using his natural voice, which is what he should have done to begin with.

        3. Hawkeye. Her voice was good in the first series, but now the actress thinks sounding like a monotone man with zero emotion is the way to go. I’m so used to Hawkeye in Japanese, that I can hear that voice just from seeing her face, so it sounds really really wrong to hear that monotone man voice coming out of it.

        4. Scar. The Japanese one can never be topped, but the replacement here, it doesn’t sound rough enough. Scar should be pissed, rough sounding. This guy makes him sound like he should be wearing a top hat and a monocle. His delivery of Scar’s screams is terrible.

        5. May. She’s only been in it for like 3 minutes, but I didn’t know they were hiring replacements for Popeye’s girlfriend, Olive Oil. Monica Rial can act, but this was terrible.

        Those are the really bad ones. Everyone else is okay. To say that Travis Willingham even holds a candle to Shinichiro Miki is ridiculous. Hughes was okay, Ed is pretty good, but everyone else outside the main cast is pretty substandard.

        Havoc is terrible, despite how I liked his voice before. Falman can’t act, Breda is completely forgettable, so is Fuery. Pinako’s acting took a steady decline for some reason. Armstrong is alright most of the time, but it feels lacking every other time.

        With how good FUNimation usually is, I find this severe drop in quality astounding. It must be the director or something; because it’s butchered to all belief. It’s almost legendary how many times they mispronounce words and mistranslate things.

        Now let’s count how many actors are bad in the japanese version:

        *Thinks for 11 minutes straight*

        I couldn’t come up with a single one.

        Our Father
        Reply

      8. Shit.

        I forgot Envy.

        Apparently his actress got throat cancer in episode 8 and has never recovered. It’s raspy and sounds like a woman trying to sound mean and nasty and about to hack up a lung.

        Can’t believe I forgot. That just shows how much I want to forget it.

        Our Father
        Reply

      9. While I do think that the fma dub leaves a lot to be desired, (I did watch the dub of the first series first and enjoyed it, although I prefer the Japanese for Brotherhood), I hardly think that liking it makes anyone less of a fan. =/ I’m generally optimistic about dubs though… Let’s face it–we’re all spoiled. We want the dub to sound exactly like the Japanese except in English. I grew up watching openings and endings mutilated, music replaced, scripts turned into an embarrassment, plots thrown out, and voice actors whose every word would make anyone cringe. Yes, I know that music/script/plot preservation is kind of expected for any decent dub, so those things don’t contribute towards its quality rating, but still..

        Nyasu
        Reply

      10. And I don’t think any “true FMA fan”, whatever that means, would diss FMA in any way, shape, or form, sub or dub. The majority of fans watching this series first saw the original one in dub on adult swim, and that’s what brought them here.

        So, in short, no trolling please.

        Da5id
        Reply

      11. I gotta agree that the OG Japanese is FAR superior to the Funi dub. Most of the characters are just voiced wrong in the dub. I always preferred the sub of the first series, and brotherhoods dub is even worse than the first. Mustangs and Bradley’s voices in the first lines of ep. 1 of the English dub were almost enough to make me turn it off immediately, but I watched a few episodes to give the dub a chance. Riza is probably the single most egregious example of this shows bad English voice overs, but there are SO many.

        Dubbies just like Alex and Roy’s voices because they didn’t change much from the first series’ dub. Jp Alex has this awesome strained quality to his performance that sounds as if he’s always flexing and holding his breath, even when he’s being extremely loud. It’s hilarious. I know people like Vic, but the way he failed to make young Ed sound any different than older Ed in the early episodes & flashbacks soured me on his performance. Also, while a 9 yr old Japanese speaking boy sounding like a little girl (Alphonse) doesn’t faze me, when that same little girl voice is used for an English speaking boy I wince. It seems like Funi tried very hard to make the performances match. The problem is that the English and Japanese languages just sound different, and Al’s voice simply doesn’t work in English. Seriously, just try to hear English Al yell ‘Brother!’ without wincing. I dare you.

        Hearing the English voice for Scar was the tipping point for me. When I had to watch his fight with Alex ‘Lewis’ Armstrong in episode 5 ruined I gave up trying to enjoy the dub. I realised that I did not like the acting of a single character in that scene. The dramatic reveal fell flat, the laugh line was a bust, it was just a lame scene. I had liked that scene when I first watched it, but the horrible dub had rendered it unwatchable. I like a good dub as much as the next guy, but Funimation’s FMA dubs are not good, they’re awful.

        hms-one
        Reply

      1. Eh…most of the 15~16 year old guys I’ve ever heard sound a lot deeper than Romi’s Ed.

        Course, I don’t mind much–Romi still does an amazing Edward imo…just throwing it out there.

        Nyasu
        Reply

      2. I can admit that I too think Vic is the best actor in the dub. To be honest, he really does sound like a young man too. One who has a lighter voice; it was great casting.

        However, I’ll agree that the flashback episodes are terrible because it’s like “Hey, I’m 30 trying to sound 5”

        It just doesn’t work.

        I don’t even know how they do it in Japanese, but you can really believe it’s those same characters 10 years earlier. Maybe the fact that Ed, Al, and Winry are all women and women tend to be able to do younger children better than men, but still.

        It’s kind of funny that main complain every dubbie has about Ed’s Japanese voice (which is a perfect match for the character) is that it’s a woman voicing a man. Big deal.

        Kinda ironic that they don’t have that problem with Al in this new series… despite the fact that her “acting” is hands down the worst on the series.

        That’s why I don’t call them true fans. They seem to be more of a fan of the dub, rather than the actual show.

        I’ve seen comments like “OmG, Why did Ed GIve up HIs ARm, BUT WhaTST Vic So HAwt?”

        They don’t even understand it as much as they’re just getting off to Vic’s voice. And if given the choice to watch the series to see it another way, they immediately turn it down. “I CANT REAd SUBTITLES, THATs tOO mUCh wORk”

        I know this isn’t everyone, but I’ve run into this kind of person way too many times.

        Cornwiggle
        Reply

    3. I would like to respectfully disagree with you Charred Knight though I won’t be an elitist about it like Cornwiggle is. The Japanese dub is better :-p The English one has nothing on it- Especially in the case of Edward. Romi doesn’t sound like a 12 year old child – she’s a brilliant VA that always surprises me with how much she can deliver to the role. While I think Vic is very predictable. I can always imagine how he’ll make a line sound and it’s never anything special. And he’s the one that sounds like a 12-year old a child 😉 A bad impersonation of one as penguintruth said.

      But you’re perfectly entitled to like the English dub more ^^

      Tri
      Reply

      1. Hahahahha, holy shit.

        After SIXTY-THREE episodes, *someone* manages to state their difference in opinion without resorting to insults, or being overly argumentative to forcefully end the discussion, or acting offended that anyone would dare to think differently to them.

        Thank you Tri. I doubt anybody will pay attention, but at least now there is an example of how do it right that can be referred to.

        Jay
        Reply

    4. @ Da5id

      I disagree that a true fan wouldn’t “diss FMA in any way, shape, or form”. A true fans wants the highest qaulity for the story. So, whether or not it’s true, if they think the dub is of poor quality why should they not dislike it? If they think that then I think that makes them a “good, true fan” because they aren’t willing to accept less for something they love so much. Whether or not it really is less….that part is all a matter of opinion.

      Ranfan-fan
      Reply

  51. Wow…
    These past few episodes are simply… stunning! I’m at a loss for words :’D

    While I do kind of hope Ed still had his alchemy, it was the logical choice IMHO. Ed realizes that he’s been alchemy’s puppet–hence why it’s something he’d rather part with. And I love the fact that he’s giving it up for Al! Everything just… worked. And frankly, I couldn’t think of a better ending.

    I’m glad everything worked out for Al :’D As for Ed, there’s more to him than his alchemy, and I suppose he could still kick some serious ass in a melee combat anyway.
    Remember who trained him XD

    I will miss Greed and Hohenheim T.T I prefer the Brotherhood version of both these characters… Greeling will always be my favourite homunculus.

    Well… this is it, one more episode left T.T
    Looking forward to the extra stuff in the epilogue 😀

    Ouroboros
    Reply

    1. I noticed that too.

      I haven’t seen the episode yet, but Hohenheim must have changed his clothes. Why?? He knows he’s about to die; it makes little sense.

      I prefer the manga where he’s still dressed in his torn clothes (with his undamaged coat over it). You can’t judge based solely on these pictures though here. Who knows what passes between each picture; they’re not literally one after the next in the actual episode.

      Cornwiggle
      Reply

  53. FMA is freaking awesome.
    Thank God the animators decided to finish the series with an epilogue.
    It has been a few years since I started watching FMA read the manga
    finished the first anime and now almost finished the second.
    Do I regret the time I spent on FMA?
    Hell no!!!!

    rasone0104
    Reply

  56. Amazing. Can’t wait for the final episode, but I have to say… after how long I’ve known about FMA with the original series and whatnot… it is an amazing feeling to finally get concrete closure on Ed and Al’s story.

    Fono
    Reply

  58. As soon as Ed declared that it would be his last transmutation, I knew he’d be giving up his alchemical powers (rather than his life, since he told everyone he’d be right back). Well-played however. An excellent end to the Father storyline, now it’s just epilogue from here.

    BTW … why on earth is Ed doing the transmutation clap in the preview? Wasn’t the whole deal that he wouldn’t be able to transmute in exchange for Al body and soul? It’s clearly Ed too since you can see the scars on his shoulder.

    And Al’s still an alchemist, so if anyone needs an alchemical ass-kicking the little brother can step in. 😉

    Guardian
    Reply

  60. TvT Brotherhood has proven to be one of top Animes in the world and maybe even the best one of the year! Such amazing story from beginning to end~

    Greed and Hohenheim will be missed very dearly T^T -sniffs and cries- The end of the ep with Hohenheim dying in front of his wife’s grave with a smile is such an overjoying but sad scene…

    I can’t wait for FINAL next week. They better give Ed and Winry kiss scene. ^///^ heh

    lugo25
    Reply

  61. The main thing that bothers me is… Doesn’t this mean that the trading of ones gate allow for Human transmutation? Al had essentially traded his body and soul at this point yet Ed was able to recover it just by giving up his …gate, or whatever the hell that is. I’d prefer a more bittersweet ending myself, with them realising that theyre unable to return to their former bodies. But hey, thats just me.

    Reactwhat
    Reply

    2. It’s a bit more subtle than that. Remember that Al wasn’t dead in the typical sense. He was alive, hence he had a gate to go back through; but nothing to offer to get it open. It’s not the same as trying to transmute a dead person, who’s soul would have to be retrieved from Truth-knows-where at a cost so high we’ll never see it done successfully.

      TL;DR Ed traded his gate for two one-way tickets through Al’s. And yes, I read/interpreted it as Ed being unable to do any sort of al-whatever.

      Jay
      Reply

      1. Maybe you understand them now but you obviously didn’t when you posted this:

        “I still don’t get how he was able to see Al’s body anyway. I presumed that his body was decomposed for the revival experiment as part of the toll. But apparently not. And it also appears that even though Al gave up his life as the toll for transmuting Ed’s arm, his soul should have passed on but it was conveniently returned to his body that somehow should have been decomposed.
        AARRGHHH!!! Man, the list of inconsistencies and errors just goes on and on -__-”

        And I can understand how that whole long thing would upset Cornwiggle cause it upsets me quite a bit too. But I shouldn’t hate someone for not understanding something. Unless they won’t accept that they didn’t understand and everything actually makes perfect sense and has no inconsistencies.

        Hagaren fan
        Reply

      1. Eamon, he couldn’t have done it from the beginning.

        Firstly, he never tried Human Transmutation until both he and Ling were trapped in Gluttony and there was no other way. It was only then he even learned that Al’s body was there.

        Secondly, if he HAD done that soon after, it would have neutralized his alchemy completely, and thus… Father wins. It wouldn’t have ended the story, but Father would have just come out on top and Al would have just died in his own body, along with Ed, and everyone else.

        Cornwiggle
        Reply

      2. Actually, it was pretty much Hohenheim who did the saving.

        Ed pretty much did nothing to Father until the final part when he got his arm back and started spamming falcon punches lol.

        Also, he did do human transmuation. Remember, when he tried to revive his dead mother? And he saw Truth (or God or whatever it is) there too.

        I still don’t get how he was able to see Al’s body anyway. I presumed that his body was decomposed for the revival experiment as part of the toll. But apparently not. And it also appears that even though Al gave up his life as the toll for transmuting Ed’s arm, his soul should have passed on but it was conveniently returned to his body that somehow should have been decomposed.

        AARRGHHH!!! Man, the list of inconsistencies and errors just goes on and on -__-

        Eamon
        Reply

      3. Just because you don’t get it, doesn’t make it an inconsistency.

        You’re an idiot. Go back and pay attention; everyone else understands it and you don’t because you don’t want to. You only bash it.

        Cornwiggle
        Reply

      5. “I still don’t get how he was able to see Al’s body anyway. I presumed that his body was decomposed for the revival experiment as part of the toll. But apparently not. And it also appears that even though Al gave up his life as the toll for transmuting Ed’s arm, his soul should have passed on but it was conveniently returned to his body that somehow should have been decomposed.
        AARRGHHH!!! Man, the list of inconsistencies and errors just goes on and on -__-”

        Sorry, but you are wrong. The first human transmutation they performed took them to the Gate, where Truth took Al’s body as payment, and his soul was accidentally and temporarily afixed to the “fake Trisha”, until it rejected the body. What someone looses at the Gate, stays at the Gate. If things were just taken and decomposed, Ed’s Truth wouldn’t be wearing his limbs.
        Ed being able to reach Al’s Gate is also because of that first human transmutation they performed. Blood is the physical representation of the soul in FMA, so when they mixed their blood to afix a soul and then performed the transmutation, their souls were linked, and so were their gates. It’s through that link that Ed could use HIS blood to attack Al’s soul, and how Al’s body didn’t just die of starvation at the Gate. Remember, the living body of the soul that is afixed has to be kept alive somewhere, as the soul doesn’t keep memories or knowledge, the mind does, and the mind is what links soul and body.
        What Al did in chapter 106/ep 62, was return his soul to the gate, from where Ed had taken it. Soul and body atrack eachother, as Barry stated AGES ago, so all Al needed to do was break the bond to the armor willingly and use his return to the gate as payment to get Ed’s arm back. After all, Ed had given up his arm to do the exact opposite, so they are both of equal value to the Truth.

        Lagunamov
        Reply

      6. Lagunamov, I understand your reasoning. It makes a bit more sense after reading what you said. I haven’t read the manga so I think the anime doesn’t focus on explaining the small important details you mentioned.

        But what that doesn’t do is excuse the fact Ed only figured out that he can exchange his alchemy for Al right at the end of the story. Something as simple as this would have easily been figured out, either by Hohenheim or other alchemists or by Ed himself only much earlier on.

        Now to deal with this kid, Cornwiggle. lol. I never asked you to explain anything or reply to my comments. If after every time I prove you wrong, you retaliate by insults then seriously you need to get a life. I’m sorry for being overly critical, but to try and passionately defend an anime series that does not deserve it so much is pitiful. Kinda reminds me of those fanboys who defend Bleach. =/

        Eamon
        Reply

      7. Are you kidding?

        You prove me wrong? Sorry, I didn’t have to time to write that explanation yesterday. I was busy and only had a few minutes.

        Remember back on the episode 40 page? I seem to recall someone completely calling you out, explaining and disproving every one of your points and then dared you to reply back?

        Do you remember what happened? I sure do. You didn’t reply, because he refuted every single “point” you ever made.

        This is why you don’t understand anything. You think the 2003 anime was this masterpiece of artwork (haha) and all you get about the manga and this anime version is what you barely skim through on blogs like this. You’ve never watched it, never read it, you just ASSUME everything, and because you love the 2003 anime so much, you think everything about this anime (which you’ve already assumed you hate) is wrong.

        Watch it, or read the manga. Stop bashing something just because you THINK you won’t like it.

        Disprove me? You haven’t even offered up anything. You’re just bashing something you have absolutely no information about.

        You lose this argument. Come on, try and “disprove” anything I said. It’s true; go watch this series before you start spouting more garbage.

        Cornwiggle
        Reply

      8. So now you accuse me of NOT watching it?
        rofl. Aren’t we getting a little desperate now?

        About that time in episode 40 something. I actually did reply back. Looks like you never went back to see.

        And anyway, before FMAB started airing, a couple of friends of mine who read the manga told me they found it more enjoyable than the 2003 adaptation. So I basically came into FMAB with high hopes only to be returned with dissapointed.

        You need to stop overexagerrating everything I say. I don’t hate Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood nor am I trying to bash it. There’s a huge difference between constructive criticism and bashing. I don’t “dislike” FMAB. I think it’s quite a lot more enjoyable than a lot of anime I’ve seen. It’s definitely one of the best shounen anime out there.

        It’s just, in my honest opinion, doesn’t live up to Fullmetal Alchemist from 2003.

        Cornwiggle, there is no reason to get angry because someone has a different opinion. Remember, the first step to becoming open-minded is to accept difference of opinion.

        Peace out!

        Eamon
        Reply

      9. Why do you change from being rational like this to that idiot who just goes

        “Ed got his arm back MAGICALLY, THERE’S SO MANY INCONSISTENCIES”?

        And yes, I take it that way, because that’s what you’re meaning. Read your first post up there, you basically said just that, and you’ve also said how amazing you think the first anime is and despite how everything (especially those you criticize for being “inconsistent”) are just as explained. Yet, it’s like you’re TRYING to insult it.

        If you watch it, then you shouldn’t have such basic, stupid questions.

        If you can honestly pull any depth, anything sort of character development out of the 2003 anime, which obviously take a very talented mind, due to the fact that nothing is explained, and very little actually makes sense, I don’t know how in the hell you can have so many basic questions about this series when everything is explained more than once.

        It does give me the impression that you’re not watching it, certainly not very close, and are still criticizing everything you just happened to miss picking up.

        If you’re not meaning it to be that way, then stop typing like “Hurhur, well that was cheesy and cliched, not at all like the first anime, which was” because that’s exactly what it sounds like, and if you stop doing that, I wouldn’t get mad. Imagine that.

        I don’t get mad at your different opinion; I get mad at how you’re basically just insulting this anime on a blog about it when it SEEMS like you don’t even know what you’re talking about. And yes, that’s how you come off.

        Cornwiggle
        Reply

      10. Eamon obviously hasn’t invested the time to understand the story or the way the FMA universe works. Doesn’t understand even the most basic things like “They TOOK him” or that Al didn’t give up his life, because he never died, he was taken, and Al dragged his taken soul back and now Al gave back his soul to get Ed back his arm. These are REALLY basic things that Eamon doesn’t understand for some reason. (I blame Brotherhood’s sloppy execution)

        This pisses Cornwiggle off because Cornwiggle REALLY loves this story. Cornwiggle has invested a lot of time into loving it and working to understand every crevice of it’s universe because of this. So when someone comes along not understanding such basic information it makes Cornwiggle upset because to (him?) this story is a work of art and rather genius. Cornwiggle defends it so aggressively because he’s so passionate about it and Eamon obviously cares very little, at least compared to Cornwiggle.

        You two are such opposite people with such opposite feelings clashing against each other.

        Hagaren fan
        Reply

      12. Wow. Completely missed that “analysis”.

        What pisses me off is that everytime this guy posts, it’s like this:

        “The 2003 anime was great, and here is why this episode pales in comparison to it, despite I don’t really understand what’s going on”

        If you hate this series so much, don’t post. You’re not amusing anyone HERE by just saying how amazing the 2003 anime was, ESPECIALLY when you don’t even know what you’re talking about.

        That’s what pisses me off. Someone arguing, and pointing out “facts” without even having any.

        It’s so hypocritical and retarded. Eamon gave a good reply to me before and I said I wished he would talk like THAT more often than his usual “This is terrible and makes no sense”

        I don’t wish to argue this anymore. I don’t really care if you hate it or not; I still think you’re an idiot and you are. Everytime you post you just prove it further.

        Try READING what I write from now on.

        Cornwiggle
        Reply

      14. Thanks for just proving you can’t read either.

        Piss off. I have better things to do than worry about what some retard thinks of an anime.

        Keep posting your garbage; I don’t care even in the slightest. One more episode and I never have to come back to this blog again anyway.

        Cornwiggle
        Reply

      15. hahaha! You’re so easy to upset.

        I’ve been following this blog for so many years now.

        I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings man. I’m just messing with ya.

        Check out my post below =)

        Eamon
        Reply

    4. Maybe you understand them now but you obviously didn’t when you posted this:

      “I still don’t get how he was able to see Al’s body anyway. I presumed that his body was decomposed for the revival experiment as part of the toll. But apparently not. And it also appears that even though Al gave up his life as the toll for transmuting Ed’s arm, his soul should have passed on but it was conveniently returned to his body that somehow should have been decomposed.
      AARRGHHH!!! Man, the list of inconsistencies and errors just goes on and on -__-”

      And I can understand how that whole long thing would upset Cornwiggle cause it upsets me quite a bit too. But I shouldn’t hate someone for not understanding something. Unless they won’t accept that they didn’t understand and everything actually makes perfect sense and has no inconsistencies.

      Hagaren fan
      Reply

    5. But anyway guys, we are going waaay off topic.

      There are a couple of issues here:

      1) Arakawa decided to make Ed sacrifice his alchemy to bring Al’s body back right at the end of the story. That’s an ending of convenience. Even a lot of loyal fma manga fans have thought this as well. So, if you disagree then there’s nothing more I can say.

      2) Maybe the reason we have such conflicting opinions isn’t because of your claim that “I don’t pay attention.” There are 2 reasons for this.

      First reason is that FMAB anime seems to focus more on action than spending time to explain the important details. As we know, it rushed the story so quickly at the beginning and even made the whole Ishval War arc and Hohenheim’s story into single episodes. This could be a fault on the director’s side.
      Remember Cornwiggle, you’ve read the manga and watched the anime (and likely read through lots of wikia). I’ve only followed the anime.

      Second reason is because I saw Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 first. Many concepts in FMA1 conflict with FMAB. For example; in fmab, the alchemy exists due to using the tectonic vibrations in the earth. Hence why alchemists usually perform transmutations on the floor. In fma1, alchemy exists due to lives lost in the alternate universe being converted to energy which is then transferred via the gate in every alchemist.
      Truth in fmab is an actual being that every alchemist has. In fma1, Truth is merely just a theory in alchemy. Not an actual being.

      So basically, in FMA1, every toll is decomposed.
      But in FMAB, when appearing at the gate, your toll is taken but not decomposed.
      I don’t understand the significance of this though. Ed sacrificed his life and body in FMA1 to transmute a new body for Al. But Al’s body was still in one piece in FMAB.

      Eamon
      Reply

      1. Okay, so…I don’t know what’s going on with all *points vaguely upwards* you people, but I don’t understand one thing.

        “I don’t understand the significance of this though. Ed sacrificed his life and body in FMA1 to transmute a new body for Al. But Al’s body was still in one piece in FMAB.”

        Why is this a problem? I don’t get it…really….

        In FMAB/the manga when you try human transmutation you get something taken from you and it is given to your Truth and kept at the Gate. It’s a payment back to the flow of life since you tried to disrupt it, that’s how I look at it. However in the first anime it was more literal and a lot less symbolic as in you actually died if you tried human transmutation.

        That’s all there is to it. FMAB viewers should try their hardest to not let what they know about the first anime become a part of their perceptions of Brotherhood.

        Ryu
        Reply

      2. Well, it’s not a problem.

        It’s just I prefer the more scientific approach to alchemy in FMA1 than this symbolic God thing in FMAB. I notice a lot of writers in anime/manga tend to use the term “God” for the unexplainable things or for to excuse a lot of plotholes or whatever. I’m not an athiest btw. So I have nothing against the use of God in stories.

        For example at the first episode, it is explained by Al in Lior when he was fixing the radio that you cannot make something out of nothing. You need a toll. So he gathered the broken pieces of the radio and used alchemy to simply fix the radio.
        Remember, you cannot make a tree out of paper. That’s equivalent trade. I dunno how or why sacrificing your “gate” or “alchemy” is equivalent to retrieving Al’s body but we’re forced to accept this from Arakawa.

        Eamon
        Reply

      3. “Remember, you cannot make a tree out of paper. That’s equivalent trade. I dunno how or why sacrificing your “gate” or “alchemy” is equivalent to retrieving Al’s body but we’re forced to accept this from Arakawa.”

        As I see it, it didn’t mean so much that the Gate is equivalent of Al’s body, but it did influence in it. For one, sacrificing his Gate meant that he was giving up a lifetime of possibilities, so that’s certainly worth quite a lot.
        On another note, it contrasts with Father/Homunulus. While Ed had started as “Alchemists are the closest thing to God” mentality, he grew out of it, and accepted a price had to be paid, content with being just a regular human. Father on the other hand, wanted everything for free, not paying himself. That led to Father being granted despair by his Gate, while Ed’s granted him what he wished for. “Despair for the conceited one” as Father’s Truth put it.
        You could also see the sacrifice not so much as equal for his body, but for two tickets through Al’s Gate.

        Lagunamov
        Reply

  63. Grrr no i won’t accept this there has to be more after this next episode. Ed can’t be content with giving up the power that allowed him to punch a god in the face and live to tell about it. Watch next they will have to face True Beings that represent the Four Last Things Death, Judgement (who appears before everyone that sees the truth), Hell and Glory…crap no they wont. ROFKS-Rolling on the floor kicking and screaming

    Cain
    Reply

  64. i have a little problem with the quality of the animation..a bit off..

    but that wouldn’t matter as THIS IS CLEARLY AN AWESOME EPISODE TO BEGIN WITH!!

    one more episode and the anime series ends as well..i need to find me another show like this

    ichigoat
    Reply

  67. Best part of this episode was Truth’s jaw hanging open at Ed. For once, the omniscient is caught totally off guard 😀

    Finally, the finale next week. I swear to God, Ling and Lan Fan better have their sexy time or I’ll be one unhappy camper.

    Tavor TAR-21
    Reply

  69. I much rather them would have put in Ed looking at everyone, and even Sig breaking down at the end with Al, rather than the Hohenheim ending them we’ve seen before.

    I think that would have better with the theme anyway. Since they cut all that out for some reason. Maybe it’ll be replaced somewhere else in the next episode somewhere.

    Cornwiggle
    Reply

  71. Finally, IT’S OVER!!

    Hold on, are we just missed something important for those you’re already read the manga:-

    – Greed was trying to hold a soldier
    – All of the souls spitted out first & never shown in the manga
    – Father HAD MORE LINES DURING THE DEMISE!!
    – Hoenheim BRAND NEW SCENE IS ADDED!!
    – SOME PARTS IN THE MANGA DIDN’T HAPPENED Before hoenheim dies in front of Trisha’s Grave!!

    You’VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!!

    Jeffry2010
    Reply

    1. I think because the actual lines in the manga weren’t given to BONES at the time the animators were making the episode.

      The storyboards were given so the final episodes were based on that and not the actual manga itself.

      Eamon
      Reply

      1. Or they could have simply decided to move scenes around to play with Hohenheim’s ending. I don’t really mind to be honest, as long as what happens in the scenes is there, changing the setting matters very little.

        Lagunamov
        Reply

  74. Just to make it clear, human transmutation has always been possible. It’s bringing back the dead that isn’t. For instance, the making of the Philosopher’s Stone falls under human transmutation. It meets the equivalence obviously. Souls. Bringing back the dead is different because it’s IMPOSSIBLE. It does not follow the All is One and One is All law which states that everything is part of the circle. You cannot reverse it eg. bringing “back” the dead.

    The problem when Ed went to the Gate(deconstructing himself similar to what he did when he, Lin, and Envy got inside Gluttony’s stomach) to get Al is that he cannot possible have, even his own life, to bring TWO people back. If he wanted to sacrifice his own life, he might be able to bring Al back but not his own. What he did was use his own Gate to get Al back.

    The question the previous arguments is that Al is in fact dead. But he isn’t. The Gate doesn’t take lives – in a sense that they kill you and you’re dead. They do take your body and soul, but not your life. It’s two different things. So earlier, Al’s body was taken. Then his soul was taken. That’s different from the Gate taking A’ls life. Therefore, Al is not dead because his life was not taken in the first place.

    Therefore, it is possible to get Al back because he is not dead 🙂

    Tan-Tan
    Reply

Leave a Reply

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