Final Impressions / First Impressions / Fullmetal Alchemist

「旅路の涯」 (Tabiji no Hate)
“The Horizon of a Journey”

I admittedly read the remaining portions of the final chapter of the manga after watching episode 63 last week, so I wasn’t in for too many surprises in this epilogue episode. Unfortunately, they didn’t add anything new — such as Ed and Al’s reaction to Hohenheim’s passing which I would’ve liked to see — but the rest of it played out really nicely. They did change up the scene where Marcoh offered Mustang a philosopher stone to regain his sight and got him to promise to revise the policies towards Ishvalans though. Rather than taking place at some refuge tent following the ordeal, Mustang was in a proper hospital alongside Hawkeye, which I felt made that scene a lot better given the audience he had when he agreed to do so. In addition, Mustang even alluded to using the stone to help Havoc regain the use of his legs first — something that wasn’t in the manga outside of a picture showing him doing some rehab.

A scene that I found really cute is Ling gloating to May about how the Yao family will be the next emperor of Xing, leaving the poor girl weeping like crazy. He did offer to accept the Chang house under his new reign, though I couldn’t help but feel that May should have slapped him for rubbing it in her face with the philosopher stone. What was noticeably absent was the scene where Lan Fan takes Fu’s body back to Xing, which I’m not really sure why they opted to leave out. It was a pretty touching scene that they could have easily spared some time for, which left me wondering if it’s because Mizuki Nana wasn’t even around for the recording of this episode. Lan Fan had no lines whatsoever, so I suspect that was likely the reason. Aside from that, it was nice to see Scar agree to work with Miles to help revise Ishvalan policies and serve as a thorn in Mustang’s side for Olivier’s personal enjoyment. In comparison to that, it was interesting to see Grumman become the new Fuhrer and Selim reborn without his homunculus traits for now. There is a big bullseye on his forehead though, making it seem like an invitation to smack him around since I still see him as that little pip-squeak Pride. If nothing else, I guess a continuation of the series could be possible if his homunculus self resurfaced, but I don’t see that as leaving the door open for one in any way.

Ultimately, the best scenes came from Ed and Al in this grand finale. The full orchestral backtrack played during their return to Resembool with Winry welcoming them home was really sweet. It was also heartwarming to know that Al paid his respects to Hughes by visiting Gracia and Elicia and informing them of his plans to head to Xing and study alkahestry. If a real spin-off were to be made at some point, Al’s adventures there alongside Jerso and Zampano would definitely be one way of going about it. Finally, there’s Ed himself confessing his feelings to Winry in the most geeky equivalent exchange way. It was funny seeing him get all flustered when he asked for half of Winry in return, but it was a whole lot cuter when she offered all of her if he wants it. That’s a pretty bold statement to make for a girl if I do say so myself, which is why it was funny to see her try and take some percentage of herself back. Their relationship didn’t really have any time to develop over the course of the series, but that hug at the end before Ed headed out west sure made up for it. The series’ last lines about having a full metal heart were saved for Ed himself as a monologue on the train, followed by the second opening theme “Hologram” as the song of choice to go close out the series during the credits collage. Nakagawa Shoko’s RAY OF LIGHT was used earlier in the episode itself, so it was nice to see a more upbeat song end things on a high note like they should.

* A movie version of the series was announced at the conclusion of this episode. My guess is that it’s going to be a condensed version of the same story.

 

ED Sequence

Final Impressions:

Back when I watched the original adaptation that aired in 2003, I wasn’t the least bit familiar with the manga. However, even without knowing whether or not BONES’ was being faithful to the original source material, I didn’t really like how the story progressed in the second half and eventually concluded. Everything leading up to Hughes’ death was really well done, but Hohenheim turning out to be the ultimate bad guy didn’t sit well with me. While I didn’t mind how the Conquerer of Shamballa movie continued on with the anime original story with its unique take on the whole gate and equivalent exchange aspect, I couldn’t help but feel that it made the events in Amestris feel a bit moot. In short, I had mixed feelings about the tangibility of that plot line even though I did appreciate the thought that went into it. As such, the original adaptation was thoroughly entertaining but not too agreeable with me at times. It wasn’t bad by any means, but left me wondering if there was a different way the story could have unfolded.

Well much to my pleasant surprise, it turned out that Arakawa Hiromu‘s original work didn’t quite turn out that way, even though she did support BONES’ original take on what she had written so far in her manga. I’m not a manga purist by any means and feel that studios can produce good original adaptations, but have to say that I really enjoyed the story she had in mind a lot more. In addition to Hohenheim not being the antagonist, I really liked how we had the Xing characters to put a completely different spin on things. Then there’s Scar and the whole Ishval incident, which Arakawa’s story gave much more depth and meaning to by having him become a pivotal character in the overall story. Last but not least are Briggs’ soldiers led by Olivier, who paved way for the Amestris conflict to reach civil war levels. For the most part, the story was still heavily driven by Ed and Al’s quest to get their original bodies back. The difference is that during their attempt to do so, the story became much more involved than their personal goals and extended to country-wide proportions. When that became apparent, I couldn’t help but take a step back and be wowed by how things progressed to that point.

That said, I did find the anime original’s plot about how a human transmutation leads to the creation of a homunculus an interesting twist at the time; however, it never really allowed the story to reach such grand levels as trying to bring God down to Earth and harnessing its powers. It wasn’t so much the scale of that revelation that I enjoyed a lot more as it was the extra dimension to the story that resulted from it. The homunculi just seemed a lot more menacing in Arakawa’s story as well, especially when we were introduced to Father for the very first time. As surprising as his mysterious introduction was, things went on to show that there are still many more layers to this story that were yet to be revealed. Once uncovered, they made the twists much more prominent and the story more engaging. The sheer number of characters made the story feel much grander as well, and I’m pretty impressed by how it all came together in the end. I was on the fence about our chimera characters becoming regulars in the series, but before long I started wondering what things were ever like without them. More than them, Scar, Greed, and Kimblee proved to be some of the most interesting characters to the overall story, making this faithful adaptation of Arakawa’s nine-year manga much better in my eyes.

Be that as it may, I still feel that BONES’ original adaptation seven years ago is a very good series. It’s not like I have to pick between one or the other or anything, so I’m just glad that BONES got the green-light to produce a remake of this epic series. It was pretty cool how it coincided with the conclusion of the manga as well, making it quite a treat for viewers such as myself who weren’t reading it. I can’t speak for those who knew well in advance how this series would turn out week after week, but I can tell you that it was thoroughly entertaining when I had no idea what was coming up. This is an easy series to recommend to almost any viewer, and is likely one of the best candidates for introducing new viewers to anime. It’ll be interesting to see what Arakawa comes up with next, as she has some pretty big expectations to live up to following the completion of Fullmetal Alchemist.

180 Comments

    1. Ooh, it’s Omni! We still miss you! I hope you’re taking care.

      Back to topic: I’m sad it’s over but it was a good wrap up. IDK if a movie is needed or not but I guess I’ll be watching that one as well wether it’s needed or not haha.

      Stereo
      Reply

      1. Maybe I’m just overly hopefully, but the story of the Elric brothers isn’t over. I’d like to think it’s possible that their new separate journey will continue the series. It just wouldn’t be called FMA anymore. Or maybe this is what the movie will be of?

        jaPoshi
        Reply

  6. I’m one of those folks that just refuses to have a favorite version of FMA. I think they’re all equally good, even weighting their pros and cons. I still dislike the Xingese most of the time, all the focus on Winry, the zombie things, Father not really doing much with his power, and other elements, and actually LIKE the parallel world thing in the first show and movie. I know posters like Cornwiggle and Charred Knight will disagree with me, but I don’t want to spark any debate this time, so let’s leave it at what I do have in common with them: I love Fullmetal Alchemist! And of course, that includes this series, Brotherhood.

    I actually really liked the ending to the manga, and from what I saw on a misbehaving KeyHole stream, the anime version may even be better. It puts a smile on my face to see the characters that struggled hard to obtain a slice of happiness finally get to taste that apple pie, be it literal or figurative. And I can’t help but want to thank Hiromu Arakawa for bringing me into that world. There is no amount of equivalent exchange to express what she has given to me and to others with this tale.

    Oh, and hey, a movie’s coming! Neat. 😀

    penguintruth
    Reply

    1. well dont’ worry

      You liking that horrible “omg zeppelins in germany wwII!!!~” corny scene is not so strange.

      There are people who love uwe boll movies too, everyone has its own opinion.

      UnknownVoice
      Reply

    2. I consider the first anime series to be rather bad, but I absolutely loved the alternate world too. And the gore and darkness in the first series too. One of the cons I count in the manga is the setting being rather too lighthearted. (Strange to see that, in my country at least, the first anime was rated Teens yet the second was rated Mature…. what the hell.)

      By the way, I’m not trying to start a dispute over which series is better either. Everyone has a different measure of comparing the series and I have no reason or intention to interfere with that. (Wrong comparisons don’t count though. Not that I see any in your comment.)

      Starshade
      Reply

    3. LOL MUSTACHE!!!
      *ahem*

      I think I’m echoing a lot of what’s already been said but:
      FMA the first time around was the first time I really became “into anime.” It constantly had me on the edge of my seat and emotionally shocked me every time I watched it. The fandom was incredible and basically FMA1 holds a special place in my heart. 🙂

      That said, when I was craving for more FMA, I discovered the manga and eventually FMA:B came around. I’m so glad the original plot had another chance to be animated.

      THANK YOU DIVINE and THANK YOU OMNI! 😀

      chloesong92
      Reply

  7. Hmmmm. I do wonder what Arakawa comes up next as well. A new sweeping shonen style epic? Shoujo style epic?

    Also, the creator of Aria doing her new Amanchuu! manga, I can’t wait for that to get animated someday in the future as well.

    Shippoyasha
    Reply

  10. I agree that it’s disappointing that Fu’s scene was cut but you probably nailed the reason wrt the lack of Ran Fan lines.

    I’m particularly tickled by how Ed (and Al) are now taller than Winry. But May’s growth spurt is just… wow…

    Zyl
    Reply

  11. Your thoughts on the series reflect a lot of my own, actually – while in and of itself, the first anime series is quite good, once I got into the manga, particular in the later stages, I felt it sort of paled in comparison. And while I don’t think Brotherhood is a perfect adaptation of a manga that is pretty much perfect to me, it makes me so happy that it too could be fully adapted (pretty much) on the screen in the same way.

    I’m really curious as to what this new movie is going to be about (a sequel type thing, a missing adventure), and hopefully we’ll hear more about that soon.

    As for what Arakawa is doing next, I know that Juushin Enbu, the manga she does art (but not the story for) is coming off hiatus. But I look forward to her next individual project, too.

    Masked Anon
    Reply

    1. I doubt the movie can be a recap etc, this is a 64ep series and that aside the scope and scale and events are alot and deep, you’d need a 3rd movie to do it justice. I’m more for a mini-sequel, show us what Ed and Al did on their trips and Winry in a wedding dress plz, IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR!

      GP
      Reply

  13. >.> I actually liked the first anime more.. AHHHHHH!!! LOL!!

    I’m a sucker for bittersweet endings. Man, when FMA (the first one) ended with Ed and Al in two different worlds… BAH!! SUCH A GOOD ENDING! I mean I understand some people not being able to take that kind of ending, but I really really really liked it. The only problem with FMA1 is that there were so many plotholes, the lack of Xing characters, and the lack of the grandness of FMA2.

    Hen
    Reply

  14. Thanks 4 blogging this series. I give it 9# rank in my own list, hoping there’ll be better series in the future. U know I don’t like this manga story a lot, but whatever, nice adaptation.

    Wish all anime adaptation were like this. : )

    Unknown
    Reply

      1. Roy is NOT a fuhrer.

        Roy is 2 Star General.

        The sly old geezer named Grunman is the fuhrer now( i would not be surprised if that was grunman’s plan all along, using Mustang to get into that position)

        UnknownVoice
        Reply

      4. @UnknownVoice: Actually, I think Kacsa may be right. Dunno why they changed the pic but in the manga it’s like this: http://www.onemanga.com/Full_Metal_Alchemist/108/110-111/
        In the anime, you can’t see Roy’s shoulder ‘coz he’s wearing his coat. But the same scene in the manga, as seen in the link, clearly shows that Roy (in the future) becomes a 4-star general. Dunno if he’s actually the Fuhrer by that time but it’s a pretty good hint, isn’t it?

        rei
        Reply

    3. LOL, this same pic in the manga (with Roy & Hawkeye standing around) was sans mustache. So, I kind of like to think that Ed drew a mustache on Roy’s face for lolz. *checks manga* Hahahahahaha, yup. Definitely no mustache.

      rei
      Reply

    1. Oh yea… I found May to be quite odd with her older version.. It’s like she didn’t change one damn bit.

      Very disturbing… It’s like someone just
      Show Spoiler ▼

      🙁

      megalith
      Reply

  18. Man.. Its already over huh?, even though I said the same exact words couple of weeks back when the final chapter came out, you still can’t help but feel emotional about it. Well we all know that this was coming but with an ending like this, I have no regrets. FMA:B was and will always be AMAZING.

    no Lan Fan though and Roy had a moustache that kinda remains of someone.

    Jaden
    Reply

  30. Excellent show and a real standout within the shounen genre. Now all we need is a Soul Eater Brotherhood within the next five years and then I can be the BONES fan boy that I once was.

    lHyDrAl
    Reply

  32. Great episode, the animation was really good. The only things that annoyed me a bit was Al’s voice after the timeskip (way too high for such a big guy) and Roy’s ‘stache o_O which is horrible. At least Bradley had a decent manly stache!

    Oh, and in the Falman picture, the two kids behind him look a lot like him, lol! Maybe Ed and Winry aren’t the only ones who got busy! (..why Falman though…?).

    Ando_Reann
    Reply

    1. Agreed. I think they were the two major things that bothered me. But Roy… I mean, even after seeing it ready animation wise, it looks awfully wrong. Like Ed scribbling.

      CS
      Reply

  33. so it finally ends. When I started reading FMA, there were only 5 books. And since only like 2 came out in a year (I rather not read monthly chapters)I followed right until Rin turns Greed and stopped. The first anime series was unsettling, like when Hohenhiem was the last boss so I wasnt too thrilled with a new FMA series. But now Im sooo glad they did. So sad and glad at the same time at its ending. At least it was a satisfying ending 🙂 OMG its been 7 years since I read FMA. And I decided not to read it so it kept me guessing until the end! And I caught the last episode live on TV 😀

    unknown2
    Reply

  34. Finally, the nightmare is over. All of those homunculus are finally gone for good, and everyone finally move on to their new life…

    AND YEAH, everything to me that it’s all worth fighting for.

    Jeffry2010
    Reply

  35. I’ve stopped reading the manga after a while and came back to watch Brotherhood.

    Every episode made me laugh and cry. I agree. Easy to recommend to anyone. A masterpiece.

    Ahhh, kyu-kyu.

    Tan-Tan
    Reply

  37. so……it’s over…….i feel sad, yet, i’m happy that it had a good ending.

    little pride is so cute!

    and older may-chang….wow. she’s kinda hot *brick;d*

    and black hayate has puppies! yay!

    seems as if falman has kids too, they really have their dad’s looks.

    and elicia looks nice older.

    all in all. i give the series in all 9,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 out of 10

    Lunar-Oracle
    Reply

      1. actually, the one with the scar on his shoulder is ed. if you saw previous episodes, you’d know why he has no automail. i wonder what their names are, the kids that is. do may and al have kids? what about royai!?!? over all, i’m partialy glad that creepy @$$ frank archer didn’t show up……yet…… i swear he is a vampire.

        Lunar-Oracle
        Reply

  49. =,=” O_O”
    MUSTANG HAS A MOUSTACHE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    VampyreTiadora
    Reply

  50. Ah. I consider Fullmetal Alchemist to be one of the greatest manga/anime of all time. Arakawa’s realization of a whole new science and intricate details and laws is what keeps me satisfied despite the cliche and shonen-style action of this series. No, it’s more than enough to cover all faults of this series. It just gives a huge thrill to see the Elrics gain a deeper understanding of their world, alchemy, and the Truth who is God and the World and the Cosmos and the One and the All and everyone. Yes, to someone like me, such thrill has satisfied me hugely. And the secrets of Alchemy that were uncovered slowly were absolutely not something obscure and deux-ex-machina. No, they were science, a fictional science but extremely well imagined. Starting with the revelation that human souls are a source of energy and human souls can never be resurrected, the series was showing enormous promise. They showed that some principles of Alchemy were in fact misunderstood, but there are things yet to be revealed and, indeed, figured out. Most revelations in terms of how techniques work in the manga world are just obscure and “oh, so that’s also possible” kind of things. But Arakawa’s alchemy was different. It was a fictional yet concrete science that required a massive amount of logical imagination. And such is the ability of the author as a writer.

    It’s sad to see this series end. I’m anticipating the next work by Arakawa and wonder if it’ll also be in the Fullmetal Alchemist world or a completely different one. If the former, I wouldn’t have any complaints at all. And if the latter, I anticipate another wondrous display of imagination from the author.

    Starshade
    Reply

    1. Consistent? Nope. Father made a sun, remember? That’s just turning hydrogen into helium, which any alchemist in the manga/anime should should have been able to do (especially since they can turn lead into gold!). But they were treating it like some sort of magical voodoo.

      flipside
      Reply

      1. Because a regular person wouldn’t obviously burn to hell or manage to control said miniature sun, right? While it’s possible any regular alchemist could achieve such a feat, it’s quite likely they’d, you know, died immediately after.

        The sun was also created through nuclear fission according to the manga.

        Lagunamov
        Reply

      2. Oh, the translations I read both said fusion (I can’t read the raw). But it wouldn’t BE a sun if it wasn’t fusion.
        Anyway, I assumed if Kimblee and Mustang could control their explosions, then the explosion from the nuclear fission or fusion could be contained too. So I still believe it’s kind of inconsistent.

        flipside
        Reply

      3. Are you forgetting that Father swallowed the Truth and thus the entire secrets of alchemy? Alchemists have yet to uncover more about alchemy and didn’t achieve the ability to transmute a star, let alone a miniature one. That’s why I’m excited about FMA alchemy. There’s much for the characters too to learn about alchemy, just like we have to learn about our universe and the laws that govern it.

        And what happens in a star isn’t just hydrogen turning into helium. Even if alchemists were able to transmute hydrogen into helium, they’re never able to create gravitational fields. (Arakawa particularly asked Brotherhood producers not to make it possible to fly using alchemy.)

        Speaking about that, is it mentioned in the lore that alchemists have achieved gold transmutation? I don’t remember it. It’d be fitting because gold transmutation is just what real-life alchemists yearned for.

        Starshade
        Reply

      4. Lol, no, I didn’t forget that Father swallowed the Truth. By the way, I love Arakawa’s interpretation of alchemy as well and agree with your first post. Forgot to mention that. =)

        That being said, I still feel like her alchemy is inconsistent because Father probably whipped out the sun with the intention of using it like an atom bomb. Again, turning one element into another is both nuclear fusion/fission and alchemy. In Ch. 3 of the manga, Ed turned rubble into gold and vice versa, but there was no massive release of energy like in Father’s sun. It’s just not computing in my head how Father’s and Ed’s results can be so different when they basically did the same thing: turned one element into another. But maybe you’re seeing something I’m not…

        flipside
        Reply

  52. Father showed little to no lust for the opposite gender. Lust died first.
    Father became too greedy and wanted God for himself. Greed died last.
    I wonder if this was all according to Arakawa’s plan.

    SnooSnoo
    Reply

  58. I’m so sad that its finished how ever it had a really good run and impressed by how it was all put together. I’m a manga reader and ive been reading FMA for about 4 years or so not sure, but its been a good ride.

    HiDiE
    Reply

  59. All good things come to an end. And a good end it was. A good choice of music in using the 2nd OP to wrap up the remaining montage of where the characters end up.

    LMAO at Ed’s most geekish way of confessing his feelings to Winry, and Winry going even further by offering all of her. XD

    Quite surprised there’ll be yet another movie. If it’s gonna be a new story, then it has to be on Al’s journey to Xing with his two chimera buddies, since Al could still technically use some alchemy whereas Ed can no longer. Perhaps a bit of romantic tension with him and May (hopefully she would be grown up and prettier by then as seen in the epilogue photo).

    https://randomc.net/image/Fullmetal%20Alchemist/Fullmetal%20Alchemist%20-%2064%20-%20Large%2057.jpg

    Another plot point Bones could use is the monster within Selim, but that may be stretching it. Since I’m sure the audience has seen enough of the action in Amestris and would be curious of the other interesting countries besides, like Xing and the countries east of it, as well as Drachma, Aerugo and Creta.

    https://randomc.net/image/Fullmetal%20Alchemist/Fullmetal%20Alchemist%20-%2064%20-%20Large%2034.jpg

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  60. Just finished Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – 64. Watch this streamed RAW as i’ve read the manga. A very bittersweet ending. Love the manga. Love the anime. It’s sad to see the series finally end. Arakawa’s masterpiece will forever remains in my top 3.

    I won’t compare this to the first FMA. Both has its merit. I started with that one first before moving on the manga. I’m not sure I’ll watch the movie if it’ll will be a truncated version of Arakawa’s ouvre. It’ll will lose a lot of momentum and gonna leave a sour taste. Not a way to remember FMA by.

    I’m hoping they’ll make a sequel to Shambala. Always bugs me to think Ed and Al in the Nazi’s era. It’ll be nice if they made a story of the boys getting back to Ametris.

    Joez
    Reply

  61. Is anyone else disappointed that we didn’t get to see Ed kiss Winry at the end?

    That photo alone felt so cheap, there should have been one with Winry wearing a wedding dress first.

    Alpha
    Reply

    1. @Alpha- Araka didn’t put in a kissing scene in the manga, but that hugging scene was powerful at the same. Besides, I think it woulnd’t feel appropriate having them kissed seeing that they we’re just friends up till that moment when Ed confesses.

      Joez
      Reply

    2. I found it amazingly brilliant the way that she handled Ed and Winry and was extremely pleased that they did not kiss, having worried about being forced to endure cheesy romance before remembering that this is Arakawa we’re talking about and pretty much all of the character interactions, romantic or otherwise, were nicely handled.

      Nyasu
      Reply

  65. You can tell they did this one by storyboards too. Everything is pretty much wiped out in the manga, but in the anime, apparently they even still have nice little hospital rooms.

    I kinda liked resorting to using tents in the manga more, but it’s the same thing really. No big deal.

    Why are Paninya and Garfiel in the last Elric picture? That kinda overcrowds it I think. In the manga, it’s just Ed, Winry, Al, May, and the kids.

    Cornwiggle
    Reply

  66. @SnooSnoo: That is an interesting observation. We could correlate each homunculus death with the development of the main Homunculus. Some wouldn’t make as much sense as others (such as Gluttony), but it’s still a nice little easter egg if that is indeed what Arakawa-sensei intended.

    Sloth died when the plan is finally set in motion and when Homunculus got off his lazy bum to start dragging God down to earth.
    Envy and Wrath both died right before Homunculus obtained God, where he no longer needed to be envious of humans or show contempt to them.

    Pride died in a sense when Homunculus is returned to beyond the Gate, sort of in reverse to his siblings, since his death is affected by Homunculus, not the other way around (and in that sense, he may be the last to perish, despite being the oldest)

    On another unrelated topic, here’s hoping Arakawa-sensei decides to write a spin-off based on Ed and Al’s adventure’s post-FMA (Al’s would be a bit more exciting, as more characters reappear, and she can explore the whole country of Xing).

    no_sushi
    Reply

  67. i have to admit, i like this ending MUCH better than the previous series’ ending. i mean, i like happy endings in general, but this was a series where i was rooting for a happy ending moreso than usual. i felt like these characters really DESERVED something good after all of the suffering and struggle they went through. plus i really think ed & winry are perfect for each other, so i was happy to see them together at last. ^__^

    diet otaku
    Reply

  68. I don’t know, I’ve had an iffy feeling from last episode. I haven’t been too impressed with these story boarded episodes very much. I don’t seem very thrilled looking at the screen-caps.

    Cutting out Fu=stupid to just name an example.

    It’s like, if there’s a good scene, it has to be cut. That’s like a rule of Brotherhood. So, that’s disappointing to me.

    That’s why I hate these story boarded episodes; their vision of the episode just isn’t as good as the original.

    Vercetti
    Reply

    1. Regarding the Fu scene being cut, as Divine speculated, it’s very likely because Nana Mizuki wasn’t around to record any lines. Understandable, since her 8th album releases on Wednesday and I imagine that’s occupying more of her schedule.

      Tavor TAR-21
      Reply

  69. It’s definitely a bitter sweet end for me. I’ve been looking forward to the weekends and watching FMA and it’s always sad to watch a last episode and characters you’ve grown to follow and love go. Then again, seeing the end credits and Ed/Winry’s little family made me smile quite a bit.
    I’d also agree Arakawa-sensei will have quite a task coming up with something as awesome as FMA.

    Shinjiro
    Reply

  70. That was a nice finish to a series that has been going for so long.. still it wouldn’t hurt to have a little Al-side-story going to xing. but for now I’m really satisfied w/ how FMA ended.. ^^

    MrRei
    Reply

  71. I was surprised to hear news of a movie, but Divine just crushed all my expectations because quite simply, he’s right. It’s pretty damn likely they’ll just create a compilation/summary film of the series. That seems pretty popular to do in anime. Blue Gender got that treatment.

    That said, if there is to be a spinoff series, I seriously hope they would do something that shows the Xing trio’s (OK quartet… I forgot the panda >.<) journey back home and how Ling got to be emperor. I'd love to see that.

    Tavor TAR-21
    Reply

  72. Just leaving my thoughts about both series’ here:
    I definitely enjoyed both Full Metal anime for different reasons. imo, the way the gate was portrayed in the first anime had a more unworldly feel and imo, a scary feel then that of brotherhood. With that said, the over story telling and plot of brotherhood was more well done then that of the first series – obviously. However, in terms of how each series ended – in regards to both anime – I really enjoyed the climatic finish of the first series. Back 6 years ago when I watched Ed get impaled by Envy I was on the edge of my seat. There were many scenes in the first anime that are very memorable for me: Ed finding out how Philosipher’s stones are made, killing Greed, encountering/interacting with Wrath, and the ending. But The story of brotherhood was by far better, I really enjoyed the characters of Lin Yao, Kimblee, Oliver and Hoenhiem – but the way that Father was taken down seemed to me that it could have had… more punch. Idk, it felt a little anti climatic to me.

    Either way, following FMA for the past year ( and 6 years ago for a year) has been a blast. Definitely a great anime – it’s sad to see it end, and I look forward to what Arawaka will create next.

    Hira
    Reply

  73. Also for Divine: You’re probably right that Lan Fan’s lines were cut because Mizuki Nana wasn’t around to record.

    She’s probably super-busy preparing for Impact Exciter. It releases this Wednesday:-D

    Tavor TAR-21
    Reply

    1. Oh come on. At least it’s not a bushy beard.

      This thin pencil moustache gives Mustang a more determined look with his newfound authority and prestige while still retaining his youthfulness. Reminds me of those hunkish 20-30-something early 20th century revolutionaries in Asia and Latin America. lol

      Yaoi fangirls, you gotta broaden your horizons beyond clean-shaven feminine guys, or you’ll have your dreams dashed more often than not. XD

      Kinny Riddle
      Reply

  79. How are you people leaning toward the possibility of anything, especially a compilation version? We’ve had no other info on the movie other than the announcement itself!

    Vlyse
    Reply

  80. And so it’s finally over…
    I feel bad that they didn’t cover enough material for all of the characters in this episode, and I feel that more “action” between Ed and Winry should have been shown. I swear, I was practically begging inside my head for Ed to tell Winry to come with him onto the train…but I guess nottttt.
    News of the movies is surprising now of all times. It would’ve been expected had they not had enough episodes to cover the whole story, but now that they’ve completed the series…this is just weird.
    A recap compilation movie seems like a really bad idea… something original would be preferable, but then again, that might just ruined the series or not…who knows.
    Amazing series. Love it. <3

    Nice Holystone
    Reply

    1. IIRC, May and her panda became friends because her panda was shunned by the other pandas (which are much bigger regularly) for having growth problems. So of course Xiao May is still the same size.

      Vlyse
      Reply

  84. all and all this was an epic series well covered divine!!
    have to say the first FMA anime adaption is what got me into anime so it will always have a special place in my haart, but i have to agree the story line of the manga beats the skewed story line of the first anime adaption any day

    moshom
    Reply

  85. I liked the story of the manga more, but I think that the first anime had a more “humane” feel to it. The way they animated the Elric brothers experimenting with human transmutation, the darker tone, and the soundtrack, particularly “Bratja” really helped make it so much more emotional than this 2nd adaption.

    That said, I loved both, and I thoroughly enjoyed FMA. Thanks for blogging, Divine. It’s good to know that there are so many others out there who had a great time reading the same manga, watching the same anime, and enjoying the same FMA universe!

    bunny
    Reply

  86. Wow, what a finale. They wrapped up all the loose ends perfectly, though I am wondering if Ed is also going out to learn new forms of Alchemy/magic or if he’s going to study science and medicine instead. I thought Adult Mei-chan was hot, and didn’t really look any more odd than any of their “grown-up” forms did in this episode. Their faces all looked copy/pasted onto larger bodies. Maybe they all just grew into their heads, LOL.

    I kinda hope the movie is an anime-original movie and is set in the future they show in the ED. So we can see Mustang ruling the country with his sight restored and a walking Havoc at his side, and what badass new tricks Al’s hawt Xing girlfriend teaches him. I personally like May way better than Winry, simply because she’s powerful enough to hang with the rest of the alchemists in a brawl. Who would they fight though? Perhaps Homunculus escapes from the abyss with a horde of shrieking demons chasing him?

    I’m not sure how I’d feel about compressing this storyline down to 2 hours, but I’d probably still watch it cuz it’s Fullmetal 😛

    This adaptation was far better in every respect than the original, imo. It probably helps that I watched it in Japanese with an awesome VA team as opposed to the limp-wristed effort of the dub team. The endings don’t even compare. Brotherhood reminded me of End of Eva except you can understand it without hallucinogens, while FMA just went for “WTF Nazis”. Still, both were very good series and will definately hold a place in my heart. Here’s hoping we get to revisit this world again somehow … I’ll definately be looking out for whatever Arakawa does next. I’m sure she could retire off FMA if she wanted to but most creators don’t want to quit after one huge hit.

    Guardian
    Reply

    1. And I forgot to say …

      Thanks to Divine for blogging the series, as well as to Omni for the first half or so (since I know you’re still lurking somewhere). Great job and awesome screencaps that I’ve often used for my desktop. 🙂

      Guardian
      Reply

  87. Best series ever. Nothing else to say.
    Why comparing with the old and recent FMA? Why not other animes?
    This anime pretty tops almost all animes I’ve watched in 5 years, even Code Geass hmm…or on the equal rank

    Syouke
    Reply

  88. I really loved both versions of FMA. While Brotherhood was much better on a plot-level (and decidedly more epic; Father is a much better antagonist than Dante, I would say), the first series was more touching emotionally. I mean, having the protagonists fight homunculi that they themselves created just packed a punch. Besides, I believe the dialogue was better because the characters spoke to each other quite a bit before fighting, whereas FMA:B is more action-oriented. Sloth was a more interesting character in the original than Brotherhood for that very reason, although Sloth in this series fit the attribute of his sin. Also, Lust was such a well developed character in the original series, whereas she was killed off very early in the second series. FMA:B definitely made up for her absence with Pride, however, who was imo the coolest homunculus in either series hands down.

    Envy
    Reply

  89. Tbh this is such a huge series it’s almost impossible to sum up in a few short paragraphs. But you did a great job of that here. I’ve enjoyed reading both yours and Omni’s impressions on the series right from the first episode, every Sunday.
    Really pleased with how the show wrapped up. Though I admit it’s sad that it feels so final, it’s the right way to go. Looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

    Blaineo
    Reply

  91. Absolutely amazing. I must have teared up like 10 times in the first half 😛

    Thanks Omni and Divine for all the spectacular Code Geass and Fma blog posts,
    never missed a post. 🙂

    I can only hope that an anime of fma`s caliber would fill in the void which it left 😀

    Raul
    Reply

  98. Oh thank goodness Roy gets his eyesight back. But why did Riza cut her hair again? And in the end Roy wasn’t the Fuhrer…that’s too bad. Didn’t they know that Grumman is a “bad (traitor)” guy? Anyways, Ed is starting to dress like his dad IMO. I liked this ending compared to the first series cuz it gives me a better closure to the storyline. Plus, Ed and Winry become a couple…definitely the happiest ending ever here.

    Rika
    Reply

  100. Magnificent.

    It’s a shame that both Durarara and FMA had to end, and that there isn’t anything coming out that can rival their standards.

    1st half of 2010 so far has been good, hope the 2nd half has something in store as well.

    invAZN
    Reply

  104. I saved up the last 4 episodes to watch as one single episode (also did that with Soul Eater) but I was highly disappointed by the finales…

    Yes a series with good closure (for once) but since the director said that “he was shocked by the enormity of the final chapter “, I expect more of an “everyone-dies” end :p

    Fun series though

    Nyte
    Reply

  105. Tbh, I hated the original anime with all the nonesense they added… specialy because when I try to remember I tend to confuse their made up stuff with the actual story and it gets anoying.

    babawaba
    Reply

  106. man…damn it FMA was one of the reasons I looked forward to each week with joy…
    I wish all the best luck to Arakawa sensei for her next project.
    Thank you for such a great series and of course also to random curiosity staffs: Omni and Divine for their amazing coverage of the series!!!

    Hm
    Reply

  110. thank you for posting this!!! <3333333
    (i wrote something kinda long before but forgot to put my name and email after i submitted it and then i couldn't obtain it again DX)
    All of FMA is truly awesome and amazing and holds a special place in my heart and will forever. this series both FMA and FMA:B truly changed my life and is more likely one of the best things that happened to me. 64 was amazing, every minute of it gave it a worth while ending and would take me a long time to decribe every wonderful detail but i have to say Ed's confession to Winry was sooooo cute and adorable with Ed choking up and his equivalent exchange talk ( i couldn't keep my fingers off the rewind button XD) its soooooooo sad to see such a great series go that it might take me a fews days or weeks to get over it :/. but FMA lives on in mine and everyone of the fan's hearts. thats what keeps it going 😉
    i certainly can't wait for the movie and Arakawa's next work!!!

    and everyone seems to be going on about Mustang's mustache so i'll throw in my 2 cents
    i don't mind it really but i kinda took me by surprise cuz u i don't remember seeing it in the manga. I guess Arakawa wanted to make some last minute adjustments XD o.0 but i didn't really like how Hawkeye cut her hair D:

    CaffeineInfusedPocky
    Reply

  112. What’s with the mustache hate? Is it really despicable? or rather is it unacceptable because the manga didn’t portrayed Roy having a hairy decoration under his nose? (~^~)

    Anyways, I like the first anime adaptation but I find some of its unique twist weakly justified.

    One example would be Sloth’s personality. Compared to FMA Brotherhood, it didn’t really portrayed the homonculus being a lazy bum.

    Another example would be how human transmutation works there. It was said that human transmutation would be a cause for homonculus appearing up but if that were the case, I remember in the beginning of Conquerer of Shamballa, there was once a uranium bomb guy who performed a human transmutation as Ed claimed, would that be a cause for a hidden homonculus? Not sure about this but I would be glad if someone clarified this for me. 🙂

    But I liked their alternate-world gate twist. Anyways, look at this picture: https://randomc.net/image/Fullmetal%20Alchemist/Fullmetal%20Alchemist%20-%2064%20-%20Large%2051.jpg

    I find it funny because first I thought it was Al being harassed by his two chimera companions when they decided to travel east.

    And thanks for blogging.

    kabayongtao
    Reply

  113. LOL.. Mustang mustache.. Yeah, I was kinda surprised to see that cos I don’t remember seeing it the manga.. I wish Hawkeye would keep her hair longer and I wish Hawkeye and Mustang would make some pretty babies together.. haha.. I also wish Greed didn’t have to die! He’s like the best homunculus EVER!!

    Definitely the best anime EVER on my list!
    It’s sad to see it end, I really hope there’s some more stories that FMA can offer us, like OVAs of Ed and Al’s journey and stuff like that.

    While I love the first version of FMA, I have to thank BONES for this remake.
    And thanks for blogging!!

    Hanazaki
    Reply

  116. Wow the ending was awesome. I agree it couldn’t be any better. I’m kinda sad tho. Firstly because it has ended… I know, I know everything has to reach an end eventually, but 64 episodes don’t feel enough for me. And secondly I hate seeing Ed and Al splitting. It’s not the same as in FMA 1 I know but still after reaching a happy ending for their journey, they immediately needed to start a new one. I like what they did with Ed and Winry’s relationship and knowing they get kids sooner or later made me happy. I hope this is not the last story about the FMA universe. FMA 1 was my introduction into the anime world and I really want more. So I seriously hope they will deliver an awesome movie (which hopefully won’t be just a recap) and make a new series. I’m really going to miss FMA and this blog. Both were and are amazing.

    FMAfan
    Reply

  117. (Sigh) Just like the manga, seeing the ending of something as big as this, for some reason, gives me a really unsatisfing feeling. But it’s still a good way to end an Anime, I wonder if they will show a movie like they did for the last FMA.

    code fanboy
    Reply

  119. I have nothing new to add, just that I too am sad to see such a perfect series end. As someone who has followed FMA since the original series first started airing in 2003 I feel as though a chapter of my life has ended, as lame as that may sound. I guess this will free up some time to watch other series but FMA will always hold a special place in my heart. I am thrilled to see the announcement of a movie since it will extend the life of the franchise, which is fine by me.

    Also…Roy plus mustache upsets me too. And such a wimpy mustache at that, I feel that if he wanted to grow one he should have gone all out and made it like Alex’s or better yet grow out a full beard like Sig, lol.

    Stacey
    Reply

  120. Great ending to a great series (both anime and manga)! And just to point out the Ed and Al didn’t just separate again immediately after they gained their bodies back and had their reunion with Winry; two years did pass with all of them together before they came to that decision to gather more research. But it’s nice to know they all reunited again eventually for that photo (with Ed and Winry married with children, and presumably Al and Mei together!). I don’t get the stache hate, lol, seemed like Roy was just starting to grow one to fit in with the higher ups of the military since it seemed fashionable among them. Riza looks good no matter what her hairstyle is!

    All said and done, I enjoyed both the original FMA anime series and FMA:B. Sure the first series had some serious pacing issues throughout, and the ending was a bit out there with the gates linking their alternate universe and our Earth as we know it (and the movie was just so-so and I disliked how Envy wasn’t given more time and how they ret-conned alternate universe Hughes to be alive, among other things) but I thought the homunculi being the result of failed human transmutation was a bit more interesting (and more personal to the heroes) than them just being cast off sins of Father (both Greeds rocked hard, Lust was definitely more sympathetic, Envy more a bastard because he hated Hohenheim so much, etc.). I even liked Dante as the main antagonist though the ultimate ebil plan and payoff was a bit disappointing at the end (it surely wasn’t as epic as FMA:B’s).

    Raiju
    Reply

  121. totally awesome ending!!!
    but as the tradition…it is the same as the manga but in different ways

    but there’s one big issue or surprise that made my eyes blow up
    in the end of the manga (spolier!! DON’T read this if you haven’t finished the manga yet!, same with the anime) it was a page with some images o….welll some moments of the story..
    in this final episode the same but the surprise was all the photos they’ve shown
    1- Scar with that haircut!? o.O
    2- Mustang got a moustache!? 0.0
    3- Ed & Winry plus…….KIDS!!! O_O OMG

    what I mean by those pictures is that I didn’t espect them and well…..THEY GAVE ME A BIG SURPRISE!
    overall is a great anime indeed and totally worth every single minute

    XDark-AlchemistX
    Reply

  125. my toughts for the movie, maybe it’s a new OVA story untold, maybe it’s a sequal or a ‘next generation’, but i do NOT want a live action. it’s supossed to be anime! and live action versions of cartoons kinda ruins it for me. (i’m looking at you “tha last airbender” but it’s still good, but not very canon in design) ok, rant over. now to funny things.

    first off: we FINALLY se gruuman’s eyes! https://randomc.net/image/Fullmetal%20Alchemist/Fullmetal%20Alchemist%20-%2064%20-%20Large%2030.jpg

    secondly: see mrs. bradley here? https://randomc.net/image/Fullmetal%20Alchemist/Fullmetal%20Alchemist%20-%2064%20-%20Large%2029.jpg something sparked off as familier to me, and then it hit me. do you know who she looks like? http://images.absoluteanime.com/fullmetal_alchemist/dante.jpg THAT’S RIGHT! she looks like dante from the first fullmetal alchemist anime! and i just noticed that! dare to compare?

    Lunar-Oracle
    Reply

  128. Best Anime!!!!!

    but somehow… i want Riza and Roy to be more romantic.. im expecting a better ending for them…. even 1 kiss…. huhu…

    but all in all… I really love Fullmetal!!!

    It Rocks!!!

    Rie-Chan
    Reply

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