Jul 27, 2023
After many years of its release and from my first contact with it, I decided to read it all again. And I can say, it was definitely worth it. So, let´s go to the review:
Story - 9.5/10
Fullmetal starts with a journey of two brothers traveling in order to find a way for recuperating what they lost when trying to bring their mother back from the dead and the plot goes joining its pieces in order to reach the main, dark story of what will happen to the whole country and its people. However, apart from the epic adventure, what stands out in this work is
...
how the characters connect with each other, fight to get over their inner struggles and learn how to forgive themselves at the same time they question what it means to be human. It is also about breaking the cycles of hatred in the world. And it is all written without losing its humor and its focus on the younger public. The pacing at its first chapters may be a little too fast for the reflections they want to bring, but later on, it all comes together, leading to an ending that is sure to let everyone with a smile on their faces.
Characters - 10/10
As written above, the characters are the highlight of this show. Each one of them is unique in their own way (even their comic relief signature). They have their own motivations and are determined to achieve their goals in a shounen-like feature that, however, does not make the characters less human or too unreal. They fight for what they believe, and it is inspiring. And they develop into better persons in their journeys too. Scar, for example, at the beginning is blind with rage and revenge and goes through a path of destruction only to notice the only thing he is actually achieving is the continuation of cycle of hopelessness in the world. His defeat of Bradley, or Wrath, is the symbol of his acceptance of the rage within and the meaninglessness of continuing his vengeance, and then he moves on to help reconstruct what he lost someday. And about the homunculi, even they had motivations, although their real role was for us to question the source of the bad feelings inside us and surrounding us. People who say they want the world usually, deep down, crave for something way more simple, and like that, fundamental. Someone who looks down on everyone and tries to do everything in order to put people against one another might be the one who thinks of everyone as greater then itself. Having too much pride for admitting the path they chose might not be the right one may lead to their own downfall. And I could write a lot more about the characters, but the point is already clear: you can take any of them, and somehow you will find inspiration and reflections for how to live well in this world of ours.
Art - 9/10
While I find the art style amazing, and really like the way the alchemy is dealt with throughout the drawings, I have to admit the art sometimes lack consistency and some of the fights look confusing. However, it still is great, mainly when it has to convey the feelings of the characters.
Enjoyment - 10/10
Being from the fun and epic ride from my first read, or from the appreciative, reflexive ride I had with my second, I can definitely say that Fullmetal Alchemist is one the greatest pieces of work I've ever read, with one of the most satisfying endings I remember.
Overall - 10/10
It is not flawless, but actually what is? However, it's a piece of art that brings a lot of joy and life lessons to anyone who reads it, and as so, I can define it as a masterpiece of our times without even hesitating. That's how great Fullmetal Alchemist is. If you still haven't read it (or watched Brotherhood), you should definitely give it a chance.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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