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Going to keep this mostly spoiler-free.
I put off watching this anime for a very long time because I was sure that I would love it, afterall, I had friends who loved it, it was highly recommended and praised as an absolute masterpiece. So why, after watching it, did it feel mediocre at best?
It wasn't bad per se, but it did feel like the very definition of average. The formulaic storytelling isn't anything that hasn't been done before, but after having it hyped as the #1 anime for so long, I almost felt betrayed as the final credits of the final episode rolled. Yeah, it was ... okay, but where is the absolute gem that everyone else sees? The final scene shared by Winry and Edward was cute, the openings were mostly memorable, but again, just average quality all around. Maybe it's recency bias, but just because it ended on a good note, doesn't mean the entire series was fun to get through, it was sometimes difficult to stay engaged and there were several side characters who's names I've already forgotten. I probably wouldn't feel bad about recommending it to friends who were only interested in shounen anime, but for most of my friends who enjoy other genres, I'd feel bad not recommending them something else. Was it worth watching? I suppose. Does it deserve its spot as the #1 anime masterpiece that it has come to be recognized as? Absolutely not.