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WhiteReaper
05-24-2005, 06:28 PM
Fullmetal Alcemist
AKA: FMA, Hagane no Renkinjutsushi, Hagaren
TV, 51 episodes
By BONES, Square-Enix. 2003-4

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Magic.

Plot Synopsis:

In the world of FMA, there exists a science/magic ability known as Alchemy. This ability allows people to manipulate objects into different forms and shapes (such as an iron bar into a sword). However, the basic law of alchemy is The Law of Equivalent Trade, which states that in order to gain something, you must first sacrifice something of equal value. The story follows Edward and Alphonse Elric, two brothers who are excellent alchemists. Years ago, they had attempted to bring their dead mother back to life using alchemy. However not only did they fail to do that, but Ed lost his left leg and Al lost his entire body in the process. Ed managed to seal his brother's soul into a suit of armor using alchemy, but lost his right arm in doing so. In order to gain back what they have lost, they now seek the legendary Philosopher's Stone, which is said to be able to bypass Equivalent trade. Over the course of the series, they realize that there are others who also seek the stone.


Art and Animation: 9.5/10

Looking at this anime initially, the art style may seem somewhat cliched, but it really grows on you over time. At the very least, it deserves points for remaining very consistent in it's quality. Frames are rarely ever reused and the special effects such as the alchemy (which I will explain in a moment) are truly awe-inspiring. The fight scenes that exist are also very fluidly animated and never stutter like some animes tend to. And the character expressions are incredibly realistic - if a character is horrified, they genuinely look horrified, and if chibi moments occur, they look the part.

Voice acting/Music: 9.0/10

The soundtrack of Fullmetal Alchemist is quite impressive. All of the music is fully orchestrated and suits the situation perfectly. From the intense fight scenes, to those extra silly moments, to the moments of utter terror, no background track ever feels out of place. With 4 openings and endings there is more potential for error and unfortunately, the first opening doesn't really fit the series very well. However, the remaining openings are excellent and fit the tone of the series at their respective points well. The voice acting is also excellent. Ed and Al, the two protagonists, fit into their characters perfectly, and the rest of the cast is just as exceptional.

Story: 10/10

This is truly where the series shines. The story is truly compelling and philosophical. There are also many plot twists present, so you can never really have everything figured out until the very end of the series. While the story is at times quite heartfelt and even hilarious, at its core it is very dark, violent, and downright disturbing at times. We get to see the true malice of human nature as well as the innocence.

Characters: 9.5/10

As for the characters themselves, there is amazing diversity amongst the cast. Edward is a kind person but engagingly (and not overly) bitter, while Alphonse contrasts quite well with a great deal of innocence. And there are no truly one-dimensional characters either. Even characters like Armstrong (flexes a lot) and Hughes (shows off his daughter a lot) who are mostly comical, have the capacity to be serious at appropriate moments. I have seen very few animes which can match the level of humanity seen in FMA (with the possible exception of Gundam SEED).

Overall: 10/10

Bottom line is, FMA is, in my opinion at least, the greatest anime ever made. With vibrant animation, a catchy soundtrack, a compelling story, and excellent characters, FMA is a true acheivement, and if you haven't seen it, do so now! You will not regret it (unless you give up on it before you even give it a chance, in which case I pity you, because you would deprive yourself of a wonderful experience).

The Wing Man
06-22-2005, 11:07 PM
Story.7.5/10:The story is a pretty good story and it was also very simple and was a farelly good idea.I think the story was lacking in many fields like in the serious department.I only give it 7.5 for just being a not to complicated but very simple story.

Character.8/10:The characters are a interesting and are very cool i was impressed with the characters.I really liked al and i thought the idea of him was creative and it really went good with the show.I enjoyed the characters and thought they were some of the show's best things.I give the characters a solid 8 for very good characters .

Animation.9/10:It had good animation and it was very new and good looking animation that i think the show needed.It went well with the show to have good animation and it was impressive.Get's a good 9.

Audio.8.5/10:It had good audio but there was just notx alot of good music in the show and there was not enough music. But i did enjoy the opening song and that was about it for the music department.Now we move on to voice acting,ot was farelly allright voices but not a big deal.I give it 8.5 but i feel like that is very nice of me to give.

Overall.8.5/10:It is a good anime and it deserves a 8 for being a decent and well done enough anime.I think you should watch it for good characters and it's action in out between the show.A 8 is the perfect number in my opinon and it was maybe a little over the top but it was good.

Ami~chan
06-23-2005, 08:04 PM
Story: 10/10 The story of Fullmetal is absolutely brillant; you never ever know what will happen during the course of the episode. Plot twists are very often, but you will never feel as if the twists are too, well, twisted! The ending of the series is one you will never see coming; the story shines, not only because of it's originality, but because it manages to blend so many genres perfectly.

Characters: 10/10 Yet another 10 for FMA. The characters in this series are truly memorable and believable. From the mellow Al to the quite evil Lust, the creator of this series provides a wide variety of personalies and people. Each character has their faults and virtues, and each are so believable you start to think this just might be a true story.

9/10 The animation of this show is nothing bad; there is so much worse out there. But still, you could find better. It would be hard though. FMA offers some eye candy, mostly through the characters use of alchemy. Each frame is shiny and clean, and you'll never find yourself thinking "What the heck is THAT?!?!" Could be better, but it would be difficult to get much better.

Audio: 9/10 Another category in which FMA isn't quite perfect in. While the audio is pretty decent, it's no Cowboy Bebop. The voice actors do an incredible job of bringing each character to life; a personal favorite of mine, Al, whose voice actor gave him the voice that truly matched the passive, peace loving character Al is. The music is pretty good; you'll never be quite blown away, but that ending theme is SOO catchy!

Overall: 9.5/10 This is indeed a series anyone can enjoy; there's something for everyone. A little drama, a buncha magic, and alot of other genres that just melted so well together in the melting pot of an anime. It's definately worth staying up every night for an episode on Adult Swim. FMA is definately a brillant anime, and a great addition to any otaku's collection.

Sexy Monk Miroku
06-28-2005, 12:22 PM
Story 10/10: I think this story is very good and very original. I love the fact that they use alchemy rather than any kind of magic or thing like that (but i guess alchemy is a magic of its own). and the fact that the brothers are so close is really great, too.

Characters 10/10: I think the characters a very well developed. there are many dark pasts to these characters and I think that adds to the mystery to them. We still don't know full well whats happened with the ishbalian massacure and what part the military played (though we do have somewhat of an idea).

Animation 9/10: I really like the animation in this because its not serious all the time, but then again, its not totally sad and depressing. And I love the way that Al's armor is drawn and the miliatry symbol too as well as the seals for souls bounded to armor. I also love the fact Ed is so small and everyone thinks his brother is the fullmetal alchemist.

Audio 9/10: I think the japanese version is better, but, two of my favorite american voice actors play ed and al and I like their voices. Vic Mignonia(sp) does a really good job of ed's voice and exagerating it when needed. I also love the music, especially the theme song.

Overall 9/10: I think this story is very original using the concept of alchemy and I love how the brothers relationship is so close and how ed gave up his arm to keep al alive. the voices a pretty good in my opnion and i just really love this anime!

Yuna
09-16-2005, 04:22 PM
FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST

Story 10/10: Omg.. I just love the story in Fullmetal Alchemist, I think it's just brilliant! What I like most about it is that it's easy to follow, well.. for me that is. There's no odds and ends like some anime, and it keeps you focused whie you watch it. It almost seems like it's a true story..

Characters 10/10: I couldn't help but fall in love with the characters of this Anime/Manga. They have such wonderful personalities that are funny, fresh, and neat to the anime world. With Characters like Edward, Al, and Roy.. I just adore so much. Also.. with the Characters like Winry, Armstrong, Hughes(sp?), and Riza.. They just pull the whole story together. We can't forget about the bad-guys now can we? The Humonculi(sp?) is such an AMAZING spieces to put into a story. I mean, there is a lot of humans.. and demons.. and vampires.. and elves. .but a Humonculi is in it's own catagory.

Animation 10/10: Hehehehe. I love this part... =^^= I think that the animation is awesome.. When it switches to series parts and then goes back to the old-fashion BIG EYED, CHIBI-FACED anime that we all love to see. ( Like when Ed get's called " Short " <3 )

Audio 9.5/10: Hm.. the Audio of FullMetal Alchemist isn't the greatest.. Song wise. I mean, I adore the Opening and the Closing Songs.. but I think they need more of a selection.. o__O; That's just me. Anyway, the background music for fighting parts.. etc.. and add-ons.. like BONKS and BOOMS are awesome. ^^;

Overall 10/10: Overall, I think FullMetal Alchemist is a wonderful addition to the Anime and Manga worlds. Anyone who loves Fantasy mixed with Humer and some Love in it.. and isn't afriad of a little blood in a anime/manga.. I think this is a perfect anime for you. ^^;

Uchiha Ulquiorra
11-01-2005, 09:07 AM
Story: 10/10: The story in FullMetal Alchemist is jut plain awesome. So many plots and cliffhangers..Every episode ending leaves you wanting to know what happens on the next episode and it all fits in place later on in the episodes. It's very original and it keeps you interested in everything that goes on in it. They stick to one thing the whole series ( Equivelant trade ) and that's what makes it awesome. Plus the use of Alchemy. Realizing that you can do good and bad with alchemy is another thing they
point out.

Characters 10/10: Every character has their own story. Their Personalities are awesome. It's like they're split into different groups, trying to acomplish their own goals. The Elric brothers and the Rockbells, the military, the Ishbalians(however you spell it), and then the Homunculi which I think are the best group of characters in the anime/manga. How they are created from Alchemists trying to transmute a bead human back to life put them in their own catagory of characters. It's cool that they used the seven deadly sins for their names too Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, Envy, Greed, Wrath, and Pride. They each act out the sin theat they are too.

Animation 9/10: The animation is remarkable. Everything is drawn out so well and it's clear. The Alchemy that they use gets your attention. It's so awesome. All the Alchemic symbols and the detail that was put into them makes the anime/manga that much better. I think it deserves a nine out of ten.

Audio 10/10: The Audio, music, and sound effects are amazing. The English dub voice actors did a really good job with the voices.They bring each charactors personality out and the voices go well with them. All the openning and ending songs are one of the things that got me hooked to the anime.

Overall 9.5/10: I think that FullMetal Alchemist is one of the best anime/manga ever made. It's one of those animes hat everyone can enjoy. If you like Action, Adventure, comedy, drama, and Magic. You will love FullMetal Alchemist. Almost everyone can relate to it. It truely deserves to be at the top of the list of Best anime/manga.

S_C_L-1
11-02-2005, 08:18 AM
Story 9/10

can seem somewhat childish at start, but as it advances, it becomes so emotionnal... there are many parts that are powerfull enough to make a grown man cry... and even in a tense moment, they can switch scene and make u laugh! it can b a rollercoaster at times!

Characters 10/10

the characters, for the most part, are very well done! even those that are only on for a few minutes during 1 episode have credibility! every 1 has something driving them to their goals! Al and Ed, the two brothers with nearly nothing in common! almost any 1 with a sibling about the same age can relate to that lol.

Animation 9/10

very good! they dont cut any corners in this anime! everything is very well detailed! if something explodes, you'll c all the pieces flying off in every direction! it looks very cartoonish, and fits the part! they can make everything look very dark, and a moment after, be in chibi for a bit of sillyness!

Audio 10/10

perfect! the voices all fit the characters. when some 1 is angry, they sound angry. when some 1 is depressed, they sound depressed. this is 1 of the only animes that they can get away with a 7 foot tall guy with the voice of a child!
Even in the english dub, all the characters are perfect! everything is delivered with perfection. at some points, you can forget that it was made in japanese! (as an example, in episode 12 or 13, Ed is telling some 1 to sit down like a dog... and is simply replyed with "why? so we can c eye to eye?" (buuuuurn!))
with the minor exception of the first opening, all the intros/outros fit. the background music is fully orchestrated and just as everything else in this anime, evolves with every twist and turn.

Overall 9/10

a very popular anime, and for a reason! be it in english or in japanese, this anime is great. its the kind of anime you can watch from start to finish without blinking! every episode moves the story forward. things that happen at the very beginning will re-emmerge later on in the most un-expected manner. truly, 1 of the best ive seen to date! the world is VERY well thought out! you'll be completely submerged into this anime!

Saint Mana
11-02-2005, 04:34 PM
Attention: This review will contain no spoilers whatsoever.

Story (10/10)
Just how can you describe the story of Fullmetal Alchemist?
Well, the word unrivaled comes to mind.
The story of Fullmetal Alchemist is a perfectly orchestrated piece of art. A storyline such as this truly comes along once in a decade.
Everything about this story is awe inspiring. You have an intense philosophical story revolving around Edward and Alphonse Elric, two brothers whose lives are drastically altered through a dire mistake. Now they must travel to rectify their mistakes.
From this simple outset is launched an adventure unrivaled by today's standards. Be it the truth about the Pholospher's Stone, or the mystery of the character know only as "Scar", or simply the fate of the two Elric brothers, you are eager to learn more. This is a story that will grip you early on and refuse to let go, even after the final episode, you are left with the feeling of awe thrust upon you in the early hours of the series.

Characters (9.5/10)
Expertly done. Here you have vibrant and fully developed characters, that always have a purpose. Even if a character appears to have but a brief role early on, you can be sure that they will resurface at least once more before the series has reached it's end.
The characters are each distinct in their traits, from their core personalities, to their amusing sense of humor. Every main character, and even some non-main ones, will capture your interest from the moment they are introduced.
For instance, who is this man known as Scar? What is his purpose?
Or take the Fuhrer, is he really the great man he appears to be? Or is he as twisted as another Fuhrer we all know so well?
Who are the Homunculus? Where is Ed and Al's father? What is Colonel Mustang's true motive?
All these are questions you will ask yourself as you watch. Heh, and the only way to know the answer is to watch and learn. The good thing is, you will have a great time trying to figure all these thingd out.

Animation (9/10)
You will find no quick patch-work here, all the animation is of great quality here. It is not the best animation around, but it certainly stands out, and does the job it was meant to do.
One thig I noticed about the animation style here, is the Yellow-Brown-Gold colour motif. This is an interesting direction to go, as it gives the mood a sense of powerful desperation at times, yet there often remains a sense of an expansive world. I rather like how the colours set the mood in this anime.

Soundtrack/Voice Acting (8.5/10)
The soundtrack of Fullmetal Alchemist is flawed in few places. I found that the majority of the background music accomplished what it set out to do, and established a great mood. I would have liked some more variety between some of the tracks, but this in no way affects the wuality of the anime.
The openings and endings are not bad. I rather liked "Ready, Steady, Go", it was quite well. The rest of the openings were all good, and the animtion during them was great. The endings I didn't find overly impressive, but they are by no means bad.

Overall (9.9/10)
Overall, anime doesn't get much better than this. The only thing keeping it from a perfect 10, the that the ending leaves you wondering about one or two characters. However, they did it in such a way that leaves you satisfied.
No anime fan should miss out on this rare gem. If you do not at least give it a try, then surely you are cheating yourself out of a wonderful experience.

Dark Knight Yuka
11-20-2005, 01:09 AM
Story. 9/10-The story was very good,it was ment to go along in the FMA series : hardly anything confused most of the veiwers.But one thing that was out of the ordinary, something it was lacking. It needs to actaully look like a flashback or else they think it was doing that already as the story goes on.But other than that, it had a good story series going on there.

Characters. 7/10-Some one the characters had good looks and perfect outfits the fitted with them. But one thing I did not like was some of the voices they chose for the FMA series. I didn't like the voice Alphonse uses in it, or Winry and Pinako.Oh, and you cannot tell if Envy is a guy or a girl. But other than that they did pretty good.

Animation. 8/10-Well, each time a look at someones head shape, and body length : it pretty much changes a lot of times. Which makes the whole animation look out of place, I mean they should fix the heads and bodies when changing the veiw on the screen.Other than that the rest is good.

Audio.6/10- Is it just me or should they change some of the voices on the characters. I mean when I first saw the FMA pics : I thought Winry was going to have a different voice. Also, Alphonse's as well.But the other characters are pretty good audio.

Overall. 8/10- They did pretty good creating a show that would get millions of veiwers. And I catchy theme plus plot.Nothing beats a good story, like this science mixed with god like magic powers. How cool is that.

python862
11-20-2005, 06:11 PM
Story. 9/10-I thought the story was good, although some points seemed confusing to those who weren't already into the series. Overall, I would give the story a 9.

Characters. 8/10-The Elric brothers are a pretty believable pair of people, although, sometimes, they run out of steam when it comes to some of the most simple problems, however, this section is saved by the Homunculi, or for you technical freaks out there, those people that foolish alchemists create when they try to bring someone back from the dead. Greed, Envy, Wrath, and all of the others.

Animation. 10/10-The animation is smooth and pretty well done, giving the whole series a nice reputation throughout the anime critics

Audio.5/10 (English-Dubbed)-I don't think I'm the only one saying this when I say the english version of the series is really bad. There really isn't a saving grace when it comes to these voice actors, I'm sorry, but this really waters down the overall rating.

Overall. 8/10-Though my disputes with the voice-overs are plenty, I still think that this is a very well done series, and I hope that the rest of you here at AF agree with me.

Kisa _Sohma
06-19-2006, 03:10 PM
Story 10/10: The story is great and keeps u hooked. Not one episode is meaningless even if u think so when u watch it. I garauntee that a suppsodedly meaningless episode will have a greateer meaning than you think!

Characters 10/10: I think that all of the characters are great even the ones with small roles. The characters personalities are very beleivable unlike some of the animes made.

Animation 10/10: The animation is wonderful how sometimes it lapses back to the chibi animation at the right moments. It also is serious at the proper moments. The animation does't take away from the magic of this anime.

Audio 9.9/10: The only part about the audio is the 1st opening it does not fit very well. But as for the characters voices for the American version they chose the right actors. Like the fact Al has a soft voice it seems to fit. The American actors did a great job. The Japanese version also has chosen the right actors for the right characters. The background music really adds to the mood.

Overall 9.9/10: This anime could be better but that would be hard to do in both versions. The only weak point is the first opening. if u like to laugh and be absorbed by your TV show then this is the anime for u. If u don't mind a little goriness that is.

~fullmetal_homunculiII~
07-06-2006, 11:22 AM
Story: 9.5/10 I thought that everything was where it was supposed to be, all the graphics are awsome except one thing confused me on one of the recent episodes, but otherwise it was great.

Characters: 8.0/10 The characters are great and they have perfect personallities to fit their image, but what i don't get is why Al is almost the exact opposite (meaning Ed is out going and Al is shy) and that kind of throws things out of proportion.

Animation: 10/10 I love how everyone is drawn and put together. I didn't see one flaw out of that category soo that part was A+.

Audio: 10/10 The voices fit their personallities like how Al's quiet and out of the way where as Ed's voice is loud and obnoxious, and that fits them perfectally.

Overall: 9.5/10 Good job makers. you made a show that hooks the viewiers onto it right away. Like Smoking. Keep up the goood work and continue to make good shows like this one you've got here.

Sabrina Elric
07-17-2006, 03:03 PM
Story 10/10
Although I have only recently been exposed to Full metal alchemist I fell in love at the first episode. The story line is great and everything ties in perfectly. Every episode has a different meaning and always leaves you wanting more. I love the way everything grows over time (Including Ed's hieght) and makes it seem more real

Charecters 9.5/10
The charecters are the most interesting thing in FMA. I love Edward because of the way he acts tough despite the worst of times and has a great temper. All of the charecters have a role in the story that makes it even more interesting. All of the Humunculi tie in with their names and the army is as messed up as ever.

Animations 9/10
I like the animations but they are not very detailed at times. The eyes are what I have issues with the most, the charecters don't really have realistic iris. Besides that I like the way it looks espiecially the way Edward and Roy look.

Audio 8.5/10
The music is absolutely splendid. My favorite has got to be Unerasble sin and the theme songs. Although I have no idea what they are saying it still has a good beat and you can sort of tell what they are saying anyway. The voices are a different matter though. The japenese voices are my favorite because you can hear the emotions in their voices. I like the American voices too but Roy's voice is just not what I expected.

Overall 9/10
Do I really need to say why? I am obsessed with the series and I love the way it is layed out. Although I have not seen all the episodes I hope that they make another season. The last episode made me cry and I really want them to continue it.

~*Athena*~
08-05-2006, 10:19 AM
Story: 10/10



the plot is unique, one of a kind..

most of the anime of today has main theme of love between a boy and a girl, but this story is also themed love but not between two persons of opposite sex but of two people who are brothers..


Animation: 10/10



one of the best that ive seen lately..

the animation of the transmutation circle when lighted up, a good effect actually..

Music: 9/10



just one thing, L'Arc en ciel rOcks..

good background musix..


Characters: 9.9/10



the characters are very well modified..

more human like..

roy mustang is so kawai..

Overall: 10/10

a very good plot makes a good film..

same with anime..

fullmetal alchemist really is a one of a kind anime that makes us cry and at the same time made us laugh..:p

it also makes us want for more..

Gjallarhorn
08-10-2006, 04:23 PM
Story: 8/10 | Story's don't get much better than this, ladies and gentlemen. In depth, fascinating, captivating, and just plain thrilling. The story just comes at you from many angles, especially from the conflicting themes of science and religion, which is most apparent at the beginning of the story, and then down to the ethics of science, and the morality of human society. The story had one great downfall in my opinion, that being the ending. When I first saw the ending way back when, I was very disappointed, both at how it was set up, and the utter cliche of the theme of Earth being an alternative world to the world on which the story takes place.

Characters: 8/10 | I like the characters for the most part, although I did find some to be annoying. Edward, the one true main character of the show, was sort of a middle ground. Although seemed very one-dimensional, despite being witty and being tossed around by the turmoil of his situation. I was also annoyed by the continuous jokes involving his height. I saw Alphonse, Edward's brother, as a much better character. He saw things in a different light, and had a childish innocense to him despite what he had seen and had been though. I believe he truely shined when he began to question his own existance as being something that Ed had created and implanted memories into. I disliked most of the humunculi, the failed human transmutations, aside from Lust and Greed. Lust was an interesting character, in that she was truelly out for her own ends despite siding with Dante, the mastermind villian of the series, for the majority of the series. She was best when she sided with Edward and Al toward the end and took care of several of the humunculi. Greed was just an interesting character in that he acted nothing like the other humunculi, and could have easily been mistake for being just another human character. Hoenheim of light was another character I disliked, as he played a very important role in the series, but was in the series for only a few episodes at the very end of the series, and was hardly mentioned before that.

Animation: 9/10 | Simplistic yet great. I though the scene where this was most apparent was Ed's fight against Greed in Dante's home. The animation is smooth, and almost unflawed. I liked the choice in colors for small details on the characters and in the background, those being gold, yellow, tan, and brown: colors used to show great dispair and adversity in the form of hopelessness.

Audio: 9/10 | One of the few anime I have seen where I can honestly saw the English version was better than that of the Japanese. The names and places were clearly made to be said in English, such as Edward, as opposed to Edo, or Al instead of Aru. The voices in the English version where more suited to the characters in my opinion, and I never actually got used to the Japanese voices.
The music for the series was great. I was gladly surprised that Asian Kung Fu Generation's "Rewrite" as the final ending song, as I had often found connection between the song's lyrics and Full Metal Alchemist. I did not like how the opening and ending themes were done in the english version, having L'arc En Ciel's "Ready, Stead, Go!" in place of the first three openings for the series.

Overall: 8.5/10 | Opinion's tend to vary about the series, so I suggest seeing it for yourself, or reading a heap of reviews from various people.

bela
08-21-2006, 11:06 AM
Story: 10/10- I've never watched an anime with a good story line like this one. It's really well done. You never know whats going to happen next and the main thing we know is that they want the Philosopher's Stone. It's great how they incorporate different views on the world like in real life.

Characters: 9.5/10- The characters are great. They all have their own background which is done well. There are some characteres that seemed to be doing nothing except be annoying but whatever that doesn't bother me much. Since Al and Ed are the main characters you see what the other characteres are like as if it were through their eyes.

Animation: 10/10- It was really well done. If they were sad it would actually show that they were sad, or happy. The fighting scenes were awesome and how the alchemy is shown with electricity was great.

Audio: 10/10- The audio was perfect. It was in sync with the show at all times. Not like other animes where you're watching a scene and the audio doesn't suit it. The Audio for FMA was just fantastic. Audio is important because it helps set the mood in the show and it was great.

Overall: 10/10- This is a great Anime to watch. It's so intriguing watching it. When someone dies you can sense the sorrow. It's great. I suggest that everyone watches it because it is well done showing pain and suffering and happiness and excitement.

hunt4me
09-16-2006, 05:54 PM
Well.....
Story: 10/10- This story had very powerful messages behind it. I found that the main one just might be the will to continue on living. Edward, the main character, had to continue on living just for the sake of trying of his brother. It's the will to continue on living in the most desperate situations in life. I really admire the dedication and perseverance of some characters in this anime. Edward presented that he will continue on living his life to the fullest no matter how upset he is. He overcame all of his obstacles that I don't think normal humans can overcome even if it happened to them.
I also think that this anime deserve to be quoted as, 'Curiosity killed the cat,'

Characters: 10/10- The characters are great. They all have their own little quirks about things in life and they're all just generally different in all perspective. They all have their own background with different problems and personality.

Animation: 10/10- It was very well done. The animation was done very well. It showed all the emotions and actions of the characters very nicely. There's simply nothing more that I can say about this anime. I simply loved it. :p

Audio: 10/10- The audio was perfect. The voicing crew who voiced the characters were perfect, for both Japanese and English and Chinese (Cantonese).

Overall: 10/10- This is one of those must see anime that I fully recommend. I really enjoyed watching it. The anime was very well done and just about everything else about it. After finishing this anime, I will then recommend the movie. It's the closing touch up.

asian_brad
10-03-2006, 10:59 PM
Story.8.5/10:The story is really good. The problem with the anime is that it ventures away from the original manga plotline. Instead of going with the idea of killing is not a ok, getting revenge, or something like that in the manga they enter the other side of the gate which in a not so surprising twist is our world.

Character.9/10:The characters are interesting and pretty cool for that matter. Each character has something unique and has their own personalty. But one of my problems is some of the characters have random mood swings and it's really confusing. But other than that Their all good.

Animation.10/10:They animated this series with great care and made no room for error. The fight scenes were carefully made to have the details. Bravo to all those whom animated this anime.

Audio.8.5/10:The audio was also good. The openings and closings songs incorprates with the animation they used for the o/c's (openings and closings). The voice acting was pretty good, the only problem was they made Envy have a feminine, I saw the anime first so I thought he was a women.

Overall.9.5/10:This is one of my favorite animes. It has excellent plots, characters, animations, and audio. Nothing much to say about this anime, I recommened to every anime lover to watch this whole series... and the movie.

Anquietas
10-29-2006, 09:55 AM
Story (8/10)
The story line is great but it could have been even better. I myself am more a fan of the manga and I think the anime would have been better if it followed the manga's storyline.

Characters (12/10)
What can I say about them other than they just grow on you. You become attached to them and you sometimes can't help but feel their emotions at times like at Hughes's funeral when his daughter Elicia is crying and asking why they are burying her dad. at other times you can't help but laugh especially when someone makes a comment about Ed's height.

Art/animation (10/10)
The animation is good and consistent throughout the series.

Voice acting/Music (9/10)
The voice acting was definitely one of the best that I have come across and the music is probably some best I have ever heard, my favorite piece has got to be "Brothers".

Overall (9.75/10)
This anime is one of the best out there and is a must see for anime fans.

Riina-chan
11-03-2006, 08:11 AM
Story 9/10:I liked it. It wasn't copying any anime I know. It had many characters who had their own story which was good. But it could have more episodes but it was still fine.

Characters 10/10: The characters had different personalitys and they were so great! Every character were interesting and it was great to watch them...

Art and animation 10/10: I liked the style of it and it was very good! Colors were good and it was good that they changed clothes sometimes...

Voice acting/music 9/10: Voices were absolutely good especilly the voice actor choices! I really liked the first ending and other theme musics. I have heard the characters songs and they are great too.

Overall 10-/10: It is one of my favorites and I'm very happy that I watched it! Because then I would miss something very good...

Tobu-Chan
11-06-2007, 06:51 PM
story: 7/10 its a good story although sometimes it gets hard to follow or confusing, a lot of the series is spent searching for the philosephers stone and its almost as if when they finally do get it, its almost as if when they do get it, they didn't know how the story went from there the last few epis were kind of a blur, in fact the last epis and the movie were total suckage in my opinion, its almost as if they were waking up from a dream

Characters: 10/10 I loves the characters, they were amazing very balanced personalities, all with different attributes however the girls in this anime were quite annoying to be honest XD

Art/Animation: 9/10 sometimes in these really serious moments Ed would get this disgusting look on his face and it would be like "what ran over you 0.o" haha my point is the animation seems like it adds more effect for comical purposes then serious ones, and a lot of the anime is really serious so meh

Voice acting/music: 10/10 the vas were pretty good, although ed's voice could get annoying at times I think they overall picked the right rolls.... except for envy who sounds like a washed up old lady, I think the beginning theme was great the next two were... not so much, but still I would have to say the audio was great

overall: 8/10 its great it just needs to be slightly more organized >.>

Alexsis23
01-24-2008, 08:32 PM
Story - My Rating 8/10: The story was something new and unique, also the sotry had alot of surprising and exciting parts which makes you very curious on what is going to happen next. But sometimes the story twist is just to unexpected.

Characters - My Rating 10/10: Now I like every character in FMA. It fits through the story very well and also they did a great job on characterizing the main characters.

Art/Animation - My Rating 8.5/10: Wouldn't say the best art work, but it is impressive :)

Voice acting/music - My Rating 9.5/10: Everything in the from the vocal expression to the calm situation. They did a great job. The music is something to be proud of :P Asian Kung-FU!

Overall - My Rating 8/10: Yup, the anime is great :)

Diarmait
03-22-2008, 12:55 AM
Story: 10/10: Unlike what Tobu-Chan said, I didn't find the story hard to follow at all. Maybe because I watched the whole series 3-4 times on T.V. As Alexsis23 said, the story is unique. It always leaves you begging for more.

Characters: 10/10: The character's are something new, in the way they act and how well they compliment each other (not actual compliments but how they put the story together very well). If any character was missing, I think FMA would loose it's touch.

Animation: 10/10: The artwork is beautiful. Sometimes I felt as if I were actually in the scenery. Fantastic.

Audio: 10/10: The audio matched up with the animation very well. I never noticed any part where the audio was off cue or the characters lips didn't match what they were saying. Again, fantastic.

Overall: 10/10: FMA is an exquisite anime. Though it's not my favorite, it's in my top 3. It is an anime I would recommend to anyone who likes anime. Especially the movie, Fullmetal Alchemist: Conquerors of Shamballa.

Hope this covers everything. :)

sargeras66
06-27-2008, 01:04 AM
In my opinion, this is probably one of the most overrated animes ever.

Story 8/10

The storyline was very intriguing at first. I thought it was original and found that it was even more compelling to watch because the characters Ed and Al had such a powerful motivation to find the sorcerer's stone. But I felt that it started to go downhill near the end. I absolutely hate it when endings are rushed or feel like last-second ideas because that is what it felt like. But I guess it is understandable because the storyline in the anime differs from the manga.

Characters 8.5/10

I was pretty much satisfied with all the characters. They were well-done, but not to the point where they blew me away. I just thought it so-so. It wasn't like an "Evangelion" character close up, no it was not that impressive. It was just good.

Art 8.5/10

Music 9/10

Overall 8/10

I think that this anime's themes and motifs make up for where the story failed. Aside from the story, I found that the fight scenes were very dull and repetitive. Watching Ed charge in recklessly with his metal sword-hand repeatedly can be a turn-off.

Mysti Queen
08-09-2008, 01:43 AM
Fullmetal Alchemist

Story (9/10)
This has to be one of the most orignal series I've ever come across. It wasn't reptitive at all like some series are, either. There weren't any plot holes or anything like that. It would get confusing at times, but that was done on purpose to keep the audience guessing. At the end, everything pretty much fell together. It was interesting and very deep. I don't think I'll ever come across another story as well thought out as this one.

Characters (10/10)
The characters for me were very memorable. They were well developed and I felt myself connected to them. I felt myself worrying for them whenever they were in danger. I think this is what makes the series so good. You can relate to the characters so well.

Art/animation (9/10)
I'd say the art is pretty average. It's well drawn, don't get me wrong, but I've seen series drawn better than this. The thing that really stands out for me are the fight scenes and the alchemy scences and the way they just flow so nicely. Those were done really well, but other than that, there wasn't much that stood out to me.

Voice acting, music (x/10)
The voice acting in this is excellent. Every voice fits the characters perfectly, and it's not like in some anime that I've seen where the acting sounds just like acting. Not here. It's perfect. And the soundtrack is wonderful. Most of the songs were catchy and fit very well. And the scores used in the show did too.

Overall (10/10)
I give it a perfect 10. I've never come across a series like this. It's made me laugh, it's made me cry, it's made me angry...it's made me feel a lot of this. It really touched me. That's what makes it so great. It's relatable and it's well thought out. The characters are amazing and everything just falls into place. This is truly an anime you have to watch. I'm sure you'll like it. I'm not even into this type of anime and I fell in love with it after the first episode. It's simply amazing. <3

shikisama
10-03-2008, 02:05 PM
Story 9.5/10

At the begining of this anime, we could all say that its story plot some how reflects some childish acts.. But as the anime continues, we can see its mature emotions ripen! Some parts (in some very emotional parts) can make you feel the sadness and the pain that the character is feeling, as if you're the character its self (sunked by the storie's flow)... It's hillarious, has a good taste of humor (It'll crack you up to bits!! >,<).. and the most important thing is, you can pick some good moral advices in some episodes...

Characters 10/10

No comment.. only praises.. i just can't describe the characters.. each character has their own decent and interesting past... Nice work Hiromu-Senpai!! <3

Animation 9/10

For the animations, they've got good taste on picking the elements of graphics (especially when alchemists use their alchemy, sweet graphics!!).. and for the fighting style of the Elric brothers, i find thier style rather interesting... sortha like some ancient chinese fighting style (what the hell am i typing?? lol)... well lets cut the crap... FMA SCORES SOME NICE DOODADS!!

Sound ?/10

i don't really care about the sound!! well.. nice SFX... got the enviroment filled.. like dogs barking, a city theme, dark theme, etc... its covered superbly alright!! ^^

Overall 10/10

Yeah as they say, A popular manga/anime owns a reason... you could say that again!! the mixing of a very amazing storyline, touching characters, superb animations really does make a change in an anime... i give 4 thumbs up about this anime... has a enquizit story.. i just can't find the right words to describe everything!! Well, THIS ANIME OWNS!!!

tsujigiri15
03-13-2009, 07:03 PM
Story (9/10)
The story here is dynamic and fast moving, keeping you guessing right up to the end. Believe me, you will not see some of it coming. The plot is also well thought out and very clever, with every little thing contributing to the whole, to create an intricately woven story

It would get 10, but the FMA anime is adapted from the manga, which has a different story, but they start the same. Hence IMO there are just a couple of episodes/moments where the plot has to be hammered out, a bit contrivedly to fit previous events, when some of the characters have changed. However I should stress this is a very minor concern on my part

Characters (10/10)
To augment the plot, there are lots of very cool characters. They feel as one would expect a real human to feel - no insane optimism, completely inexplicable motives or anything like that here. There is also a nice range, with perhaps a few to many military people, but still enough to drive the story (Ed, Al, Scar), provide plenty of comedy (especially Armstrong) and display plenty of emotion - even jerking a few tears... What is really nice is that every character can contribute to all of the above once in a while - for anime characters, they are suprisingly 3d

Art/animation (8/10)
The art style is pretty typical for anime of its type and time I would say - it certainly gets the job done - details are well picked out, expressions are very convincing and the locations are very evocative of the semi-European atomsphere the show goes for. The animation is generally very smooth, especially in some of the fights (especially the hand to hand combat IMO). But there have been better ones for simple animation quality

Voice acting, music (9/10)
Ive watched this entirely dubbed, and partially subbed. Both the voice acting groups do a great job. I think a few notables sound almost better in the english - ed, armstrong and mustang. Also, given the location, having it in english does sorta suit thing thing. So my preference is for the english, but both are above average. I wasnt such a big fan of the final closing theme, but in general the songs used for this were good, as was the incidental music. My only comment is that given the number of sad scenes, it would have been nice to have some variation in the background for this

Overall (9/10)
I think Ive sounded pretty harsh in this review, but make no mistake, FMA is one of my top 5, and quite possibly top 3 animes. And I dont see anything replacing it any time soon (unless the new series is better). I cant stress the overall quality of this - its scripted tight as a drum, has a corking plot and lovable characters. Watch it.

Guardian_Valkyrie
05-29-2009, 02:48 AM
Ah, haven't been back here in a while. Sorry if I didn't respond to PM's.

Story: 10/10

The story is almost flawless. It was original as M&M's are identical in size. Some twists are certainly unexpected, and compared to many of the other plots that we see in common anime (Bleach, Gurren Lagaan, Naruto, etc.) this one is probably the best I've seen. If you love adventure, this will exceed your expectations beyond anything.

Characters: (10/10)

For those of you who like deep anime, this one does the job well. Although Edward seems like the belligerent, impulsive, strong-willed protagonist, upon deeper examination he really isn't. Alphonse fits the description of the protagonist better. He was naive, compassionate, and sometimes weak-willed (unwilling to kill for any reason), but he eventually overcomes his emotions to help his brother when he died in the last episode.

Roy Mustang was your classical, guilty, and sometimes dry-humored character. Hughes seemed like the dumb chit-chat guy, but he was deeply aware of events and no slack. The conniving natures of the antagonists such as Lust and Psiren may anger you, yet the fact that they are still presented in a human manner and desire to have human feelings belies that simple characterization.

I won't go in detail about all characters, since I could write 5 pages, but the characters are definitely...human-like and you could imagine their feelings if you were in their shoes.

Art/animation: (9/10)

I don't think it's perfect, but it's good enough.

Voice Acting: (9/10)

I got tired of Alphonse keep referring to Ed as "brother," I wish he could just have called him by "Ed."

=D

Overall: (10/10)

What about the 9/10's? Well, it would be unfair to place any value on voice-acting and animation if it is dwarfed by the rather deep, conflicting messages. I am an introvert, so this anime kept me thinking about life for at least another day after I finished the series.

The end of the movie made me sad and happy simultaneously. Alphonse placed greater value on his brother than any other person (which is expected) who existed in the other world, so he followed Edward back to the "physics" world. While I'm sure 99% of the audience, like myself, would have liked them reunited back into the "alchemy" world, there is a simpler message - a happy ending depends on how you make of the situation, not the situation itself. It may seem tragic they would never be able to see the same people they did (Winry especially), it doesn't mean they won't be able to be happy in the "physics" world.

It is heart-touching feeling. I didn't cry, because I'm not supposed to, but I felt a deep pain afterwards, because I empathize easily.

It's that good.

MisaMisaIsMe
01-14-2010, 06:59 PM
Story (9/10)
The story line to Fullmetal Alchemist was very original. I thought it was completley amazing. It keep me going and going, and I just kept wanting more and more and more.

Characters (10/10)
The characters were all great. They were memorable and there personalities fit the way they looked and everything.

Art/animation (8/10)
The art was pretty good. But the animation was very great, I loved it.


Voice acting, music (10/10)
The voice acting was just excellent! The voices fit the character just perfectly! They did a great job on it. The music was fantastice. I loved the music and everything. They fit the right parts and everything.

Overall (10/10)
I would give Fullmetal Alchemist a perfect 10. It was on of the best anime's that I have ever watched. It's currently my favorite. It was simply wonderful and I recommand it to everything and anyone!

-GAZKUL-
01-30-2010, 05:39 PM
okay
story 10/10
enjoyable in some places,funny in others and one of the best stories ever commited to screen/page . it is to be enjoyed both by those who like complicated and exiting plots with lots of twists and those who like wonderfully done fight sequences.

characters 9/10
the good guys are good but lack the awsome character of the bad guys,the haemonculi steal the show with incredible abilities and psychotic personalities. but it it those who are not truly on either side who are the most interesting, the crazy kimblee,the mysterius and vengefull Scar and the chimearas all bring intriguing side storys to the whole pocedings.

art/ animation 8/10
pretty good but nothing too special

voice acting ?/10
dont know i watched it subbed, grat music though

overall 10/10
the characters , music and story are largely flawless and combine to create one of the best anime/mangas ever. i cant reccomend it highly enough

chaotic.rune
04-02-2010, 10:01 PM
Story (8.5/10)
hilarious, enjoyable, and lots of good twists. just one doesn't seem to be enough! ;] could have been 10, cause i just don't like the bloody fight scenes.

Characters (9.5/10)
interesting, cool, and unique. i just love how they made ed tiny LoL. and based on the 7 deadly sins, the homunculi made the story more dramatic.

Animation / Art (8/10)
nothing too special. -_-

Voice Acting / Music (8/10)
i have to say i'm kinda disappointed about this one. they made al and ed's voice seem too childish in the english dub. It was perfect in the japanese dub tho. Scored 8 because of the music, simply amazing.

Overall (9/10)
great plot, great character, amazing music... wee-bit of flaws, sorry i can't give it a 10. still, a hilarious yet dramatic story indeed

The_Angry_Princess
07-30-2010, 06:27 PM
I just love everything about it HAHAHAHA

Franklyn
12-10-2010, 06:00 PM
Story (4/10)
It was okay and pretty decent but I guess they just keep on adding to many sub plots as the story progresses and it really makes it feel like each episode is a individual story.

Characters (9/10)
I think the characters were all very original and each had great and distinctive personalities that really showed the uniqueness of the whole show.

Animation / Art (8.5/10)
They lacked some detail in certain episodes but they added great detail just where it counts.

Voice Acting / Music (6/10)
I liked the voice actors in the english dub, I think the original japanese version maybe made their voices a tad bit to childish which really got annoying. Music was pretty average.

Overall (7.5/10)
Had it's flaws in the stories development and in the sound department, So I'd have to say it's something you ought to at least watch once but don't expect anything amazing.

mangeassshajigan
02-02-2012, 10:30 AM
Story (8/10)- It doesn't follow the manga that much but it is still great.

Characters (8.5/10)- The characters are mostly well developed.

Art/Animation (9/10) The art and animation are very appealing.


Sound(9/10)- the music is pretty decent and the voice acting was amazing.

overall (8.4/10) Its a great anime try it out.

HuntikFan1017
02-18-2012, 08:44 AM
In my opinion, this is probably one of the most overrated animes ever.

Story 8/10

The storyline was very intriguing at first. I thought it was original and found that it was even more compelling to watch because the characters Ed and Al had such a powerful motivation to find the sorcerer's stone. But I felt that it started to go downhill near the end. I absolutely hate it when endings are rushed or feel like last-second ideas because that is what it felt like. But I guess it is understandable because the storyline in the anime differs from the manga.

Characters 8.5/10

I was pretty much satisfied with all the characters. They were well-done, but not to the point where they blew me away. I just thought it so-so. It wasn't like an "Evangelion" character close up, no it was not that impressive. It was just good.

Art 8.5/10

Music 9/10

Overall 8/10

I think that this anime's themes and motifs make up for where the story failed. Aside from the story, I found that the fight scenes were very dull and repetitive. Watching Ed charge in recklessly with his metal sword-hand repeatedly can be a turn-off.

namine21
04-01-2012, 08:47 PM
Love full metal!!!! I finished the regular verzion and am now on the manga verzion plus reading the manga

darkrider21
08-20-2012, 11:06 PM
this was a sad anime. two boys trying to get there bodys back i wonder why noone thought of using that story line or alchimey in animes 10 out of 10

Aznen
10-03-2012, 07:10 AM
I voted all wrong...... I thougt it was for rank no.....

is my most favourite anime..... no doubt...!!
I'll givr 10/10...

~OTAKYU~
01-06-2014, 12:15 AM
First thing that came to my mind SHRIMP no offence to Edward fans