(Blogger's Note: Sorry it is super late, something came up that I had to take care of before I could tend to the blog. The review of the FMA live action movie is still in the works, though.)
In the twenty-fifth volume of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, an announcement for a new anime adaptation was made. Unlike the previous version, this one would stay as faithful to the source material as possible; adapting storylines and characters that were previously unseen in the 2003 series. It would also receive high-definition visuals and brand new animation, unlike Dragon Ball Kai which simply used remastered footage of Dragonball Z. While it did deliver upon its promise, it had quite a few shortcomings.
For starters, the events that were previously seen in the 2003 series were highly condensed. As a result, it feels like this is a version of the story purely for the fans of Fullmetal Alchemist and for fans of the previous anime. It is not as "newcomer friendly" as one would expect. While there are some moments both series share, it takes viewing the original series and Brotherhood to truly understand what is going on. One moment in particular that definitely needed some expanding is the origin of the Elric Brothers. Unfortunately, it is severely truncated into a single episode. As a result, there are moments that the 2003 version proved to be more faithful than the series that is purportedly "manga-accurate". The first episode is also one created exclusively for this series, with the manga's true start not happening until episode three. If you are debating between the two series, then I would recommend watching both; watch the original up to its equivalent point in Brotherhood, then simply watch the latter until the end (or switching back and forth between the two). Despite its shortcomings in terms of story, it is a massive improvement over both the manga and the original. For starters, the viewer is finally treated to Arakawa's original ending and villain!
The characters' personalities and designs remain faithful to the manga, capturing the look of Arakawa's original illustrations. Consequently, it makes the viewer feel like they are watching the manga being played out before them as it was originally intended. Additionally, the characters' clothes have been restored to their original colorations, such as the darker shades of red for Edward's cloak and Winry's bandanna being green (unlike the original series in which it was red). We are also introduced to characters not seen in the original, such as those hailing from the country of Xing.
Overall, while I do enjoy this version of Fullmetal Alchemist as opposed to its 2003 counterpart, it is wrought with many flaws. However, if you are looking for a condensed version of the story, (maybe to prepare for the live action movie) then this series would be perfect for you. If you are looking for something that goes into a greater amount of detail, then I would suggest going with the original anime or the manga. Brotherhood is severely abridged, but it thankfully tells the story without giving any unnecessary details.
For starters, the events that were previously seen in the 2003 series were highly condensed. As a result, it feels like this is a version of the story purely for the fans of Fullmetal Alchemist and for fans of the previous anime. It is not as "newcomer friendly" as one would expect. While there are some moments both series share, it takes viewing the original series and Brotherhood to truly understand what is going on. One moment in particular that definitely needed some expanding is the origin of the Elric Brothers. Unfortunately, it is severely truncated into a single episode. As a result, there are moments that the 2003 version proved to be more faithful than the series that is purportedly "manga-accurate". The first episode is also one created exclusively for this series, with the manga's true start not happening until episode three. If you are debating between the two series, then I would recommend watching both; watch the original up to its equivalent point in Brotherhood, then simply watch the latter until the end (or switching back and forth between the two). Despite its shortcomings in terms of story, it is a massive improvement over both the manga and the original. For starters, the viewer is finally treated to Arakawa's original ending and villain!
The characters' personalities and designs remain faithful to the manga, capturing the look of Arakawa's original illustrations. Consequently, it makes the viewer feel like they are watching the manga being played out before them as it was originally intended. Additionally, the characters' clothes have been restored to their original colorations, such as the darker shades of red for Edward's cloak and Winry's bandanna being green (unlike the original series in which it was red). We are also introduced to characters not seen in the original, such as those hailing from the country of Xing.
Overall, while I do enjoy this version of Fullmetal Alchemist as opposed to its 2003 counterpart, it is wrought with many flaws. However, if you are looking for a condensed version of the story, (maybe to prepare for the live action movie) then this series would be perfect for you. If you are looking for something that goes into a greater amount of detail, then I would suggest going with the original anime or the manga. Brotherhood is severely abridged, but it thankfully tells the story without giving any unnecessary details.
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