FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 47

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 47 – Emissary of Darkness

The most obvious similarity and difference this episode showcases is the use of Al as a host for a homunculus. In FMA1, it is the mist-like Sloth who invades Al’s armor while wearing his mother’s face to control him emotionally and physically in order to defend herself against Edward’s attack. FMA2 has Al permeated by the shadow-lurking Pride, who attempts to use the suited brother to lure Ed into the forest for capture.

One could draw parallels between the forms of said infesting homunculi and the nature of both series. FMA1’s Sloth is water-based and motherly, reflecting the FMA1’s focus on family and emotion, whereas FMA2’s Pride reflects the predatory nature of night itself, bringing about a sense of danger which makes this series so much fun. Neither instance is one-sided. FMA1 leverages the conflict of family bonds to forge Ed’s resilience to emotional trickery as well as take responsibility for their original sin, and FMA2 uses brotherly bonds to create an air of desperate concern for Al’s future well-being by Ed within a homunculus-devised stratagem.

Treatment of Hohenheim of Light also evokes some major differentiation. FMA1, as previously stated, never gave him much in the way of a back-story. This was appropriate. His relative absence from the series forced concentration on the brothers’ issues, most of which (if not all) stemmed from Hohenheim or his desertion. He shows up in the brothers’ lives and then disappears again, keeping in line with what we know of his character and then ends up being nullified as any sort of threat by the homunculi in a showdown that reaped nothing for the brothers (he was trying to get the evil being to leave his sons alone) but filled viewers in one some details.

FMA2 not only gives Hohenheim a more complete back-story, but also ironically makes his character more believably human. Why ironically? Because FMA2 Hohenheim is a Philosopher’s Stone, and this sets up a moral quandary for Ed (though one that is quickly dismissed as even a remote possibility ... at least for now). Possibly breaching its own formerly stymied emotional tract, this advantageous possibility — forcing Ed/Al to use their father as an ingredient in an attack on Father (dwarf in a flask) — speaks volumes as to where the themes come from which are at the center of this series: allegiance, duty, sacrifice … BROTHERHOOD. It would not be off-track in the slightest then to say that FMA1 is most definitely maternally driven, while FMA2 shows its paternal allegiance. Respectively, FMA1 and FMA2 aggrandize emotions we could generalize as stereotypically female and male, but if Hohenheim is to be used by Ed and Al, FMA2 will have managed to leverage both gender-generalized emotional impacts.

And last but not least, seeing as this episode contains not one, but two mentions of reasons not to attempt to regain an original body — possibility of depleting Hohenheim as a source and the chimeras’ fondness for the advantages of their laboratory-contrived forms — FMA2 might be heading for an end where Ed and Al do not get their original bodies back as per FMA1, but learn to live as they are … accepting their sins so to speak. This is only far-fetched when the threat of Al’s slipping consciousness is taken into account, but it would be a great end to the series.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 46

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 46 – Looming Shadows

One of the most brilliant things this series is doing, no matter how disheartening, is the physical separation being kept between Ed and Al. And the second scene, where Ed and company accidentally meet up with Winry and her escort, makes a wonderful show-don’t-tell move. Upon finding out that Al is near, Ed immediately jumps from his chair and starts toward the door. Of course viewers know where he’s going, but then Ed stops. There’s much implication in this. Ed knows his and Al’s paths, which are destined to intersect (if only in purpose), must remain separate for the time being due to circumstances beyond his control, and Ed recognizes that rash action cannot be made for selfish contentment (i.e. reuniting with Al) in order to attain the goal directly before them: stopping the homunculi.

This is in contrast to FMA1, which never let the brothers develop on their own. And while that made the bond enviable and the devotion heartwarming, the fact that the bothers were (almost) never apart meant they never had a chance to become their own characters or grow in relation to each other. More or less, FMA1’s Elric brothers were one and the same with a smattering of internal conflicts between their collective conscious. Moreover, FMA2 has shown a degree of growing independence that fosters a trust betwixt the two brothers that FMA1 never required. Here in FMA2, Ed and Al are conspirators, plotters — chess players who can only see their own pieces while trying to play the same game against a nigh-omnipotent opponent — furthering the strategic nature of this series.

The ways in which FMA2 continue to use Greed are also impressive. Aside from aspects already mentioned in previous Diaries, these last two episodes of FMA2 have shed light on why Greed was such a threat to the other homunculi and sealed away: selfishness. He wants it all and all to himself. Each mean he employs is one aimed at fulfilling his own desires, regardless of what anyone else wants — a blatant anarchistic threat to any organized plot. But as this episode has Greed spell out to Ed, greed can be utilized for good and evil alike. As easy as switching a lower-case g to a capital G, this can be taken as metaphor for how the series is justifying Greed’s alliance with Ed. This is in line with FMA2’s strategy-based build but also parallels FMA1 Lust’s selfish interest in helping the boys.

And last but not least, if we are to believe Bradley was actually killed by a little explosion and subsequent fall into a river, then FMA2 polishes him off via a team effort pulled off by ancillary characters instead of mano-a-mano a la FMA1’s Mustang vs. Pride. More importantly, FMA2’s route bolsters the human vs. homunculus theme as opposed to FMA1’s alchemist vs. homunculus. This may seem trite, but if we’re looking into the sociopolitical aspect of the inference, then what FMA2 does is stress the power of the ordinary people have over fantastic forces (government), while FMA1 used fantasy to counter fantasy. I think this is the essence of what makes the blood race when watching FMA2. Aside from its well-developed action scenes, the amount of adversity faced by the ordinary characters lets un-fantastic viewers see a bit of themselves as major factors in the revolution.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 45

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 45 – The Promised Day

If FMA2 were nothing battles betwixt Greed and Wrath, which is how this episode starts, I could watch this show all day long. The attention to detail during their sparring matches is phenomenal, and Wrath’s swordsmanship and Greed’s Ultimate Shield serve as wonderful foils in each fight.

FMA2 retains the humour of the Armstrong household, but through violence (Olivier and Alexander) and subtle inaction (the rest of the clan) as opposed to a goofy dating episode (FMA1 Episode 37) and overly caring paternal figures (FMA1 Alex) while managing to tie the reason for the visit to the family household into the main plot for good reason, unlike FMA1. Disheartening is the lack of Alex Loiuse’s presence in this series. He was a good substitute father figure for the Elrics in FMA1, but, admittedly would serve no great purpose in this series. Much more important is his sister, Olivier, whose character and presence just continues to endear her to me even more than Alex from FMA1. Even though it was not intended as such, I’d like to think of Olivier whooping her brother’s butt as a comment on how much stronger a character she is as opposed to Alex in the first series. Both suit their respective series, but what gives Olivier the edge (no pun intended) is her back-story at Briggs and how that lends to her seemingly cold ambition and relentless drive. Alex had no particular reason for being Alex in FMA1 ... he just was, which made him a weaker character.

The separate journeys of Al and Ed continue, further distinguishing FMA2 from FMA1 in a couple ways. On the good side, Ed’s character has changed; he has become more humble and less full of pride, which is a good device seeing as that is one of the sins he is up against. The bad thing is the sudden implantation of this change. There are of course good and bad reasons one could judge by. On the justifiable: Ed’s had a near death experience and was cared for by others, forcing him to accept his mortality and other’s help. In the grey realm: all of this has to be implied (and only over two episodes) because we only saw Ed dying and recovered.

In other words, the sense of missing time isn’t there nor is the extent to which he is indebted or forced to swallow said pride. As FMA1 was a character study, Izumi’s assessment (after Ed killed the homunculus parading around as his mother trying to kill him) of Ed’s having grown up carries much more weight because of the sheer amount of time devoted to watching Ed battle his inner demons. That said, FMA2 still makes a courageous move by setting Ed and Al apart for so long and even more interesting by having Ed recruit the homunculi-excommunicated Greed (or vice-versa). On both Ed and Al tracts, FMA2 shows how much more independent of each other the brothers are growing, which is something FMA1 could never have done because it’s focus was on the brothers and not the struggle.

Greed’s integration into that struggle breaks the final segregation barrier FMA2 faced: positive (possibly, probably) homunculi-human cooperation. Of course, one could argue that pure homunculi are still the villains, seeing as Greed still harbors an inner Yao consciousness. This completes the implication that anything human — pure, chimera-blended, or homunculus-hosted — can work together and add their individual strengths to a collective effort against a common enemy.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 44

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 44 – Revving at Full Throttle

The town of Liore in FMA2 has survived two more episodes than its FMA1 counterpart and is not the focal point for the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone (the scope of sacrifice being elevated in FMA2 by requiring the entire country of Armestris instead of just one city). Also, its inhabitants do not harbor a grudge against the Elric brothers despite having “had some violence and stuff.” Instead, FMA2’s Liore is standing on its own two feet and rebuilding itself, slowly and with a renewed sense of camaraderie. While this may seem like a trite, happy ending for Liore, the series isn’t done yet. More importantly, this shows humans working together, possibly foreshadowing the human race’s future rebuilding after the war with the homunculi.

This foreshadowing isn’t out of the proverbial blue. Hawkeye’s major complaint in a previous episode, when asked by Bradley how Hawkeye feels as a citizen that her Fuhrer is a homunculus, was that of disappointment in having been lied to. This may be a parallel between the people of Liore and their exposed false prophet Cornello.

Al’s just as eager to reacquaint himself with his long lost father as he was in FMA1, but instead of Al camping out with Hohenheim for a night and then waking up to him having gone missing again, Al works alongside his estranged father while helping to rebuild Liore to spend time with him. Al’s reward? He learns the whole Hohenheim back story that we just watched four episodes ago.

And the last thing I’ll say about Liore is that FMA1 never had a Winry-in-the-bathtub scene, but it did have a Resembool Ed-in-the-shower scene. Whatever your preference ... just sayin’.

Although the plot about the legion of immortal soldiers and how they’re created continues FMA2’s darker approach to military than that of FMA1, it carries some of the same relationship aspects. For instance, FMA1 homunculi were after any talented alchemist to create a Philosopher’s Stone because they could not perform alchemy. FMA2 homunculi, while having been seen using Philosopher’s Stones for alchemic purposes, still have shown the need for humans as intermediaries, and the immortal soldiers are just such an example.

Another instance of like but dislike relationships would be the use of homunculi against each other. Greed, specifically, is easiest to map out, because he is out for himself and no one else, making him the violent anarchist of the bunch. Whereas FMA1 has Greed sound the death knell for the other homunculi through information relayed to Ed and the popping of Ed’s killing cherry, FMA2 uses the breaking free of a human soul restrained mentally by Greed in his own body to initiate a rematch with Bradley. Again, this shows the divisions between series by making the conflicts not within similar factions (FMA1) but very clearly defined species (FMA2), setting their respective specialties of emotional trauma and sociopolitical drama.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 43

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 43 – Bite of the Ant

Most evident as the main contrast between FMA series in this episode is the fate of the homunculus, Envy. Since there is no parallel universe in which for him to get trapped and captured, there is no need for FMA2’s Ed to accidentally transport Envy there while trying to bring back Al from The Gate (a la FMA1). Instead, Marcoh and company – Scar, Al, Zampano, May — have devised a plot to bring the shape-shifting homunculus down.

There are several important and defining issues here. I’ll start with FMA1, which was designed with a lot of loose ends — one of which was that Envy was only the second to last homunculus (leaving Greed) left in the war of humans vs. creatures. FMA1 needed envy alive to serve as a metaphorical parallel between Armestris and Shamballa (the real last episode). Just as in FMA2, it is not Ed who disposes of Envy, though it is by alchemy that he is undone. FMA1 uses Envy to create a physical portal between Armestris and Shamballa, whereas FMA2 has Marcoh use Scar’s alchemic short-cut of stopping halfway through the breakdown/reconstruct process. The result of both is different as well. Envy is swallowed up as material for FMA1’s portal as a result of selfless, emotionally crushing sacrifices involving alchemy, while FMA2 reduces him to a green, worm-like parasite to be kept for interrogation via the actions of humans and chimeras working together through action, alchemy, and alkahestry.

Before FMA1’s Envy pries open The Gate to track down and kill Hohenheim, Envy makes a remark that reveals the level of detest harbored by the homunculi for humans by claiming their extinction to be at hand. This is almost parallel to FMA2, with the exception of FMA2 valuing humanity at least as servants. The leveraging of FMA2’s class issues is brought to the forefront again with Envy lashing out at the frustratingly effective attempts of Marcoh and company’s ambush. In FMA1, there was no such politics; Envy was seemingly happy just to have Hohenheim skewered between his dragon jaws, bleeding for eternity. Demonstrating a consistent rift, one series serves a sociological end, the other an emotional one.

Scar would be the second biggest difference betwixt series here, namely his growth concerning the dissolve of his revenge fantasy. In FMA1, Scar died completing the city-wide transmutation circle used to create a Philosopher’s Stone after succumbing to wounds gained from performing a gut-instinct reaction to protect Lust, the embodiment of his brother’s former lover and Scar’s own crush. Completely true to the differences between series, this is an emotional growth; he protects something non-human at the expense of himself, but still ends up completing his revenge. FMA2, however, doesn’t (yet) require such martyrdom. Its Scar has learned from his Ishvalan brother, Milo, as well as those with whom he is currently travelling, to attempt to change the minds of the Armestrian people instead of enact straight revenge. Such learning was not absent from FMA1, though, which used the same type of growth (if only a bit more subtly) but ironically applied it to parallel feelings of brotherhood between Ed and Al and Scar and his brother.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 42

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 42 – Signs of a Counter Offensive

Alchemy was made in the kitchen according to both series, but only FMA2’s cookbook comes with pictures. Via a House-like epiphany and an accidental sneeze, May, Marcoh, Al, and Yoki discover an arrangement based on textual code as well as physical plotting that must be utilized in order to perceive the real meaning of Scar’s brother’s research notes. This two-sided jigsaw puzzle reveals the transmutation circle intended for Armestris in both alchemy and Alkahestry. So now, at least in a few symbols and intent, FMA2 has established a link between the two practices.

Rose is alive and spunky in FMA2, helping Liore cope with the crippling loss of their false prophet Cornello. She wears a face unmarked by the tragedies of rape and martial law imposed under FMA1’s return to the city, which I always felt added some wonderfully realistic military corruption but many others criticized as superfluous. FMA2 (so far) is staying safe from such potential pitfalls by making her the savior of the town via soup kitchen aid (cook and server). It is during such service that she meets and is complemented by Hohenheim in the same manner Hughes complimented Winry in FMA1 (how’s that for reaching for a similarity?). It is through Rose that Hohenheim is led underground to discover what’s bound to be the outer ring of the country-engulfing alchemic circle (which also serves as a possible container for Dwarf’s segmented “Pride”). The only citywide circle dug in FMA1 was that around the ruins of Liore, and that was done by Scar.

FMA2 is big on stressing interstate battles, while FMA1 was more concerned with intrastate “conflicts.” Brotherhood has already alluded to this via the inclusion of Briggs’ constant readiness for war with the forces of Drachma, but border wars are highlighted in this episode via the mentioning of Breda’s experience with the war at Pendleton in the west, Fuery’s involvement against Aerugo in southern Fotcett, and, last but not least, Drachma vs. Briggs, with Kimblee as facilitator and traitor. The latter ends the episode, setting up a battle for Briggs, one of the last strongholds for a formal resistance. The FMA1 resistance never had the luxury of a formal base, though. Instead, it made do with guerilla fighters. Still, FMA2 is doing technically better what FMA1 tried with the execution of its faction of state alchemists and those that supported them.

And I may be wrong with this next point, but I don’t think there was ever a single episode in which FMA1 did not involve Ed. This is a first for FMA2 as well. And there isn’t anything lacking. This shows strength of character for the series in that it has built up the supporting cast so well that the main story does not have to hinge on one individual.

And if you haven’t yet heard via the Anime News Network, Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block will be airing the dubbed Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, aka FMA2, which features 99% of the original voice cast, starting February 14 at midnight. Why do I mention this? Because that is also where FMA1 initially aired in the US too, but not starting from that specific date and time. Ha!

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 41

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 41 – The Abyss

In the end, this episode is about a single shot: Edward Elric standing in a room, showered with light from a latticed window, facing the only door. He is positioned thusly, because Miles and his loyal Briggs soldiers have just left through it on a hunt for Kimblee and his men with intent to kill, and Edward is trying to reconcile his innate desire to maintain a non-lethal battlefield policy with a situation that’s growing increasingly dim.

The resolution with which FMA2 Ed is holding firm concerning his love for all life is matched by his FMA1 counterpart, with one notable exception: homunculi. FMA2 Ed has yet to kill such a creature, whereas FMA1 Ed, after Greed, went on an all-out homunculus hunt! Aside from the initial difference of FMA2 Ed never having killed greed (thanks, Wrath!), the approach of both series in their definition of a homunculus has defined this divide. FMA1 made these creatures out to be empty vessels with trace memories of their human-resurrected remains, while FMA2 makes them out to be human-hosted symbiotes. This closer relation to humans makes FMA2 Ed’s resolute will very believable (no easy trick), just as FMA1’s just-human-enough characterization made for some intense psychological battles and growth.

A couple of unbelievable things this episode: how long a dense cloud of snow lasts in a windy and open outdoor environment, and how easy it is to find a 2” x 1” philosopher’s stone amidst a couple floors of collapsed rubble. Ed’s use of medicinal alchemy, however, was made very believable, just as the circumstances necessary to justify such a gamble were logical. To heal a life-threatening wound, which led to a brief and wonderfully executed bit of an implied encounter between the separated Ed and Al at the door of truth, Ed’s internal monologue fills us in on his theories on using his own life force as a philosopher’s stone to heal or reconstruct his internal organs. The use and consequences of this parallels that of Hohenheim’s alchemic surgery on Izumi last week. FMA1 never attempted such a thing. The closest it came was Dr. Marcoh’s use of imitation philosopher stones to heal, but Ed never involved alchemy with anything human after his initial taboo.

A bit formulaic and something that irks me: how FMA2 Ed gains chimera allies feels like a video game — you’ve just beaten the boss, now he will fight with you. This does, however, show the slow amassment of a small and formidable freak force that Ed can work with to take on the homunculi. Chimera use in FMA1 was almost never for good; even Martel was basically using Ed and Al for her own objectives. This difference harkens back to what I said earlier about valuing life. Instead of marginalizing chimeras into their own groups as in FMA1, FMA2 brings them into the fold of the resistance. This is a notably fierce statement on integration, which is an ongoing theme of FMA2. The underlying justification for this, I believe, is the readying of forces for the final battle: humans and chimeras vs. homunculi. Why? Because from the start, FMA2 homunculi have been shown as nothing but malicious, while chimeras and humans have been the good guys or switched over to being so after confronting a greater evil (Kimblee being the closest one can get to a homunculus without actually being one).

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 40

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 40 – The Dwarf Inside the Flask

Continuing to expand Van Hohenheim’s back-story, FMA2 tells a tale of No. 23, a slave who inadvertently contributes to the birth of the first(?*) homunculus. This dwarf (little one) in a flask, in recognition of the slave’s blood connection to its own existence, then gives the human a name (initially Theophrastus Bombastus... then VH) and edifies the ignorant pupil to become eligible enough to study under an alchemist. The first part of that is an interesting notion of Creation naming (honoring) its Creator, which warrants a revisiting of the series to see if this has been implemented elsewhere, by whom, and for what purposes. The stress on class difference — knowledge and learning as a means out of the rigors of slave (menial physical) labor and into a comfortable lifestyle — also continues to separate FMA2 from FMA1, which mainly only focuses on interracial and emotional conflicts.

Whereas FMA1 only vaguely indicates how long Hohenheim had been alive and to what degree he had affected its Armestrian history, FMA2 directly points at a specific period in history (if we draw parallels to his namesake in our world) and shows how Xerxes is brought down. Mind you, FMA1 also referenced an ancient town that “disappeared overnight,” but not much was ever done to give it any concreteness. That disappearance, while a different spell than ever seen in FMA1, is done in grand fashion. Arms and the eye of “the truth” are similar, but the aftermath — motionless bodies lying in the street where they fell at the moment of the spell’s invocation — offers a greater Romantic quality than FMA1’s Philosopher’s Stone spell, which only resulted in a big red flash, a halved Lt. Col. Archer, and a vacant lot which was once a town.

Following the aftermath, the reason behind Van Hohenheim’s twin is explained. I’d like to take this opportunity to apologize for everything I said about the possibility of an evil twin. I should have known FMA2 would not have been so base a storyteller as to rely on such clichés. The connection, if you’ll pardon the pun, draws on the blood tie between homunculus and Slave No. 23 and is far better conceived than I could have hoped. It sets up a grand possibility for emotional conflict as well as an inevitable final physical confrontation. Hohenheim’s reaction to learning the nature of his newly granted immortality, half of all the souls used as ingredients for the spell, also serves as a parallel to Ed’s pacifist nature and downright paralyzing fear of killing.

Another interesting similarity with FMA1 is that Mustang still doesn’t believe in homunculi. Why this is, I cannot be sure. At least in FMA1, Mustang never really crossed paths with a homunculus directly until the very end of the series. This seemed to validate reports that were being fed to him throughout the series and gave earnest justification for our not fully trusting him to fully trust the brothers Elric. In short, it was a well-written bit of believable cynicism. FMA2’s Mustang, however, directly faced and tried to burn down a homunculus (Greed). So why does he say, “there’s no such thing” in surprise when he decodes Hawkeye’s message concerning Selim Bradley? It’s a chink in the armor of the story, but a very minimal one.

Finally, whereas FMA1 made Izumi to suffer physically right up until the end as penance for her sacrifice and homunculus birthing, FMA2 uses Philosopher Stone Van Hohenheim to make her breathe a little easier by rearranging her internal organs so that she doesn’t “fall just yet.” I’m greatly looking forward to seeing how and to what capacity FMA2 plans on using her.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 39

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

We apologize for the lateness of the article. FUNimation's video stream did not go up when it was scheduled to, so Ink had to wait nearly a week to finally watch Episode 39.

Watch Episode 39 - Daydream

I’m loving Winry’s character more and more vs. her FMA1 incarnation. Stronger and more psychologically driven, she has to face her parents’ killer in ways FMA1 never presented. Consequently this rounds out her character, compared to FMA1’s static (though diversely utilized) role of emotional support, comic relief, and love interest.

Also of note in this episode is an interesting and wonderful use of Milo to bring about the notion of non-violent revolution (changing of minds through his Ishvalan presence in the Armestrian armed forces), but somewhat self-defeating seeing as where he’s positioned is just about as marginalized as one could be. At the same time, however, this is acknowledged by the series with his line, “There’s no telling how long it will take,” showing a well thought-out back-story and intention. FMA1 never mulled over Ishvalan reintegration, and in some ways this evoked a more real-world sense of haplessness for race relations as a theme. FMA1 constantly moved Ishvalans about like refugees, only showing main characters as such or vengeful serial killers. The former carries a wonderfully heavier emotional toll, and the latter sadly dumbs it down to a stereotype. By itself, this comparison brings up another contrast: use of hope and despair. FMA1 was built on despair and emotional turmoil, using lack of hope in every aspect but one as a drive towards a goal, whereas FMA2 uses the traditional hope as lighthouse beacon to be the carrot for its characters, who have to overcome hurdles of despair.

Milo also brings up, as a result of May and Marcoh’s appearance and plea, one of the more wonderful themes in FMA2: that of research as primary and all-important goal. Even though, in the same series, we witnessed Hawkeye’s father claiming to have reached edification’s epitome concerning alchemy, the series now relies on the combining of techniques (alchemy/alkahestry) to push research and education further than previously envisioned. This can be combined with Milo’s other lesson of cultural tolerance to show that progress can always be made and that nothing we know is the end of what is possible. This sets a tone far different from FMA1, which lived entirely within one set of boundaries (until the last few episodes, which did not so much as defy those confines as fill in a opportunistic gap).

Another nice diversion from FMA1 is that of Al ’s armor possibly rejecting his implanted soul (or as the series has it, his body reaching out for his soul). This sets up a stress on time and will be interesting to see how FMA2 handles the yet-to-be-defined timetable. Will Al be drawn back to the gate, leaving Ed alone and on a mission to retrieve him? Or does this signal the beginning of the transition towards the final stretch of this anime? Manga readers, you know… so don’t tell. The important part is that FMA2 is so flexible and has such well-construed characters that either diversion is possible, which mirrors the mood of FMA1’s final 2 episodes.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 38

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 38 - Conflict at Baschool

FMA1 dealt with Yoki’s back-story in an episode relatively early on in the series, and FMA2 is just getting around to leveraging it now. As mentioned very early on in The Brotherhood Diaries, FMA2 made a sly reference to someone FMA1 viewers would know instantly as an out-for-himself despot of a disheveled mining town who added to the Elric’s prestige when tricked out of his position. Unfortunately, FMA2 returns to expand on the Yoki situation (why?) with some 3 minutes of flashback and some inconsequential musings (funny though they were). This, sadly, suits FMA2, as Yoki was never anything of a major player in its world and serves as little more than comic relief betwixt May and Scar. But the difference in relevance in regards to FMA1 is vast.

FMA1 used, rather ingeniously so, a two-plus episode character to bolster the reputation of Ed/Al as well as become an accomplice for social disorder. FMA2? It seems content to entertain a laugh track instead of the morality play Yoki’s character represented. Even the “revenge worse than death” motive of both series is rendered flaccid here by Ed’s brush-off of the account. But, seeing as Yoki hasn’t had a major role in FMA2, this is, after all, only befitting and still possibly only the beginning of his usage.

Later on, FMA2 makes Ed’s reliance on Scar more evident via his ability to translate the research notes his brother left behind, only decipherable in ancient Ishvalan, which will probably transfer to a next-episode plot point of Scar taking Winry hostage. Speaking of my favorite blonde mechanic, she continues to get an increased sense of resolve which put her in a situation where FMA2 is going to do 1 of 2 things: have a guilt-ridden Scar help the Elrics to atone for his killing of the doctors Rockbell, or have Winry so overwhelmed by being able to confront her parents’ killer that she puts herself in danger and gives Scar the opportunity he needs to flee. The former would serve as a good plot point and the latter would continue the leveraging of endangered loved ones against the main characters.

A difference in the handling of action scenes with Scar, while obviously different in execution, intimates a more meaningful contrast: closeness as weakness. Between a fight between chimeras, Zampano and Jerso, and Scar, the former use ranged attacks knowing full well that Scar’s finishing move is only deliverable via direct physical contact. Thus FMA2 delivers on a fundamental theme in the FMA series: intimacy as flaw. Argue it however you want to, FMA1 and 2 have used emotional connections to try their characters’ resolve, and this fight is a rather brilliant way of showing it if we assume physical contact as a metaphor for intimacy. The fight lasts, however, but moments until Ed and Al show up. Still, it is a method to be noted as a strong similarity between series but in a much different manner: physical instead of emotional – hand-to-hand instead of heart to heart (homunculus to memory). And that, rather nicely, sums up the fundamental difference thus far.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 37

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 37 - The First Honunculus

There’s an interesting parallel between Ed’s pondering the use of Lab 5’s red liquid in FMA1 and Ed’s pondering of the third task (mass murder) presented to him by Kimblee in exchange for a philosopher’s stone in FMA2. That parallel is both the prospect of attaining their goals at the expense of those lives sacrificed for the stone and the concern with how Al would perceive him for doing so.

What FMA2 has done rather smartly is made Al a bit impatient for the reclamation of his body and all the sensations that go along with it, which puts a bit of anxiety in the viewer as to whether or not the brothers Elric might actually forgo their morals just to reach an end. This is utterly unrealistic of course, but it is in there nonetheless. FMA1 had no such conflict, as it was always clear that the brothers were working together according to their own morals and no one else’s. Strangely enough, FMA2 touches upon this as well with Kimblee’s admiration for those that stay true to their own intentions/philosophies, so the corrosion of Ed’s stance on killing is believable to the characters in FMA2...at least those who barely know Ed (namely Kimblee).

Winry’s animation just seems to be getting worse and worse. Colors are barely palatable, and at times figures look like they’ve come out of a coloring book. FMA2 also advances the love interest angle between Ed and Winry, directly having Winry admit she’s fallen for Ed (to herself) and Ed overreacting to the memory of Hawkeye’s accusation that he loves his mechanic. Still more of a difference can be seen in how active a character FMA2 is attempting to make Winry, as opposed to the placatory Winry of FMA1. Of course she’s still supportive of her love, but no longer is she content to sit idly by.

The main contrast this episode, obviously, is the title’s namesake: Selim Bradley, the Fuhrer’s (adopted) son. FMA1 made Bradley the homunculus named Pride and made Izumi’s stillbirth Wrath, but FMA2 bestows the title of Wrath to Bradley and the distinctive honor of being the first homunculus (Pride) to his son, Selim. The nature of this homunculus is vastly more sinister than his FMA1 counterpart. FMA2’s Pride is a shadow-lurker with a sadistic streak linked to those little black hands from behind the door of truth. One could make the parallel that both Prides are shadow-lurkers, as FMA1 Fuhrer seemed to have his own information network, but really, FMA2 Selim is in everyone’s shadow and appears to be everywhere at once, making him a much more formidable foe than FMA1’s Bradley.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 36

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 36 - Family Portrait

Personally, historically, not a single episode of FMA1 OR 2 has ever gone by this quickly! Seriously, I pressed play and then, before I knew it, the end credits were being sung over. There was no site glitch on FUNimation.com; I was just so engrossed in the story that it completely made me lose all sense of time.

We’ll start, where the episode did, with a flashback to the Elric household – mom, dad, two kids (picket fence optional). What was initially the reason behind Hohenheim’s departure in FMA1 no longer holds true. FMA2’s Hohenheim has an immortal body that is not degenerating. Also, he has told his wife about his past (or as much as to why he doesn’t age), and this inner conflict sets up a reluctant expression of love towards his sons. When alone, the episode has Hohenheim show a determination to live out his life with his family, even if it means leaving them to pursue research that might help him become mortal and the husband/father he thinks they need.

This leads to what was only a flash in FMA1 and something FMA2 has already elaborated upon: Ed and Al seeing Hohenheim leave their family house, obscured by daylight in the crack of the door. This time, however, a concentration on Hohenheim’s eyes and a well-placed cut to Ed then Al stirs up some sympathy for the emotionally burdened (and burdensome) father. This does a wonderful job of showing the reasoning behind Ed’s misconception of his father’s departure. One can also argue the different approaches of the different series though, because each is effective.

FMA1 used a degenerating body and Hohenheim’s unwillingness to sacrifice more human life to sustain his own as the impetus for abandonment, whereas FMA2 uses Hohenheim’s unwillingness to lie about his immortality to his sons and desire to age and die with them as a normal father as a connection to humanity. While FMA1's Hohoenheim ends up sacrificing, FMA2's is more or less working toward an eventual reunion (i.e. not sacrificing, just postponing). All in all, each fits his respective series quite well, seeing as FMA2 has yet to bring any journey to a climax, and FMA1 used Hohonheim’s ultimate sacrifice as recompense.

All this, and only 6 minutes in! Then the opening credits roll.

Kimblee meets Ed and Al for the first time in the halls of Briggs as opposed to The Devil’s nest. Though both venues are (basically) homunculus-run, the important contrast is the bluntness of FMA1 and subtlety of FMA2. As Briggs becomes of more interest to the Fuhrer and more moles infiltrate its walls, the nature of the series changes to a cat-and-mouse, secret agent style suspense drama as opposed to strict action. FMA1 had clear antagonists and protagonists that observed very distinct confrontations; the characters were more or less free to battle whenever they wanted. However, FMA2 weaves conflict into constrictive situations, giving it the edge in terms of suspense and related drama.

The only remaining direct contrast to mark is Kimblee, who continues to get the snake-of-the-year award for his distinguished accomplishments in tongue-in-cheek dialogue. Almost as evil as a homunculus, and taking pride in being so, FMA2 Kimblee trounces his FMA1 counterpart by bypassing the chain of command and receiving his orders from the Fuhrer himself, instead of the lower-ranking minions (FMA1 Greed). Is the show perhaps blurring the line between homunculus and human? If so, it’s trying to challenge FMA1’s emotional blurring of the same by turning the homunculi into humans, and doing so very competently.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 35

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 35 - The Shape of This Country

One of the most startling developments in FMA1 for me was the sucker-punch one of the few last episodes threw at its viewers guts by explaining the origin of the energy behind alchemy: human deaths in the parallel world we call home (or at least so did our relatives who lived in pre-WWII times). This was interesting because it meant Ed was unwittingly using the dead throughout his entire life all while he was opposed to killing/sacrificing people for the creation of the philosopher’s stone.

FMA2 is beginning to touch upon that but in a rather brilliant if not more subtle approach, and it leverages the different approaches to alchemy and alkahestry from Armestris and Xing, respectively. As Marcoh and Shao May look over Scar’s brother’s research notes, Marcoh expresses frustration at Alkahestry’s notion and use of the “Dragon Pulse,” which is then explained as chi by Shao May and fits into FMA1’s “All is one, one is all” lesson from teacher (Izumi) rather nicely. But Marcoh explains that alchemy uses the energy of the movement of the earth’s crust as its energy source.

These ideas are very similar to each other (differing only in connectivity and mechanics) and very different from FMA1, not only in source but honesty as well. FMA2 openly acknowledges equivalent exchange is not all there is to alchemy, bypassing one of FMA1’s more arduous drinking games: “take a shot every time they reference equivalent exchange.” And the subtlety I mentioned before? It comes in a wonderful bit of writing that gently questions the aforementioned difference between FMA 1 and 2. After Marcoh explains the notions behind Armestrian alchemy, Shao May says that she has felt something odd ever since arriving in Armestris, mainly that the “energy flowing under [her] feet doesn’t feel like the energy of the Earth’s crust in motion, but more like a lot of people squirming around.” A very nicely executed hint that Armestrian alchemists have been using people’s life energy all along for their alchemy, or just an allusion to FMA1? Either way, it was a brilliant and not overstated nod to the possibility.

Another interesting contrast is the hindered manner in which Mustang is forced to garner support for his coup, which was shown in episode 32, and is now paralleled by Ed’s search for help in Briggs. Let alone the fact that FMA1’s Ed was never concerned with toppling the government, instead committed to stopping the homunculus plot, but now he’s fully involved with both, as FMA2 has managed to combine them into a inseparable chimera of plot. Add to all of this the covert way in which Ed and Mustang both have to sneak about to assess who is an ally, and the differences between FMA1/2 are plain as day. No longer do we have rogue Ed/Al and scheming Mustang, now we have Ed becoming Mustang, fully realizing the chains Armestrian alchemists wear around their necks as leashes held in the Fuhrer’s whim.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 34

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 34 - Ice Queen

This episode of FMA2 exposed an interesting contrast with FMA1, specifically dealing with Ed’s automail appendages, Al’s armor, and how the mechanical serves as an extension of an individual’s personality. With Al, it’s handled subtly; a simple over-exaggeration of excitement upon being reunited with his head shows how Al’s grown attached to his physical form as an extension of his soul (not to mention the fuss he makes over the fraying/cutting of his “hair”). Why else would he care? Clearly, Al’s come to identify himself as the suit of armor even though he’s fully capable of running around without the helmet (as opposed to not being able to run around if it were a human head that was severed).

Likewise, Ed’s automail envy stems from an encounter with a North City soldier in the previous episode and his learning of the special properties required for automail to not be detrimental to its wearer’s survival in the cold, cold north in this episode. The very fact that the use of the wrong kind of automail in the north would directly and negatively impact its wearer indicates FMA2’s belief in codependency. Ed is recommended to bring his mechanic to Briggs to perform the necessary work and accepts the inherent weakness in his independence with a resigned grunt of acceptance. This shows how much he relies upon his prosthetic arm and leg as well as the mechanic who so lovingly crafted them.

One may recall, in FMA1’s Rush Valley episode, that Winry employs the help of a local automail technician’s adopted daughter to make Ed realize the importance of his automail by means of a catch-me-if-you-can dash throughout the city. By proxy, FMA1 was showing how much Winry needs Ed to need her and how much Ed appreciates his automail. This also places emphasis on Ed rather than Winry, instead of vice-versa as in FMA2's scenario. Early on in the same episode, Winry comments on how remarkable the Rush Valley’s automail technician’s art is in that he made automail prosthetics as extensions of the people who had to use them. The difference between the two series is one of show-don’t-tell, and oddly enough FMA1 is the one at fault for telling too much this time. Well done, FMA2!

Speaking of codependency, there is a major stress on balanced values in this episode. And while growing up (action vs. thought) was the balance for Ed in FMA1, FMA2 is tackling a slightly larger issue: inherited traits. Olivier Mira Armstrong is the first to bring this up via her interest in multiple alchemic techniques (alkahestry). Claiming a more-is-more approach to integration of foreign tactics, she insists the more a soldier knows the better it will do in battle. Fair enough, but how about those in battle? Miles, a multi-ethnic subordinate of Armstrong’s, holds the key here. In discussing his interracial family background, including an Ishvalan grandfather whose genes handed the officer his trademark red irises, Miles reveals the strengths and weaknesses in understanding and insight that come from having mixed blood. Taken further, Armstrong’s assessment of Miles, judging him fit to be trusted and used as a Armestrian soldier (even during the Ishvalan War of Extermination), points out that Miles should be able to draw on all his history to become better than any purebred thanks to his diverse background.

Lastly: enter Sloth. No longer the MILF we knew and loved from FMA1, Sloth is a slow-moving mountain of a homunculus. It also remains truer in action and thought to its namesake sin than FMA1’s Sloth did and has little to no emotional impact attached. Lumbering about its duty while calling it “...such a bother,” FMA2’s Sloth (shall we just call it Winnie the Pooh?) is just another homunculus drone built for good ol’ mindless action – a threat to mortality instead of morality.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 33

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 33 - The Northern Wall of Briggs

Kimblee gets some character development through working with the Armestrian army. No longer FMA1’s explosives-obsessed alchemic liability, Kimblee is a skilled tracker...or at the very least endowed with a balance of intelligence and psychopathic intent well suited towards his officially assigned duty of tracking Scar. FMA1’s Kimblee was more/less an anarchistic bombardier charged with unsettling nations and creating scapegoats for the homunculus-led Armestrian military after being reabsorbed within their ranks via Archer. Later, Kimblee was transformed into a bit of a ridiculous monstrosity via automail, a shell of his former being. FMA2 pulls off a more subtle Kimblee (as subtle as one can be in an all-white suit) tuned for the role and more believable as a psychopathic hunter/assassin by way of attention to his eyes and obsession for his duty.

Speaking of Kimblee, the match-up between alchemic talents of him and Scar and is a rather brilliant one. Both are demolition specialists (a talent of Scar’s to which Kimblee almost admits something akin to admiration for during an earlier scene) and require hand-to-hand combat for the final blow. Of course, Kimblee has a philosopher’s stone, so range isn’t actually an issue, but we also know Scar’s degree of aggression, so we also know it’s going to be a fury-filled, close-range battle despite any ranged attacks. The end to this fight will surprise you, might make you laugh, but take it as it is and you will find a brilliantly executed battle that has almost no action. Not to say that all battles should be thusly matched. A, this is not a Street Fighter tournament, and B, it’s not realistic to have only foils battle each other. However, the foil battle does give greater meaning or at least greater suspense to the endless battles that comprise FMA2.

Though the animation of characters still leaves much to be desired, the direction is as impressive as ever. It’s the little things, like the reality of a train operator looking back because of an odd sound and inconsistent rumbling and not being able to see anything out-of-the-ordinary. Only after a pair of train tracks are shown bending to the right on a gradual curve in the snow does the operator notice half the train has disappeared. It’s a small attention to detail, but that’s what’s always made FMA1 a great series, and FMA2 continues the tradition well.

Maintaining a contrast with FMA1, FMA2’s Marcoh still isn’t dead. Due to his Scar-inflicted makeover and Akehestric healing performed by Shao May, though, he does have a new face. I like that Marcoh’s made to suffer whenever we see him, but he still doesn’t seem as tortured as his FMA1 counterpart. It just seems as though he’s adjusting, comfortable with how he’s helping, which goes against the “it’s the least I can do” mentality of FMA1’s Marcoh.

And the last major difference in this episode is the discovery of Scar’s brother’s research, which was a blend of alkahestry and alchemy and was never really used (or explained) in FMA1. After Scar imparted a tattooed limb to his sibling, his brother became more emotional motive than didactic plot. This will most likely serve as the bridge by which Ed & Al learn alkahestry, as they are searching for Shao May, who is traveling with Marcoh and has just dug it up near the north where Ed and Al are currently.

On the new characters front, we meet Armstrong’s older sister – a general in charge of the North City fort, Briggs – as well as some army special forces officers and grunts. Additionally, the preview revealed what looked to be a new homunculus working for (or being used by) the military.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 32

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 32 - The Fuhrer's Son

As the title suggests, we get some back-story into the Fuhrer’s son, Selim, as well as a bit of his family life. Unless Mustang breaks in and torches the Fuhrer in the next episode, I’d say it’s a fair assessment to expect an attempt at building Bradley into a more human figure to set up a conflict for Ed killing him. Of course, this is all conjecture, but the attempt at character development is always a welcome thing.

A note not of comparison or contrast: visual clues in FMA2 are getting gradually more subtle. An example: while attempting to track Scar, Kimblee studies a map, which shows a patch of rail zigzagging through a mountainous region. The last shot of Ed and Al on a train shows them going into a tunnel through a lush forest with snowy mountains in the background. Yeah, we already knew they were headed north, but the attention to visuals is appreciated.

One outstanding difference includes a return to Liore via flashback to examine the chaos stemming from Ed’s actions there. While similar to FMA1, FMA2 emphasizes the government’s role in heightening the violence instead of the delicate balance of an occupied territory. Also important to note is the use of this flashback. In FMA1, Mustang concealed this information from Ed in an effort to bolster his self-confidence/commitment to the military, while FMA2 uses the same instance in a conversation between Mustang and General Grumman to instill a sense of need for revolution against a corrupt government.

A lesser but still notable exception is Ling/Greed, who is a much more subservient homunculus, in a very disappointing way, compared to his FMA1 counterpart or even the FMA2 that preceded him. Of course, it’s too early in his story to tell for sure, but if Greed acts as all the other homunculi, it fits what FMA2 has shown us so far. This, in my opinion, is inferior to FMA1’s Greed, who exemplified his name with utter brilliance. It’s a shame such a shadow is cast, but there is much time left for development.

“Won’t this be the first time we’ve ever been up north?” asks Al after the credits. Ha ha, FMA2...yes, we are all traveling there for the first time. Thanks for the reminder that we’re not watching FMA1 and that you are daring to explore all of Armestris. And I have to say, the scope of this series is refreshing. Already it sets Armestris in relations to a neighbor not in FMA1 (Xing) and also wishes to clue us in on the different territories within itself. FMA1 had no similar ambition, which also may have been its strength. Much like Mustang’s team, FMA2’s focus is spread thin over the vast territories that form Armestris. Hopefully there’s enough going on in each region to keep the episodes interesting.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 31

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 31 - The 520 Cens Promise

This episode follows the theme of transition, more specifically making the best of a bad situation. Starting with Hawkeye as Fuhrer’s assistant, we learn that position does not determine behavior. Keep your friends close and enemies closer is the credo, but Hawkeye makes it known that proximity does not beget obedience and that the Fuhrer should sleep with his eyes open.

Along the same vein, Mustang, a man without allies (they’ve all been reassigned to other headquarters), portrays himself as a king estranged from his league of loyal chess pieces. Lest the bluntness be lost, remember Wrath currently holds the title of Fuhrer King, the title which Mustang longs to usurp. Facing the loss of all those that lent their support to his ambitions, Mustang does the only thing he can: calls in a favor and starts to build new alliances.

Speaking of Mustang, I’m liking the fact that the director takes every opportunity to showcase the scar on Mustang’s hand (injured in a battle with Lust). It is prominently featured on most close ups, usually the nearest bare hand to camera and serves as a reminder of his fallibility and mortality. This is more than a typical badge of courage; it is a memory and constant reminder of a wound. Unfortunately, this heavy reminder looks like a bit of badly drawn hair. FMA1’s infallible Mustang left it to his soldiers to take the hits that left marks, once even telling Hawkeye, coldly, to clean the blood off of her forehead (grazed by a rock) because it looked undignified. Because FMA2’s Mustang has suffered, it makes him more human than the FMA1 version, more prone to error, and thus creates a good, believable tension for any scene where action is involved.

There is also some more Kimblee back-story, mostly regarding his military-sanctioned use of a real philosopher’s stone, as well as his current release from military prison by the homunculi. In FMA1, Kimblee was part of the military team that destroyed Ishval with the help of fake philosopher’s stones and then ended up in Lab 5 as an ingredient for a stone. But FMA2 grants him the power of a true philosopher’s stone and a special place in the homunculi’s hearts because of his disposition. This is similar to FMA1 only in that both Kimblees worked with homunculi. FMA1’s Kimblee worked with Greed and later the Armestris military (directed by Pride/Wrath), and FMA2’s worked with Envy – as messenger for Father and representative of the whole homunculi lot. But with former FMA2 episodes touting Homunculi Pride, how is their having to rely on a mere human going to play out with egos on both sides? It’s an interesting setup.

There’s also a lot to be said of FMA2’s portrayal of Scar. He’s intelligent and calculating, as opposed to FMA1’s over-zealous, revenge-bent mass murderer (with a heart of gold). Again, FMA2 chooses tactics over emotion while managing to imply the latter. What I’m talking about specifically is Scar’s treatment of Marcoh. Playing the doctor’s guilt to gain any insight possible into the Ishvalan War of Extermination, Scar performs a bit of impromptu (and incomplete) plastic surgery on Marcoh that serves to both exact a bit of cathartic revenge and hide the missing alchemist from the eyes of the military and homunculi alike. The act is shown with great force and an undeniable anger that is never spoken.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 30

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 30 - The Ishvalan War of Extermination

It’s finally here! Nevermind those cursory flashbacks and throwaway one-liners that promised insight into Ishval, because we’re finally privy to a full episode dealing with nothing but Ishval!

For emotional impact, it’s linguistics that matter here. FMA2 refers to this matter as “The Ishvalan War of Extinction,” whereas FMA1 bounced back and forth between the "Ishvalan uprising," the "war in Ishval," and the "Ishval Massacre." The noted difference is one of passivity. “War of Extinction” is a pointed and active phrase that puts emphasis on the act of killing, whereas even the heaviest of FMA1’s names for what happened in Ishval, massacre, emphasizes dying (and unjustly at that). Staying true to both series’ personalities, this difference is fundamental to making viewers feel the appropriate degree and brand of sympathy. Implications of “extermination” let us know this is a bloody and violent ordeal with little room for the emotional upheaval that was FMA1’s mainstay.

Still, one can’t help but be taken aback at the seriousness brought about by Fuhrer’s Order #3066 (aka, The Ishvalan War of Extinction). There are no characters to develop or warm up to during the minute or so battle scene montage, just war. Graphic displays of violence and destruction, some of which we’re seen before and many more we have not, continue to affect long after off screen by some rather brilliantly linked scenarios. FMA1 never had such an episode. The closest it came was a couple of flashbacks from the points of view of Ishvalans and chimeras, but nothing that ever seriously depicted all-out war. FMA1 examined war by exploring the personal afflictions it caused rather than the war itself, shown in particular by the episode devoted to two young Ishvalans’ recollections about their mother during the war. Much more direct, FMA2 is giving us the soldier’s perspective. What else would we expect?

Other differences revisiting the war brings about for FMA2 that FMA1 missed out on include seeing Hughes again; some mental insight into the explosion factory that is Kimblee, The Crimson Alchemist; some back-story on Riza Hawkeye, her alchemist father, and Mustang; as well as (and oddly enough) some earnest psychological distress/emotional trauma stemming from the weight of killing. The latter further parallels Ed and Mustang, especially taking into account Ed’s heart-to-heart with Riza Hawkeye earlier on. The difference? Ed’s yet to cross the line, and that’s what is setting up Ed as a superior foil to Mustang compared to FMA1. Characters are more intricately balanced in both the events that have comprised their lives thus far and how those events have affected the lifestyles they currently lead.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 29

Ani-Gamers blogger Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 29 - Struggle of the Fool

Okay, I guessed wrong. No more battle. No more leads into the nature of Hohenheim’s double. Instead, we’re led into the heart of the Homunculi’s operation and something much more dramatically interesting. Ed and Al are brought by Envy directly to Wrath, who’s in conference with Mustang. While FMA1 certainly had its share of sewing the phrase “dog of the military” into its sense of anti-fascist idealism, FMA2 takes it a step further.

Mustang and Ed are put on a level playing field (under Fuhrer Bradley’s thumb), which never happened in FMA1. Wrath is leveraging the safety of loved ones and personal goals – Fuhrer’s status for Mustang, body reclamation for Ed/Al – to keep those deemed important as sacrifices close/available to him. While this touches on the emotional, it’s actually mostly tactical, and very much in line with FMA2’a core philosophy. Mustang has to be a dog to try to overthrow the government, and Ed has to keep his collar because it’s still the most viable way to continue his research. FMA1’s idealism is further diminished in FMA2 by bringing forth the theory that the alchemy exams and certification of state alchemists are solely means with which potential sacrifices may be found.

A nice bit of sentiment shared with FMA1 is shown via FMA2’s Marcoh, when he offers to treat Scar without first seeing him and subsequently suffers an emotional break at the irony. No, FMA1 never offered up this scenario, but its Marcoh was riddled and driven by the guilt that came as a direct result of his Ishvalan involvement. FMA2 rewrites the formula a bit, but brings about a denser and dare I say more effective rendering of guilt. The situation leverages Marcoh’s guilt, healing ability, and fear (through knowledge of Scar’s M.O.) in a singular instance. Sheer poetry I tell ya, although the feeling might only be effective/recognizable if viewers have seen FMA1 previously. After all, the previous series spent several episodes defining/exploring his guilt, while Marcoh’s presence in FMA2 has been negligible.

Speaking of absentee characters, has anyone else been missing a certain bald-headed, pink sparkle-touting, body builder-teddy bear? Armstrong finally returns and gets some character build-up with this episode. Unfortunately, his character is brought low by Ishval-induced shame, striking a huge divide betwixt the nature of his FMA1 counterpart, who managed to keep a solemnity about him that was more mature in execution than FMA2’s weeping and apologetic figure. So far, this brief (and all too straightforward) look into Armstrong’s remorse makes his inner struggle a bit too 2D, but next week is promising (promising I tell you) to explore the whole story of Ishval, and the preview specifically featured Armstrong, so we’ll see what can be done to add some dimension to his guilt and the way in which it is shown.

On a final and much more impressive note, FMA2 further sets up a divide between humans and homunculi by having Mustang reveal to Ed that he only feels human when fighting those “real” monsters (homunculi), an allusion to guilt carried from Ishval and other unsavory military actions. FMA2 is taking its time building Mustang’s 3D nature, but I have to say that it’s a marvelous job so far. It’s much more tongue-in-cheek than FMA1’s Mustang and appropriately so.

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 28

Ani-Gamers blogger Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 28 - Father

There’s a few of these sucker-punches in this episode. First, there’s a line delivered by Envy (“as soon as you gain a great power, you get carried away with it, not even knowing what it is”) that may seem like a throw-away platitude to first-time FMA watchers. It should, however, strike a chord with those who have seen FMA1 all the way through to its end. I think this is a deliberate taunt designed to evoke that shock FMA1 watchers experienced when we found out death in the parallel world was the driving force behind alchemy in Amestris. It also serves to set up something grand in its own right.

What follows, that power is taken away from Ed and Al (something that never happened in FMA1, save the destruction of Ed's limbs), truly evokes the sense that Ed and Al (and by proxy all who use alchemy) are just children playing with tools they know almost nothing about. This was a theme only touched upon in FMA1 via the discovery of alchemic energy’s aforementioned source. There’s no indication FMA2 is heading in that same direction, but for former FMA1 watchers...if you felt the wind knocked out of you for a second there...that’s most likely why.

Another sucker-punch stems from Greed changing bodies. This is a situation formerly only alluded to in FMA1, with Lust’s introduction to Greed (“And if you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m the new Lust.”), and it sets up a good confrontation in which Ed might have to sacrifice his commitment to pacifism if made to slay the new Greed, who’s wearing Ling Yao’s body like an expressionistic guilt trip. The major FMA1/2 dichotomy would then rear its ugly head regarding effectiveness though. Have Ed and Ling formed a bond strong enough to really make the audience care about Ed’s inner conflict over whether or not to kill the new homunculus? At best, Ling serves as a surrogate annoying brother/battle buddy, but as soldiers will tell you, seldom are the bonds formed on battlefields considered superficial. So FMA2 keeps true to form and, in my opinon, pretty believably on track.

On the disappointing end of surprise lies the evil twin theory. I had a feeling that FMA2 might pull it, but I kept telling myself that this series wouldn’t dare pull such a cliché. There’s still hope for the reason behind dual Hohenheims (Elric & “Father”) in this episode, but the very fact that FMA2 couldn’t have the gall to make them one and the same is a tragedy for round supporting characters. Like I've said previously, even FMA1’s Hohenheim had a very well developed dark past to offset his slightly dingy luminescent present. Next week, the battle (which was disappointing in action but interesting in enterprise) continues.

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