A Truly Superlative Series
Note: This is a review for the entire Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood anime, not for this particular volume of the set.
For the past several years, I had considered the original Fullmetal Alchemist to be my favorite anime of all time. It featured everything that I loved most about the genre: driven young protagonists, a fantastical and vibrant fictional world, a coherent set of combat mechanics, dynamic fight sequences, gorgeous animation, a well-thought-out and complete plot, and darker, more mature themes. Thus, when I heard that the series was being remade to more closely reflect Hiromu Arakawa's original manga series (which I have not read), I was excited to see the result. Could the full story written by the creator of the Fullmetal Alchemist universe manage to outdo the already-phenomenal anime that was more loosely based on her work?
The two answers to this question, I am happy to declare, are yes and hell yes. Although it gets off to a slightly uneven...
A Stupendous Ending to the Finest TV Show Ever Made
Calling Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood the greatest anime of all time does it a disservice; it is simply the finest television show ever created. The second half of the series, which composes this collection, is a perfect combination of a fascinating plot, fully fleshed-out characters, plot twists, and suspense. FMA: Brotherhood is equaled by no other.
Own it
By now if you like anime and even live under a rock you've heard of this series and probably have an opinion of your own about it. In short for those just now returning from the moon, the series itself is fantastic. I truly don't believe there's a character you won't enjoy, and even friends of mine who don't like anime have gotten hooked on this series.
Even the overall pacing is pretty balanced, especially for Japanese storytelling. It's not until close to the end that I want them to skip showing everyone's opinion on a matter, but that's because there are so many characters who come together in the last battle and my personal rabid desire for them to get to the ass whopping.
What is really worth knowing is that the Blu-ray IS worth owning over the DVD version. I've streamed it, owned the first three DVD sets before I purchased a Blu-ray player, and now I own this. I'm not a big tech fanatic, but there really is no comparison. Side by side the visuals and audio...
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