Episode 19 - Death of the Undying
Holy crap, this was a mind-blowing episode, easily one of the best so far! Picking up directly after Hawkeye's encounter with Gluttony, Mustang's team, along with Barry and Al, begin a chase through the streets of Central, eventually ending up at the Third Laboratory. Once inside, the team splits into two groups, and Havoc and Mustang have an unfortunate run-in with Lust. Havoc is made aware of the fact that he's been dating a Homuculus, and while Mustang chastises him for falling for her large breasts, Havoc assures Mustang that he never revealed any military information to Lust. Mustang attempts to kill Lust, but he quickly learns of her regenerative abilities and both Mustang and Havoc are gravely wounded. Lust then makes her way to the room where Al, Hawkeye, and Barry have discovered a gate that bears a striking resemblance to the one Ed and Al encountered when they first met Truth. Lust quickly disposes of Barry, and deals significant damage to Al's body. Hawkeye is all but defeated, but Al tries desperately to protect her. Just as it seems Lust has won, Mustang appears in the doorway, holding his side. He has carved a transmutation circle on the back of his hand and seared his wounds shut with alchemy. Mustang recites Lust's statement that he cannot kill her, but follows up by saying that he'd like to try. One flame explosion after another engulfs Lust and - for the first time - we see Lust in agonizing pain, her body contorted and skeletal as Mustang reduces her to ash. Before admitting defeat, Lust leaves Mustang with an omen of sorts. As action-packed as this episode was, I admittedly found myself a bit disappointed to see Lust killed off already. However, this turn of events served the overarching story beautifully.
Episode 20 - Father Before the Grave
Ed encounters his father visiting Trisha Elric's grave. The two have a brief conversation, though nothing like Ed punching his father results from of it (unlike with Hoenheim's return in the 2003 series). That night, Ed overhears Pinako and Hoenheim conversing about the body that the Elric brothers transmuted, which leads Ed to question whether or not it was actually that of Trisha. The next day, Pinako assists Ed in digging up the body. She tries to convince him to head indoors to avoid the rain, but Ed is determined to resolve this matter. Ultimately Ed comes to find that, not only was the body not Trisha's, but its bone structure appeared to be that of a male. Pinako tries to comfort Ed, since he now realizes there isn't any way to bring the dead back to life. But at the same time, Ed is both relieved that he and Al didn't kill their mother twice over (which he relays to Izumi, comforting her as well), and hopeful that Al's body might still lie somewhere within the Gate. This was a particularly dark episode that - opposite the previous - places the majority of its focus on Ed. Though Hoenheim only does so much, it's clear that his story will start to take shape in due time.
Episode 21 - Advance of the Fool
Ed decides that, as Scar has been reported in Central again, putting himself at risk by engaging Scar in combat should draw the Homunculi out. Ed, Al, and Mustang become suspicious of Bradley, who (in a very out-of-character fashion) reveals himself to Ling. Meanwhile, Breda seeks out Dr. Marcoh, only to find that he has been kidnapped, while Havoc argues with Mustang that his paralysis renders him useless to Mustang's goal of becoming Fuhrer. Mustang retorts that he will leave Havoc for now, but will come back for him in time. There was quite a bit to keep balanced in this episode, and while I think a decent job was done, it felt like there was too much being juggled at a few points. It might have been easier if the story had focused almost exclusively on Mustang and co.
Episode 22 - Backs in the Distance
Finally, Scar's backstory is explored. I really enjoyed how this played out in the 2003 series, and the Brotherhood counterpart did not disappoint. True, it was a condensed version, and Scar's brother was not shown to be driven to the brink of insanity, but the episode covered all the necessary bases before its conclusion. Admittedly, I prefer the 2003 series' explanation for how Winry's parents died and the inner turmoil it caused her. But facing Scar in an alley, gun in hand, Winry obviously lets the thought of her parents dying at his hand weigh just as heavily. In the end, Ed convinces her to drop the gun, which - as predictable of a conclusion as this episode had - was paced very well.
Episode 23 - Girl on the Battlefield
With Lan Fan injured, Ling finds himself at a disadvantage against Gluttony and Bradley. Lan Fan decides to cut off her own arm in order to throw off Bradley's all-seeing eye, leading him to a dead end. Ling and the Elric brothers - with help from a disguised Hawkeye - cut Gluttony down to size just long enough to capture him using coils transmuted from train rails, so that when he attempts to regenerate his body he gets stuck. While Hawkeye and Ling make a break for it with their captive Homunculus, Ed and Al try to stop Scar (who has been shot in the leg), but May Chang comes to Scar's rescue and the two escape after rendezvousing with Yoki. Winry returns to Rush Valley, while Mustang, Hawkeye, Ed, Al, Ling, and Lan Fan meet up at Dr. Knox's safe house with the hope that he can treat Lan Fan's wounds. Upon hearing Mustang's name, however, Gluttony goes berserk and destroys a portion of the house, his belly and mouth opening to reveal a black void with a single eye in the center (not unlike the one Ed and Al encountered when they tried to resurrect their mother).
Episode 24 - Inside the Belly
It seems Dr. Marcoh is now in the custody of the Homunculi as a potential sacrifice. Ed, Al and Ling stay behind in the forest to fight Gluttony, while Mustang, Hawkeye, Dr. Knox, and Lan Fan head towards Central. Envy arrives on the scene shortly thereafter, having kept a close eye on things from a distance in the form of a dog. The fight continues on for a while until Gluttony swallows Ed and Ling, and Envy - knowing how important Ed is as a potential sacrifice - jumps in after them. Honestly, this episode felt like it dragged on for a while, as not a whole lot happened. The most exciting portions were at the end, specifically when Mustang takes Hughes advice on figuring out who he can and cannot trust to heart. Unfortunately for Mustang, this gets him into a very difficult situation, and it is revealed that there are higher-ups in the Amestrian military who support Bradley knowing full-well that he is a Homunculus.
Episode 25 - Doorway of Darkness
No one would ever accuse Gluttony of being particularly smart, but his ignorance becomes strikingly apparent to Al in this episode. Gluttony realizes he wasn't supposed to swallow Ed or Ling, but realizes 'his father' will be able to fix this problem. Gluttony thinks letting Al follow him will be even better, since he and Ed have been pegged as potential sacrifices by the Homunculi. Fuhrer Bradley admits his being a Homunculus to Mustang, and punishes him by splitting up his team, reassigning Hawkeye as his personal assistant in order to keep a closer eye on her and a tighter leash on Mustang. Meanwhile, Ed and Ling have a bit of a comedic romp through Gluttony's belly as they try to find a way out. Eventually, Envy finds them and explains that Gluttony was a failed experiment to create another Gate. He then goes on to explain in greater detail the events of the Ishbalan Civil War, stating that he was the one that killed the young girl, masquerading as an Amestrian soldier. As Envy relishes in the memory, Ed attributes Envy's actions to causing Scar to become a murderer and the death of Winry's parents. But when Ed tries to deal punch to Envy, Ling remarks how heavy Envy seemed during their earlier skirmish in the forest, and Envy reveals his true form - a grotesque, if not incredibly befitting, green dragon. As Ed and Ling engage dragon Envy, Gluttony presents Al with a disturbing surprise - the Homunculi's father is living in Central.
Episode 26 - Reunion
Envy's actions in this episode make a complete 180 (which struck me as a bit odd), as he begins by fighting Ed and Ling, bombarding the eldest Elric brother with the agonizing cries of the people of Xerxes, the souls of whom are apparently trapped in the reptilian body that is Envy's true form. By the end of the episode, however, Envy helps Ed to collect the missing pieces of the mural Ed saw at Xerxes (those pieces having been spread throughout Gluttony's stomach). Ed then decides he will perform a kind of human transmutation on Ling, Envy, and then himself, deconstructing their bodies and then reconstructing them outside of Gluttony. There are a number of nods to works like Dante's Inferno throughout this episode, which work quite well in conjunction with the recounting of the destruction of Xerxes.
Meanwhile, Scar and May Chang follow Al and Gluttony as they seek out Father, fighting hordes of chimeras deep below Central. But perhaps the most interesting aspect of this episode's narrative is Bradley's recollection of when he first became a Homunculus. Unlike the others, Bradley was once a human, a candidate to be the country's next Fuhrer, and was the only one to survive being infused with Father's wrath. Bradley tells Mustang that he isn't actually certain if the soul he carries now is his original human soul or one of the many held within the philosopher's stone. While Bradley's lecturing Mustang has dragged on for a while now, it finally played out in a very satisfying, if not incredibly dark, manner. Finally, the episode's conclusion delivered a brilliant twist as Ed travels through the Gate once more, only this time he encounters his brother's body. As the Gate drags Ed through to the other side, he fights back long enough to shout to Al's body that he will return someday soon. Al smiles, and the Gate slams shut. For as brief as this segment was, it was perfectly executed, and others in the anime industry could learn a thing or two from this series about how to deliver a story.
.
Showing posts with label In Progress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label In Progress. Show all posts
Friday, May 27, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
In Progress: Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, ep. 14-18
Episode 14 - Those Who Lurk Underground
Picking up directly where episode thirteen left off, Greed and his gang of chimeras evacuate Devil's Nest by way of the sewers in an attempt to escape the Amestrian military. Fuhrer King Bradley spearheads the operation, with Major Armstrong providing support. Al is the only one to see up close the Fuhrer's combat with the chimeras as he makes short work of them. With Martel still inside of Al, Roa and Dolcetto ask Al as a dying wish to get her to safety. As Martel and Al struggle with each other, Fuhrer Bradley kills her. As her blood touches Al's blood seal, some of his memories from the gate are recalled. Ultimately, Bradley is able to make short work of Greed, combating his ultimate shield with his swords and the aid of his ultimate eye, as Bradley reveals to both Greed and viewers that he is the Homunculus known as Wrath.
The Elrics are suspicious of why the Fuhrer would participate in such as small operation. As it turns out, it was so that he could retrieve Greed and return him to his source, Father. This is the first we've seen of father (not including the brief cameo in episode one), and while there wasn't a lot of insight provided, it certainly gave a glimpse into the interactions between the Homunculi.
Admittedly I was a bit surprised at the revelation of Bradley's identity as a Homunculus coming so soon in the story, but as Ed and Al are not aware, it will keep things interesting for some time to come, I'm sure. I would have liked to see more from the chimeras, specifically Martel, as I feel she provided an interesting perspective in the 2003 series. It's unfortunate that her appearance was so brief.
Greed's portrayal differs slightly in Brotherhood. In the 2003 series he treated his followers with a great deal of respect, viewing them as something of his equals. In Brotherhood, however, it seems Greed 'puts on a face' so to speak in order to gain the trust and respect of others while he's really only out for himself. On the other hand, I very much enjoyed his sarcastic responses to Father and the insults he dished out to the other Homunculi, as well as his almost maniacal characteristics that surfaced near the episodes conclusion.
Episode 15 - Envoy From the East
Returning to Rush Valley to see Winry for even more repairs the Elrics find a young man passed out on the street and get him food. He reveals that he comes from the distant kingdom of Xing, and that he is the twelfth of fifty potential heirs competing for the throne once is father passes away. He inquires with the Elrics about the Philosopher's Stone, as he desires immortality in order to try and increase his chances of ascending to the throne. The Elrics refuse to tell him anything, but soon find themselves fighting Ling's bodyguards. The fight sequences are nicely executed and drawn out just long enough that they don't take away from the episode's primary focus. As selfish as he is, Ling proves to be a fresh source of comedy (and with regards to the English dub, I couldn't think of anyone more fitting than Todd Haberkorn to fill his shoes).
Episode 16 - Footsteps of a Comrade-in-Arms
A dark and depressing episode, the Elric brothers and Winry finally learn the truth about Hughes' death, despite attempts from Armstrong and Mustang to try and keep it under wraps. Ling's bodyguards lose track of him the moment their train arrives in Central, while the Elrics and Winry visit Gracia and Elysia to talk about the circumstances of Hughes' murder. Ed blames himself for getting Hughes caught up in his troubles, but Gracia assures him that Maes only ever wanted to help people and probably died with no regrets. She also expresses her belief that his death served as a warning to Ed from whoever it is that doesn't want him looking too much into the Philosopher's Stone.
The 2003 series held off on wrapping this portion of the story until very late, and because of that viewers had to be refreshed on the events surrounding Hughes' death before Ed's confrontation with Mustang could come full-circle. Upon learning of the news, Ed briefly decided Mustang's withholding this information from him was unforgivable. Getting this out of the way earlier in Brotherhood avoids the extra time required to revisit the scenario in such detail and allows the characters their mourning period before picking themselves back up and moving on. Some excellent shock value from the Homunculi at the episode's conclusion made for a most satisfying cliffhanger.
Episode 17 - Cold Flame
Lieutenant Maria Ross is named as the prime suspect in Hughes' murder, a plot orchestrated by the Homunculi. Winry expresses her concern for the Elric brothers' safety, but ultimately Al is able to cheer up her and Ed. Barry the Chopper, who has been under Falman's supervision as per Mustang's orders, sees Ross' picture in the newspaper as Falman sends a high-priority call to Mustang regarding the same situation. Barry leaves Falman's apartment, makes his way through the prison guards, and encounters Ling who has been tossed into a cell due to his lack of a visa. Barry sets Ling and Ross free, and encounters the Elrics just outside of the prison. Ed demands an explanation for all of this, but Barry tells Ross that military forces are hot on her trail and that she needs to leave as quickly as possible. Ross encounters Mustang in an alley and he is shown using his flame attack.
Ed arrives to find a charred body, which Mustang claims is Ross', and that he killed her in accordance with the order of "shoot-to-kill" if she were to resist. Ed becomes enraged at Mustang's cold and collected attitude towards his own actions, and tries to punch him, but Al stops him. In the following hours, Mustang's unit begins splitting up and heading out in different directions. Armstrong arrives at Ed's hotel room and punches him. Ed is incredibly confused, yet Armstrong provides him no explanation, stating only that Al and Winry need to remain in Central as he claims he will be taking Ed to Rismebool in order to seek repairs on his automail arm.
A nice Mustang-centered episode, the events therein kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, despite the fact that I wasn't exactly certain where things were going until near the end. I have a few ideas regarding Ross' whereabouts, but I find it very hard to believe that she's dead, especially at the hands of Mustang. It would seem very out of character for him to kill someone suspected of murdering Hughes without any substantial proof.
Episode 18 - The Arrogant Palm of a Small Human
Turns out I was right - Ross is revealed to be alive and well, though not until after Ed and Armstrong meet up with Breda and Fu to make a trek into the desert to visit the ruins of Xerxes. There, Mustang's plan is revealed in full, and I daresay it is quite brilliantly executed. Present-day events in Central follow Havoc, Falman, and Barry as they fight Barry's original body, now presumed host to some animal, while Ling seeks information from Al on his body in hopes of more information on how to become immortal.
While the genesis of Alchemy and Alkahestry is briefly touched on, this episode is primarily about Mustang and co. I welcome it, as Mustang has not played center stage much in Brotherhood thus far. The first half of the episode seemed to fly by, while the latter slowed down to build up for one tense cliffhanger finale. Of course, I have plenty of faith in Hawkeye's combat capabilities, but it's finally time for the Homunculi to get in on some more of the action.
Picking up directly where episode thirteen left off, Greed and his gang of chimeras evacuate Devil's Nest by way of the sewers in an attempt to escape the Amestrian military. Fuhrer King Bradley spearheads the operation, with Major Armstrong providing support. Al is the only one to see up close the Fuhrer's combat with the chimeras as he makes short work of them. With Martel still inside of Al, Roa and Dolcetto ask Al as a dying wish to get her to safety. As Martel and Al struggle with each other, Fuhrer Bradley kills her. As her blood touches Al's blood seal, some of his memories from the gate are recalled. Ultimately, Bradley is able to make short work of Greed, combating his ultimate shield with his swords and the aid of his ultimate eye, as Bradley reveals to both Greed and viewers that he is the Homunculus known as Wrath.
The Elrics are suspicious of why the Fuhrer would participate in such as small operation. As it turns out, it was so that he could retrieve Greed and return him to his source, Father. This is the first we've seen of father (not including the brief cameo in episode one), and while there wasn't a lot of insight provided, it certainly gave a glimpse into the interactions between the Homunculi.
Admittedly I was a bit surprised at the revelation of Bradley's identity as a Homunculus coming so soon in the story, but as Ed and Al are not aware, it will keep things interesting for some time to come, I'm sure. I would have liked to see more from the chimeras, specifically Martel, as I feel she provided an interesting perspective in the 2003 series. It's unfortunate that her appearance was so brief.
Greed's portrayal differs slightly in Brotherhood. In the 2003 series he treated his followers with a great deal of respect, viewing them as something of his equals. In Brotherhood, however, it seems Greed 'puts on a face' so to speak in order to gain the trust and respect of others while he's really only out for himself. On the other hand, I very much enjoyed his sarcastic responses to Father and the insults he dished out to the other Homunculi, as well as his almost maniacal characteristics that surfaced near the episodes conclusion.
Episode 15 - Envoy From the East
Returning to Rush Valley to see Winry for even more repairs the Elrics find a young man passed out on the street and get him food. He reveals that he comes from the distant kingdom of Xing, and that he is the twelfth of fifty potential heirs competing for the throne once is father passes away. He inquires with the Elrics about the Philosopher's Stone, as he desires immortality in order to try and increase his chances of ascending to the throne. The Elrics refuse to tell him anything, but soon find themselves fighting Ling's bodyguards. The fight sequences are nicely executed and drawn out just long enough that they don't take away from the episode's primary focus. As selfish as he is, Ling proves to be a fresh source of comedy (and with regards to the English dub, I couldn't think of anyone more fitting than Todd Haberkorn to fill his shoes).
Episode 16 - Footsteps of a Comrade-in-Arms
A dark and depressing episode, the Elric brothers and Winry finally learn the truth about Hughes' death, despite attempts from Armstrong and Mustang to try and keep it under wraps. Ling's bodyguards lose track of him the moment their train arrives in Central, while the Elrics and Winry visit Gracia and Elysia to talk about the circumstances of Hughes' murder. Ed blames himself for getting Hughes caught up in his troubles, but Gracia assures him that Maes only ever wanted to help people and probably died with no regrets. She also expresses her belief that his death served as a warning to Ed from whoever it is that doesn't want him looking too much into the Philosopher's Stone.
The 2003 series held off on wrapping this portion of the story until very late, and because of that viewers had to be refreshed on the events surrounding Hughes' death before Ed's confrontation with Mustang could come full-circle. Upon learning of the news, Ed briefly decided Mustang's withholding this information from him was unforgivable. Getting this out of the way earlier in Brotherhood avoids the extra time required to revisit the scenario in such detail and allows the characters their mourning period before picking themselves back up and moving on. Some excellent shock value from the Homunculi at the episode's conclusion made for a most satisfying cliffhanger.
Episode 17 - Cold Flame
Lieutenant Maria Ross is named as the prime suspect in Hughes' murder, a plot orchestrated by the Homunculi. Winry expresses her concern for the Elric brothers' safety, but ultimately Al is able to cheer up her and Ed. Barry the Chopper, who has been under Falman's supervision as per Mustang's orders, sees Ross' picture in the newspaper as Falman sends a high-priority call to Mustang regarding the same situation. Barry leaves Falman's apartment, makes his way through the prison guards, and encounters Ling who has been tossed into a cell due to his lack of a visa. Barry sets Ling and Ross free, and encounters the Elrics just outside of the prison. Ed demands an explanation for all of this, but Barry tells Ross that military forces are hot on her trail and that she needs to leave as quickly as possible. Ross encounters Mustang in an alley and he is shown using his flame attack.
Ed arrives to find a charred body, which Mustang claims is Ross', and that he killed her in accordance with the order of "shoot-to-kill" if she were to resist. Ed becomes enraged at Mustang's cold and collected attitude towards his own actions, and tries to punch him, but Al stops him. In the following hours, Mustang's unit begins splitting up and heading out in different directions. Armstrong arrives at Ed's hotel room and punches him. Ed is incredibly confused, yet Armstrong provides him no explanation, stating only that Al and Winry need to remain in Central as he claims he will be taking Ed to Rismebool in order to seek repairs on his automail arm.
A nice Mustang-centered episode, the events therein kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, despite the fact that I wasn't exactly certain where things were going until near the end. I have a few ideas regarding Ross' whereabouts, but I find it very hard to believe that she's dead, especially at the hands of Mustang. It would seem very out of character for him to kill someone suspected of murdering Hughes without any substantial proof.
Episode 18 - The Arrogant Palm of a Small Human
Turns out I was right - Ross is revealed to be alive and well, though not until after Ed and Armstrong meet up with Breda and Fu to make a trek into the desert to visit the ruins of Xerxes. There, Mustang's plan is revealed in full, and I daresay it is quite brilliantly executed. Present-day events in Central follow Havoc, Falman, and Barry as they fight Barry's original body, now presumed host to some animal, while Ling seeks information from Al on his body in hopes of more information on how to become immortal.
While the genesis of Alchemy and Alkahestry is briefly touched on, this episode is primarily about Mustang and co. I welcome it, as Mustang has not played center stage much in Brotherhood thus far. The first half of the episode seemed to fly by, while the latter slowed down to build up for one tense cliffhanger finale. Of course, I have plenty of faith in Hawkeye's combat capabilities, but it's finally time for the Homunculi to get in on some more of the action.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
In Progress: Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, ep. 9-13
Episode 9 - Created Feelings
After the collapse of Lab 5, Ed is sent to the hospital to recover. As his automail arm is out of commission, Ed calls Winry out to Central to repair it (completely unaware that she forgot to put in one of the screws). All the while Al is contemplating Barry's insistence that he was never really a boy, merely a puppet created by Ed. This leads Al to become incredibly frustrated, spouting this out at Ed when he reaches his boiling point. It's a side of Al that isn't shown very often, but I feel that Brotherhood handled the situation better than the 2003 series did. Instead of having Alphonse run off until he eventually came to seek Ed's forgiveness, this episode placed Winry as a medium between the brothers. She is fully aware of the fact that Ed feels a great deal of blame for Al losing his body, and how he has been too afraid to ask if Al holds a grudge against him for it. By having Ed walk away, Winry explain to Al what Ed is feeling, and then ordering him to go apologize while tears stream down her face, Brotherhood's take on this scenario led me to feel a more genuine sense of emotional connection with the characters. Hughes added some lighthearted comedy, but overall the delivery of this episode was rather serious. Despite it not being particularly action-heavy, this was easily one of the best episodes since the introductory episodes of Brotherhood.
Episode 10 - Separate Destinations
I knew it had to come at some point, and while it was one of the most depressing episodes in the 2003 series, it was also one the most well-written. The same can be said about Brotherhood's depiction of the events leading up to Maes Hughes' death. In the episodes leading up to this point, Hughes didn't receive as much screentime as in the 2003 series, but this episode makes up for that, placing almost its entire focus on Hughes' dual role as a man of the military and a loving husband/father. What he uncovers this time around is different than in the 2003 series, and Envy still manages to kill him before he is able to pass word along to Mustang, but it was not in vain, as Mustang is able to gather quite a bit from the information (or lack of information) that he receives following Hughes' funeral. It was a truly sad ending and it hurt just as much to Hughes go the second time around, but the episode delivered one hell of an adrenaline rush that kept me on the edge of my seat.
Episode 11 - Miracle at Rush Valley
The Elric brothers, with Winry in tow, travel to Rush Valley, famous for its automail. Winry is ecstatic to see all the newest automail models, but things get sidetracked when a girl named Paninya steals Ed's pocketwatch. The trio manages to follow the girl to a house a fair distance outside of Rush Valley, where they meet the man who outfitted Paninya with her automail legs. Winry is thoroughly impressed with his work and asks if he would consider taking her on as his apprentice. He immediately refuses. His son's wife going into labor, the man leaves for Rush Valley in search of a doctor, while Winry - recalling some of the information she learned from her parents' books - begins issuing orders to prepare for the baby. After a successful delivery, Winry reveals to Ed that she opened his pocketwatch and saw the inscription of the date the brothers left Resembool. Ed states that he has never shared that with anyone, but made the inscription to give himself a physical reminder of what transpired there. Winry cries, and when Ed tells her to stop, she responds by telling him that since he won't cry she feels she must do it for him. Ed then tries to convince the man to take on Winry as his apprentice, to which he again refuses, but offers to introduce her to an associate of his and tells her she can stop by to visit the baby sometime. Winry decides to stay in Rush Valley with the goal of making better automail for Ed in the future, and the boys say their goodbyes as they board the train headed for Dublith.
Overall this episode was fairly well paced and had a greater purpose in the overarching story, something that can't really be said for its 2003 counterpart. Winry received the primary focus which helped to develop her enough before the Elrics parted ways with her. I assume it will be a while before Winry makes a return to the forefront of the story, and peeling back another layer of the relationship she and Ed share added a bit more complexity to her story.
Also, while it bears little impact on the way the episode played out, I did appreciate the brief appearances of Scar, Yoki, and Greed on a wanted poster at the train station. Greed was one of my favorite characters in the 2003 series, and I'm excited to see him make his entrance into the Brotherhood story.
Episode 12 - One is All, All is One, Episode 13 - Beasts of Dublith
While I've had my complaints with past episodes being too fast paced, these two episodes handle their plots much better because of the faster pacing. As I've mentioned before, I have seen a handful of episodes on Adult Swim, and I am aware of where Greed and Izumi's stories will lead later on. But even if I hadn't been aware of what was to come, these episodes would have been equally satisfying. Instead of devoting multiple episodes to Izumi's teachings both past and present, Brotherhood covers it in one with the ultimate outcome being that Izumi disowns the Elrics as students due to a combination of the fact that they committed the taboo and that she now views them as her equals, not her pupils. A flashback to the day the Elrics first met Izumi was a welcome snippet that provided some quick comedy in an episode that was otherwise quite heavy on information and included relatively little action.
Beasts of Dublith, on the other hand, required no flashbacks and included more action as Ed faced down Greed after his gang kidnapped Alphonse. Greed provided insight into the nature of the Homunculi, but refrained from giving too much away. The Chimera aren't much different than they were in the 2003 series, though there were a few brief attempts to make jokes about Dolcetto's canine nature that I felt weren't really all that funny. Overall, though, these most recent episodes seem to have found a better rhythm and are throwing in comedic moments much more sparingly. Not that I don't appreciate a joke here and there, but some of Brotherhood's earlier episodes tried to poke fun at relatively serious and dramatic situations, which led to some awkward deliveries.
After the collapse of Lab 5, Ed is sent to the hospital to recover. As his automail arm is out of commission, Ed calls Winry out to Central to repair it (completely unaware that she forgot to put in one of the screws). All the while Al is contemplating Barry's insistence that he was never really a boy, merely a puppet created by Ed. This leads Al to become incredibly frustrated, spouting this out at Ed when he reaches his boiling point. It's a side of Al that isn't shown very often, but I feel that Brotherhood handled the situation better than the 2003 series did. Instead of having Alphonse run off until he eventually came to seek Ed's forgiveness, this episode placed Winry as a medium between the brothers. She is fully aware of the fact that Ed feels a great deal of blame for Al losing his body, and how he has been too afraid to ask if Al holds a grudge against him for it. By having Ed walk away, Winry explain to Al what Ed is feeling, and then ordering him to go apologize while tears stream down her face, Brotherhood's take on this scenario led me to feel a more genuine sense of emotional connection with the characters. Hughes added some lighthearted comedy, but overall the delivery of this episode was rather serious. Despite it not being particularly action-heavy, this was easily one of the best episodes since the introductory episodes of Brotherhood.
Episode 10 - Separate Destinations
I knew it had to come at some point, and while it was one of the most depressing episodes in the 2003 series, it was also one the most well-written. The same can be said about Brotherhood's depiction of the events leading up to Maes Hughes' death. In the episodes leading up to this point, Hughes didn't receive as much screentime as in the 2003 series, but this episode makes up for that, placing almost its entire focus on Hughes' dual role as a man of the military and a loving husband/father. What he uncovers this time around is different than in the 2003 series, and Envy still manages to kill him before he is able to pass word along to Mustang, but it was not in vain, as Mustang is able to gather quite a bit from the information (or lack of information) that he receives following Hughes' funeral. It was a truly sad ending and it hurt just as much to Hughes go the second time around, but the episode delivered one hell of an adrenaline rush that kept me on the edge of my seat.
Episode 11 - Miracle at Rush Valley
The Elric brothers, with Winry in tow, travel to Rush Valley, famous for its automail. Winry is ecstatic to see all the newest automail models, but things get sidetracked when a girl named Paninya steals Ed's pocketwatch. The trio manages to follow the girl to a house a fair distance outside of Rush Valley, where they meet the man who outfitted Paninya with her automail legs. Winry is thoroughly impressed with his work and asks if he would consider taking her on as his apprentice. He immediately refuses. His son's wife going into labor, the man leaves for Rush Valley in search of a doctor, while Winry - recalling some of the information she learned from her parents' books - begins issuing orders to prepare for the baby. After a successful delivery, Winry reveals to Ed that she opened his pocketwatch and saw the inscription of the date the brothers left Resembool. Ed states that he has never shared that with anyone, but made the inscription to give himself a physical reminder of what transpired there. Winry cries, and when Ed tells her to stop, she responds by telling him that since he won't cry she feels she must do it for him. Ed then tries to convince the man to take on Winry as his apprentice, to which he again refuses, but offers to introduce her to an associate of his and tells her she can stop by to visit the baby sometime. Winry decides to stay in Rush Valley with the goal of making better automail for Ed in the future, and the boys say their goodbyes as they board the train headed for Dublith.
Overall this episode was fairly well paced and had a greater purpose in the overarching story, something that can't really be said for its 2003 counterpart. Winry received the primary focus which helped to develop her enough before the Elrics parted ways with her. I assume it will be a while before Winry makes a return to the forefront of the story, and peeling back another layer of the relationship she and Ed share added a bit more complexity to her story.
Also, while it bears little impact on the way the episode played out, I did appreciate the brief appearances of Scar, Yoki, and Greed on a wanted poster at the train station. Greed was one of my favorite characters in the 2003 series, and I'm excited to see him make his entrance into the Brotherhood story.
Episode 12 - One is All, All is One, Episode 13 - Beasts of Dublith
While I've had my complaints with past episodes being too fast paced, these two episodes handle their plots much better because of the faster pacing. As I've mentioned before, I have seen a handful of episodes on Adult Swim, and I am aware of where Greed and Izumi's stories will lead later on. But even if I hadn't been aware of what was to come, these episodes would have been equally satisfying. Instead of devoting multiple episodes to Izumi's teachings both past and present, Brotherhood covers it in one with the ultimate outcome being that Izumi disowns the Elrics as students due to a combination of the fact that they committed the taboo and that she now views them as her equals, not her pupils. A flashback to the day the Elrics first met Izumi was a welcome snippet that provided some quick comedy in an episode that was otherwise quite heavy on information and included relatively little action.
Beasts of Dublith, on the other hand, required no flashbacks and included more action as Ed faced down Greed after his gang kidnapped Alphonse. Greed provided insight into the nature of the Homunculi, but refrained from giving too much away. The Chimera aren't much different than they were in the 2003 series, though there were a few brief attempts to make jokes about Dolcetto's canine nature that I felt weren't really all that funny. Overall, though, these most recent episodes seem to have found a better rhythm and are throwing in comedic moments much more sparingly. Not that I don't appreciate a joke here and there, but some of Brotherhood's earlier episodes tried to poke fun at relatively serious and dramatic situations, which led to some awkward deliveries.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
In Progress: Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, ep. 4-8
Episode 4 - An Alchemist's Anguish
As the Elric brothers visit the home of Shou Tucker in search of more information on bioalchemy, we get a glimpse into some of Ed's issues with his father. Ed recalls how his father spent a lot of his time concerned with his research and doesn't want Tucker's daughter Nena to feel the same loneliness he felt as a child. So between their research sessions, the Elric brothers spend time playing with Nena and her dog Alexander. The eventual outcome of this episode is still as tragic and dark as before, though the quicker pacing doesn't take away from the impact of its delivery, which is very welcome in terms of the storytelling.
Episode 5 - Rain of Sorrows
Similar to episode four, this is a rather straightforward retelling of the events surrounding Scar's first intervention. The Elric brothers do all they can to try and face him, but eventually realize they are no match for Scar. Their attempt to escape ending in Al's body being crippled and Ed's arm being destroyed, Ed bargains with Scar not to hurt Al if he is only seeking to kill state alchemists. Just in time to save the Elrics, Mustang, Hawkeye, and Armstrong show up and eventually Scar retreats. Hughes adds a quick dash of humor at the end while the Elrics realize that they are both physically and emotionally falling apart. As a whole, the episode is quite fast paced and flows quite naturally from where the previous episode left off.
Episode 6 - Road of Hope
Major Armstrong accompanies the boys on their return to Resembool, as Ed's lack of an arm renders him incapable of using alchemy. At one of the train stations along the way, Armstrong catches glimpse of Dr. Tim Marcoh, an alchemist who went missing after the war in Ishbal. The Elrics and Armstrong track down Marcoh in hopes that he might be able to shed some light on the Philosopher's Stone, but Marcoh refuses. Just as the Elrics and Armstrong are about to board the next train and continue on their way, however, Marcoh delivers Ed a list of texts he can look up when he returns to Central - all of which contain Marcoh's notes on the Philosopher's Stone.
The events that take place in Resembool are as comedic as they are heartwarming. Despite the fact that I'm still not terribly keen on the fast pacing of Brotherhood, this episode provided a welcome break from the heavier content in the previous two episodes. That said, there was still some emotional value in Ed's visit to his mother's grave and Pinako recounting the events of Ed's determination to become a state alchemist. My only big complaint about this episode is that Winry was only shown a few times, and most of this was while she was working on Ed's new automail limbs. Being only six episodes in, however, there will be plenty more opportunities for her to shine through, though it may be a while before the Elrics make a return visit to Resembool.
Episode 7 - Hidden Truths
The Elric brothers enlist the help of Sheska to rewrite Dr. Marcoh's notes. Since their return to Central, the Elric brothers are no longer under the supervision of Major Armstrong, but instead Ross and Brosh. While Hughes does show up to provide a few laughs and present Sheska with a new job in the process, Ross and Brosh don't really bring anything noteworthy to the table. This isn't terribly surprising, since they never played too important of roles in the 2003 series. But their lack of genuine surprise at the Elric brothers announcing their dark findings in Dr. Marcoh's notes makes the entire scenario seem considerably less dramatic. The episode as a whole seems confused as to whether it wants to focus on the darker, more serious aspects or the lighthearted comedy. This is one episode that could have benefitted from splitting its story into two parts.
Episode 8 - The Fifth Laboratory
The revelations at Laboratory 5 were among my favorite moments in the 2003 anime, so I came into this episode thriiled to revisit them. The battles between Ed and Number 48, and Al and Barry the Chopper were just as cleverly devised and executed as before. The tense atmosphere surrounding Ed's struggle to deal with complications in his automail arm as well as his vow not to kill kept things interesting on the inside of Lab 5. Meanwhile, Barry and Al find themselves at a stalemate in terms of physical prowess, so Barry decides to play head games with Al on the legitimacy of his existence.
Ultimately, however, the dark and mysterious nature that Lab 5 held in the 2003 series was hardly carried over to Brotherhood. Ed finds the transmutation room almost immediately after entering, and none of Tucker's research nor Greed's prison chamber are shown. Obviously Tucker can't be continuing his research (due his death at the hands of Scar) and it can be assumed that Greed is elsewhere in this version of the FMA story, but as a whole Lab 5 felt quite lackluster. There was no drama in Ed grappling with the prospect of using the prisoners to create a Philosopher's Stone, and the Homunculi showed up merely to stop Ed and demolish the laboratory. While not as frustrating as the previous episode, this one was a tad disappointing, and I feel that the faster pacing of Brotherhood will be something that I will have issues with the entire way through.
As the Elric brothers visit the home of Shou Tucker in search of more information on bioalchemy, we get a glimpse into some of Ed's issues with his father. Ed recalls how his father spent a lot of his time concerned with his research and doesn't want Tucker's daughter Nena to feel the same loneliness he felt as a child. So between their research sessions, the Elric brothers spend time playing with Nena and her dog Alexander. The eventual outcome of this episode is still as tragic and dark as before, though the quicker pacing doesn't take away from the impact of its delivery, which is very welcome in terms of the storytelling.
Episode 5 - Rain of Sorrows
Similar to episode four, this is a rather straightforward retelling of the events surrounding Scar's first intervention. The Elric brothers do all they can to try and face him, but eventually realize they are no match for Scar. Their attempt to escape ending in Al's body being crippled and Ed's arm being destroyed, Ed bargains with Scar not to hurt Al if he is only seeking to kill state alchemists. Just in time to save the Elrics, Mustang, Hawkeye, and Armstrong show up and eventually Scar retreats. Hughes adds a quick dash of humor at the end while the Elrics realize that they are both physically and emotionally falling apart. As a whole, the episode is quite fast paced and flows quite naturally from where the previous episode left off.
Episode 6 - Road of Hope
Major Armstrong accompanies the boys on their return to Resembool, as Ed's lack of an arm renders him incapable of using alchemy. At one of the train stations along the way, Armstrong catches glimpse of Dr. Tim Marcoh, an alchemist who went missing after the war in Ishbal. The Elrics and Armstrong track down Marcoh in hopes that he might be able to shed some light on the Philosopher's Stone, but Marcoh refuses. Just as the Elrics and Armstrong are about to board the next train and continue on their way, however, Marcoh delivers Ed a list of texts he can look up when he returns to Central - all of which contain Marcoh's notes on the Philosopher's Stone.
The events that take place in Resembool are as comedic as they are heartwarming. Despite the fact that I'm still not terribly keen on the fast pacing of Brotherhood, this episode provided a welcome break from the heavier content in the previous two episodes. That said, there was still some emotional value in Ed's visit to his mother's grave and Pinako recounting the events of Ed's determination to become a state alchemist. My only big complaint about this episode is that Winry was only shown a few times, and most of this was while she was working on Ed's new automail limbs. Being only six episodes in, however, there will be plenty more opportunities for her to shine through, though it may be a while before the Elrics make a return visit to Resembool.
Episode 7 - Hidden Truths
The Elric brothers enlist the help of Sheska to rewrite Dr. Marcoh's notes. Since their return to Central, the Elric brothers are no longer under the supervision of Major Armstrong, but instead Ross and Brosh. While Hughes does show up to provide a few laughs and present Sheska with a new job in the process, Ross and Brosh don't really bring anything noteworthy to the table. This isn't terribly surprising, since they never played too important of roles in the 2003 series. But their lack of genuine surprise at the Elric brothers announcing their dark findings in Dr. Marcoh's notes makes the entire scenario seem considerably less dramatic. The episode as a whole seems confused as to whether it wants to focus on the darker, more serious aspects or the lighthearted comedy. This is one episode that could have benefitted from splitting its story into two parts.
Episode 8 - The Fifth Laboratory
The revelations at Laboratory 5 were among my favorite moments in the 2003 anime, so I came into this episode thriiled to revisit them. The battles between Ed and Number 48, and Al and Barry the Chopper were just as cleverly devised and executed as before. The tense atmosphere surrounding Ed's struggle to deal with complications in his automail arm as well as his vow not to kill kept things interesting on the inside of Lab 5. Meanwhile, Barry and Al find themselves at a stalemate in terms of physical prowess, so Barry decides to play head games with Al on the legitimacy of his existence.
Ultimately, however, the dark and mysterious nature that Lab 5 held in the 2003 series was hardly carried over to Brotherhood. Ed finds the transmutation room almost immediately after entering, and none of Tucker's research nor Greed's prison chamber are shown. Obviously Tucker can't be continuing his research (due his death at the hands of Scar) and it can be assumed that Greed is elsewhere in this version of the FMA story, but as a whole Lab 5 felt quite lackluster. There was no drama in Ed grappling with the prospect of using the prisoners to create a Philosopher's Stone, and the Homunculi showed up merely to stop Ed and demolish the laboratory. While not as frustrating as the previous episode, this one was a tad disappointing, and I feel that the faster pacing of Brotherhood will be something that I will have issues with the entire way through.
Monday, April 18, 2011
In progress: Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, ep. 1-3
I've decided to start up a new series of postings to provide my thoughts on episodes of anime series as I'm in the process of watching them. I'm going to start off with Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, as I've reached the halfway point or latter in many of the other series that I'm currently viewing (or have put on temporary hold). Part of this decision stems from my love for Full Metal Alchemist, and I'm very interested to see what differences come out of this newer retelling - not only in terms of content (which is a given), but also with regards to the storytelling and character development. Another major part of my decision to begin these new postings is so they might help me better recall the ups and downs of the series when I go about writing my final review. I hope to implement this on other series in the future. As for the 'In progress' title, it will be temporary until I can conjure up a more creative name.
Let me begin by saying that I am not entirely unfamiliar with Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I've watched the 2003 FMA series all the way through, as well as Conqueror of Shamballa, and I absolutely loved that story - so much in fact, that over the course of a few months it climbed to the top of my favorite anime of all time, as well as becoming one of my favorite television series of all time. While I have yet to read any of the manga series, I have caught a handful of episodes of Brotherhood on Adult Swim. Though I am quite familiar with the majority of the characters, there are a few new faces I've yet to learn more about. The episodes that I have seen were never back-to-back in terms of the episode chronology, and so, while I understand the general direction the series takes as a whole, many of its subplots are still unfamiliar territory to me. With all of that in mind, these 'In Progess' postings will not apply ratings to any given episodes, but rather provide my thoughts on them.
Episode 1 - Full Metal Alchemist
The first episode is far more action-packed that that of the introductory episode of the 2003 series. The fateful attempt at human transmutation is not covered in detail, only briefly referenced. Instead, the focus is put on refamiliarizing viewers with the major characters as the state military is trying to stop one Isaac McDougal, a veteran of the Ishbalan war who also goes by the title of the Freezing Alchemist. McDougal's goal is apparently to freeze over military command and susequently kill Fuhrer King Bradley, who he blames blames for committing crimes and atrocities against humanity.
The Elric brothers take point in trying to stop McDougal, all while he attempts to persuade them to help his cause. Ed retorts that he doesn't care what McDougal wants, but he will stop him from causing damage to Central. Colonel Roy Mustang and Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye show up to try and stop McDougal in their own way, but Mustang's gloves are doused in water, and Riza comically presents him with a case full of spare sets of gloves. One of my personal favorite characters in the Full Metal Alchemist story, Major Alex Louis Armstrong makes a return in the only way he knows possible - incredibly graceful but completely lacking subtelty.
The first episode is nothing shy of a love letter to every Full Metal Alchemist fan. The balance of action and comedy is great. And while there is plenty of fun included, the episode also succeeds in kicking off some of the mysteries that surround the Brotherhood story. There is one point that foreshadows perhaps a bit too much and doesn't do much to mask the eventual direction of one character's story. That said, from what I have seen thus far from Brotherhood (the random handful of Adult Swim episodes included) is that, to a certain degree, the series expects viewers to be familiar with either the 2003 series or the manga.
Episode 2 - The First Day
A revisiting of the Elric brother's attempt to bring their mother back from the grave, episode two certainly covers the precursor events quickly. The actual transmutation attempt ends slightly differently than in the 2003 series, with Ed standing before the gate and meeting an entity that calls itself Truth. Truth feeds Ed a vast amount of information, but cuts him off before too long, prompting Ed to plead for more time so that he might be able to learn how to successfully bring a human back to life. Truth returns Ed to the shed, however, and he bonds Al's soul to the suit of armor.
While the 2003 series spent a lot of time focused on Ed's desperation to save his brother and the loss they felt when their mother died, Brotherhood instead chooses to focus primarily on the sense of defeat Ed felt after the whole ordeal, and - after his first meeting with Mustang - the burning desire he had to pick himself back up and find a means of restoring Al and his own body back to normal. This retelling was equally emotional, just not in the same manner. That isn't to say, however, that other aspects of the failed human transmutation can't be revisited further down the road.
Episode 3 - City of Heresy
A revisiting of the events in Liore, Ed and Al confront Father Cornello with hopes that he might be in possession of a Philosopher's Stone. In the same fashion as before, Cornello throws everything he has at the Elric brothers - a chimera, a sholder-mounted gatling gun, his own loyal minions - all while trying to convince Rose that they are evil individuals who seek to destroy what he has created for the people of Liore with his miracles. Ed manages to avoid capture this time around, instead opting to trick Cornello into admitting to his deceit over the microphone in his office. It certainly wasn't as impressive of a display of Ed's talents, and felt a bit lackluster. Cornello then turns into a much larger version of himself, one arm infused with pieces of machinery, and Ed takes him down quite quickly with the aid of his alchemy.
Ultimately, the outcome of Ed and Al's intervention in Liore is the same as it was in the 2003 series. Skipping over some of the less important parts seems only natural, though some of the changes made the overall effect less serious and the goofy cartoonish presentation of Cornello's loss made me want to see the Homunculi more as each moment passed. Ultimately Lust and Gluttony showed up at the very end, their only apparent purpose to be that of dropping Father's name.
Let me begin by saying that I am not entirely unfamiliar with Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I've watched the 2003 FMA series all the way through, as well as Conqueror of Shamballa, and I absolutely loved that story - so much in fact, that over the course of a few months it climbed to the top of my favorite anime of all time, as well as becoming one of my favorite television series of all time. While I have yet to read any of the manga series, I have caught a handful of episodes of Brotherhood on Adult Swim. Though I am quite familiar with the majority of the characters, there are a few new faces I've yet to learn more about. The episodes that I have seen were never back-to-back in terms of the episode chronology, and so, while I understand the general direction the series takes as a whole, many of its subplots are still unfamiliar territory to me. With all of that in mind, these 'In Progess' postings will not apply ratings to any given episodes, but rather provide my thoughts on them.
Episode 1 - Full Metal Alchemist
The first episode is far more action-packed that that of the introductory episode of the 2003 series. The fateful attempt at human transmutation is not covered in detail, only briefly referenced. Instead, the focus is put on refamiliarizing viewers with the major characters as the state military is trying to stop one Isaac McDougal, a veteran of the Ishbalan war who also goes by the title of the Freezing Alchemist. McDougal's goal is apparently to freeze over military command and susequently kill Fuhrer King Bradley, who he blames blames for committing crimes and atrocities against humanity.
The Elric brothers take point in trying to stop McDougal, all while he attempts to persuade them to help his cause. Ed retorts that he doesn't care what McDougal wants, but he will stop him from causing damage to Central. Colonel Roy Mustang and Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye show up to try and stop McDougal in their own way, but Mustang's gloves are doused in water, and Riza comically presents him with a case full of spare sets of gloves. One of my personal favorite characters in the Full Metal Alchemist story, Major Alex Louis Armstrong makes a return in the only way he knows possible - incredibly graceful but completely lacking subtelty.
The first episode is nothing shy of a love letter to every Full Metal Alchemist fan. The balance of action and comedy is great. And while there is plenty of fun included, the episode also succeeds in kicking off some of the mysteries that surround the Brotherhood story. There is one point that foreshadows perhaps a bit too much and doesn't do much to mask the eventual direction of one character's story. That said, from what I have seen thus far from Brotherhood (the random handful of Adult Swim episodes included) is that, to a certain degree, the series expects viewers to be familiar with either the 2003 series or the manga.
Episode 2 - The First Day
A revisiting of the Elric brother's attempt to bring their mother back from the grave, episode two certainly covers the precursor events quickly. The actual transmutation attempt ends slightly differently than in the 2003 series, with Ed standing before the gate and meeting an entity that calls itself Truth. Truth feeds Ed a vast amount of information, but cuts him off before too long, prompting Ed to plead for more time so that he might be able to learn how to successfully bring a human back to life. Truth returns Ed to the shed, however, and he bonds Al's soul to the suit of armor.
While the 2003 series spent a lot of time focused on Ed's desperation to save his brother and the loss they felt when their mother died, Brotherhood instead chooses to focus primarily on the sense of defeat Ed felt after the whole ordeal, and - after his first meeting with Mustang - the burning desire he had to pick himself back up and find a means of restoring Al and his own body back to normal. This retelling was equally emotional, just not in the same manner. That isn't to say, however, that other aspects of the failed human transmutation can't be revisited further down the road.
Episode 3 - City of Heresy
A revisiting of the events in Liore, Ed and Al confront Father Cornello with hopes that he might be in possession of a Philosopher's Stone. In the same fashion as before, Cornello throws everything he has at the Elric brothers - a chimera, a sholder-mounted gatling gun, his own loyal minions - all while trying to convince Rose that they are evil individuals who seek to destroy what he has created for the people of Liore with his miracles. Ed manages to avoid capture this time around, instead opting to trick Cornello into admitting to his deceit over the microphone in his office. It certainly wasn't as impressive of a display of Ed's talents, and felt a bit lackluster. Cornello then turns into a much larger version of himself, one arm infused with pieces of machinery, and Ed takes him down quite quickly with the aid of his alchemy.
Ultimately, the outcome of Ed and Al's intervention in Liore is the same as it was in the 2003 series. Skipping over some of the less important parts seems only natural, though some of the changes made the overall effect less serious and the goofy cartoonish presentation of Cornello's loss made me want to see the Homunculi more as each moment passed. Ultimately Lust and Gluttony showed up at the very end, their only apparent purpose to be that of dropping Father's name.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
