Okay, maybe I used the wrong choice of words. I don't mean to say that nobody has ever had guilt. And yes, I realized that's what I made it sound like because I wasn't clear enough. And for that, I appologize. I'm not saying that people haven't had hardships. Trust me, I've had my own.

What I meant to say was that I don't like it when people say that they like the first anime BECAUSE it's dark. And because they can relate to Edward or Roy or whoever. Because I mean, if you can relate to them in the first anime, can't you relate to them in Brotherhood too? It's the same cahracters with pretty much the same experiances.

I just don't like it when people pick that as being their reasoning for why they like the first anime. Because then that means that they can relate to Brotherhood too. They should be able to relate to the FMA fandom as a whole.

As for me, I like the first anime for many reasons. Not because it's dark or because I can relate to it, because I could say that about the whole series in general.

@Misty-Nala I never said that you didn't read the manga and watch both series. I was actually just making a comment in general, as a whole. And okay, that's fine that the emotional moments didn't effect you personally, or stand out to you. I was saying that you just can't say that Brotherhood sacraficed emotion for fighting. Because even you said that you note when there are emotional moments in Brotherhood. Just because they didn't stand out to you personally, doesn't mean that they aren't emotional. And it doesn't mean that emotion was sacraficed for the sake of fighting.

And okay, you do make a good point about Roy. Personal prefrance after all. Understandable.

I jsut wish that everyone could accept both animes for what they are. They're both FMA. I mean, shouldn't we like both of them? WHat's the harm in more FMA! =) It's more FMA, after all! That's why I love both series. I'm always pumped for anything that's FMA. Like, I really wanna read the light novels. I don't think that either series has ruined the other. ANd if we all wanna call ourselves FMA fans, we should appreciate and love everything that is FMA. The good, and the bad. That's what's being a fan is all about, isn't it?

Yes! A true FMA fan loves every adaptation of FMA. Why complain about another series of FMA? Enjoy that there's more of it! If you're an FMA fan, why are you fighting against it? Against versions of characters you love? A true fan accepts and enjoys all of it =)

Relax, I was half-joking! (Hence the silly smiley face at the end. I'd hoped that'd be a big enough clue, but I guess not.) I'm not trying to start any fights! O.o I was just trying to be real and honest; I didn't mean to sound snippy. I'm sorry if I offended you! I'm just saying, if people relate better to the characters in the first anime than the second one, and that's a reason they have for preferring it, then so be it. Who are we to put that down? That's how I personally see it, but you guys don't have to agree with me if you don't want to. Please don't bite my head off! Again, I'm sorry!

No one's biting your head off. No one's fighting with you, and no one feels offended. You shouldn't feel the need to apologize, no one thinks it's wrong or bad if you relate better to the first anime, because different people have different preferences =)

Yes I agree. For example. I actually loved episode 5 of the first series. When we were watching it the other day, there were so many parts that made me laugh hysterically. Especially when Hughes was on the phone with Roy talking about Gracia and then Riza picked up the phone and started yelling about how babies aren't born in 5 months. I actually liked that episode more in the first anime than I did in the manga because of the different adaptaion.

And the whole thing with Nina in the first anime was great too. I loved that they spent more time with her and got to know her more. And Ed's letter to Winry always makes me laugh.

I love things about both series. I dislike things in both series. But all in all it's more FMA, different adaptaions and it's great! I jsut want everyone to see it that way.

Same here. If people could, then there wouldn't be these dumb pointless FMA wars. Instead, FMA fans could just get along. Cause I mean, either way, with all of our differences, we all share a love for FMA.

It's okay Dear Heart, sorry if we all jumped on you. I do actually think it is perfectly fine to connect to one series' characters more than the other (I actually don't agree that they are the same characters but that would be an entirely too long discussion).

Your reasons for connecting to first anime Ed more make sense just as long as you realize someone might have equally good reasons to connect more with manga Ed!

So I don't have an issue for your reason for preferring the first anime. I prefer the manga so I would be a hypocrite if I said you can't prefer the first series. Everyone has their personal reasons even those who like both series equally and I don't think you are wrong to defend your reasons



edit: I will also say I am not a true FMA fan just a true FMA manga fan.

I agree. But the sad reality of that is that not everyone can view it that way. Ah well. I will just swim around in my love for both series and the manga and await the upcoming FMA movie with excitment, even if other people don't =)

I will do the same! =D

Okay, well, when I saw this...



...it sounded like you were accusing me of trying to start a fight. And hearing something like "that point isn't helping anything" or "this isn't a place for you to talk about your 'dark secrets' and compare yourself to Ed" - after you guys were just talking about people relating to FMA characters in either/both anime versions - sounded a bit harsh. I'm not trying to emo on anyone, I'm trying to prove my point. And it stings a little when someone tosses that away and implies that what you said/experienced isn't a "legit" point. So forgive me for getting a little defensive. *nervous laugh* I'm sorry if I misunderstood you at all, and I'm more than happy to move on.

Anyway, I think people are confusing "emotion" with "atmosphere". I'll get into that in just a bit...I need time to collect my thoughts for a second...

EDIT: Thank you very much for your understanding, Kirara. I really appreciate it, and I completely understand and agree with your point. Both Eds are awesome, and people can relate to both in lots of different ways.

Sorry, it was a bit of a misunderstanding on my part as well. The way you worded your original statement sounded like you were trying to pick a fight, and the smiley seemed more mocking than joking, so that's my bad.

I don't want to fight with anyone on here. I want to resolve all the fighting. As I said many times before, I just want people to at least accept all the forms of FMA, even if they can't bring themselves to like them. It's all FMA, after all!

Yes, I do get it! ^^ That's why I said that you did had a point... I was just pointing out that it's not that simple (but I'm sure you know that as well).

Alright, I think I've untangled my brain enough to post again. xD

I completely agree with you all that all three versions of FMA are amazing in their own ways, and that they should all be loved and celebrated accordingly. I also agree that they all have the same amount of emotion, for the most part.

However, like I mentioned before, I think a lot of people are confusing "emotion" with "atmosphere" - in other words, how the mood of the scene is set up and how the emotions flow and combine with everything else (the music, the pacing, the art, etc).

DISCLAIMER: Everything below is my own opinion, and I'm not expecting you to agree with everything I say. Peace out. xD

Personally, I think the overall atmosphere was handled much better in the first anime than Brotherhood. (No, I'm NOT saying that one is better than the other; I'm simply comparing their strengths and weaknesses.) In my opinion, Brotherhood's greatest flaw is inconsistency - not just in the art, but in the music, the pacing, the direction, etc. If I could sum up my overall impression of the series in one word, it would be "whiplash". The episode could be right in the middle of a tense, serious scene, or a thoughtful, tender moment...and then out of the blue would come this random, dippy, exaggerated slapstick moment to completely ruin it. Or there would an epic battle scene or a dramatic, defining moment, and the music would either be badly placed, totally unfitting or too overbearing (or all three at once). Or maybe it would be an emotional moment, but it would go by too fast to savor it, or the art or direction of the scene would feel flat, or the characters would reveal their deepest feelings or philosophies at the mere drop of a hat, without any proper buildup.

This may appear as nit-picking, but in actuality, it's all these little things combined as a whole that pulls you in and affects how you feel about what's happening. Atmosphere is a huge part of what makes the emotions real to people; and I think Brotherhood, while it had redeeming moments (EPISODE 19), lacked it in far too many critical places. The episodes where EVERYTHING came together were often few and far between, IMO (ESPECIALLY in the beginning. Ugh, I just want to pretend that the first third of Brotherhood doesn't exist...with some exceptions, but still...) >.< That may be why some people - especially the ones that saw anime 1 first - get more emotion out of the first anime than the second one. It's not the emotion itself they find lacking; it's how it's presented.

Now unlike a lot of you, I'm not into anime at all. I'm strictly a bookworm/movie-goer, and FMA is my one, big exception (which should speak volumes on how awesome the whole franchise is, lol). So maybe that rubs off a little on how I see these animes. To me, anime1 feels wonderfully consistent, tasteful and cinematic. It was very clear that the people behind it knew exactly what kinds of emotions they wanted people to feel, how and when to invoke them, and how to transition you to another mood without jarring you or yanking you out of the story in the process. I really appreciate how tastefully the music was used, how consistent the art was, how cohesive each episode felt, and how they never used comic relief for the sake of comic relief. Even in the funny episodes, there were beautifully thoughtful moments ("Living people are far more frightening than the dead, Lieutenant. Give me a ghost to talk to any day." Or something along those lines...) People don't always need to be "relieved" when something gets sad or serious, and anime1 understood that. For all its angst overloads and various plot holes, there's a certain thoughtful, subtle maturity I feel in it that I don't get as much of in Brotherhood...not from the characters, but from the way the series is put together overall.

Did all that rambling make sense? xD Again, none of this is to say that the first anime is better or more emotional than Brotherhood. I simply feel it was more consistent in quality and better directed, overall. And again, that's just me. You're more than welcome to disagree.

I totally agree with you when you say the atmosphere and music and all of that is better in the first anime, and that there are a lot of inconsistencies and wrong directing choices in Brotherhood, because that's true. However, I don't think it necessarily makes the emotions any less powerful. I think both animes have their very powerful moments, and I think both have their not so great moments. Brotherhood just tends to have more directing mess ups, which is too bad. I've wished before that Bones waited to make an FMA anime so that way they could have combined all the beautiful music and coloring and atmosphere of the first anime to the original storyline of the manga.

However, I disagree when you say the first anime is more emotional. I think they're both equally very emotional. Brotherhood may have its bad moments, but it does have scenes that are very well done too. It's not completely bad; then absolutely no one would like it. In the end, they're both amazing animes.

But I mean, in the end, this is the reason why I prefer the manga over both animes xD

I also agree. I think that Brotherhood made a lot of poor directing choices, mostly because they didn't want to repeat what was done in the first anime. I can understand that, but in my opinon, it would have been worth it to repeat all of that stuff. Would it have bored some people? Yes. Would it have pleased others and made it an overall better series? Yes.

I agree that I also prefer the manga. Because it's a little bit of everything ^.^

(Warning! Possible Series Final Spoilers under the spoiler tags!)

@ Dearheart- Actually, I agree with you for the most part. One of the good things about FMA-1 was its directing--unlike BH where it does seem to jump into places, especially in the beginning. But it's understandable in the beginning as to why they made it like that--they expected a lot of FMA fans to know enough already (really, what an excuse!).

But see, even though I do like FMA-1 and I do like some things about it over BH, I overall would still choose Brotherhood. Brotherhood has everything a story needs (for me, anyway)--good story/plot, humor (I love emotional moments, too, but I prefer Arakawa's humor a LOT!), interesting and all different kinds of characters, sweet ending, etc. I enjoy watching Brotherhood--every moment of it.

Most FMA-1 fans seem to be forgetting the good qualities of Brotherhood, too.
-the openings/endings. You cannot deny that they were all epicly amazing!
-the clear lineart and coloring. It's very high quality. As much as some parts of the characters' design tick me off, I still adore how they animated the most of it.
-as much as you can say the art was bad or whatever, there were a few instances where it was amazing. Like when Ed went to the gate the second time--meeting with Al for the first time. Or the battle scenes--the lights and effects are perfect.
-some parts that you would have SO liked to see animated. For example, the super awesome Lingroll. :'D
-how every character manages to look unique. They are all similar to the manga's design. Also, human!Al. <--- so much win!
-you can see Ed's growth here really well--how he managed to get tall towards the end and more buff.
-however much the directing is off, the humor still managed to make me laugh a LOT. Their facial expressions are priceless.

Brotherhood isn't nearly as bad as everyone thinks it is. Heck, it's loads better than other animes I've seen.

Brotherhood really had everything I wanted in a story. To be honest, I don't mind the directing that much. Brotherhood is there to keep me entertained. If I seriously don't like it, then I would just go ahead and read the manga, which is my real preference.

I really liked all of the points that you made here. Those are a lot of the reasons that I really love Brotherhood.

And the Lingroll = awesome! That scene makes me laugh SO HARD everytime I watch it!

Oh believe me, I not trying to deny that Brotherhood has loads of good things about it (especially plotwise). It's just for me, the little things they got wrong all added up and made the whole series a really mixed bag for me. And that's frustrating, because I wanted so desperately to love it like I loved the first one. I think I'm starting to, little by little, but it's taken a long time simply because I was spoiled by the awesome directing of the previous series, and it was hard for me to look past how much Brotherhood got "off" and see the good stuff in it.

Again, I'm not as used to the typical Japanese slapstick humor as you guys are. In manga form it's alright, but when it's animated it just...really throws this poor, clueless Westerner off. >.< Sometimes I like it and sometimes I don't. Doesn't mean it's BAD or anything; I'm just picky like that.

Also, just a little correction...I wasn't saying that anime1 was more emotional than Brotherhood at all. I was trying to say that the way they set up and presented the emotions was handled better...again, because of the directing. But Brotherhood had some well-portrayed emotional moments, too. Off the top of my head, episode 19 was just nailed as far as emotion and directing goes. And the scene where Ed opens the portal and sees Al's body in the Gate brought me to tears. That was when I thought, "FINALLY. BROTHERHOOD IS LIVING UP TO ITS NAME. IT'S ABOUT TIME, DANGIT. MOAR EPIC BROTHERLY LOVE PLZ." xD

Again, I also agree the directing was better. That's why the manga is always just the best to me xD



I'm not really sure what you mean by this because it sounds like you're suggesting I'm Japanese and you're from some country west of Japan... but I'm American xD I'm as western as it gets from Japan xD I don't really view Brotherhood as having "typical Japanese humor" though. It's just from the manga. And I mean, the manga just does a better job with it, but there have been plenty of times where Brotherhood's made me laugh.



I agree with this whole paragraph xD Those were two scenes I really loved compared to the whole Brotherhood anime. But like I said earlier, I know that anime1 did a better directing job and I never disagreed with that.

Just gotta say I totally agree. I LOVE those episodes O___O Those are two of my favorite scenes in the whole series. Idk if you already have or not, but if you haven't, I'd highly reccommend the magna =) It's really good.

SO good *___*
It brings together everything anime1 and Brotherhood lacked.

Lol, sorry. xD What I'm trying to say is that most anime/manga (or at least, the most I've glimpsed) always seems to have really random, weird, almost Loony-Tunes-ish slapstick humor in it...something completely foreign to me as a kid who grew up with regular books and western cartoons. The only recent American cartoon I can think of that has anything like anime humor in it is Spongebob. Or maybe Dexter's Lab or Powerpuff Girls. xD It's just strange for me, as an anime newcomer, to see that kind of humor in such a serious, more adult story like FMA; and I'm still trying to develop a taste for it. I can appreciate it alright when it's in comic-book form, but when it's animated, it feels weird to me. I just assumed it wasn't strange or distracting to you guys because everyone else on this forum seems to be MUCH more familiar with anime than I am. Make more sense?

Having said all that, yes I've read the manga, and yes I'm totally in love with it. It's definitely tied with the first anime for me, if not slightly above it. (Well go figure, it follows the Law of The-Book-Is-Always-Better-Than-The-Movie.) I love it because, exactly like you said, it fills in everything the two animes lack. While it isn't necessarily perfect and there are things in it I think could have been slightly better...I appreciate that it has all the heart, emotion, character depth and smooth storytelling (and brotherly fluff!) of the first anime, and the strong storylines, excitement, humor and character growth (and EdWin fluff!) of the second. It's the best of both worlds!

It was actually the ending of anime1 that drove me to read the manga. I thought, "NONONONO IT CANNOT END THERE SOMEBODY FIX IT NAO PLZ" and after a quick Googling (ah Google, where would I be without you?), I found the manga online and started inhaling it. And then everything was made better. xD And then I heard a new anime based on the manga was coming and I got all excited...and then felt completely cheated when it came out and I saw how horribly they adapted their source material in the beginning. Thank God they eventually got their act together...I still haven't forgiven them for that mess of a pilot episode, though. Random filler and an overload of Ed-is-short-har-har jokes was NOT the kind of beginning I wanted...

That does make more sense. I guess it is just something you get used to, since no matter how serious an anime I've watched, they always manage to throw silly humor in it one way or another =)



Yes, agree! I especially love the Edwin fluff >.> I'm such a fangirl xD



I felt EXACTLY the same way! xD I watched the first anime first, was displeased by the ending, and then read the manga to see if it was better, and was very satisfied! And yes, the beginning of Brotherhood was terrible. I was so upset that they rushed the beginning stuff, and the filler pilot episode was the worst excuse of anything ever xD

I agree

It's kinda like Harry Potter for example. The books were so much better lol Or My Sister's Keeper ........ -_____- Don't even get me started on the movie to that book. It. was. so. bad.

But yes, the books usually tend to be better. That usually tends to be the case with manga too.

And I agree on the ending xD I was so saddened. Especially that Ed had left Winry. (Without a direct thank you for his automail, I might add! D= ) So then I picked up the manga and fell in love lol And might I add the manga was also what made me fall in love with Edwin (you mentioned it xD So I had to say it)

But yes, all in all, both series were great =)

I definitely like the manga more than both anime (as I said before I am one of the two that voted that way).

I also agree as far as direction goes I think overall anime 1 was better. But as far as my anime preference I still choose Brotherhood because of its plot and characterization was the manga plot and characterization which I prefer.

As a manga fan I did have some issues with Brotherhood too (how they changed certain scenes, left out things, and rushed the beginning). Unlike the manga (which is my favorite manga). Brotherhood is not one of my favorite anime series. However it was still a lot of fun to see certain manga scenes animated. It is also nice that Brotherhood brought more people to the manga storyline.

I agree that Anime-1 was definitely better than Brotherhood as far as directing goes. I'm not one to notice that kind of thing, to be honest, but looking back, the pacing and music and all of that was most certainly handled better the first time. I think it's because Brotherhood was more of a cash cow than anything else, in my opinion, and the producers just wanted to give it to us and grab their paychecks. It also was, of course, the second shot, and a lot of material was repeated, which I'm sure wasn't particularly enjoyable for the staff for a number of reasons. Not that I'm trying to defend the staff, of course.

I myself read the manga first, but I could only get a hold of the first eight books and I was impatient in between releases, so I watched the anime to get more FMA. I always liked the manga more, but I was in love with Anime-1. <3

I do have to agree to some of these, although I'm a hardcore Anime 1 fan. The openings were incredible. I can't get enough of them. Okay, there were some weaker ones but so there were in Anime 1.

And I think all both adaptations showed Edward's growth very well. Okay, Edward doesn't grow up to be the giant he is by the end of manga, but he won't stay a midget.

I think it is the already discussed direction and art that are BHs "weaknessess". Of course, this is all up to the watcher. I'm just stating my personal feelings.
I adore the art of the first anime and therefore the art in BH looks very strange to me. It did get better with time, I admit, but overall the art style they use isn't my cup of tea. Compared to the first anime, I have always found the art in the newer adaptation pretty cheap. The characters look odd and colours are too bright for my taste. Maybe they do look more like their counterparts but in my case, it's mostly the art and character design that keeps me away from this show.

....I am not kidding here. I am not nitpicking or anything, this is all true. I understand why someone would like the art style and characterization of BH. But, it is also true that art style can turn people away. We haven't been made to look at things that we think are ugly.
I have already stated here I don't like Spirited Away. Maybe the biggest reason for me not liking it is the art style. I know that the animators and designers of that film and BH must have been incredibly talented but somehow these two turn me away.

Also, there is this one complaint about anime 1 when compared to BH that I can't understand. Many have claimed that in anime 1, characters don't look unique.

I am not an artist or anything close to that but I would never mistake a character for another in any series. Okay, I admit it has happened while reading Ginga Nagaberoshi Gin but they are all dogs so it is understandable.
Could someone please explain to me what is the meaning behind that claim?

Also, as Dearheart said, the comic in BH wasn't positioned too well. Now, I love the Omakes and can't help laughing at them. And the jokes in BH are sometimes pretty good and I did laugh while watching them but they mostly interrupted the scene. I personally prefer subtle humour, not wrecking head with a wrench (sometimes it's difficult to tell when this act is only there for humor and when it is actually happening).

About the short jokes.... well, they are an important part of Edward's maturing and are done well in both adaptations. I can't recall how it went in BH (someone who remembers is more than welcome to remind me) but in Anime 1, the over-exaggerated jokes disappeared as we got closer to the series end. I think that was a clever move.

Again, someone who remembers how it went with BH is needed to tell me how it went because I just can't remember!

To end this message; am I the only one who liked the first episode of BH? Yes, I liked it. Although the writing wasn't too good, all the characters were introduced again, there were too many short jokes so that all the newcomers would understand what the fandom is about and it played no importance to the plot (I did like Mr. Freeze), I enjoyed it. I think the pilot episode was welcome although it wasn't canon. Well, we were about to relive manga in anime form so I think it was justifiable for fans like me, who aren't particularly fond of watching the story they already know in another form, to have some new material.

Oh, yes, Harry Potter. A perfect example of how to ruin a wonderful series of books. (Why can't they let Ron have his moment to shine? Maybe because having three main characters is too much for the writers to handle.)

Another thing in Brotherhood's favor is it did have some sweet animation moments. So did the first anime like Greed VS Edward, Edward VS Envy. But what I was impressed about with Brotherhood is they didn't leave the best animated moments for just Ed's fights.

My favorite in Brotherhood was Al VS Pride & Kimbley.

As I said before I don't care too much about fight scenes however nice animation is a plus and fight scenes are usually when animators really go all out.


edit: Also about the Harry Potter films one of my major complaints is also how the films treat Ron's character.

I agree. At least BH had nice directing in the openings--every clip was laid out perfectly, and the timing was perfect, too. Also, I also saw several hints of foreshadowing in the openings.



That makes sense. My personal preference for art style/coloring still goes to Brotherhood, though. See, I'm the complete opposite of you--I enjoy bright, colorful, and clear colored art rather than dark and gloomy. >.< When I first watched BH (coming straight out of FMA-1), I was pleasantly surprised at the art style. So it doesn't really have to do with "which one is better?" (there are some things better/worse in both), it's just that I tend to favor the BH art style.



I'm not a mature enough artist, but I personally think BH's character designs are more unique. In most other animes, especially shoujo, you get a lot of the same kind of facial shape, eye style, hair style, etc. FMA has been the one anime/manga that I like that has managed to keep uniqueness in every character. There aren't any bishies, and all the hairstyles are unique. Note that I'm talking about FMA-1 and manga. ^^ But I find the facial structures of FMA-1's character designs to be the same. Ed has more of bishie eyes, and almost every character has a long-ish kind of face. Also, in the manga, I think the designs of the Xingese characters are unique, too. :3 Not your typical hairstyle on Mei! Anyway, my point is that I don't think FMA-1's designs aren't unique, I just think that the BH/manga developed a better way of making them unique and different looking from each other.



THIS. I don't care for fight scenes either. When I'm watching something I usually skip them. But Brotherhood has amazing animation when it comes to fight scenes! The effects are really well done.

OT: Haha, at least we can all agree on Harry Potter book vs movie. ;P

To be perfectly honest, I don't care for fights myself. It's fun, but it's hardly a reason for me to watch any series AT ALL.
I think it's funny that many people like FMA:B for its fights and that many FMA 1 fans use that as an argument as to why they don't like FMA:B... Cause, for me, I couldn't care less for the fights in both animes! lol
Not that I don't enjoy the fights and everything and I do agree that the fights in FMA:B are a lot more exciting, but they're hardly a main point in an anime, for me. And, if a series is 'all about the fights', I don't even trouble myself to watch it.
I'm all about the story, and the symbolism in the stories... and THAT's what catches my eye. (and what did catch my eye in the manga)

So I think it is rather funny to see people who say "people like FMA:B for the fights", cause, in my case, it couldn't be farthest from the truth.

I agree with you on this point.

Though the fight in FMA: Brotherhood are amazing, what really catches my attention is the story as a whole. Usually when the fight scenes happened in the manga, I would read them quickly so that I could get back to the story portion.

I did some thinking, read a bit of the manga and watched a bit more of Brotherhood (on episode 36) and I think this is a fair arguement.
I think Brotherhood really didn't have any thought put into it, which is why it comes off as emotionaless. If you've felt anything it was because of the manga NOT because of Brotherhood. I think this is because Fullmetal Alchemist needs to have some modifications to translate well into a series format or else it'll come off as typical which is why I saw it as a typical shonen series filled with fight scenes and such.
Brotherhood seems like it tried too hard to be epic (which the manga is but Brotherhood seems more Hollywood epic) thus killing the point of what Fullmetal Alchemist actually is... FMA is a journey not an epic. It really wouldn't hurt my feelings if the same team who worked on the first anime also did Brotherhood, infact I think if they did then we would have the perfect adaption of FMA, unfortunately that's just a dream now.
Hope we can all agree on this, I thought about this last night while trying to sleep lol.

Actually, all the people who I have recomended to watch FMA:B haven't read the manga and ALL of them felt the same excitement and emotion I felt while reading the manga, so, I don't think so.
And since I work at the biggest FMA portal in Brazil, I can say I have talked to many, MANY people about FMA.

Even so, I think the big difference is: people mistake having depth with making you cry or being "emotional", which is not the case.
So, yeah, FMA 1 IS more emotional, in a sense that it is MADE for you to cry and feel attached to the characters. (not in my case, cause I really don't like when people get dramatic)
But Arakawa's works are not like that. Her depth (and FMA:B's depth) has little to do with "being emotional". It's a lot more RATIONAL, of psychological development, about thoughts and ideals and the way a certain character 'sees the world' and how that's changes due to certain relationships and experiences. And THATs the point of manga: not friendship (that's just a side track). And if people thought it was all about friendship... well, I suggest you look at it again.
Friendship is Edward's path because that's what he needs to learn (that's his lesson given by Truth): to trust people. But, Al, for example, his journey is about independence. Hohenheim's is about facing his 'dark side', and so on a so forth.

But the main idea of the series is the same of the one in Alchemy: human transmutation. Using your experiences to become a better person, a different person.

But back to the subject of emotion. FMA:B only brings emotion if you really get the process that these characters are going through and connect to it. But it is not intendedly put to MAKE you emotional, it's a consequence.
In that sense, Arakawa is very similar to Jane Austen, for example: if you look at her books' plot, they're strikingly simple. Almost lame. But she takes you into the character's development through situations that seems "daily" to show you how that person has built their convictions. And that's what happens not only in the manga, but in FMA:B and in ALL of Arakawa's serious works: how the characters build their convictions.

The manga is my favorite but I do know of many people who only watched Brotherhood and loved it.



I totally agree with this. For example we have the Al VS Kimbley and Pride fight my favorite part of that was not the fight itself but when Al decides to use the philosopher stone so those people would have a chance to fight too. It's this growth and understanding of his character which makes the scene special.




I would argue that both Ed & Al have to learn to trust people besides themselves but yes this is probably more focused overall on Edward.

I do think not friendship necessarily but the strength of many VS the strength of one or a few is a theme of the manga that is separate from Ed's growth although it ties into it.

But I agree with you what each character got out of the journey was different. And I believe we become attached to these characters because we watch them grow & change not because we feel sorry for them.

I think that the manga/Brotherhood had a million lessons, at least, a couple for each major character and maybe one for every minor character. It's most certainly not just about friendship, as Turdaewen said. Ed learns about trust, Al learns about independence, Roy and Scar learn about the futility of revenge and the importance of acceptance, Winry learns about love and the importance of a supporting role.... Even Havoc and Falman learned lessons, as did the chimera characters from Briggs, and I'm sure even Yoki picked something up from his adventures. I don't think the manga was so much supposed to be about the plot as the plot was fashioned in the most effective way to teach the characters and show their growth. And every character's growth and the lessons they learn contribute to the message in the story.

I hate fighting in anime also. I know they're important and some of them can be quite impressive but I never pay much attention to them and usually don't watch them again. I don't know, I have always found battles in FMA quite boring. In all other anime I have seen (there are not many) battles have only been stupid, take Sailor Moon for example.

Usually when characters start fighting, I scream in my head: "Get back to the story! Can't you talk about things? Why do you need to fight?!"

Exception to the rule, there is this one battle scene I must partly watch time after time and I think it looks pretty neat. Guess which it is? Greed vs Ed fight is partly repeated in Link, the opening song for CoS.

I say that about Al because of what Truth has taken from him. As Father has said during the final struggle "a boy who wanted to feel his mother's warmth".
He was always counting on Ed to do everything for him, to be always "taken care of and attended to" and not having to decide things, always expecting someone else to comfort him. Afraid of being alone or having to do things himself...

Ed, in the other hand, always wanted to be "the independent one", not trusting other people being the one who can "look after himself". He was always saying how he "didn't need Hohenheim", as if he was the 'man of the house' his father left. He was terrified at the idea of having to depend on someone else for anything and was terrified when Hohenheim reappeared (these last thing was said by Arakawa herself, actually), because he didn't want to have to deal with someone that had any kind of power over him.

So, yeah, his journey is quite different from Ed's, although they're going through it together.

Winry also developed in wanting to shoot Scar for killing her parents to not forgiving but enduring and working together. She was one to really get through to Scar to end the cycle of violence




You misunderstand me I am not saying that Ed and Al's journey's are exactly the same but there were certainly instances in the manga where Al along with Ed went off without trusting anyone: Lab 5 for example it's important to note that both Ed and Al are disciplines by Maria & Denny. It is also Ed and Al together who finally talk to Olivier for example. So like I said this theme might be tied more into Ed's character growth specifically (I am not disagreeing with that) but it seems to me that both Ed and Al had to open up to other people instead of just relying on each other. Perhaps this did come easier for Al though than Ed.


I am also not sure if I agree that Al's journey is merely independence. He never really seemed to have issues going off without Ed or making his own decisions. I think Al's growth is more in understanding that Al is still Al no matter what body he is. Accepting he is human even in the armor but still wanting his body back but not at the expense of anyone else. When Al is told he can't save the world and get his body back. He replies No I will have both. Al believes in himself but he also believes in Ed and others to reach that goal. Al does make an important independent decision in the 2nd to last chapter when he goes back to the other side with May's help but he also does this because he has faith that Ed will bring him back


edit: Although I am not saying you are wrong about the independence aspect. Sometimes when it comes to themes people can get more than one thing out of story and I do think there is a lot to get out of FMA.

I honestly have no idea where you're getting this from. Not trying to dismiss your opinion or anything but I've really never seen Alphonse this way (in the manga). I've always seen him as perfectly capable of being independent of his brother and taking care of himself. He made decisions of his own, had a conviction and strength all his own, not dependent on Ed. He could certainly handle himself in a fight and was never afraid. I think throughout the whole series Al's always showed an incredible strength within himself. To be able to live in that body at all shows how strong he is, his ability to not live in fear and misery, but rather be strong and believe in himself and those around him, to carry on and have hopes and dreams and try to achieve them with his own strength. I think Al believed strongly in his brother, but I don't think he ever needed Ed to do everything for him, always take care of him, comfort him, etc. They needed each other as much as two brothers in such a situation would but I think Al was perfectly independent and took care of Ed, and many others in his life, as much as Ed took care of him.

I think you guys are being just a little too... radical, thinking that, since I said that, it means I think that's the ONLY thing that exist, which is not the case, I just raising a point, not the ONLY possible way to look at it. You can agree with it or not.

But, since you asked, I took that from chapter 102 of the manga, when Father is talking about the Truth and what and why Truth took those things from the alchemists.
Also from a few Arakawa interviews, when she's talking about the differences between Ed and Al, especially when she says Al is usually the one who wants to be 'rational', and how that's also a sort of escape of his from taking real action because he doesn't want to feel himself responsible (which is something that changes at the situation where he volunteers to capture Pride. Arakawa once said that that was a big change for Al, to actually face his fear of making things by himself and being the one who "takes action" for once, instead of Ed). And also from the gaiden Long Night and Arakawa's comments on it.

I never said it was MERELY about independence or that Al wasn't a "strong person". A person can be strong and choose to let other people make decisions for them, for fear of having to take responsibility. I do think Al is stronger than Ed, but, for a long period during the manga, didn't want to commit to the strength he has. It's easier to let Ed be the 'impulsive one' and always be "the voice of reason".

The fact that Al lost his body is not at all random, just as it's not random the fact of Ed lost his leg, that Mustang lost his sight and that Izumi lost her organs. So, Father IS right in a sense: Truth takes something away for a reason (which is not "Equivalent Exchange", or Roy would have lost nothing at all and all the "theories" about how Truth was unjust to Mustang would be correct). It's just not the reason Father thinks it is: the Truth is showing something to the Alchemists. Something they have to learn and overcome.

I really thought that it was crystal clear from the end of the manga that Truth only wanted the alchemists to redeem themselves.
And Al had to learn to be ok with being 'alone', sometimes. If not, what was all about the case of him sacrificing himself at the end to have Edward get his arm back? That was his redemption!

You see minus "afraid of being alone at night" thing this sounds a lot more like first anime Al to me. I am just curious where do you think Al was dependent on Ed in the manga at all?

See I can kind of see not being afraid to be alone bit but not the dependence bit. I think they are two different things. And I guess you can say both Al's decision to go in the doors and hold Pride tie into this growth.

And on another note I am curious to read this interview with Arakawa about the differences between Ed and Al (seems to be one I missed and I like reading everything I can Arakawa says about the series).

It's a bit old, actually. I think I saw it at Mobuta... but Mobuta is closed, now.

And I do agree that Al is more dependent in the first anime, but, though dependent is not exactly accurate, it's quite hard for me to find another word to define what I mean.

I guess it's a common thing as to think Al has 'not faults', since his problems, insecurities and etc are more implied, but he do has them as well as any other character in FMA. It would be silly of us to say the manga has 'more tridimensional characters' and say 'Al is perfect'.

Of course, this faults of his a lot enhanced in FMA 1 (as was Ed's), but that doesn't mean he's except of them in the manga,if you know what I mean.
The difference is that, in the manga, he acts like a normal person, not a "shadow" of Ed's. lol

Too bad about that interview. Maybe one day someone will find it again. Although I am hoping someone will translate as much as FMA chronicles as possible.



Okay that is probably why we are having this misunderstanding we must be thinking of dependent in different terms.




I don't think Manga Al is perfect at all although his faults do seem less defined than other characters including Ed. He holds things in as we can see from the Barry the Chopper instance, maybe he blames himself too much at times (Hughes), and maybe he can be too selfless.

In the selfless aspect I mean he doesn't want to get his body back if its at the expense of anyone else but later on Al grows to say I will get my body back no matter what and protect people. He is not giving up on others but not on himself either.

Yeah, but I do think it's more to it than just being "Selfless". Selfless is a good thing. I think it can be considered as more of a "self annulling" conduct, at first. (that's it! that's the word I was after!!! lol)

And that's just another way of "trying to bring attention to oneself" as Ed's forwardness. His "funny man" side can show just that as well. (it's like "don't look at me, I'm not important") And we see, especially in the omakes that Al wants to be in the limeline just as well. But it's hard for him to step up and commit to what he wants. So he let people act in his stead and reserves the position of "centered man" to himself.

If he was trully selfless, he wouldn't be self destructing, for he would understand his importance to help other people... which is one of the greatest things at the end of the anime, when he gets the chance of getting his body back and refuses: at THAT time, he's really selfless, for understanding they NEED him to be able to fight.

Right there is an extreme of being selfless and selfish. Al is not selfish for wanting his body back but he can want his body back and want to protect others. Al wants something for himself (nothing wrong with this) but not at the expense of others.

As for Al's decision back there I don't think it was just selflessness but intelligence and practicality too. He was not giving up on getting his body back forever he just knew it wasn't the right time. Of course it is hard to give up on something he was searching for so long when it is right in front of you but I think it would be different if he knew that was his last chance to get his body back. Admittedly I think he would give it up but then would keep trying and not believe it was the end.

Hello everybody, I would like to add something about Ed and All character developments in the manga (I voted for Brotherhood in the poll, but I think it could have been much better).

About Ed:
In my opinion, he not only learns about trusting other people (this stands right in Al's case, too), but also humility. I love Ed because I'm a rational person like him, but at first he was rational in a childish way, while in the end he learned that human beings cannot do everything and that they have limits.

About Al:
I believe he's a character who learnt that humanity isn't something so easy to define, and that even a chimera, an homunculus and, well, an empty armour can be "human". Al learns that what you do and the way you act is the thing that makes you human or "inhuman", and not how you born.

Since I'm at it, about Winry (another character I really love):
she learns that priority should be given to help and caring for people, not built and heal and not to destroy and kill, whatever the situation you're in. This is even more true for her given her abilities. Most of all, she learns her parent's lesson, and how to live according to their ideals.

Sariachan I think that sums up Ed Al and Winry perfectly.


<Guys, I like this discussion, but let's get back to FMA-1 vs FMA:Brotherhood, yes? ~ Board Staff >

Before I delve into this, I must admit, they did try really hard with Brotherhood and it just didn't come together (at least for me). The first anime just had so much more tangible material, honestly, I don't think any anime gets better than one that you can actually nearly touch. Even after watching Brotherhood, which I had to suffer through, only because all my friends were like "It's the real story." I'll be honest, just because it was the original story the author had in mind, doesn't make it better than what the anime adaptors ended up doing with it. I'll try my best to explain how their inclusion of real historical events changed the entire feel of the anime, as it made it tangible.

Throughout the first anime, there were so many accurate historical references, it made their world seem like ours with the only twist being how different religion and science developed on through. All of the Abrahamic Religions (Christianity, Judaism & Islam) were replaced by "Ishvallah-ism?" and the religion people followed in Leor. In Ishval, you can see a setting which resembles the Middle East more predominantly (poorer living conditions and domed-temple to which they pray to Ishvalla). In Leor, you can see a form of Greek-like worship, where their followers worship their "sun god" and many of the statues that are placed throughout the city are reminiscent of statues formed by Greeks. In this sense, you can see how a mutual existence of both types of religions (monotheistic and polytheistic) was prevalent throughout the series. And then you have the "state" where our main characters are from that purely follow a science with equivalent exchange as their form of sacred worship.

However, even though the conflicts explained in this story-line are a bit complex, but they aren't something we haven't seen before or aren't able to witness today. One of the more subtle conflicts seems to be this "Western Science vs Eastern Religion" that can be observed via the State vs Ishval. In other words, you can look at the wars between the "state" and Ishval/Leor almost synonymously with the US & Iraq/Afghanistan, something to think about, definitely not trying to be Anti-American, but we didn't find anything but oil in Iraq. But on a more microscopic level, as young adults we were given a different scope of understanding in regards to how military/nation conflicts work, as we saw with how Colonel Archer invades Leor to "capture" Scar.

I believe if not for the way they "set" the world up, this anime could have come crashing down at any moment, they did a wonderful job just setting up the scenery and sprinkling historical references from recent conflicts and etc. Then intertwining all of that with minor adjustments in our past, where there were hints that the "Salem Witch Trials" were used as a method to create a Philosophers Stone. The animators/writers did a really great job with this, honestly, I don't think the newer anime has enough real world perspective to push the storyline. The difference between the two is that when I watched the first anime, I felt like I was really intrigued and the second one was more well structured, but it just didn't capture my interest at all.