After Perfect Guidebook 2 that came out loooooooong ago, we finally get a new up-to-date databook (although given that the series is rather ending, I would have waited to its end and have it all wrapped up. ¬¬ )

Announced for May the 29th, we now have the cover:


I can't wait for scans/translations to start rolling... *o*


Credit: thx to hamsterfactor for the big pic.

Very funny cover!

Wooooooow nice cover !! \^o^/

Awesome! Funny how yesterday I bought the first profile book and today I learn that the 2nd will be released! I wonder when the english version is going to be released

Sounds interesting. Can't wait for scans. I like the cover, too.

Thanks Sensenic for the news!

XD that cover is great. Thanks for posting it Sensenic! Looking forward to the scans

Cool cover. I like how Den's 'holding' the Havoc card.

This is actually the 3rd one

And I would not hold my breath for an English release. They did release the first character guide book in the US but it's been awhile since the 2nd one was released in Japan and no news on an English release.

I'm very annoyed the second one hasn't been released by VIZ.

Despite not reading Japanese, I am going to buy this, the cover alone is too cute.

Ooh cool, another character guide book. Too bad I can't read Japanese And I love the cover.

Now if Arakawa would only release another artbook then I'd be completely satisfied...

Seconded! But I think it is more up to her publisher in this case than her.

It might explained why the first volume has so few information about the middle of the manga storyline -___- So, the 2nd one isn't even in English yet? Since when has it been released in Japan?

I'm not sure whether this would go there or to FMA2 News section:

http://www.hagaren.jp/news/index.html Info about the Databook

I wish that I could read Japanese. I want all of the guide books and art books.

a little little info about character guide :
http://amber1003.deviantart.com/journal/25007221/
I'm searching for moreee~~~

I love that cover! I wonder how long it will take someone to scan it.

Thank you, Sensenic, Kasumisty, and paca!!
(Yes, yes, I've been slow to catch up as I had been quite busy recently.. XD)

As posted by Kasumisty, the entry on FMA-2: Brotherhood official JP site:

(Translation by Tombow with paraphrased and condensed content)
posted :2009.05.26：「鋼の錬金術師」キャラクターガイド　５月２９日発売！！

~ "Fullmetal Alchemist" Character Guide on sale May 29, 2009!! ~

It contains guides to more than 100 FMA manga characters, including some animals and even some minor characters, with some famous/infamous scenes, and explains the paths they have taken so far for many of the main characters. Also contains original Omake by Arakawa-sensei!! Price: 800 Japanese Yen (about $8.00 or so?)


-----------

Also, as personally reported by Turdaewen, a book review on a Japanese comic store's site reports (I checked the site...it's in Japanese ^^) that it contains the guide to almost all major & minor characters that were in FMA manga so far. And, some special sections that reveal the secret of "the curl", that curled hair of the Armstrong family members, "Ed vs animals: who is stronger?" and Ed & Mustang's Four subordinates would revel Mustang's personal moments, etc., etc....

------------

Can't wait to see Omake, and other contents!!

I am hoping to get this soon. So it sounds like there is no side story in this like the other guide books. But considering how busy Arakawa has been that's not surprising. I am still really excited about this book. And I knew there were a lot of characters in FMA but I never thought that there were over 100.

Yeah, the fact that there are over 100 characters in FMA surprised me when I first heard (well, read) it. But if you think about it, there are a LOT of minor characters who only show up for a chapter or two. (...still hoping for another artbook )

I want the omakes to be translated.

Also I want another artbook. I only know of 2 manga artbooks, and anime artbook. Those are the only ones available in the US (I think).

Thanks Tombow for the info ;D

Thank you Tombow!

Thanks Tombow!

I would kill for translated omakes to be posted...

Photos by thinandfat from the hagarenbbs forum

The omakes are gold. 8D (I'm not translating them; any takers?)










=========================================

And commentary found on a blog here. (It takes too much time to translate them. Any takers?)

表紙はかわいいけど、あいかわらず値段はかわいくないガイドブックです。
本誌掲載の人気投票をカラーのまま収録しているとは言え
この頁数なら材料費的にはフツーのコミックのお値段に抑えられない事もないんですけどね。
ただ、内容は本誌の漫画を収録しなおすのとはまったく別で
レイアウトから文面に至るまで一から組んで紙面をつくってるわけですから
ソコにかかる手間と人件費をお察しいただければ幸いです。

荒川先生の書き下ろしはカバーめくったアレと（背表紙は書き下ろしではありませんでした）
４コマ漫画が９本立てです。
内容については買って欲しいので、多くは語りません。

そして、鋼のガイドブックではさりげに本編でもまだ語られていない裏設定が暴露される事も
多々あるので侮れないのデスヨ！
以下、初読でさらりと読んで気になったトコロメモです。

■Ｐ４３　メイスンさんの項　
メイスンさんがカーティス夫妻と知り合ったいきさつを鑑みるに
カーティス家流更正プログラムは有効だったハズなのに
それでも禁忌キッズ道を突き進んだエルリック兄弟はなんてワルなんだ！
さすがリゼンブールの狂犬だぜ。

■Ｐ４５　マルコーさんの項　
初登場話でエド達に賢者の石の資料の場所を教えるに至ったのは
エドの「正義感」に一縷の望みを託したから。との表記。
うん、やっぱり原作（スクエニ）サイドは
賢者の石にまつわる軍の暗部に辿りつけたのなら、
エド達は不正に何らかの対処する覚悟があると見込んで
マルコーさんは真実を託したって解釈でいいんだよね。

さてさて、「正義感」や「覚悟」をただの後先は問題にしない「熱意」に動かされたと変えてしまった入江版は
「いっしょーけんめいやったならそれでいい」　「そのときじぶんができるべすとつくせばいいんだよ」
的なおこちゃまに易しい、ぬるーいテーマをぶち上げたいんでしょうか？
くれぐれも、可能性に満々てる前途ある視聴者のお子様に、早いうちからそんな言い訳がましい免罪符を与えないで欲しいものです。
「ベストは尽くした」云々はむしろ伸びしろが狭まってどんづまってる大人の為の言葉ですがな。
若人のうちは「やるだけやった」じゃなくて、
常に「全力でぶちあたる」が必要最低限の条件ぐらいに設定しておいて欲しいもんです。（←超偉そう）
正直、入江版のエドは強さＭＡＸだけど、愚か者度を原作よりマイナスラインに置いてからのスタートにあえて設定していると言うのなら、
原作の３割増くらいのキツイ言葉でオリヴィエ様に「深く物事を考えず～粗忽者」と罵って頂く→エド反省　の見栄えがするようにきちんと魅せて欲しいですね。

■Ｐ５５　デンの項目　
右前足喪失の理由が幼馴染’Ｓを危機から庇ってというのは初出ネタではないけれど、
列車事故に巻き込まれかけたって詳細は出てましたっけ？　初耳な気がするけど
初出ネタが何に書いてあったか思い出せずに確認がとれません　ＯＴＬ

■Ｐ６７　スカー兄の項目　
しっかり「自らの腕を（弟に）移植して命を失った」と明言されてしまいました。
果たして、スカーの本名が明かされるのは何（誰）によってになるのでせうか。
事が終わって、スカー自身ふんぎりがついた気分になって自分で名乗ったりしちゃうんだろうか
スカーの死に際の回想シーンでスカー兄に呼ばれるとかそんなのはイヤだ。

■Ｐ６８　ヨキの項目　「それでもヨキは生きている！！」　
アオリ文が秀逸すぎるｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗ
ああ！彼は小市民の代表ですとも！　生き残ったものがちですとも！
「（自分が）幸せに生きる」為に努力してるんですよ、あんなんでも（笑）

■Ｐ７３　ダウリスさんの項目
【豪放磊落】　　(名・形動) [文]ナリ 度量が大きく快活で、小さなことにこだわらないさま。
耳慣れない四字熟語つかってんなぁｗｗｗ
うん、鋼は確かに少年ガンガン掲載のまごう事なき少年漫画で、
鋼ＦＡもターゲット年齢層は低くていいんだけど
子供の頃って「難しい漢字知ってる俺様カッコイイーｖ」的に背伸びしたいもんなんだよ。（人、其レヲ厨二病ト呼ブ）
鋼ＦＡには見ちゃいけないんだけど扉の隙間から見たくなるようなパンドラの箱的面白さを感じないんだよね。
もっと秘密に酔って大人の階段上った気にさせる厨二病心をくすぐってみればいいのに（笑）

あと、キャラクターは　国軍・錬金術師・人造人間・その他　で分類されて収録されてるのですが
ヨキの分類は「その他」なのに
ダウリスさん達、北方編から合流の合成獣カルテットは「国軍」の分類になってました。
フュリーさんもまだ国軍分類なので、５人とも脱走兵という扱いになってるのかしら？
一件落着後はみんな（ヨキ以外）して軍籍復帰と思いたいですよ。

■Ｐ１０５　マダムクリスマスの項　
さらっと、マダムが増田英雄さんの父方の叔母設定を暴露。
フツーに血縁を頼って育てられたって事ですか。

■鋼名作劇場　
増刷の２刷以降、修正されるのか気になる点が…　
いっそ、「名」も「迷」に変えるか、ぜんぶメイちゃんの妄想劇場仕立てにしてしまえＹｏ☆
つか、配役こそ微妙に違うけど同人で似たようなネタを見た事があ（おや、誰か来たようだ…

XD
thanks a lot AA battery! ;D
those omakes are great without reading the lines xDDDDDDD
(I will have the guide in a week or so *_* kukukuku)

@ AA battery: Awesome! Thanks for sharing the scan pics!

I like the one with Ed and Al and Mustang's military group. Is it just me or does Riza look really skinny...? Ugh, I wish I knew Japanese.

^ Yes Riza does seem a little too skinny in that picture. But I like the picture. Hopefully the dialogue will be translated.

Oh, finally, we get to see the contents!!! Thank you, AA battery!!!

Umm..unfortunately, the comments from the Japanese blog site are bits and pieces of his thoughts on some entries on the Guide, and as the blogger is noting, he is intentionally NOT describing much about the actual contents themselves because "he wants everyone to actually buy the Guide," so...without knowing much about the actual pages he is commenting on, I'm not that clear what he is talking about. Sorry.. ^^ But, if anyone can make sense out of these comments and translate, please go ahead. ^^
But, the pics look nice!! And, Omake are great!! ^^

Since paca will be getting the Guide in a week or so??? And hopefully we'll get better scan from paca by then? And then maybe I or some others can read and decipher/ translate some of it. ^^


Till then, following is my quick translation of just one of Omake, which seem to be themed as the parodies of famous fables this time, and yes, they are funny!! XDD

This one is a parody of famous story: "The North Wind and the Sun"
If anyone do not know the story, I think it may help to click on the link and take a quick look at the real fable before taking a look at the Omake parody. XD


FMA Omake parody: "The North Wind and the Sun"
(After clicking on the pic, click again on + to enlarge the pic so that you can read the translation. ^^)


The rest of Omake scans are too warped to salvage (the above one was pretty warped also and I had to fudge the panels heavily. XD)... let's wait for some more scan pics... ^^

Thanks AA battery for the pics and Tombow for the translation!

I can't wait to see the whole guidebook scanned!

Oh wow, epic win~!
Thanks AA battery for bringing us pictures and thanks Tombow fot the translation~!
I love this art with Mustang-tachi and Elric brothers~! Oh, wow, there is something about Madame Christmas~!
Can't wait for more scans and translation~!^^

Thanks Tombow for the translation!

The funny thing is, I'm pretty sure that's almost exactly what happened in the actual fable: the sun does win, but not exactly by burning it off like Roy does XD Poor Yoki

Thank you AA Battery and Tombow!

I'm lovin' the pictures! ^0^

The omakes! Haha! Look great! =D The expressions alone make me laugh ^__^

That translated omake was awesome! Poor Yoki XD

Ah I ordered the guide from Yes Asia but it is on Back Order. I might not get it for another month at the earliest.

Oh God the pictures *__*
Thank you everyone *__*

More photos by thinandfat from the hagarenbbs forum

Thanks so much everyone for the scans and translations! These are awesome~ <3

Thanks AA battery! I really like that 3rd pic of Riza. And LOL at the last one with the pyramid. XD

Thank you! I wonder about that piramid in the one of the scans - it's advanced one that Xiao May (the panda) thought of at some point of the manga?

Thank you, AA battery!!
Ohhh... I want to read the whole book so bad!
I love Ed's Alchemy Art collection!

@Kasumisty - That one is Edward & other human FMA characters vs FMA animal characters, and showing which FMA human character is the strongest when going against FMA animal characters. For some reason, Scar Greed is at the top of the Triangle, then the next is Pinako.

I want that so bad! *__*

Thanks all for the scans! **

Thanks! It makes me want to buy this, but I don't know the language, so I will wait for an english released (if there's going to be one...)

Actually, it looks like Greed is the one at the top, and then Pinako. I can't tell who's 3rd though...and Ed's at the bottom

@kkg22104 - Gahaha, you're right. Greed is the top one. XD
*goes to correct it. XD*

OMG yes they have a section on Edward's art. I was actually thinking that would be so awesome.

If only my book could ship already *sniff*

Oh and thanks for the scans

Oh, wow, I want this so much now, I think it's decided it's time to get my money and go to buy it~
Thanks for scans again~!

Posted this in the other thread but...found this today:



Scans upon request...

Oh, wow, so could you please give me a better scan of this picture Mustang-tachi+Elric brothers? Please~

Thanks for the pics, AA battery!

I really wanna see the whole guidebook scanned!

Yes just like everyone else it would be greatly appreciated if you could scan the whole guide but if thats to much to ask then I'll request for anything about Envy.

Could you kindly scan any part on Roy, Riza, and Blaha??? Thank you!!! ^^