Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

Humankind cannot gain anything without giving something in return.
To obtain, something of equal worth is lost.
That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange.
In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.

I chose my first experience of Japanese animation, anime, pretty well. Funimation has done something different and exciting with their Full Metal Alchemist series that began just a few years ago. It would appeal to the young and old, although sometimes it may irritate adults and probably go over the heads of children. Heck, I think half of it went over my head! I was preparing to write this review by checking out imdb.com’s memorable quotes and a professional DVD review and realized I only vaguely grasped what was going on. As a complete novice with anime, the fault may lie with myself.

Full Metal Alchemist follows the curious adventures of Edward and Alphonse Elric, sons of a great alchemist who is rarely home. When their gentle mother dies from an illness, the boys who have read their father’s alchemy books eagerly decide to use alchemy to bring her back. This forbidden, dangerous use of alchemy can be understood when the terrified boys are six and five years of age.

Human transmutation, which is what they attempted, could kill the alchemist. In the boys’ case, Edward lost an arm and leg while Alphonse (Al) lost his whole body and his soul was trapped in a suit of armor that decorated their house.

Volume One: The Curse begins the series instead after this happened and the boys, twelve-year old Edward with metal appendages and Al, still sounding like a five-year-old, as a walking, talking warrior in armor, have taken to the road to find artifacts that could restore their bodies. In the thrilling, opening episode, they have encountered a wicked alchemist posing as a miracle-causing man of God. Actually he believes he is as powerful as God. The shocked and upset boys confront him in a battle for their lives and show him who is the more powerful alchemist. Edward’s crush on one of the priest’s fans leads him to warn her of the consequences of human transmutation alchemy, but she doesn’t listen.

The second episode in Volume One: The Curse goes back in time, years earlier, when their mother died and the young boys sold their souls to try to bring back their mother. Volume Two: Scarred Man of the East shows how and why Edward becomes a State Alchemist in their sacrificial quest for redemption and an end to their suffering. Full Metal Alchemist continues to be original, absorbing, thoughtful and magical.

Magical? Not exactly, but it looks like that. Alchemy is a real science that was practiced mostly in the medieval period between the ages of magic and enlightenment. It was often considered witchcraft, I believe. Appropriately this anime series has a medieval look to it in the opening episode, though with contemporary and Victorian elements later, with overall a European setting. It’s beautifully animated to please any anime fan and rather dark in content, but humorous sometimes as well.

Here’s an example of dialogue, here long-winded, but fairly typical:


Alphonse Elric: Brother, it turns out the Philosopher's Stone may very well be real. But all the clues we need to finding it are off limits to everyone except State Alchemists. Since I no longer have a mortal shell, I can't feel the terror you felt, thinking you were going to die. It must have been very painful and lonely. I want my body back Brother. I want to be able to feel what you felt, to feel human again. If we find the Philosopher's Stone, I can have that.

Edward Elric: When I was certain he was going to kill me, my mind went blank, and I didn't have any hope anymore. All I could do was scream my lungs out. I felt so helpless, Icouldn't even bring myself to believe someone might save me. And then you showed up Al, and I realized that if we don't take care of each other then no one else will. So I'll do anything in my power to get our bodies back, even if it means being the militaries lap dog. And we'll just have to hope our powers are good enough to help us rise above our own limits. Because we're not Gods, we're humans, tiny insignificant humans. Who couldn't even save a little girl.

The humor mainly comes from Edward’s temper tantrums whenever he feels insulted that change him into a funny-looking animation. This and the age of the boys prove that Full Metal Alchemist is targeted at children, yet adults will enjoy it too. I chalked the humor up to the Japanese sense of fun.

I can tell you that Seiji Mizushima directed this series (Volume Six’s DVD appearing soon), but since I listened to the dubbed version (thanks to Joel Bergen)I do not have the names of those actors and cannot review the voices of the Japanese actors. The Japanese voices are what I would recommend because I winced every time Al spoke. He sounded like he was simply reading his lines and his sweet, matter-of-fact voice got on my nerves very quickly. I see that I may choose English subtitles and will do so for the rest of the series, although Edward’s voice was fine.

The Bottom Line

You’ve hopefully gathered that the boys are good boys who made a mistake and wish to correct it. They want to use alchemy for good and make sure other alchemists do too. It makes for a constantly evolving and entertaining series that is unlike any other, simply magical series. Full Metal Alchemist has many sensitively-drawn characters with big, colorful eyes and never boring storylines, although the ending scene occasionally seems contrived. I enjoy it so far and think you will also.

The DVD has a few extras like great Japanese commercials for the series and character sketches. Each episode is about 24 minutes with repetitive prologues for new viewers.

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD