Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

[telophase]

We have not watched either of the two movies--the one concluding the first series, nor the Sacred Star of Milos one, and would prefer no mention of them, thanks. (Well, ok, I've seen the first series movie, but Toby hasn't, and he'll be reading this.)

So! We finished FMA:B on Sunday, after throwing money at the problem of Netflix not having the final season, and getting the Blu-ray. (Although we enjoyed it enough we don't mind giving them money!)

--We both felt that while the ending of the first series had more of a visceral punch with the bittersweetness of the brothers being separated, FMA:B had more emotional depth overall. We enjoyed the journey more.

--The Blu-ray shows up in our PS3 as "FMA: Bro Collection2" so we've been calling it the Bro Collection for a while.

--I can see why, thematically, Mustang chose to use the Philosopher's Stone to get his eyesight back, because it illustrates the difference between his philosophy and experience and the Elric brothers', but it still felt like cheating for everything to be A-OK in the end for him and Havoc. I like it better when major characters suffer actual consequences. (And I would TOTALLY DIG the Adventures of Roy Mustang and his Seeing-Eye Lieutenant.)

--We both really like that there was a denouement episode, as so few things these days deal with the aftermath of the defeat of the Big Bad.

--Still love Hawkeye. And General Armstrong, even though I wanted to give her a scrunchy to get that HAIR out of her FACE. (And I wanted to tell Kimblee to GET THAT HAIR OUT OF YOUR FACE as well.)


--I'm sure there's a lot more I can say, but it requires other people reminding me of what it was I wanted to say. XD




Best parts from the gag reel in the extras (warning: language and spoilers! Also, cam video.), where the English voice actors were playing around :

From the final episode:
Al: I've been thinking lately.
Ed: Yeah. We should try to bring Mom back.

Scar: "Chimeras. Fucking sweet."

We are now both circling around the first episode of Breaking Bad and will break down and watch it at some point in the near future.

Comments

[likeadeuce]

I can see why, thematically, Mustang chose to use the Philosopher's Stone to get his eyesight back, because it illustrates the difference between his philosophy and experience and the Elric brothers', it still felt like cheating for everything to be A-OK in the end for him and Havoc. I like it better when major characters suffer actual consequences. (And I would TOTALLY DIG the Adventures of Roy Mustang and his Seeing-Eye Lieutenant.)

IIRC, Roy's healing is in the manga (though I think it comes about somewhat differently?) whereas Havoc's was added for FMA:B, possibly because people complained about Havoc being left injured when Roy was healed.

I tend to wank it that Roy really wouldn't MIND being blind because it gives him an excuse to retire and be happy with Hawkeye and leave it to someone else to do the hard work that remains to be done (which includes, in his long term plan, turning himself over to the reformed country to face justice for his past crimes). So getting his sight back is more, "You don't to quit now" than "Everything's okay."

But I admit that's a stretch . . .

[inkstone]

Yeah, I definitely recall that Havoc wasn't healed in the manga and that one of the final photos is of him in PT? Maybe?

[likeadeuce]

I know I've seen the opinion that this shows Roy is a better person in the anime b/c he was thinking of Havoc. But I'm personally less comfortable with him giving orders about what to DO with the philosopher's stone (ie, fix Havoc, then me) versus accepting the morally sketchy offer when made.

(Of course, there's a pretty good argument that the problem with the ending is the assumption that there's no way for Roy to achieve his goal as a blind man or outside the military. But given that we don't see much of anything of him in the epilogue that might have been hard to convey. Though the bigger point to me is what telophase says in the post -- Roy doesn't make the morally pure choice now any more than he did in the past. And that works for me as a reminder that he's still not the hero).

[telophase]

Roy's moral greyness does make him a more interesting character, and he's one of the few characters that I've seen who committed mass murder and who I still like, because the story shows his switch from "I was following orders" to "This is very wrong and I'm going to work from within to stop it, because that's more effective than a big showdown with my superiors that will get me killed." (Which also parallels Scar's journey from vigilante to political activist.)

I also like the breach between the Armstrong siblings, and how it pains Alex, because he chose to leave rather than follow those criminal orders (but didn't do anything more to stop it), whereas his sister considers not following orders treachery.

[likeadeuce]

Armstrong Family Values, like so many things in this series, could be its own spinoff.

[telophase]

I may have to pick the final volume up and skim through it in the bookstore the next time I go to one. (Assuming it's in there!)