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Fullmetal Alchemist
by Cypher-Khan on September 12, 2004, 3:57am - 21 years ago

Rating - 8.8 / 10.0
Series Image
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User rating of this review - 4.07 out of 5
Story/Plot - 4 out of 5
Characters - 5 out of 5
Drawing Style - 4 out of 5
Enjoyment - 5 out of 5
Overall - 4 out of 5

Plot/Story
Fullmetal Alchemist (hagane no renkinjutsushi) is the story of the brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric. Their father left them at an early age and thier mother died due to illness. Orphaned and alone the boys decided to use their knowledge of alchemy to resurrect their mother.

However, alchemy as a science is deeply rooted in the principal of "equivalent trade" In order to make something, something of equal value must be used.

Human transmutation has never succeeded, yet Ed and Al tried... the results were less than desirable. Alphonse lost his body and Ed lost his leg in the effort to transmute thier mother. Ed then lost his arm in order to tie his brother’s soul to a nearby suit of armor. He himself underwent automail surgery to replace his lost limbs.

One does not so easily break that which is taboo for the price is always steep. The brothers now travel the world seeking the philosophers’ stone in order to return themselves to their original bodies.

Characters

Edward Elric - Genius alchemist, the stories lead.

Alphonse Elric - Little brother to Ed, no less talented.

Roy Mustang - Flame Alchemist and army Major

Alex Luis Armstrong - Strongarm Alchemist also army Major

Lust, Gluttony, Envy, Sloth, Wrath, Greed, Pride (with the exception of Pride all other sins have been shown in the manga as at ch32) - This group form the main group of evil. Homunculus.

Scar - An Ishvar survivor, his right arm is tattooed with Alchemic writings and allows him to utilize the power of alchemy.

Drawing Style

Excellent. In fact, I love it. It’s not as highly detailed as some that I can mention. But this one is still good. Has occasions where the look of the characters becomes completely deformed, this comes off as quite amusing.

Enjoyment

Enjoyment is easy. Fullmetal Alchemist has this department covered. Between Ed's "small" reactions, Armstrongs "Behold My Body!" scenes, Hughes' obsession with his daughter and the master’s nature to be abusive towards her students this manga should keep you entertained with little difficulty.

Overall

Great manga; excellent read.

The story is intriguing and it’s backed up by a stellar cast of characters. Hiromu Awakawa has certainly outdone himself on this manga. I look forward to what will occur in later chapters.

This is definitely a manga that you should be reading.

(Has an anime series of the same name. But to be honest... the manga is my preference)


 

User Comments
user avatar
And you messed up the gender  
by ChibiGoten
17 years ago
Rating: 3.8  / 5.0

Arakawa Hiromu is a woman, not a man.
Many people make this mistake

user avatar
Is there any hope?...  
by NightSwan
18 years ago
Rating: 3.5  / 5.0

when I started reading this manga I was quickly dran into it and I had much fun reading it. But since it got all dramatic and stuff by the later chapters I dropped reading it ,though I'm not really sure why.
Helf a year or more has passed and I don't feel like I need to resume the reading...
I do not know if I will ever conteniu reading it , but who knows...

user avatar
No Subject  
by keiichirou
18 years ago
Rating: 5.0  / 5.0

I bought the manga halfway through and stopped when I've finished watching the anime. It's definitely awesome~! =D
the ending is so sad!

user avatar
Messed up the name.  
by Cypher-Khan
21 years ago
Rating: 4.0  / 5.0

Sorry bout that. In the lower part of the review I spelt the mangaka's name wrong... Its "Arakawa"... not "Awakawa"

Curiously enough... I spelt it correctlly in the place where I should have written Cypher-Khan sigh shall know better next time.

[update: Manick] fixed! 🙂 [/update]

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