If you thought our World War II needed more wizards, then Hiromu Arakawa provides this stirring tale of sacrifice versus reward and the search for truth in a world full of bad-asses flexing so hard that everything around them explodes. Two brothers seek the heretical power to bring their mother back to life, despite everyone in the entire world telling them what a phenomenally bad idea it is to engage in resurrection spells. Though their search for power is the primary focus of the story, they must also deal with an ancient conspiracy, growing Middle Eastern tumult thanks to military oppression, and the overwhelming nonsensical urges accompanying puberty.
This core setup is consistent between the two series, but their execution differs wildly. Fullmetal Alchemist (FMA), the first series, has a much lighter tone similar to Trigun: even though terrible things are happening all around them, plenty of filler episodes focus on physical humor, side jokes, and retreading the plot. There’s nothing wrong with lighthearted shows, but brevity is the soul of wit, and taking three episodes to explain one episode’s worth of material is a pretty significant waste of time better spent on advancing the plot. FMA: Brotherhood, in contrast, maintains a fever pitch of deluging people with information and action, while not dwelling on either for more time than necessary. Which is good, since FMA: Brotherhood has roughly twice the characters to keep track of, and covers about ten times as many events and conflicts. While both series maintain consistency in their magic systems, Brotherhood does not let its characters sit around and explain theory ad nauseum, preferring instead to show how it works with as many lightning strikes as possible.
Subtlety and inhibition are lost arts in Amestris (the world of FMA). People do roundhouse kicks to cut buildings in half. A sixty year old man cuts a tank in half with a sword. Clockwork cybernetic arms and legs – with hardly any inherent downsides beyond the pain of instillation – are the product of a respected and profitable industry. This is a place where realism is a four-letter word. And yet, the setting holds together – lashed together with duct tape and bungie cords, perhaps, but it holds, thanks in large part to the endearingly silly cast of characters. I can respect that if nothing else.
WATCH IF YOU LIKE: A world full of bad-asses, consistent magic systems, fighting “the man”
AVOID IF YOU DISLIKE: Genre mashing (cyborg wizards, etc.), ancient conspiracies, people exploding
FINAL VERDICT: Rent/Netflix a few episodes to see if it grips you. I like its unapologetic absurdity, but without a tolerance for genre mashing, some might get tired of its exuberant use of fantasy mixed with World War II technology.
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