Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 1: The Curse (Starter Set) | 
| Director: Seiji Mizushima
Actors: Ryotaro Okiayu, Michiko Neya, Miyoko Aso, Yasunori Matsumoto, Tomoyuki Shimura
Studio: Funimation Prod
Category: DVD
Buy Used: $139.99
New (2) Used (2) Collectible (1) from $139.99
Rating:  84 reviews
Sales Rank: 75225
Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Italian (Original Language), Japanese (Original Language), Portuguese (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), Tagalog (Original Language)
Rating: Unrated
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 105 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.7 x 3.4
ISBN: 1421006480
UPC: 704400081309
EAN: 9781421006482
ASIN: B0006H324I
Theatrical Release Date: November 6, 2004
Release Date: February 8, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Fullmetal Alchemist Collector's Metal Box I (in black tin), as pictured. Includes Vol. 1 dvd and soundtrack in very good condition. The tin is in nice shape with a couple minor dings. Will pack carefully in a box when mailing. Ships fast w/ delivery confirmation in the US. Airmail to western Europe (including the UK), Scandinavia, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Canada. Sorry, I cannot ship to Italy or APO/FPO addresses - will refund.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
It's easy to understand why Fullmetal Alchemist has regularly topped viewer polls in Japan since its debut in 2003: the fantasy-adventure by director Mizushima Seiji (Generator Gawl) offers a satisfying blend of slapstick comedy, exciting adventure, and genuine warmth. Young Alphonse and Edward Elric delve into forbidden knowledge when they use alchemy to try to bring their mother back from the dead--and pay a terrible price under the principle of "equivalent trade." Al becomes a disembodied soul in a suit of armor; Ed loses an arm and a leg, but later receives mechanical prostheses. The brothers wander through a world that resembles late 19th century Europe, seeking the legendary Philosopher's Stone, which they believe can restore their bodies. Unlike American programs that juxtapose smart-aleck humor and heavy-handed sermonizing, Fullmetal Alchemist has real heart. Neither the comedy nor the action detract from the bond between the brothers that constitutes the emotional core of the series. (Rated TV PG: violence, alcohol use) --Charles Solomon
Description
Edward Elric changed the night he trapped his younger brother's spirit in the unfeeling steel of an ancient suit of armor. That night, Edward and Alphonse exploited the clandestine science of Alchemy to attempt the unthinkable- resurrect their dead mother. They failed, unleashing an alchemic reaction that ripped their bodies apart. Four years later, an expanding evil lurks behind the false face of freedom. With rebellion crushed, the State turns its eye to increasing its grip on the people by seizing a legendary artifact that would ensure complete domination and plunge the land into State controlled darkness. Now a lone State Alchemist combs the country for a single stone that could amplify his Alchemy. If successful he would control a power permitting him to restore the precious things that were lost. But it would also allow the State Military to senselessly obliterate countless more. The Alchemist is soon faced with the harsh truth that the power to create is but a breath away from the power to destroy, and that with each birth, death must follow. It is this burden that the young Alchemist bears. His name is Edward Elric. And he seeks the Philosopher's Stone.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 79 more reviews...
NOT WITHOUT MY BROTHER September 1, 2005
Sesho (Pasadena, TX USA)
41 out of 45 found this review helpful
Edward and Alphonse Elric were child prodigies in the field of alchemy from the time they were Pre-K age. When their mother died, they tried to bring her back from the dead but instead Edward lost an arm and a leg and Alphonse's body was taken and his soul bonded to a suit of armor that was in their home. Now they search the world for the "Philosopher's Stone", an item of great alchemical power which they believe they can use to make their bodies whole. Of course, they fall into adventures along the way, coming up against priests that work mysterious miracles and murderous spirits.
Fullmetal Alchemist generated a lot of hype before it was even released in America, and I have to say it lives up to it. This is an instant classic. Its greatest power is its underlying poignancy, because the brother's problems were born out of their love for their mother. Who hasn't suffered the loss of a loved one in their life? Except these two boys thought they had the power to change fate. Realizing their tragic mistake, they now rely on each other, and their uppermost thought is to restore each other, a testament of their love if there is one. There are also great moments of humor and the symphonic score accentuates all the changing moods. Masterpiece!
There are tons of artwork galleries on this disk, lots of promotional videos, the usual opening/closings, character profiles. It is also available in manga form.
A good companion anime to Fullmetal Alchemist is Scrapped Princess. It hits all the same themes of Fullmetal and is even animated by the same studio, Bones.
Already a huge FMA fan November 21, 2004
C. Gentry
15 out of 18 found this review helpful
I've seen all 51 (not 54 like the previous review says) episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist, and it's my favorite anime series by far. It has to be for me to already have all 51 episodes burned to a CD for free, yet still eagerly awaiting this DVD. This is both one of the most happy and hyper series that I have seen, and also the most depressing. Anyone worried about the ending being too open after reading the previous review shouldn't. It is an excellent ending and the things left open should be concluded in the Fullmetal Alchemist movie coming out next summer in Japan.
The 1st soundtrack CD that comes packaged with this DVD has some great tracks (I'm listening to some of them as I write this actually), and you'll be humming the opening and ending themes for weeks. The metal box for the next 5 discs is pretty darn spiffy as well.
Everyone should check this anime out. You won't regret it one bit!
Get the gift set, seriously! March 10, 2005
Eric Flood (Seattle,Washington USA)
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
This is one of the most popular animes, for a reason. It starts out strong, and continues through the entire series. Though I usually dislike things which create a lot of merchandise, I support the actual manga and anime of Fullmetal Alchemist.
If you are planning on buying Volume 1 of FMA, I HIGHLY suggest getting it in the gift set. The tin is absolutely beautiful (aside from some Cartoon Network stickers they put on it...still haven't gotten the stickiness off completely...), and you get the IMPORTED soundtrack for the first season. Both for less than 10 dollars more than they ask in stores!
The tin is oddly spaced. There is certainly room in there for 5 DVD's (I've put them in myself to see), but if they keep making each DVD 4 episodes each, the tin will "end" at episode 20. The series has changes to it after episode 13, and after episode 25. So I do not understand this change.
This is my favorite anime, second only to Haibane Renmei. While vastly different, each is done extraordinarily well.
This is worth the purchase of the DVD. And if you are buying the DVD, buy the gift set.
False Perceptions Nearly Killed This For Me June 10, 2006
Antonio D. Paolucci (Beaver Falls, PA)
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
For a long time I thought Fullmetal Alchemist was a childish show, simply by the look it had. But after some time of getting constant recommendations to see this show, I finally caved and bought the first volume. I learned, within the first two minutes, that this is no childish show. A severed leg kind of says as much, I think.
So, it had my attention...
I went on from there to watch a startlingly good and well-researched story. It centers around the journeys of the Elric Brothers who are suffering because of a mistake they made five years ago when they tried resurrecting their mother. This mistake locked the spirit of the younger brother, Alphonse, into a suit of armor, and the older brother, Edward, lost both an arm and a leg. Undaunted, they now go about trying to fix the mistakes of their past and are in search of the darkest secrets that alchemy has to offer. In this volume, we get a glimpse into the Elric brothers search for items needed to fix their problem, but a majority of this volume is a glimpse into the past of these two kids, showing what happened to them and why they are so determined to right the wrongs they have done to themselves and their mother.
To be honest, I did enjoy this enough to give it a five star rating but I don't think it's the greatest anime series ever, at least not after watching the first volume. The story was good but hasn't yet revealed many of the key players, the animation was okay, and the music was alright, but it has yet to completely impress me to the point where I could proclaim this to be the biggest and the best on the block right now. Still, I would recommend this anime series to anyone who has enjoyed or is enjoying other Studio Bones productions such as Wolf's Rain and Eureka Seven.
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