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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Part 1 [Blu-ray] | ![Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Part 1 [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51jLiYQ4XSL._SL500_.jpg) | Directors: Caitlin Glass, Mike McFarland
Actors: Vic Mignogna, Maxey Whitehead, J. Michael Tatum, Travis Willingham, Caitlin Glass
Studio: Funimation
Category: DVD
List Price: $54.98
Buy New: $29.99
as of 7/30/2010 11:25 CDT details
You Save: $24.99 (45%)
New (17) Used (4) from $24.99
Seller: Amazon.com
Rating:  reviews
Sales Rank: 2360
Format: Widescreen, Color, Animated, Subtitled
Languages: English (Unknown), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language), Japanese (Original Language), English (Dubbed)
Rating: Unrated
Media: Blu-ray
Region: 1
Discs: 2
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 325 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: FMABRFN08380
UPC: 704400083808
EAN: 0704400083808
ASIN: B0035LD7WO
Release Date: May 25, 2010
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Studio: Funimation Prod Inc Release Date: 05/25/2010 Run time: 320 minutes
Amazon.com
As the television adaptation of Hiromu Arakawa's manga Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) remains one of the best and best-loved series of the last decade, it's surprising Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is not a continuation of the characters' adventures, but a remake. Young Alphonse and Edward Elric delved into forbidden knowledge when they tried to use alchemy to bring their mother back from the dead. They paid a terrible price under the principle of "equivalent exchange". Al was reduced to a disembodied soul bonded to a suit of armor; Ed lost an arm and a leg but has been fitted with the mechanical prostheses that earn him the title "Fullmetal". 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. Although the series has been expanded to 63 episodes from the original 51, many of the subplots have been trimmed or eliminated to keep the focus on the Elric brothers. Their encounters with Cornello, the corrupt priest in Liore, and the murderous guardians of the sinister Fifth Laboratory are noticeably shorter. Yasuhiro Irie's direction is less dynamic than Seiji Mizushima's, but he has the advantage of stronger scripts that pack a lot of emotional punch. He balances that intensity with broader slapstick, using the simple, cartoony versions of the characters Arakawa draws in comic sequences. Almost the entire vocal cast reprise their roles, including Vic Mignogna as raspy-voiced, hot-tempered Edward. But Aaron Dismuke was cast as Al when he was only 11 and had to rush to complete the original series before his voice changed. His replacement, Maxey Whitehead, sounds too feminine for a 14-year-old boy. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood will delight both fans of the original and new viewers with no knowledge of the Elrics' previous incarnation. (Rated TV PG: violence, grotesque imagery, tobacco and alcohol use) --Charles Solomon(1. Fullmetal Alchemist, 2. The First Day, 3. City of Heresy, 4. An Alchemist's Anguish, 5. Rain of Sorrows, 6. Road of Hope, 7. Hidden Truth, 8. The Fifth Laboratory, 9. Created Feelings, 10. Separate Destinations, 11. Miracle in Rush Valley, 12. One Is All, All Is One, 13. Beasts of Dublith)
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| Customer Reviews:
 Rewind and Reset February 9, 2010
Black_Wren (San Mateo, CA USA)
61 out of 72 found this review helpful
The original series is over, done, ended. No more will we see anything from along that arc. That was how it was planned by both anime creator and manga creator. The manga author asked the anime people not to end the Fullmetal series the same as the manga, at least the first time around. However, in an act of appeasement to the Fullmetal Alchemist fans, the anime was recreated this time following the manga arc more closely.
In order to impress upon the audience that this isn't going to be a continuation of the first series, the first episode is completely original and occurs right before Ed and Al head off to Liore. After that it follows the manga with a few exceptions. Because certain parts of the manga were already done in the first series they decided to skip it if it weren't part of the main plot. The confrontation on the train and in the mining town is left out this time, though, hinted at later.
The episodes which are a rehash of what was reliably done in the first series, everything up to the Greed episode, comes across as rushed, getting only an episode per act instead of stretching it out. However, once we encounter Greed things slow down a bit, since this is all new material. People say this series is more lighthearted than the original but when you read the manga you find it's similarly lighthearted. As the plot rolls along, however, it does grow darker.
Hello, Split Continuity! June 7, 2010
Elias L. Blondeau (The Big ATL (Atlanta))
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
While I was a huge fan of the original FMA anime, I'm going to have to out on a limb and say that this new series has,
insofar, provided more action, more character development, and more of almost everything else, than the first thirteen
of the 2004 series. There is (almost) no filler, and the plot moves along at a more satisfying clip than before.
The reason for this is that "Brotherhood" hews a lot closer to Hiromu Arakawa's original manga, and has a lot more
material to adapt than the first series. Those who were weary of the initial series' slow start need have no worries
with this new version.
The English voice acting is as amazing as ever, with the talented Vic Mignogna giving his all as tormented young
alchemist Edward Elric, the role which made him famous in the anime community. There are a few changes in casting,
the most noticeable being Maxey Whitehead taking on the role of Alphonse, Edward's bodiless younger brother, a
role original occupied by Aaron Dismuke (for those curious about that change: Dismuke's voice had matured too much
for him to be able to reprise the role; he does, however, play the part of Young Hohenhiem in "Brotherhood.")
Whitehead does a good job with the part, though, and diehard fans will get used to her voice after the first
episode or two.
The animation is top-notch, and looks especially good on the Blu-Ray release. The music is also phenomenal,
especially the excellent opening and ending themes by Yui and SiD, respectively. But really, would you expect
any less than great animation and music from the sequel to one of the most skillfully-animated and musically-interesting
anime of the past decade?
"Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood" is one of the best anime of the year, for both fans of the old series and complete
newbies to the franchise. This set is a no-brainer purchase.
Animation: A+ (In a word: Gorgeous.)
Music: A+ (Some of the best BGM I've heard in ages, sandwiched between a catchy opening and ending theme.)
Sound (Dub): A+ (Just as good as the original, especially the outstanding Mr Mignogna.)
Sound (Sub): N/A (didn't watch; I didn't like the Japanese V.A.s in the first series, so I suspect I won't like them here.)
OVERALL: A+ (One of the finest anime I've seen in years, and a great addition to anyone's collection.)
A new spin to an old tale. May 17, 2010
T. Bonds (places)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This series has nothing to do with the first one that arrived to the States in early 2004 and we can all expend one collective sigh of relief for that.
Though the first series was decent in its delivery, this remake has surpassed it in every single way. It stays pleasingly faithful to the manga and its original, intricate storyline, leaving behind the major plot deflections seen in the first series.
The characters themselves are authentic, agreeable and just all around engaging. You find yourself bonding with them on a really intimate level, to the point where you are feeling their pain, sharing their joy and smothering in their hatred. I am personally not an English dub fan myself, but on this series, I had to call an exception. Most of the original voice actors from the 2004 series have strapped their Fullmetal shoes back on and returned to deliver impeccable and emotionally charged performances native to their characters.
As for animation, it ranks as one of the best with very well-executed battle scenes as you would expect from such an action-packed series, but it also has that gripping drama and slapstick comedy to balance out the very shonen constitution. It blends these three prominent traits together flawlessly, and you are left with a grand experience worth every single penny. If you are an anime fan, there is no reason why this should not be on your shelf.
This is how FMA should be watched. May 27, 2010
N. Kelsch
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
To start... I LOVED the first series. I thought it was great and the animation and story were fantastic. That was before I knew the truth.
That being said, after watching pretty much up to the current Japanese release of the subbed series I have to be honest. The first FMA series was as if you asked someone to read the first chapter of a book and 'guess' what the rest of the story was. The only thing FMA has going for it was to most of the audience it was first. If Brotherhood was first, FMA as people know it would never have existed.
Brotherhood tells the CORRECT story in a more meaningful way with a REAL conflict that makes sense. For those who do not know, the first 13 episodes of Brotherhood and the first half of the original series are following the same story and it takes a DRASTIC change after episode 13...
Some *KEY* aspects that are explained about the core foundation of the series don't get explained until after episode 13 which means that the 'first' series basically is just flat out WRONG about things. The Truth, The true reason Hughes is killed, The true origin of Homunculus, Transmutation without circles, Ed and Al's Father and Father... key facts about the series as a whole and the raw mythology in Brotherhood is *SO* right and makes the original series *SO* wrong.
Lots of people will dislike this release. Because this release is going to be season 1 which mostly duplicates events from the original series in a more condensed way. They will feel it is like a re-animated retread of the existing story than what it is... the real story told correctly. I honestly feel they did this series a disservice by not releasing the set in a 26 episode format which will get most viewers *FULLY* onboard with this series when they begin to see the drastic and meaningful differences in the story. You will see that the gravity of this series blows the previous one to shame and makes it almost so unwatchable once you know the true story.
Do yourself a favor, commit to the series. If you liked the original series, if you watch at least to the mid 20's where the major aspects of the true plot are shown, you will be hooked and will never go back. You may want to wait for the second release and watch the first two DVD releases together if you can't handle the comparisons of the first 13 episodes.
Phenomenal! Outstanding! The real FMA! April 28, 2010
Onix Franceschini
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
First, a recap. Six years ago, Fullmetal Alchemist was released in Japan, one year later, in America. I never thought anything of it until I finally caught an episode on Adult Swim. It interested me enough to warrant the purchase of the DVD's, and let me tell you, I fell in love. The tragic and heart-wrenching tale of two brothers who lost it all in a futile attempt to bring back a loved one from death. It was great anime, and more importantly, a great story, weaved perfectly into a complete package of action, drama, and true emotions. It started off with a bang, and ended... well, it could've been better. See: Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa Fast forward 4 years, and the great people of Japan want to re-release FMA, but instead of the original story of the first series, it follows the manga. In other words, this is the way FMA was intended to be. Now, I do not own this, as it has not come out yet (obviously.) I have, however, watched the Japanese subtitled episodes of Brotherhood (up to episode 54, at the time that I wrote this,) and I do have to say, it tops the first series in every single aspect. The animation is more beautiful and fluid, the story is on a much grander, and epic scale than the first. The characters are more complicated (specially if you watched the first series,) and the action is on par with anime classics like Evangelion and Akira (and yes, I compared this to Evangelion AND Akira.) I will warn, however, that there are spots during this series that are harder to get by than others, in particular, the first 13 episodes, which feel like a recap of the first series. It might even seem like more of the same. Still, after the real changes in the story come, you'll see that this is a very, very different Fullmetal Alchemist. It's more adult, and darker, more violent and gut-wrenching, all wrapped up in one series that truly lives up to the word, EPIC. In other words, this series comes highly recommended to fans of anime, of art style cinema, and to fans of a great story. Now, about the Blu-Ray. Just an FYI, this series was aired in Japan in 720p High Definition. The rips I have seen looked outstanding on a HD display via Playstation 3. I can safely assume that Funimation will do a fantastic job on this transfer, a la Evangelion 1.1 You are (Not) Alone. So, to anyone that is curious about FMA:Brotherhood, or fans of the original, get ready to get involved in one of the most amazing anime series of all time.
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