A super cool detail i found somewhere is that Ling survived the philosophers stone by accepting and taking on all the souls inside it, while bradley fought/neutralized them and it really shows the differences in how they believe a king should rule
oh my god I actually got chills from reading this, I've never made that connection but it's so true I swear that every time I see someone review or react to FMA manga or FMAB I learn new metaphors and interesting facts about the show, it never ceases to amazes.
Actually Mustang does mention it (in the anime at least) when Hughes died. Something along the lines of, "I understand now what drove those boys to human transmutation when their mom died. There's a side of me that's desperately trying to crack it."
Arakawa interviewed WW2 veterans in preparations for writing this story, especially the Ishvalan war flashback. She really strived to respectfully portray humans being stuck in an awful situation and doing awful things to each other.
The fact that this story does not ever rely on the fake misunderstanding trope is such a strong feature, and creates such strong characters. You're never frustrated with them, they never act in ways that harm their own goals and that is *such* a rarity
@@vivianboor14 What? It was literally a misunderstanding, don’t try and change it. He heard Ed say something and thought it meant something else. Which is literally why it’s solved when Winry explains what his brother was talking about… What does misunderstanding mean in your head?
@@YourBlackLocal no, he heard Barry say something, mulled it over and over in his head, considered the actual ramifications of what he could even k ow about his own existence, that weighed on him enough that he convinced HIMSELF he wasn't real. He Did not even .us understand something Ed said, Ed didn't say anything, he took saying *nothing* and used it as evidence. It was never a situation that could have been solved by ED telling AL he was real, am didn't even come out of that being sure he was real, just that he was sure he cared about ed, and that Ed cared about him, and that winry cared about them both. If you think that is a "misunderstanding" trope you need to work on your reading comprehension.
@@vivianboor14 Dude, YOU need to work on your reading comprehension because you seem to have forgotten what actually happened. 1.)He spoke to Barry 2.)He heard Ed say he felt guilty about something 3.)He lashes out, literally mentioning the quote he misunderstood. 4.)They argue and Winry tells him Ed was talking about the fact he got him into this situation 4.)Al immediately changes his mind. Realising he was wrong. It is literally solved by Winry explaining that he misunderstood, at this point you’re just being an idiot.
Clarifying point: I believe the process for Bradley becoming a Homunculi is very different from nearly all the other Homunculi. Much like how Gluttony was a failed Portal attempt, Bradley and Greed's path toward being a Homunculus are specific to them. I don't believe the rest of them started out as human.
Solf J Kimblee is easily my favourite villain of this series. While he's clearly a psychopath who simply enjoys killing, he's also remarkably insightful and incredibly good at pointing out the hypocrisies of others. The conversation he has with Hawkeye regarding her pride as a sniper is so horrifying. And the point he makes about the rest of the soldiers being incredibly naive about what their job is is also amazing. The dude is undoubtedly evil, and while he seems to know that about himself, he doesn't let others criticize him when they're not that much different than him.
i LOVE that he’s the one to help take down pride. his hatred of hypocrisy and strong will are well established, so kimblee maintaining his identity makes sense, and it’s a great way to bring his hatred of hypocrisy full circle. but also, on a symbolic level, it’s AWESOME that ed takes down the manifestation of arrogance/ego by staying true to himself, and i love how kimblee’s pre-established behavior is used to set that up.
The Armstrongs are both such great characters. Alex is a huge lovable, caring and emotional softie and the sister being the ice queen, one of the most badass female leader type characters i've ever seen in media. SUCH MARVELLOUS CHARACTERIZATION IS ONLY POSSIBLE WITH THE GRANDEUR THAT HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN THE ARMSTRONG LINE FOR GENERATIONS!!!
I didn't read the manga before watching Brotherhood when it first aired, and the scene with Ed coming back through the door to tell Al he'd come back for him gave me chills up my spine. It was such an awesome scene.
GACK. Even hearing a description of what happens in these volumes is making me tear up from my memories of watching the series. FMA is so full of feels it isn't fair.
I think a major reason scar went down the path of destruction while ed/al didn't is because they still have each other where as he was alone. He doesn't really lose himself until he realizes his brother is dead and he has his arm. if Al hadn't survived, I think Ed could easily have gone down a similar path as Scar
I doubt it for a major reason: Scar had the country, particularly the state alchemists, as a target because they're the ones who conducted a extermination campaign in Ishval. Meanwhile Al didn't have a clear target to focus into, maybe Hohenheim but that's a bit of a stretch.
Interestingly, the author (Arakawa) said this about making the Ishval war flashback, and I quote “In researching this volume, I interviewed veterans who had been at the front during World War II. I read countless books, examined film footage, and listened to many detailed and intense stories firsthand, but the one comment that affected me the most came from a former soldier who lowered his gaze to the tabletop and said, ‘I never watch war movies.”
I think part of the picture that you are missing is that when Ed, Al, Armstrong and her men were in the tunnel, they figured out that military conflicts with bloodshed have been orchestrated to make the points on the circle while the tunnel is the circle. Their wars and conflicts have all been for this giant alchemical sacrifice so this is pretty wild to a career military woman like Armstrong.
13 minutes in and *yes* god there have been so many amazing scenes! Ed and ling in the portal as well as Hawkeye and mustang iteracting is just some of my favorite character writing ever! It‘s so good! Also a small correction, Envys souls aren‘t from ishval since envy existed before ishvals tragedy. Some might have been added since then, but they can‘t logically be the source of envys power.
38 minutes in and I was wondering when the ice queen was getting the spotlight! Heck yes! But also, the whole arc so far had so many good scenes. Oh what am I saying, it‘s been good scene after good scene I can‘t even begin to choose xD
Just a little correction Bradley is the only homunculus that can age (Ling as well) because he was once human. But the other Homunculi are artificial humans ergo not originally human.
Think the entire Briggs arc was a favourite for me. From the unique soldiers, to new versions of automail, Madame Armstrong etc. Even get to see the dangerous tactical side of kimblee. Can't wait for you to read volume 19 and just have your jaws drop. 😁
@@milom5030 Pandora Hearts, Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, Yuyu Hakusho, and SpyxFamily. These are in no particular order. All monga only except SpyX
Greedling is one of, if not my Favorite Charakter in FMA. The Ishvalan war of Extermination, the Ishval Extermination Campain, the Ishval Civil war, whatever you wanna name it, for me personaly its one of the greatest Arks in Anime. The Line about Snipers is something a Veteran actually said, the Writer interviewed different People and put a lot of Work into getting it right. There is so much depth and fascets in this Story, from Winrys Parents, to Kimbley calling out Mustangs Troup for beeing Hipocrits, from Armstrongs PTSD, to "If im a Doctor, why am I killing people?" to "A Stray Bullet". Its just so overwelmingly well written. Scar is so well written, hes like Japans Answer to Zuko. Its despite what he did, hard to see him as a Villian.
30:54 Lust to Mustang, "I love how cold and focused your eyes are. I can't wait for the day those eyes will be wide with agony. It's coming. It's coming." FMAB really doesn't do strong plot armor. Which is nice, but terrifying. Can't wait for you to finish!!
Now that you have experienced the Ishvalian War Flashback, I will recommend that you look for the bonus chapter: His Battlefield Once More, originally released in "Book in Figure: BLUE" in Japan. It apparently was never released in English, but there are fan translations around, and one OVA was made based on it. It has one of my favorite scenes in the whole manga, very powerful stuff. I still get chills just remembering it xD
I believe they continue referring to Mustang as a "candidate" for human sacrifice while they refer to Ed and Al as "perfect candidates." My take is that they consider Roy Mustang a skilled enough alchemist to survive entering and returning from the portal whereas someone of lesser skill may not return from the attempt. Bradley reported on Izumi having potentially opened the portal to Father, giving them a third "perfect candidate" at present.
I'm loving this! This is very much a story that excites the imagination in the way of "what could this possibly mean?" or "what will happen to this character?". But when you find out the answers and are re-watching/reading, it feels like the story could have only played out this way. That is why it is so fascinating seeing an experienced reader's thoughts and theories, especially at this point in the story where you almost have the answers, it is so so so close, its like only needing a couple more variables and then the entire equation can be solved.
Gosh, I hope your patreon members show you a specific scene in the anime. One of the best, most emotionally charged moments, with incredible voice acting and catharsis.
For those who do not fear spoilers: I'm talking about the Mustang vs Envy scene. When he's snapping again and again and again. Gives me chills every time.
The Ishval flashback is one (for me at least) the most devastating sequence I have ever read, it hurt even more now that I am a soldier myself. I love this story.
One of my favorite thing in FMA is the way Arakawa-san delivers the information from Howkeye to Ed and step by step we learn more, meanwhile we see Scar get closer and closer to Marko diling up the tesion and showing us who Scar is, is amazing and is the main hing that made me fall in love with FMA
The anxiety you have for the life of the characters is amusing, lovely, heartwarming and completely understandable. They weren't afraid to play with our emotions.
What a lovely review! So happy that you’re enjoying the series, and can’t wait for the next part. 3 points of clarification, no spoilers of course: 1. Envy’s souls predate the War of Ishvalan extermination, since they(Envy) wouldn’t have existed without the stone. 2. Only Wrath(and now Greedling) was human before becoming a homunculus. The 11 that died prior were attempts at making Wrath specifically. This is why Wrath is the only homonculus that ages. 3. Mustang has not performed human transmutation. This is why he still needs the transmutation circles on his gloves to perform his flame alchemy, otherwise he could simply do the clapping motion that Ed/Al/Izumi use.
Honestly Murphy, if you're enjoying the Manga this much, you should really watch the Brotherhood Anime. It's one of my favorites, and it has a great dub if that's more to your liking as well.
FMA is both a gloriously wild ride and one of the best structured stories I've ever read. Arakawa is utterly magnificent when it comes to the precision with which she lays out her plot and how she allows her character work to inform it. And then, on top of that, she has the ability use theme to both encompass and elevate both. She truly is an amazing writer and while we often gush over the emotions she creates in us, the reader, she seldom gets the credit she deserves from a technical standpoint.
The funniest part about your confusion and frustration with not knowing/understanding the Hohenheim/Father connection is it’s literally answered in the next chapter for you. 😂
Some clarifications No spoilers Only wrath and the new greed were created using human vessels, the other homunculi are entirely artificial, including their bodies. Homunculi made with human vessels grow older while regular homunculi do not. You can hear the original greed express surprise at the existence of wrath, a homunculus that can age, during his execution scene. You were confused why Ed’s punches weren’t effective on Envy. It’s not because of any sort of secret protection magic. It’s just because Envy is really heavy. it was foreshadowing how their true form is way bigger. All the mass of their true form was condensed into that smaller body. Finally, you said that Envy’s philosopher’s stone contained the souls of those sacrificed in Ishval but it actually said it was the population of Xerxes, the ancient nation that mysteriously vanished long ago. Love your videos and this manga. Hope you keep enjoying it
Tiny detail from the anime: the portal closes and Ed smashes his way BACK through to make his promise. So strong is his human determination that he was able to fight back in
If you haven't started watching up to the points you read, then I really hope you watch FMA Brotherhood at the end of this cause some of those moments are so hype when animated and voiced and scored with music. Chills
Greed-Ling is probably one of if not my fav character. He brings so much energy to every scene. Greed and Ling are actual individuals and that's even better. I really wish he was in FMA2003. But finally your in the extra awesome part of the story... seriously before the shift in plot away from "FMA2003 has done that" section its just menotinous to me because FMAB I have seen a few times and FMA2003 I saw a few times so between both that stuff is just me going through the motions... Nina sad Hughs worse for me Scar a jerk sure... that's all. Now your moving towards a certain cold hearted veteran that's another contender for a fav of mine and all the madness at the end of the series. Love it.
I hope you'll watch the anime adaptation of the Ishival and scar flashback. The visual storytelling that was used was sooo good to show how the whole thing was for scar.
I love that your going threw this story. I went through it as a teen. And back then my focus really was more on Ed and AL. But the adults in this story are incredible. I'd suggest keep watching it in anime form because it does this whole world justice and to feel there voices and everything go beyond page. It's great
34:35 This made me remember about that in the 2003 anime version there is a great great scene of Ed being forced to take an awful choice regarding his morals, it is awesome. I think Merphy should watch this anime after :))
Love that you're doing this series. This is one of my all time favorites I have really fond memories of reading it over a decade ago. And yeah the characters are SO good in this and I just love how real their relationships feel but also how consistent the characters themselves are through out the entire series. Also love all the cool alchemy/eldritch stuff.
1. please watch the anime for this scene 8:42 , (Episode 26 @19:09 to end of episode) 2. 10:57 is pronounced in japanese (hoe - en - high - m) in subtitles is writen as (Hohenheim) if you want you can listen to it in (Episode 28 @04:10 to end of episode) 3. this is just for me i like the pronunciationfor what is translated to "equivalent exchange" wich is (To - Ka - Ko - Ka) wich i fined more musical some how like "quid pro quo" or "tet for tat"
So just to tell you because the manga won't go into it, none of the homunculi apart from Wrath and the current Greed were ever humans. They are essentially just bits of Father's soul, i.e. his sloth, lust, whatever, and a whole bunch of random souls glommed onto them to the point that they have enough alchemy juice to wrap around themselves to make bodies. Even the new Greed is a chunk of Father's soul, he just doesn't have to make a new body and the original soul is still there and cognizant. Bradley is special because not only is he human based, he's also the only homunculus with only one soul in him. That's because he's Wrath and Father used the most wrathful souls he had to make them, so while they were inside him, they just killed eachother until there was only one soul left. It could've been the body's original soul, the chunk of Father, or even a single random soul from the stone. That's why only he can age and get hurt and blend in with humans. He's essentially just a human with some alchemical enhancements
Aaah the way I *JUMPED* seeing this in my notifications! So ready for this! Oh so readyyy! Video 11 (I think) since I started asking for merphy to read assassination classroom. Probably more comments incoming while I watch this! 👀👀👀👀
There’s a correction I wanna make but it’s a spoiler so I’m gonna not do that one for now. There IS a correction I can make, though: Edward WAS hitting Envy, it just wasn’t doing any damage that mattered
Made in Abyss would be good if it didn’t have sexualisation of kids. It’s such a shame that such amazing world building is shaded by such a disgusting thing💔
Did you guys notice how many popular stories are about philacteries? you have fullmetal alchemist for starters, you have world of warcraft with frostmorne and the dragon soul, you have Harry Potter, etc.
Crazy enough you know what I've been pointed to that's a super common trope in Japanese media. Dieacide. Killing gods is super common. Final fantasy, Dragon Ball, One Piece, etc. They have an incredible fascination with overcoming gods
@@gotogi83 philacteries are a subsection of magic Magic is the thing becoming more popular People also dont understand what magic is as its always portrayed nicely in media when in truth FMA got it the closest but also the furthest Magic aint science, its making a contract with the jinn who will ask you debase your self or blaspheme god (seen frequently with the mass murder, human transmutation. In real life its hundreds of times more fked up) In return you will go to hell for eternity Unless you sincerely repent ^basically magic in a nutshell across all nations. Some tribes or cults were so entrenched like the vikings, in magic they did... uh putting this PG, unspeakable things to virgin women and human sacrificed them. Just to get glory in battle Never worked ofc, cause magic doesnt give you anything. Its why its so abhorred across the religions
DR. KNOX!!! You need to talk about him!!! AND Merphy please do a video each of the homoculus (Not homoculi coz they need a deep dive for each of them). ALSO thanks for the long video too...
I'm so glad you're going through this series right now! I just finished the anime this summer and have been going through withdrawals. I've never read a manga before, but I have actually picked up the first Fullmetal Alchemist book, so I'm excited (even though I know what's going on already 😅). But when you're done I'd love to hear your thoughts on the anime as well and how it compares to the manga in your opinion!
If you want, fan-colored panels should be safe to use because they are considered fan art. Another RUclipsr said that while he received copyright strikes for manga panels, he never received them for fan-colored panels.
Looking forward to starting this once I get caught up in Vinland Saga. I talked to time and money, and they told me I can only read one series at a time. 😃Enjoyed the video, thanks!
@@britneynicole8903 Wish I could start and finish them all today in one glorious binge, lol! I could probably be talked into trying One Piece first if you want a buddy reader. :)
Actually at this moment in the story almost everything is explained in details but they are scattered so its not easy to piece them together to see the whole picture but every detail about the fathers plan was revealed.
I love your analysis that yes, the characters are great, but it's their relationships that make the series powerful! I got choked up listening to you talk about this series. Thanks for inspiring me to reread it again. It's my favorite! Buckle up for the ending; it's nuts. - Also, "little pieces of foreshadowing of Mustang suffering" made me laugh, but not in a funny way. Also, also, Major General Armstrong is AMAZING. Also, also, also, PRIDE!!!
Bradley is the only homunculus that used to be human. He also ages because he has only one soul. He isnt made up of a bunch of souls that can be sacrificed to heal/stay young. Also, Ed didnt hurt envy because of how dense/heavy envy is, and a normal punch wouldnt really have an effect. But envy can absolutly be hurt. Lust died because she used up all her souls healing over and over again.
Whoa, Whoa. Whoa. There's no way you can start this video off without addressing the fall you had in that video short?!! The air really tripped you when you weren't looking... Sabotage!!!
No spoilers: the two fathers story will be explained separately, you didn't miss anything :) it's supposed to be something that will be hinted on the way, but impossible to FULLY figure out. Very satisfying.
Did you know that the voice actors for Lust and Mustang are married? Laura Bailey and Travis Willingham are both very talented VO actors, and they happen to be married with a little boy. They apparently had a lot of fun playing off each other in the scene where Lust dies.
This is the first time I watched someone asking for MORE plot armor to save their favourite characters from dying. But FMA is capable of everything, so I'm not that surprised
Also, a little caveat. The inyection of philosopher stone/liquid to a human to make Bradley was specific to him (and later Ling), not every homunculi was created that way.
Not me furiously googling what each remaining volume contains so I can see how soon your questions will start being answered.... it's been ages since I read the manga or watched the show so while I remember most details, but the order that stuff happens in is fuzzy. I'm just so happy that you're enjoying it because this is honestly one of my favorites and if nothing else, your videos remind me that I should rewatch the show and reread the manga again lol. I can't wait for you to finish the series and I'll have to find the time in my crazy schedule to watch your reading vlogs in eager anticipation to see your reactions as they happen! Not sure if you're reading more Vinland Saga in between again though. I haven't read Vinland Saga yet so I've stayed far way from your coverage of that in order to not spoil anything.
just an fyi but wrath and greed/ling are the only 2 part human homunculi the other homunculus were made purely artificially. this is why wrath is the only homunculi shown to age
i really enjoy hearing youre guesses and personal interpretation, so i would love to see two more videos on FMA, mostly bc you start to get more answers in this final 1/4th of the series. so, personally, would love one video on like all but the final few chapters and another covering those and doing a full retrospective.
So there are a few details that you seem to have gotten wrong, you may have realized this but just in case. 1 Ishbal is a part of Amestris (the nation the story takes place in), it's one of the latest added territory to this expanding nation with a strong cultural and religious backgrond. 2 King Bradley is Wrath (you called him greed at some point) and he's the only Homunculus that was generated from a human before GreedLing, every other homunculus was created by zero by the Father (Gluttony is a failed portal repurposed as an Homunculus, for example)
so much hope in this series. I love that the creator made a farming series after this and then made the heroic legend of Arslan.since the protag looks just like Ed lol. I wonder if she'll do a review of the live-action movie. it's bad but you know how it goes
FMA characters are the best. Each one of them deeply explored. Roy Scar Alex Ling Yao Izumi Curtis Lan fan Bradley Kimblee I find all of these more more interesting than even Ed and Al.. Can't say the same about any other series..
In the anime, the scene where Ed is pulled back into the door of truth but then breaks back in just to tell Al to sit tight and wait for him just punches you in the feels. Man...
You should give a manga called "kaguya-sama: love is war" by Akasaka aka-sensei a shot. I know (or at least think to remember) that romcoms aren't usually your thing but I really think you would like it a lot. It's very funny and all the characters are immensely lovable. Just try a couple of volumes online if you don't want to immediately spend money on it. Or just watch the anime. It's one of the few cases where the anime might actually just be better than the manga simply because everything from animation to voice acting (in this case the dub is even extremely good so you wouldn't even need to read subs) to music just adds so much.
![Chimera Ant: The End [Hunter x Hunter]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/eX2l8HSRU5A/mqdefault.jpg)
![Chino Pacas - Modo Capone (with Drake & Fuerza Regida) [Video Oficial]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zjv8TQ0gBkg/mqdefault.jpg)
A super cool detail i found somewhere is that Ling survived the philosophers stone by accepting and taking on all the souls inside it, while bradley fought/neutralized them and it really shows the differences in how they believe a king should rule
Ohhh I didn’t even make that connection but you’re right! That’s amazing!
Wow. Very interesting observation.
Also speaks to the nature of their hommunculi; Greed vs Wrath
oh my god I actually got chills from reading this, I've never made that connection but it's so true
I swear that every time I see someone review or react to FMA manga or FMAB I learn new metaphors and interesting facts about the show, it never ceases to amazes.
“Greedling” is objectively the best name for that character.
It just makes me think of a baby greed.
I always thought it was 'Greeling', so I thought it fit.. a greedy little treasure goblin 😂
Grin
Merphy with One Piece: Ugh...too much plot armor.
Merphy with FMA: Wait. No. Stop. MORE PLOT ARMOR! MORE PLOT ARMOR!
Actually Mustang does mention it (in the anime at least) when Hughes died. Something along the lines of, "I understand now what drove those boys to human transmutation when their mom died. There's a side of me that's desperately trying to crack it."
Yea him admitting that he is, in this moment, racking his brain to figure out how to revive his best friend is so impactful.
I binged the anime. It's a 60 episode story arc and every character and everything that happens is meaningful. It's such a lean but robust story.
my favorite tv series of all time even beating out the Sopranos
Are they making any more episodes?
@@britneynicole8903 it's done. No more in development
@@marshwiggle8364 What year did it come out? I hope I am able to stream it!
@@britneynicole8903 Nope, the story is complete since 2011. Maybe they will do some spinoffs in the future, who knows
Arakawa interviewed WW2 veterans in preparations for writing this story, especially the Ishvalan war flashback. She really strived to respectfully portray humans being stuck in an awful situation and doing awful things to each other.
i think thats what makes those scenes cut so deep because they are just soldiers in a war but the effects are so hurtful
The fact that this story does not ever rely on the fake misunderstanding trope is such a strong feature, and creates such strong characters. You're never frustrated with them, they never act in ways that harm their own goals and that is *such* a rarity
Literally not true… Al misunderstands something Ed said, leading to them fighting because he believes he isn’t real…
@@YourBlackLocal nope, that was not a "misunderstanding", that was genuinely having crisis of faith over whether he was real or a fabrication.
@@vivianboor14 What? It was literally a misunderstanding, don’t try and change it. He heard Ed say something and thought it meant something else.
Which is literally why it’s solved when Winry explains what his brother was talking about… What does misunderstanding mean in your head?
@@YourBlackLocal no, he heard Barry say something, mulled it over and over in his head, considered the actual ramifications of what he could even k ow about his own existence, that weighed on him enough that he convinced HIMSELF he wasn't real. He Did not even .us understand something Ed said, Ed didn't say anything, he took saying *nothing* and used it as evidence.
It was never a situation that could have been solved by ED telling AL he was real, am didn't even come out of that being sure he was real, just that he was sure he cared about ed, and that Ed cared about him, and that winry cared about them both.
If you think that is a "misunderstanding" trope you need to work on your reading comprehension.
@@vivianboor14 Dude, YOU need to work on your reading comprehension because you seem to have forgotten what actually happened.
1.)He spoke to Barry
2.)He heard Ed say he felt guilty about something
3.)He lashes out, literally mentioning the quote he misunderstood.
4.)They argue and Winry tells him Ed was talking about the fact he got him into this situation
4.)Al immediately changes his mind. Realising he was wrong.
It is literally solved by Winry explaining that he misunderstood, at this point you’re just being an idiot.
Also, watching Merphy try to figure out the deal between Father and Honenheim based on previously seen tropes is great.
Clarifying point: I believe the process for Bradley becoming a Homunculi is very different from nearly all the other Homunculi. Much like how Gluttony was a failed Portal attempt, Bradley and Greed's path toward being a Homunculus are specific to them. I don't believe the rest of them started out as human.
Yeah thats different and the others were ceated tooi think different. They are unique characters too.
yeah she missed this, Bradley is the only homonculi that ages. The reason is because he was a human before.
Honestly the reveal of Hoenheim crying in the photo is one kf my favourite small moments in the series
Solf J Kimblee is easily my favourite villain of this series. While he's clearly a psychopath who simply enjoys killing, he's also remarkably insightful and incredibly good at pointing out the hypocrisies of others. The conversation he has with Hawkeye regarding her pride as a sniper is so horrifying. And the point he makes about the rest of the soldiers being incredibly naive about what their job is is also amazing. The dude is undoubtedly evil, and while he seems to know that about himself, he doesn't let others criticize him when they're not that much different than him.
i LOVE that he’s the one to help take down pride. his hatred of hypocrisy and strong will are well established, so kimblee maintaining his identity makes sense, and it’s a great way to bring his hatred of hypocrisy full circle. but also, on a symbolic level, it’s AWESOME that ed takes down the manifestation of arrogance/ego by staying true to himself, and i love how kimblee’s pre-established behavior is used to set that up.
The Armstrongs are both such great characters. Alex is a huge lovable, caring and emotional softie and the sister being the ice queen, one of the most badass female leader type characters i've ever seen in media.
SUCH MARVELLOUS CHARACTERIZATION IS ONLY POSSIBLE WITH THE GRANDEUR THAT HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN THE ARMSTRONG LINE FOR GENERATIONS!!!
I didn't read the manga before watching Brotherhood when it first aired, and the scene with Ed coming back through the door to tell Al he'd come back for him gave me chills up my spine. It was such an awesome scene.
Especially with the music choice for that scene
GACK. Even hearing a description of what happens in these volumes is making me tear up from my memories of watching the series. FMA is so full of feels it isn't fair.
The anime adaptation of the scene when Edward comes back to the real world is EXTRAORDINARY.
I think a major reason scar went down the path of destruction while ed/al didn't is because they still have each other where as he was alone. He doesn't really lose himself until he realizes his brother is dead and he has his arm. if Al hadn't survived, I think Ed could easily have gone down a similar path as Scar
I doubt it for a major reason: Scar had the country, particularly the state alchemists, as a target because they're the ones who conducted a extermination campaign in Ishval. Meanwhile Al didn't have a clear target to focus into, maybe Hohenheim but that's a bit of a stretch.
Interestingly, the author (Arakawa) said this about making the Ishval war flashback, and I quote “In researching this volume, I interviewed veterans who had been at the front during World War II. I read countless books, examined film footage, and listened to many detailed and intense stories firsthand, but the one comment that affected me the most came from a former soldier who lowered his gaze to the tabletop and said, ‘I never watch war movies.”
I think part of the picture that you are missing is that when Ed, Al, Armstrong and her men were in the tunnel, they figured out that military conflicts with bloodshed have been orchestrated to make the points on the circle while the tunnel is the circle. Their wars and conflicts have all been for this giant alchemical sacrifice so this is pretty wild to a career military woman like Armstrong.
13 minutes in and *yes* god there have been so many amazing scenes! Ed and ling in the portal as well as Hawkeye and mustang iteracting is just some of my favorite character writing ever! It‘s so good!
Also a small correction, Envys souls aren‘t from ishval since envy existed before ishvals tragedy. Some might have been added since then, but they can‘t logically be the source of envys power.
38 minutes in and I was wondering when the ice queen was getting the spotlight! Heck yes!
But also, the whole arc so far had so many good scenes. Oh what am I saying, it‘s been good scene after good scene I can‘t even begin to choose xD
Just a little correction Bradley is the only homunculus that can age (Ling as well) because he was once human. But the other Homunculi are artificial humans ergo not originally human.
Hughes just figured out the whole plot in the first chapters. He was to smart to be allowed to live.
Think the entire Briggs arc was a favourite for me. From the unique soldiers, to new versions of automail, Madame Armstrong etc. Even get to see the dangerous tactical side of kimblee. Can't wait for you to read volume 19 and just have your jaws drop. 😁
Fullmetal was my first manga. Still in my top 5.
Forever a favorite here too
@@MagillanicaLouM same here, a total masterpiece will always remain a total masterpiece
Same for me with deathnote. To this day recommend them as great starting points!
Curious to see that other manga you have on top!
@@milom5030 Pandora Hearts, Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, Yuyu Hakusho, and SpyxFamily. These are in no particular order. All monga only except SpyX
Greedling is one of, if not my Favorite Charakter in FMA.
The Ishvalan war of Extermination, the Ishval Extermination Campain, the Ishval Civil war, whatever you wanna name it, for me personaly its one of the greatest Arks in Anime.
The Line about Snipers is something a Veteran actually said, the Writer interviewed different People and put a lot of Work into getting it right.
There is so much depth and fascets in this Story, from Winrys Parents, to Kimbley calling out Mustangs Troup for beeing Hipocrits, from Armstrongs PTSD, to "If im a Doctor, why am I killing people?" to "A Stray Bullet".
Its just so overwelmingly well written.
Scar is so well written, hes like Japans Answer to Zuko. Its despite what he did, hard to see him as a Villian.
30:54 Lust to Mustang, "I love how cold and focused your eyes are. I can't wait for the day those eyes will be wide with agony. It's coming. It's coming."
FMAB really doesn't do strong plot armor. Which is nice, but terrifying.
Can't wait for you to finish!!
Now that you have experienced the Ishvalian War Flashback, I will recommend that you look for the bonus chapter: His Battlefield Once More, originally released in "Book in Figure: BLUE" in Japan. It apparently was never released in English, but there are fan translations around, and one OVA was made based on it.
It has one of my favorite scenes in the whole manga, very powerful stuff. I still get chills just remembering it xD
I believe they continue referring to Mustang as a "candidate" for human sacrifice while they refer to Ed and Al as "perfect candidates." My take is that they consider Roy Mustang a skilled enough alchemist to survive entering and returning from the portal whereas someone of lesser skill may not return from the attempt. Bradley reported on Izumi having potentially opened the portal to Father, giving them a third "perfect candidate" at present.
I'm loving this!
This is very much a story that excites the imagination in the way of "what could this possibly mean?" or "what will happen to this character?". But when you find out the answers and are re-watching/reading, it feels like the story could have only played out this way.
That is why it is so fascinating seeing an experienced reader's thoughts and theories, especially at this point in the story where you almost have the answers, it is so so so close, its like only needing a couple more variables and then the entire equation can be solved.
Gosh, I hope your patreon members show you a specific scene in the anime. One of the best, most emotionally charged moments, with incredible voice acting and catharsis.
For those who do not fear spoilers:
I'm talking about the Mustang vs Envy scene. When he's snapping again and again and again. Gives me chills every time.
I am thinking about joining the Patreon soon!
Yes!!!! They have to show the Mustang scene!
Ed saying he will be back to Als body in the portal is a strong 2nd pick
Y-E-S
The Ishval flashback is one (for me at least) the most devastating sequence I have ever read, it hurt even more now that I am a soldier myself. I love this story.
One of my favorite thing in FMA is the way Arakawa-san delivers the information from Howkeye to Ed and step by step we learn more, meanwhile we see Scar get closer and closer to Marko diling up the tesion and showing us who Scar is, is amazing and is the main hing that made me fall in love with FMA
Seeing how excited you are to talk about this series makes me wish I could read/watch FMA for the first time again.
The anxiety you have for the life of the characters is amusing, lovely, heartwarming and completely understandable.
They weren't afraid to play with our emotions.
What a lovely review! So happy that you’re enjoying the series, and can’t wait for the next part. 3 points of clarification, no spoilers of course:
1. Envy’s souls predate the War of Ishvalan extermination, since they(Envy) wouldn’t have existed without the stone.
2. Only Wrath(and now Greedling) was human before becoming a homunculus. The 11 that died prior were attempts at making Wrath specifically. This is why Wrath is the only homonculus that ages.
3. Mustang has not performed human transmutation. This is why he still needs the transmutation circles on his gloves to perform his flame alchemy, otherwise he could simply do the clapping motion that Ed/Al/Izumi use.
Honestly Murphy, if you're enjoying the Manga this much, you should really watch the Brotherhood Anime. It's one of my favorites, and it has a great dub if that's more to your liking as well.
FMA is both a gloriously wild ride and one of the best structured stories I've ever read. Arakawa is utterly magnificent when it comes to the precision with which she lays out her plot and how she allows her character work to inform it. And then, on top of that, she has the ability use theme to both encompass and elevate both.
She truly is an amazing writer and while we often gush over the emotions she creates in us, the reader, she seldom gets the credit she deserves from a technical standpoint.
The good old shonen dilemma, "i want there to be consequences but i don't want anybody to die" been there xD
The funniest part about your confusion and frustration with not knowing/understanding the Hohenheim/Father connection is it’s literally answered in the next chapter for you. 😂
This feels like reading the series for the first time again while also knowing exactly what is yet to come. I love these videos.
This manga is so goood! I’m so happy you’re liking it!
FMA Brotherhood holds the distinction of having the very best clip show/recap episode of any show, ever. Worth checking out
Some clarifications
No spoilers
Only wrath and the new greed were created using human vessels, the other homunculi are entirely artificial, including their bodies. Homunculi made with human vessels grow older while regular homunculi do not. You can hear the original greed express surprise at the existence of wrath, a homunculus that can age, during his execution scene.
You were confused why Ed’s punches weren’t effective on Envy. It’s not because of any sort of secret protection magic. It’s just because Envy is really heavy. it was foreshadowing how their true form is way bigger. All the mass of their true form was condensed into that smaller body.
Finally, you said that Envy’s philosopher’s stone contained the souls of those sacrificed in Ishval but it actually said it was the population of Xerxes, the ancient nation that mysteriously vanished long ago.
Love your videos and this manga. Hope you keep enjoying it
Tiny detail from the anime: the portal closes and Ed smashes his way BACK through to make his promise. So strong is his human determination that he was able to fight back in
I am going to be starting VS and OP at around the same time this next month! I have been looking forward to that for a while now!
You really, really, really, really should watch episode 26 of the series. I'm pretty sure you'll love it, specially the ending
Yup. Full on yup. The anime's version of that ending is top notch.
If you haven't started watching up to the points you read, then I really hope you watch FMA Brotherhood at the end of this cause some of those moments are so hype when animated and voiced and scored with music. Chills
Greed-Ling is probably one of if not my fav character. He brings so much energy to every scene.
Greed and Ling are actual individuals and that's even better.
I really wish he was in FMA2003.
But finally your in the extra awesome part of the story... seriously before the shift in plot away from "FMA2003 has done that" section its just menotinous to me because FMAB I have seen a few times and FMA2003 I saw a few times so between both that stuff is just me going through the motions... Nina sad Hughs worse for me Scar a jerk sure... that's all.
Now your moving towards a certain cold hearted veteran that's another contender for a fav of mine and all the madness at the end of the series. Love it.
I hope you'll watch the anime adaptation of the Ishival and scar flashback. The visual storytelling that was used was sooo good to show how the whole thing was for scar.
So much goodness right ahead of you, you'll enjoy it. Many scenes are definitely worth watching in anime
I do hope you get to watch Mushishi soon too
Ling is my favorite character. Ling + Greed is even better ❤️
Pumped to keep seeing your thoughts moving forward!
I chuckled when I heard Barry is a lovable murderer 😅
I love that your going threw this story. I went through it as a teen. And back then my focus really was more on Ed and AL. But the adults in this story are incredible. I'd suggest keep watching it in anime form because it does this whole world justice and to feel there voices and everything go beyond page. It's great
34:35 This made me remember about that in the 2003 anime version there is a great great scene of Ed being forced to take an awful choice regarding his morals, it is awesome. I think Merphy should watch this anime after :))
the one and only Olivier Mira Armstrong *swoons * ❤❤
Merphy, you know you can replace manga panels with your masterful sock puppetry, right?
Love that you're doing this series. This is one of my all time favorites I have really fond memories of reading it over a decade ago. And yeah the characters are SO good in this and I just love how real their relationships feel but also how consistent the characters themselves are through out the entire series. Also love all the cool alchemy/eldritch stuff.
3:26 Stuck IN an island you say? Perhaps with Josh Hutcherson?
1. please watch the anime for this scene 8:42 , (Episode 26 @19:09 to end of episode)
2. 10:57 is pronounced in japanese (hoe - en - high - m) in subtitles is writen as (Hohenheim) if you want you can listen to it in (Episode 28 @04:10 to end of episode)
3. this is just for me i like the pronunciationfor what is translated to "equivalent exchange" wich is (To - Ka - Ko - Ka) wich i fined more musical some how like "quid pro quo" or "tet for tat"
So just to tell you because the manga won't go into it, none of the homunculi apart from Wrath and the current Greed were ever humans. They are essentially just bits of Father's soul, i.e. his sloth, lust, whatever, and a whole bunch of random souls glommed onto them to the point that they have enough alchemy juice to wrap around themselves to make bodies. Even the new Greed is a chunk of Father's soul, he just doesn't have to make a new body and the original soul is still there and cognizant. Bradley is special because not only is he human based, he's also the only homunculus with only one soul in him. That's because he's Wrath and Father used the most wrathful souls he had to make them, so while they were inside him, they just killed eachother until there was only one soul left. It could've been the body's original soul, the chunk of Father, or even a single random soul from the stone. That's why only he can age and get hurt and blend in with humans. He's essentially just a human with some alchemical enhancements
Aaah the way I *JUMPED* seeing this in my notifications! So ready for this! Oh so readyyy!
Video 11 (I think) since I started asking for merphy to read assassination classroom.
Probably more comments incoming while I watch this! 👀👀👀👀
As soon as I woke up, I saw this and I got SO THRILLED!!
There’s a correction I wanna make but it’s a spoiler so I’m gonna not do that one for now. There IS a correction I can make, though: Edward WAS hitting Envy, it just wasn’t doing any damage that mattered
Merphy: "I love stories about crossing impossible landscapes"
Me: Oh no. Someone is going to reccomend Made in Abyss. Oh no.
Made in Abyss would be good if it didn’t have sexualisation of kids. It’s such a shame that such amazing world building is shaded by such a disgusting thing💔
@@tiramisu5912 hard agree. And I still hate the scenes in it. Very uncomfortable watching it, Mitty and the Lunchboxes and rest of it all.
Oh Merphy, I am so ready to see your reaction to the reveal of Father's origin.
Did you guys notice how many popular stories are about philacteries? you have fullmetal alchemist for starters, you have world of warcraft with frostmorne and the dragon soul, you have Harry Potter, etc.
Really more about magic, summoning, souls
Marvel. Hp, etc
@@rsm8974 I don't know what you mean.
Crazy enough you know what I've been pointed to that's a super common trope in Japanese media. Dieacide. Killing gods is super common. Final fantasy, Dragon Ball, One Piece, etc. They have an incredible fascination with overcoming gods
Interesting point
@@gotogi83 philacteries are a subsection of magic
Magic is the thing becoming more popular
People also dont understand what magic is as its always portrayed nicely in media when in truth FMA got it the closest but also the furthest
Magic aint science, its making a contract with the jinn who will ask you debase your self or blaspheme god (seen frequently with the mass murder, human transmutation. In real life its hundreds of times more fked up)
In return you will go to hell for eternity
Unless you sincerely repent
^basically magic in a nutshell across all nations. Some tribes or cults were so entrenched like the vikings, in magic they did... uh putting this PG, unspeakable things to virgin women and human sacrificed them.
Just to get glory in battle
Never worked ofc, cause magic doesnt give you anything. Its why its so abhorred across the religions
I remember reading volume 13 and dear lord. The panel of envy transforming freaked me out.
14:41 it's not how they were all made, it's just Bradley.
The souls in Envy aren't from Ishval but from Xerxes
DR. KNOX!!! You need to talk about him!!! AND Merphy please do a video each of the homoculus (Not homoculi coz they need a deep dive for each of them). ALSO thanks for the long video too...
I can probably see her doing the deep dive after the series is over because some of the later homunculi have huge spoilers attached to them.
Ling is such a great addition probably be one of your favourite characters before story ends and Mustang with Hawkeye is just great anytime
Next video's intro is going to be Merphy looking into the void, with no audio for a solid 15 secs and then saying "I was not ready for this".
while watching the anime scene in the Truth portal where Ed tells Al's body he'll be back, I always sob. the anime does it SO GOOD
I'm so glad you're going through this series right now! I just finished the anime this summer and have been going through withdrawals. I've never read a manga before, but I have actually picked up the first Fullmetal Alchemist book, so I'm excited (even though I know what's going on already 😅). But when you're done I'd love to hear your thoughts on the anime as well and how it compares to the manga in your opinion!
it's so entretaining to watch Merphy go through a story i've already seen. so many feelings!
Greatest of anime and manga
One piece, Gurren Lagann, FMA, hunter hunter
There's like a section of Berserk where the crew have to travel through Casca's messed up dreams. I think you might like it
The artwork is incredible!! And this seems like such a sweet story!
It is definitely one of the best Japanese manga ever :)
@@davimag2071 I will be starting this one in a few months 😊🫢
I forget if this was in this group of chapters and i think it was. I loved the conversation between kimblee and Winry.
If you want, fan-colored panels should be safe to use because they are considered fan art. Another RUclipsr said that while he received copyright strikes for manga panels, he never received them for fan-colored panels.
Looking forward to starting this once I get caught up in Vinland Saga. I talked to time and money, and they told me I can only read one series at a time. 😃Enjoyed the video, thanks!
Aww I was thinking of starting One Piece at close to the same as I start VS.
@@britneynicole8903 Wish I could start and finish them all today in one glorious binge, lol! I could probably be talked into trying One Piece first if you want a buddy reader. :)
@@Dougeb7 That would be so much fun! Yes! I will let you know when I pick it up!!
@@britneynicole8903 Cool, good times ahead!
@@Dougeb7 🙀😄🙀😄🙀😄
Actually at this moment in the story almost everything is explained in details but they are scattered so its not easy to piece them together to see the whole picture but every detail about the fathers plan was revealed.
My favourite booktuber gushing over my favourite manga
Full metal is my favorite manga/anime next to one piece. I’ll watch the full video later but leaving a comment now to show some love ❤
I love your analysis that yes, the characters are great, but it's their relationships that make the series powerful! I got choked up listening to you talk about this series. Thanks for inspiring me to reread it again. It's my favorite! Buckle up for the ending; it's nuts. - Also, "little pieces of foreshadowing of Mustang suffering" made me laugh, but not in a funny way. Also, also, Major General Armstrong is AMAZING. Also, also, also, PRIDE!!!
Bradley is the only homunculus that used to be human. He also ages because he has only one soul. He isnt made up of a bunch of souls that can be sacrificed to heal/stay young. Also, Ed didnt hurt envy because of how dense/heavy envy is, and a normal punch wouldnt really have an effect. But envy can absolutly be hurt. Lust died because she used up all her souls healing over and over again.
only Bradley underwent becoming a homunculus that way, that's why hes the only one who ages and such
Whoa, Whoa. Whoa. There's no way you can start this video off without addressing the fall you had in that video short?!! The air really tripped you when you weren't looking... Sabotage!!!
No spoilers: the two fathers story will be explained separately, you didn't miss anything :) it's supposed to be something that will be hinted on the way, but impossible to FULLY figure out. Very satisfying.
Did you know that the voice actors for Lust and Mustang are married? Laura Bailey and Travis Willingham are both very talented VO actors, and they happen to be married with a little boy. They apparently had a lot of fun playing off each other in the scene where Lust dies.
The scene when Ed sees Al's body in the anime was a masterpiece 👌
This is the first time I watched someone asking for MORE plot armor to save their favourite characters from dying. But FMA is capable of everything, so I'm not that surprised
Also, a little caveat. The inyection of philosopher stone/liquid to a human to make Bradley was specific to him (and later Ling), not every homunculi was created that way.
SO glad you finally get to meet. Greed/Ling. He's the best
Not me furiously googling what each remaining volume contains so I can see how soon your questions will start being answered.... it's been ages since I read the manga or watched the show so while I remember most details, but the order that stuff happens in is fuzzy. I'm just so happy that you're enjoying it because this is honestly one of my favorites and if nothing else, your videos remind me that I should rewatch the show and reread the manga again lol. I can't wait for you to finish the series and I'll have to find the time in my crazy schedule to watch your reading vlogs in eager anticipation to see your reactions as they happen! Not sure if you're reading more Vinland Saga in between again though. I haven't read Vinland Saga yet so I've stayed far way from your coverage of that in order to not spoil anything.
just an fyi but wrath and greed/ling are the only 2 part human homunculi the other homunculus were made purely artificially. this is why wrath is the only homunculi shown to age
i really enjoy hearing youre guesses and personal interpretation, so i would love to see two more videos on FMA, mostly bc you start to get more answers in this final 1/4th of the series. so, personally, would love one video on like all but the final few chapters and another covering those and doing a full retrospective.
So there are a few details that you seem to have gotten wrong, you may have realized this but just in case.
1 Ishbal is a part of Amestris (the nation the story takes place in), it's one of the latest added territory to this expanding nation with a strong cultural and religious backgrond.
2 King Bradley is Wrath (you called him greed at some point) and he's the only Homunculus that was generated from a human before GreedLing, every other homunculus was created by zero by the Father (Gluttony is a failed portal repurposed as an Homunculus, for example)
so much hope in this series. I love that the creator made a farming series after this and then made the heroic legend of Arslan.since the protag looks just like Ed lol. I wonder if she'll do a review of the live-action movie. it's bad but you know how it goes
Oh no, not the movie :(
It would be better to watch the 2003 anime version :)
@@davimag2071 you have to remember her watching the last air bender movie. Just imagine the cringe.
FMA characters are the best. Each one of them deeply explored.
Roy
Scar
Alex
Ling Yao
Izumi Curtis
Lan fan
Bradley
Kimblee
I find all of these more more interesting than even Ed and Al..
Can't say the same about any other series..
In the anime, the scene where Ed is pulled back into the door of truth but then breaks back in just to tell Al to sit tight and wait for him just punches you in the feels. Man...
You should give a manga called "kaguya-sama: love is war" by Akasaka aka-sensei a shot. I know (or at least think to remember) that romcoms aren't usually your thing but I really think you would like it a lot. It's very funny and all the characters are immensely lovable. Just try a couple of volumes online if you don't want to immediately spend money on it. Or just watch the anime. It's one of the few cases where the anime might actually just be better than the manga simply because everything from animation to voice acting (in this case the dub is even extremely good so you wouldn't even need to read subs) to music just adds so much.
I have a feeling when things about Ed's dad's past revealed, you'll love LOVE it 😌😌😌
i'm so excited for you to finish this series oh my god these videos give me life