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Favorite adaptation of FMA: First series or Brotherhood.


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Ggultra2764
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Joined: 21 Jan 2004
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Location: New York state.
PostPosted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 10:35 pm Reply with quote
Not sure how much heat a topic like this is gonna get (if any), but thought I'd try it out considering there are two different adaptations of the series and I couldn't find a thread like this anywhere on the ANN forums. Most of you are clearly aware of the directions that these titles take of the manga source material. The first season is a loose adaptation that takes an original direction with the plotting and characterization when it caught up to its manga source material which was widely praised for still retaining the feel of the series. Brotherhood more closely follows the manga.

I'll be honest to say that I haven't been watching Brotherhood, though I have been following the manga, and I do have to say that I prefer the first season's developments over the manga. Ignorant as it as for me to say this while not watching Brotherhood which is following the manga, the manga had greater focus on comedy which does kill the mood of some of the title's tense scenes for me while the first anime knew when it was right to place in a comedic moment. Plus, some major characters (the Homunculus and Scar) either had greater depth to them and/or were more likable and easier for me to connect with in the first series as they had more to their personalities than the manga. Plus the developments in the first anime had better build up for me. The series took its time at unraveling the mysteries that were explored by Ed and Al as they dug deeper into what was behind the Philosopher's Stone and more details on this mystery led to another direction for the plot. The manga felt a little more manic-paced as its mysteries would be unveiled more quickly compared to the first series.

Again, I'm saying I'm making these thoughts from reading the manga and seeing the first anime series. From my exposure to both versions, I have to favor the first series over the original source material. But this isn't about the manga. It's between Brotherhood and the first series. What anime adaptation of Full Metal Alchemist do your prefer and why: the first series or Brotherhood?
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RHachicho



Joined: 07 Oct 2009
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Location: Essex, UK
PostPosted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 10:45 pm Reply with quote
Personally I feel both adaptations had their good points but for me Brotherhood wins out. I do not know how the manga goes however I would actually say that Brotherhood is less comedic than the first adaptation. Plus there was that feeling you get with some Anime where you where being forced to like all the characters to me Brotherhood's spoiler[Scar felt much more dark like a man really would be if he was out for bloody revenge.]

Several of the Homunculus also felt far far more dangerous in Brotherhood. And the latter part of the series ties itself together far better than the original did. Not only that but some characters which I felt did not get enough screentime got to shine and some boring ones have been back benched. I have not seen the ending of brotherhood just yet so I can't compare those but from what I have seen it HAS to beat the first adaptation one. Which I thaught was a total lame duck with arthritis. I also appreciate that the new adapation has a bigger moral grey in almost all respects. I can't really go into this in detail without getting into huge spoilers. My opinion should however be clear by now Brotherhood is in my opinion better than the original adaptation.
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Charred Knight



Joined: 29 Sep 2008
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:00 am Reply with quote
Brotherhood, Ling Yao, and Olivier Mira Armstrong are both really awesome. The fight scenes are incredible, and what they did with Scar and Winry are amazing. Most of the characters are improved, with Kimblee going from a stereotypical Mad Bomber to a really smart guy who just blows up stuff.
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everydaygamer



Joined: 10 Jul 2009
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:06 am Reply with quote
honestly I'm choosing to not make any judgement till brotherhood ends since i thought the original series had a great ending (counting the movie as well)
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drdr48



Joined: 16 Mar 2009
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:18 am Reply with quote
RHachicho wrote:
Personally I feel both adaptations had their good points but for me Brotherhood wins out. I do not know how the manga goes however I would actually say that Brotherhood is less comedic than the first adaptation.


You're kidding, right?
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Charred Knight



Joined: 29 Sep 2008
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:39 am Reply with quote
drdr48 wrote:
RHachicho wrote:
Personally I feel both adaptations had their good points but for me Brotherhood wins out. I do not know how the manga goes however I would actually say that Brotherhood is less comedic than the first adaptation.


You're kidding, right?


While the humor in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is more spread out, their where entire episodes (at least three) which where nothing but comedy episodes in the first series.

That and Brotherhood doesn't contain a cyborg.
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penguintruth



Joined: 08 Dec 2004
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:45 am Reply with quote
I really don't have a favorite. It seems like a cop out, I know (and I'm always saying that "if you like everything, it's the same as liking nothing"), but I love all three major incarnations of Fullmetal Alchemist, whether it be the manga or the two television anime.

Arakawa's manga is the original, of course, and she's created this detailed, immersing world with a lot of character to it. She also made a boat load of interesting and colorful characters. Even some of the most minor characters have some sort of charisma. Even characters I don't like have their moments. She's great at weaving together character threads and the like. I love reading and collecting this manga. It's definitely a favorite.

However, sometimes it seems like Arakawa is trying way too hard to pull of these big twists/epic moments, and it ends up seeming like the same rabbit being pulled out of a hat, and I end up saying to myself, "This was great the first few times it happened, but it's not impressing me anymore." It spoils the integrity of the narrative if you're always waiting for the next BIG EPIC MOMENT, because you end up wanting to turn the pages until you reach that.

The first series was, admittedly, my first experience with FMA, and it was during a time I was super jaded about anime, and it restored my faith in anime. So, okay, to say that there's some strange nostalgia for it, that's not far off. But I insist that it stands well without that, at least as well as the manga and the second show.

The first series is definitely flawed, because it doesn't have a great storyteller like Arakawa at the helm, and relies a lot on the guy who wrote for the series and director Mizushima, who are both talented, but it isn't really their world. The first series ends up throwing in a lot of ideas that are hit-or-miss, and towards the end, it becomes more of the latter.

But the first series' approach is the one I prefer, a more mature, serious drama approach. A little melodramatic, perhaps, compared to the manga, but when put in the context of the show, it worked. It's more believable in its philosophy, if not to the letter.

Brotherhood has the story of the manga, but screws some of the key scenes and arcs up. It also, at times, improves and clears up parts of the manga that were flawed. So it balances out. And I love to see a lot of my favorite manga scenes animated.

I think that it all balances out.
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Ggultra2764
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Joined: 21 Jan 2004
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Location: New York state.
PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:55 am Reply with quote
penguintruth wrote:
The first series is definitely flawed, because it doesn't have a great storyteller like Arakawa at the helm, and relies a lot on the guy who wrote for the series and director Mizushima, who are both talented, but it isn't really their world. The first series ends up throwing in a lot of ideas that are hit-or-miss, and towards the end, it becomes more of the latter.


Wasn't FMA's creator a consultant for how the director chose to make the story after taking it in a different direction?
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SoandSo



Joined: 13 Feb 2010
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 2:07 am Reply with quote
The manga and the first season, by far. It's almost sort of silly to ask. They both have their flaws, but they're both smart, dramatic, well put together and altogther fascinating. They're some of the smartest, most thought-provoking amd just plain fun examples of sci-fi anime and mahga has to offer.

Unlike Brotherhood, a terrible, grating, half-assed, fan-bait cash grab of a mess with no cinematic panache, grasp of drama or subtlety, or for an unforgivable length of time(fifteen episodes), completely lacking of any reddeming qualities whatsoever. If you absolutely must see the manga plot animated, then I wish you all the luck in the world, but I will contest up and down that this pathetic waste of money, paint and airtime has no reason to even exist.


...Yeah, this stupid show makes me rage a little. -_-;
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penguintruth



Joined: 08 Dec 2004
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 2:41 am Reply with quote
I think that Brotherhood has been a fairly good adaptation of the manga in general, even if it got off to a shakey start (and still stumbles now and there). I don't think the injected humor gets any more in the way than it does in the manga. Or, at least, not after the few episodes.

Ggultra2764 wrote:
Wasn't FMA's creator a consultant for how the director chose to make the story after taking it in a different direction?


It's not clear to what extent Arakawa instructed or guided the staff of the first series.

She did do some "4koma" strips for it, though, which like the ones for the manga, are quite funny.
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p3rseus



Joined: 14 Apr 2007
Posts: 72
PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 2:49 am Reply with quote
I liked the first one far better than the second adaptation. First it had a more serious tone, not as much comedy as Brotherhood. Second, it didn't feel rush at times and far too slow at other times. The scenes were more provocative, spoiler[losing their bodies, fighting their mother, first time fighting Scar, etc] were above anything on the Brotherhood series. Overall the first series felt like the more adult, serious series while Brotherhood felt kind of dumbed down.
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Charred Knight



Joined: 29 Sep 2008
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 3:11 am Reply with quote
What the hell does more adult series even mean? I mean when I compare say FLCL with Evangelion, they both try to tell a coming of age story starring a cast of dysfunctional characters but FLCL is far more entertaining about it.

When did calling a series "shonen" turn into an insult?
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RHachicho



Joined: 07 Oct 2009
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 6:43 am Reply with quote
True there where comedic episodes however they where more or less isolated in there own episodes. Leaving quite long stretches with very little comedy. Which I felt ramped up the tensions a bit more than the original managed. Hey it's just my opinion though.

Seriously though about shounen. Very few shounen shows are works of great art. True the subgenre occasionally produces a watchable show but it's always a diamond in the rough.


Last edited by RHachicho on Tue Mar 02, 2010 6:56 am; edited 1 time in total
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12skippy21



Joined: 25 Nov 2008
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Location: York, England
PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 6:44 am Reply with quote
Charred Knight wrote:
What the hell does more adult series even mean? I mean when I compare say FLCL with Evangelion, they both try to tell a coming of age story starring a cast of dysfunctional characters but FLCL is far more entertaining about it.

When did calling a series "shounen" turn into an insult?


When Bleach, Naruto and One Piece started to generate some 'over the top' fanbases probably. The term 'narutard' for example, and it is popular to hate the most well-known shows and manga these days. I like Soul Eater so I do not see shounen as bad as long as the inherent cliches are handled well.

Has to the question, I am much more of a Brotherhood fan because I find the storyline a lot more interesting even though they rushed through about the first thirteen episodes. I think that is the main reason, the animation in both series is good and I dislike the humour used in both the first season and Brotherhood so I do not use that merit. Has for the rushed thirteen episodes, the only bit I prefer in the first season is the docter and his kid (whose names escape me). Handled much better in the first season, I never really found this show to be as dramatic and adult as the fanbase claims so I found the rest of the thirteen episodes to be very similar.
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penguintruth



Joined: 08 Dec 2004
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 12:39 pm Reply with quote
Charred Knight wrote:
What the hell does more adult series even mean? I mean when I compare say FLCL with Evangelion, they both try to tell a coming of age story starring a cast of dysfunctional characters but FLCL is far more entertaining about it.

When did calling a series "shonen" turn into an insult?


I guess you have a point there. "Shonen", after all, is a demographic, not a genre.

But perhaps that is the issue. Some fans don't like FMA being compared to what they would deem less thoughtful works, like the "big three", and FMA is a bit more sophisticated, shonen though it may be.

It comes off a tad elitist, I'll admit, but I still find it difficult to compare FMA to, say, Dragon Ball or Flame of Recca. However, the range for shonen is a bit broader than some would like to admit, and FMA is proof enough of that.
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