When I had heard that Fullmetal Alchemst, one of the most popular cartoons in Japan was coming to America, I must admit, I was a bit excited.
I had heard about it many times form several of my friends who were die-hard fans of anime of any kind. I myself am not a particularly big fan of anime - I enjoy one every so often, but this absolutely blew me away.
The tragic story is of the two Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse ("Al" for short). In a tragic accident, their mother is killed. Devastated, the boys decide to use the ancient art of Alchemy to bring her back to life - but there's one complication: The main rule of Alchemy. This rule of "Equivalent exchange" states that "Nothing can be gained without first losing something of equal value." The boys succeed in resurrecting their mother, but at a horrible cost - Edward's left leg is taken, as is Al's body. Desperate to restore his brother's life, Edward uses his own blood to inscribe an Alchemic circle in a suit of armor, binding Alphonse's soul to the metal. In doing so, he makes yet another sacrifice - his right arm is lost to the demons of the abyss.
To recap - Ed loses his right arm and right leg, and Alphonse's body is taken. Now, you'd think that would be an equivalent enough exchange - two body parts and a whole body for their mother's life. But then you'd be wrong, of course. The thing they bring back is not their mother, but an inhuman creature composed of hastily put-together body parts - something that is human and yet not human. An abomination that cannot move or think on its own. From that point on, Ed and Al set out to learn the secret of "Human Transmutation," the one Alchemic skill that would have any hope of bringing back their mother. But at a cost that they may be unwilling to accept...
Overall, the series is gripping. Well-written dialogue, intense plot, and the best voice acting I've heard in a television series in a long time. Vic Mignogna, the actor who plays Ed in the American cast is absolutely brilliant - the voice he provides is believable and emotionally charged, a task most voice actors tend to fail miserably at. Aaron Dismuke, the voice of the 14-year-old Alphonse is excellent as well - not only does the irony of an adolescent voice coming from a six-foot-tall suit of armor succeed in getting a few chuckles, but the voice represents the character well. The voice acting brings the characters to life in a way that no other anime ever has before.
Overall, it's an incredible series. I'd recommend this to anime fans, and fans of fantasy or sci-fi of any kind (unless you just can't stand Japanese cartoons). FullMetal Alchemist is definitely one of the best television series out there.
