Brotherhood is Still the Gold Standard of Anime

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood came out a long time ago, yet its influence is still felt in anime circles. It became a hit during its airing, and reached the top of many anime charts. It currently sits at the third highest-rated anime on MyAnimeList, a remarkable achievement for a series that aired its last episode in 2010.

There are many reasons why Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is so compelling and still resonates with anime fans. It has a maturity to its narrative that is rarely seen in anime and goes beyond the steamy or shocking moments. It has real messages about how the world works, about relationships, about philosophy and politics. More importantly, it just tells a great story with great characters, but it also stands the test of time in other ways.

10

Follows the Complete Story

No Hundreds of Episodes to go through

A beautiful anime adapted into a manga follows the unfinished stories. An ongoing manga can take years to complete. FMA has already gone through these growing pains and has two versions: the first, which has an original ending because the manga was not finished, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, which is a faithful adaptation of the manga from beginning to end.

Between waiting years between seasons, filler episodes, or original additions from anime creators who do character assassinations, watching anime after the fact is much better. In addition, FMA:Brotherhood isn’t a lot of long episodes, and it’s a commitment that doesn’t ask much of you.

9

No Fan Service Is Perfect

Respects All Its Characters

I have been an anime fan for a long time, and as a girl and woman who loves anime, you have to look beyond all the things that make you feel humiliated. And anime has a lot of it. Fan service is one thing, but anime often takes it to its worst, where the casual sexualization of girls and women in anime is considered a genre trope.

It doesn’t have to be, and FMA: Brotherhood is a perfect example. There are a ton of female characters in it, they are different from each other. They inspire those around them, men and women. They are equal partners, and they are changing the world in important ways. Winry, Olivier Armstrong, May, Lan Fan, Izumi, Hawkeye, Trisha, Pinako, and Lust are all complex characters who are different from each other and serve different roles in the story. They are not humiliated for being women, and they are treated as human beings, something I really appreciate.

8

Every Character Has a Role to Play

Everyone Matters

Like most shōnen anime, FMA: Brotherhood has a very large cast, but every character has a role to play. Characters outside the core group, such as the Xing characters and the Ishvalans, play an important role in the larger story and its themes.

Ideas are introduced slowly as each new character is brought into the story. All of these different characters appear to be separate and distinct stories, but they are told in common, and become one unified entity in the artistic presentation of the stories. Each character is important, and has a part to play in the larger story.

7

It knows what it wants to say

Not a Moment Was Wasted

The importance of profit in storytelling is often underestimated, but the difference between throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks is having a strong, cohesive story that makes sense. FMA: Brotherhood has the best payoff in the genre, when things get organized and come full circle, even if it’s too late.

This is done in several ways, including recurring images and clever use of theme. Concepts such as religion, philosophy, and power systems are often reinforced through storytelling, such as the Ishval genocide and the laws of alchemy.

6

Events Remembered

Remembering Past Events is Important

Sometimes things happen in character-driven anime, but these are missed opportunities. FMA: Brotherhood is so well-crafted that every moment makes you appreciate its characters, none more so than Tucker does for his daughter Nina and his dog Alexander.

This is a shocking moment that occurs at the beginning of the show, but is also mentioned by Ed at the end of the anime. It was an event that changed the way the brothers saw the world, and affected their actions and decisions going forward. Other events do the same, which is important as it makes them more complex characters, but also reminds you of everything the characters have been through, giving them more impact and meaning.

5

There were some truly shocking moments

And they have a purpose

FMA: Brotherhood has some genuinely shocking moments, such as Nina and Alexander. There are also several important plot twists that change the whole story and put the characters in a different perspective. This is no different from FMA: Brotherhood, but its twists and shocking moments are there for specific purposes rather than just shock value.

This is because all events exist to build on something. Even the silly structure of Liore has a purpose. This makes these moments more impactful, and felt more than moments that just happen and are forgotten. Constantly going back to shocking moments and giving them a new meaning each time it does so creates tension and creates a twist, ultimately more meaningful because of what came before.

4

Its World Building and Magic System

Constraints Encourage Creativity

A strong magic show is always an asset to the stories it has, and sticking to a set of rules is important to ensure the immersion isn’t broken for the audience. Setting limits is also important, as it makes the characters and the audience think of ways to overcome them, and that’s a great tool for immersion.

FMA: The fraternity magic system is amazing. Alchemy’s law of equal exchange is a strict rule, and breaking it has real consequences that form the basis of the Elric brothers’ origin story. The law of equal exchange is also the basis of the wider structural setting, going back to Hoenheim and the creation of Amestris as a country.

3

Your Artistic Style

A Visual Medium Requires Good Art

Arakawa Hiromu has a beautiful art style that is instantly recognizable. He has created a few manga, but in my opinion, he is the best with FMA. His lines are clean and his designs are simple, yet every character is unique in appearance. The actors wear clothes that match their culture and team, the fight scenes flow easily, and his visual humor is constant.

Not only is his art beautiful, but it translates flawlessly to the anime. The art style is different from the usual anime styles, but it is still a popular anime. His characters wear their emotions on their sleeves, and even subtle expressions tell a story.

2

It has a good ending

Fix-It Fics are not required

I love anime, but most of the time my happiness is in travel. I’ve come to accept that the ending of any anime will probably be rushed or slowed down compared to every other. Not so in FMA: Brotherhood, which has one of my favorite endings of anything. It works with the themes of the story, it’s within what we’d expect from the characters, it doesn’t break the course or its magic system, and it’s very satisfying on all narrative and emotional levels.

Its ending brings us back full circle, and really drives home the journey we’ve just taken. It looks at what has been lost, and what has been gained without preaching or stating the obvious. It is not always pulled in favor of more sales, it ends where it is needed, not a moment too soon or too late.

1

It has a concrete cause and effect

Actions Matter

Like the law of alchemy, FMA: Brotherhood characters and story experiences cause and effect. Every character’s action has a corresponding reaction, from the obvious, such as the characters trying to transform someone to have something taken away from them, to the unintended consequence of Scar hunting down the government’s chemists because of the events that happened years ago.

It is this cause and effect that makes FMA: The End of Brotherhood so successful. Something fundamental is missing from Ed, but what he gains in exchange is invaluable. It’s the right thing to do, it’s the right thing to do for him, and it’s another example of what he would do to save his brother. Having two brothers sacrifice everything for each other makes for a compelling and heartfelt journey, and keeps FMA: Brotherhood in my top anime spot even nearly two decades later.

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  Maxey Whitehead

  Alphonse Elric

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  Vic Mignogna

  Edward Elric

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  Brittney Karbowski

  Selim Bradley