Posted on 04.10.11 with 107 notes

Via: intothedistances
Source: -redux

isitscary:

-redux:

because i’ve been trying to get uh, certain people to watch this show for some time, here is a somewhat decent list of reasons why i think you should all be watching this show:

• Because more than anything, Brotherhood is exactly what is says- it’s a coming-of-age tale about two brothers growing up, admitting their mistakes, and moving on. The first series is much darker in regards to Brotherhood, which is a faithful adaptation of the manga, and spends more time on the consequences of the brothers’ sins, but both still revolve around the same concept.
• The characters in this show are all very, very relatable to an extent, and are controlled- in most anime, characters tend to have exaggerated traits and personalities, but in Fullmetal Alchemist, the characters are realistically grounded. every single character- and I mean every- is fleshed out, and thus becomes more two dimensional over time.
• Fullmetal Alchemist also brings life to its setting as well as its characters. You not only understand the rules of alchemy, or the sort of institutions that exist around alchemy and teach it, but also the sort of life people lead whether or not they practice alchemy. The world extends from settings that are either on the countryside, or in the desert, and makes sure that before moving on, the audience gets a good grasp on the sort of life that revolves around that certain landscape and town. You could almost say that if it weren’t for the intense and layered buildup of plot, that FMA could almost be a slice of life show. It also manages to have a lot of interesting similarities/ideas taken from the Industrial Revolution (the trains, automail- the use of metal, etc)
• The fights are realistic and smart. God knows how frustrating it is to find a show that utilizes its fights properly. I know most people don’t really look for something like this, but each fight is amazing not in just animation, but how its executed- each fighter has to use their brains, whether it be for manipulating the environment to their needs, or understanding their opponent’s weakenesses through certain fighting styles, or even running away- a tactic that most animes tend to associate with being weak. 
• WAR NARRATIVES; Fullmetal Alchemist is amazing in how it delves into this. If anything, FMA is a story about victims from past wars, and victims in current wars-and how people learn to understand the trauma of war, whether it be through trying to get revenge, or through helping others in order to atone for your crimes. Another main theme is price of a human’s life, and FMA deals with this brilliantly in a variety of ways, the most amazing one being through Winry’s narrative.
• FMA also focuses on the idea of disability, and dealing with disabilities as both a personal struggle and eye-opener to what it means to be ‘normal’ or to be ‘better’. How being disabled can be both a curse and a blessing and give characters an outlook on life 
• Fullmetal Alchemist also expands upon the ideas of justice and revenge themselves. What determines justice, and what are the repercussions of forcing your justice on others? Does revenge actually solve anything or is it more of a selfish desire to give your life a purpose or meaning? These are some of the questions FMA deals with and tries to answer. Most of all however, is the idea of equality- that by gaining something, something of equal value must be lost in the process. While the original anime focuses mainly on this, it’s still a very large idea that FMA tackles (and actually manages to find a good answer to).
• The cast of FMA is large and diverse, something you don’t find often in anime- Code Geass for example, had an equally large cast, but most of its characters were not fleshed out enough. FMA uses its large cast to tell large stories- stories that are heartwarming and are realistic, yet don’t seem too overdramatic to be considered as cliches. 
• I think more than anything however, is the character development of the main cast. I don’t think I’ve found a more compelling story that manages to stick- and stick consistently-through and through the entire way. It is almost nostalgic when you look back from the end of the show to see the kids that the Elric brothers were once, and to look at them now, fully grown. Fullmetal Alchemist’s strongest achievement, I personally believe, is watching these brothers grow from trial to trial, struggle to struggle and fully coming to understand not just themselves but the world around them and yet still maintaining their faith, despite seeing the worst of worlds.

These are some of the main reasons I can come up with and I’m sure Emma has a better list, but uh, if you haven’t watched this show you need to do so now because it’s really that wonderful.

I know a lot of people tend to stray away from ANY form of anime, but this is one show I promise that just about anyone can enjoy.