(Please no spoilers). I know. I've read a dozen of these already. I'm brand new to FMA and I just want to have the most mind blowing, exhilarating experience that makes me a fanatic of the show. I'm into great storytelling (from beginning to end) above all else. I don't know if I'll watch both but I could if they're different enough.

I heard that FMA takes its time with characters and world building and has a better start and a lackluster or disappointing ending. I heard that FMAB is a "full story" straight from the creator, put its all into everything, and has a rocky start with poor expedited pacing and a much better ending. I heard that both are masterpieces and I would start with FMA and switch to FMAB, but I heard the plot lines are too different. So I watched the pilot of both.

For FMA, it was very well done. Clearly more effort placed on storytelling, and felt like a typical classic anime. From the very first scene, we are thrown into the tragic backstory of the Elrics and are quickly taught how this world works. We feel the pain that drives them and understand how their mind works. There is a distinct moment of "Oh my God... he turned his brother into a golem to make up for his mistake and guilt," as well as the reveal of Edward's metal limbs. The world is explained: got it, transmutation circles and laws. The philosophers stone is introduced and easily understood as a mystical item of worth. The prospect of what will come is clearly laid out.

For FMAB, it was... terrible. The quality was clearly better, reminding me a lot of LoK. But even though I already knew the same concepts (watching this second), it still felt like a later season than a pilot. The tragic backstory is thrown in to get it out of the way and I felt absolutely nothing. I only care about Edward because of his VA. There is an entire new world and I can understand most of it but barely care about it because it's so rushed. Okay... I guess transmutation circles go on hands now and everyone is an element bender? The philosophers stone I guess is inside of them? The episode doesn't have any prospect of what's in store except for Lust and Gluttony.

So... is this consistent throughout? Because I was expecting to watch only FMAB because it's a "full story", has a better ending, and everyone says it will give the "wow" experience that would get me hooked. But the pilot was nearly unwatchable. And I would watch FMA (and then FMAB), but I don't want to ruin a clean FMAB viewing by watching FMA and getting disappointed by the ending.

TLDR: I felt General Armstrinf’s strength feats were wildly inconsistent with her strength orotrayl, especially because of her duel with brother followed by her brother’s role in the Sloth fight. I’m conflicted because outside of her strength feats (& how they feel inaccurate to earlier feats), she is one of the best characters in the show.

Full Explanation

I just finished FMA Brotherhood and I feel wildly conflicted about her. One the one hand, I absolutely loved her character. Her attitude, approach, gags, etc. were all top tier. She feels like the original version of Mereleona from Black Clover. She also had such a commanding presence on screen, like anything could happen.

I’m conflicted on her strength display. From the moment of her introduction, she was portrayed with such an aura of strength. Then we see this strength tested when she fights her duel with her brother, who had feats as one of the strongest state alchemists at that point. Going into the fight, he proclaims that he will fight seriously (and the story does not clearly indicate otherwise). Despite this proclamation, she proceeds to destroy him! The fight was so one sided, that he was hilariously screaming “NOOOOOO!!!” while being violently dragged & thrown from room to room.

In fact, she felt like one of the select few characters that was imposing enough to challenge Wrath. This was due to (a) her attitude & aura; (b) her sword prowess; (c) how she originally handled Sloth; and (d) how she destroyed her brother in combat.

After the trained was bombed & Briggs attacked, I was sure Bradley would come back & he’d fight General Armstrong. I was surprised & excited when she was set up to fight Sloth instead.

Going into that fight, I thought she would be able to win, or at minimum, put up a great fight. Remember, shoe easily handled Sloth before, without even needing to rely on her actual combat abilities.

However, the fight instantly proves too much for her, leaving her practically powerless against Sloth on her own. If not for her brother’s intervention, she 100% would have died. Even after he came to help, he had to expressly rescue her & take over the fight.

Not only does her brother take over the fight, he basically fights Sloth 1v1 & nearly wins alone. He’s able to stop Sloths movement, & mortally wound him multiple times in 1v1 combat. Meanwhile, General Armstrong could not do anything on her own.

Her inability to fight Sloth feels EXTREMELY strange, given her brother’s ability to combat Sloth 1v1. This feels so strange because Mr. Armstrong & Sloth feel like they fight very similarly, and we see General Armstrong destroy her brother. This feeling is compounded when Ed’s teacher shows up & easily tosses Sloth & her husband then delivers a devastating blow.

The Sloth fight felt like everyone could stand up to Sloth except General Armstrong, who had arguably been portrayed as the strongest among that group of 4.

In the original FMA, there’s a scene where the colonel is bringing Ed to Tucker’s house. When Mustang mentions that he has a four-year-old daughter Edward asks if he’s married and has a wife Mustang doesn’t say anything and continues walking to the house. Do you think Mustang knew he was up to no good?

This Tier List is based on how Likable each character is.

Ya’ll wanted Hohenheim, Scar and Bradley in Red Tier. I delivered 🫡

I even moved up Kimblee and Father to Orange Tier.

FMA BH has too many supporting characters so I couldn’t squeeze them all in.

You’re welcome Fam

What is the name of the music when gluttony kills cornello. I've been looking for it since forever

I'm reading the Manga for the first time and I love this little 4th wall break to hide Ed's hightp

My boyfriend showed me Agatha All Along for the first time last October, and dear God, it was a wild ride. I loved the performances, the music, and the cast were awesome as always, especially Kathryn Hahn and Patti LuPone. But my favorite part of all is, not surprisingly, The Ballad of the Witches' Road.
One day, my weird little brain decided to mash up AAA with Fullmetal Alchemist. I thought about doing this with some of my OCs, the Riders, but I realized it would work just as well with the OG cast.
In both, I imagine Ed, Al, Izumi, Van, and Roy restrained. But in the latter, since it's more in line with the main story, they're the ones singing, them plus Pride >!(AKA Selim Bradley)!<. It's the Promised Day, and like the original, Father >!uses these five and all of the souls in Amestris to open the Gate and absorb its power!<. Izumi leads, then Ed joins in, then Alphonse. Finally, Van joins in, a tear rolling down his face because he knows what's about to happen. Roy, however, he's just confused. I mean, the guy >!is blind and he's just hearing people singing and wondering what the hell is going on.!< Father, lingering in the background, just rings the bell and awaits >!the eclipse!<.
Pride joins in for the next chorus, and now that he understands it a little better, Roy lends his voice, too. One final ring and Father looks up to the sky, >!the eclipse finally complete, and he activates the countrywide circle!<. As he >!absorbs the energy from the quintet's Gates, the souls of the country's residents swirling around him,!< he starts to climb upward, growing and growing, or at least a projection of himself does, stretching his arm out toward >!the Gate!<, eyes sparkling from the sheer excitement of what's about to happen.
What do you guys think? Do you think it would work?

Hii! So I finished watching fmab back in 2020 and ever since it's been my favourite anime. I've been trying to find books that have similar vibes to it, so please list down any books that you think are similar or have similar vibes to FMA!

A similar book that I can think of myself if The Mechanical by Ian Tregillis. Alchemy is involved in the world and the main character kind of reminds me of Al.

Brotherhood’s OST does not even compare to 03’s ost. They are very few tracks in Brotherhood that I would list as being on the level of pure emotion in 03’s soundtrack. Not to say it’s bad or that it isn’t good in its own right but hardly anything hits the same. Also there are a lot of lesser quality tracks that are repeated and placed everywhere even when it doesn’t fit (Lurking is a legitimately bad song with how it’s spammed everywhere in the most unfitting moments such as the Nina/Alexander reveal).

This will probably get downvoted to heck and back but I genuinely find it frustrating how much lower quality the soundtrack is compared to 03 (which is one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever heard in an anime.)