Best Bits: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Who’s up for some equivalent exchange?

Directed by Yasuhiro Irie. Produced by Bones. Based on Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa. All images fair use.

“… Fullmetal Alchemist.”

“Fullmetal Alchemist!”

“FULL…metal Alchemist.”

Hm? Oh, sorry, Dear Reader, didn’t see you there. I was just practicing my Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood intermission card voice. I’ll continue later, because right now, it’s time for another Best Bits. You already knew that, of course, having read the title, but we’ve been together so long that I know you’ll indulge my penchant for drama from time to time. (If you’re new here, run while you can!)

FMAB is a near 1:1 anime retelling of Hiromu Arakawa’s seminal manga Fullmetal Alchemist. I switch off annually, reading the manga one year and watching the anime the next. Since this was an anime year, it made more sense to focus on the show for this Best Bits. The differences are so few and far between that a manga-focused Best Bits would have been quite similar, minus the inclusion of Arakawa’s gorgeous illustrations.

Unlike my Justice League/Justice League Unlimited and Invincible Best Bits, however, there’s not as much of a story behind my experience with FMAB. I didn’t…