Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 Retrospective - A Beautiful Masterpiece

[@offtheshelfET]

The fact that they took this fun manga and turned it into a gothic tragedy about two brothers trying to make sense of and find hope in a world of nihilism just shows how much an adaptation can bring when it dares to take risks.

[@jakubgodyn7413]

This is not an adaptation. This show was never interested in adapting the manga. I am not saying it's bad but it is not an adaptation.

[@mookiestewart3776]

@@jakubgodyn7413”this show was never interested in adapting the manga”. It was through the first couple arcs but the show simply moved faster and garnered more popularity than the manga when it was running. It’s not that the show runners “didn’t have an interest”, the mangaka was simply too slow and her work was being popularized by a team that had nothing to do with her. It’s not like they made the shows story out of spite, they did it out of necessity. And on doing so they made something that will never be forgotten by viewers that have actual media literacy. In fact there’s a few lessons from the 2003 show that the author probably should have taken to heart that would have gave her story a bit more depth 🤷‍♂️

[@jakubgodyn7413]

@@mookiestewart3776 Actually no. The authors of the anime read a few first volumes of the manga, they really liked it and then they went to Arakawa and asked her if they could do original anime that only loosely adapted the manga. She gave them her blessing and they started doing their own thing. Just look at how many changes they made to the stuff they adapted. They didn't kill Tucker, they changed the timeline of the events and even introduced their version of Sloth (aka Ed and Al's "mother") as early as episode 13. And they were adapting the manga up to episode 25 or so. Also, Laila is introduced in the episode about the coal mine.

[@Handplottedblackhole]

The homunculi are a standout for sure; changing their characters to be actually motivated by the same desire for restoration that Ed and Al are is fantastic story telling, and much better motivation than "daddy made me evil at birth" lol.

[@alpguy4865]

One thing that I slowly realized while watching this video is how Ed and Al are basically kinda like "A hero who doesn't matter". If any of you who read this have watched Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049, and happen to stumble upon a video titled "Why You Love A Hero Who Doesn't Matter | Blade Runner 2049", you probably know what I'm talking about, not gonna spoil Blade Runner's story in here though. Ed and Al ultimate role in 2003 doesn't seem to really matter, not to say it isn't, but the vibe and atmosphere it gave suggest they're not necessarily someone that important in their world. They're still special to some degree, they're young intelligent alchemist, the sons of Hohenheim who has deep connection to the main villain, which themselves (Ed and Al) are also have deep connection to Envy and even more to Sloth, but ultimately in-universe they're just some random people who stumbled upon a bigger problems rather than someone who's the story told did have major role and connection to the big problems. FMAB did this too, but I think their role in Brotherhood had more impact to the final problem because they're sacrifices. This even reflected in Ed and Mustang's last conversation when Ed told him, "even when our eyes closed, there's a bigger world out there", suggesting that they're just part of the world instead of the world itself. They're 2 individuals that has initial goal, but then slowly realized the bigger problems. They're obliged to deal with the problem, not because the story told that they're special being and the only one that can deal with it, but they realized how the world doesn't revolve around them and there're bigger problems with bigger consequences that need to be dealt with instead of focusing on their own goal. The few last episodes are probably the reflection of this. Instead of grandiose fight with many of the known characters fighting together for a grand resolution of the story, the last fight(s) seems so mundane, it felt like any other episodes where they're presented with a problem and need to deal with it, they fought separately (Ed with Dante and Mustang with Bradley), and instead of big action scene, we are presented with 2 people arguing about their world view. The ending (both the series and movie) are just icing on top, but in this case the icing is pure truffle/caviar/or even gold. There're some sloppy writing here and there, there're some very awkward scenes and storyboarding direction, but it's perfection in an absolute imperfection, which I loved it more than FMAB despite FMAB is still my favorite shonen and despite I grew up watching FMAB first and then 2003 later (I literally watched 2003 when it was still pandemic). God I love 2003 so much

[@KevinNyaa]

More FMA 03 videos praising the show is never a bad thing! Wish people would put a stop to the stigma that just because it didn't follow the source material meant that it's bad, when it's one of the most unique shonen's I've ever watched! Good vid

[@deaj8450]

Yes, I hate when people say Brotherhood is better specifically because it follows the manga. The manga is not always the end all be all, things can be done better.

[@ED-on8dz]

The normal thing is several factors by which several people are repulsed by this version, besides not following the original material, add that it literally deconstructs the Modern Shonen. It uses several narrative elements that are almost never used in Shonen, along with humanized and psychologically complex characters. The dark atmosphere is something that current toxic positivists cannot endure. The abundant drama makes this work exclusively for those few who can appreciate its true value, looking beyond the superficial. Your love for Shonen clichés is something that Brotherhood simply tried to exploit, squeezing all the virtues of Shonen, trying to cover too much but giving little, whereas the 2003 version covered little but gave much.

[@pentexsucks43]

The darker artstyle and tone is much more pleasing to the eye personally. Brotherhood is beautiful, but lost so much grit from 03

[@macdaddy1376]

@@deaj8450 the source will ALAWYS be better no matter what. its what the author intended.

[@deaj8450]

@macdaddy1376 I completely disagree with you. The author could intend their plot to suck theoretically. What the author wants has no bearing on the plot being good or bad. It could be amazing, could be terrible. Quality is separate from the desire of the original artist. Author intent means nothing to me.

[@sandman45]

glad i'm not the only one who likes 03' over brotherhood, it always had a nice flow to it, the pacing likes to take it's time and have more slow moments that i think make it easier to digest

[@jakubgodyn7413]

I can't agree. While Brotherhood has its pacing problems in the first 14 or so episodes 2003 has a different problem. It kinda loses its story flow after the first half. When they were taking manga and were giving their own spin on it it was even better at places than the original. But when they had to do 100% original stuff things went sideways.

[@pressfinchat]

As much as I loved FMAB, everything felt so much richer and deeper in FMA 2003 overall. - The homonculi are not just some supernatural bad guys you have to beat, they’re the embodiment of your sins, born out of your actions. - There’s no typical otherworldly/godly big-bad final boss, just a very flawed and selfish human behind the curtains. - Roy Mustang wants to become Fuhrer not just because he experienced the Ishbal War, but because he felt powerless for having killed Winry’s parents and so never wanted to be powerless again. - The brothers’ mid-season argument was not just over whether or not Al is a fake - which felt a bit contrived and forced in Brotherhood - but was also fueled, in large part, by Ed almost having sacrificed dozens of lives just to save Al, which deeply betrays their principles. - Scar felt a deep connection with the brothers by associating their bond to his own bond with his late brother, which led him to do for Al what his brother did for him, sacrifice. - Character deaths felt raw and unfiltered. They felt real and haunting. The remains of Nina after having been decomposed by Scar, splattered on the wall of a random back alley. The slow death of Slicer, having his bloodseal slowly waste away. The grotesque death stance of Greed. The half-sliced body of Dante. The slow leakage of blood as Martel is stabbed and dies within Al’s armor, desperately trying to get her message across.

[@androyus]

The always-underrated FMA 2003. It's still a very good anime with its own story. IMO FMA fans should be happy & celebrate the fact that they now have, not one, but *two* good FMA anime. Not continually bashing, ignoring or pretend that FMA 2003 doesn't exist.

[@pressfinchat]

You know, just let them whine. They probably don’t even deserve to watch the masterpiece that is FMA 2003. It’s not us that’s missing out on a phenomenal story, it’s them.

[@ticklemedaddy]

​@@pressfinchat It's comments like these that make me ashamed to enjoy tragic stories

[@ThePointBlank87]

FMA 2003, overall, has a much more darker and melancholic feel imo. After finishing conqueror of shamballa, I cant help feeling empty. Dont get me wrong, the story is fantastic but I am glad brotherhood has a much more "happy ending" for the brothers and their loved ones. Brotherhood saved me from the FMA 2003 depression 😂

[@canonogic]

One thing 03 has over Brotherhood is lighting of its animation. By god, is the lighting in its cell work unbelievably beautiful.

[@TheChocolateNick]

The 03 was actually digital 😅 maybe the backgrounds were on cells but all the animation was colored digitally

[@isauldron4337]

I disagree politely Lighting isn't bad or anything but i think It overused yellowish Orange a lot

[@mookiestewart3776]

@@isauldron4337I think it’s much more atmospheric than the bright white that’s overused in fmab or the black/blue sub hues it uses. (Pun intended)

[@charcoal200]

Soon as I heard that you found 03 to be superior, you got the like lol. I will always argue that Brotherhood may have the better story, but that 03 tells its story far better.

[@u.a.perfectace7786]

Not following the source material could have easily went south real fast. FMA 2003 is not an example of this. I am actually glad it didn't and I really like how bittersweet and dark it was. Plus the interesting de-construction of Equivalent Exchange and challenging it as complete bullshit was something really cool. Using our world's dead as energy for Alchemy in FMAs world was way more interesting than what Father did IMO. The Homuculli are way more interesting as they serve (mostly) as living embodiments of the folly of human transmutation and foils to Ed, Al, Izumi, and Van Hoenheim. The consequences of HT are quite literal and more personal to the main cast. I love Brotherhood as well don't get me wrong. I am rewatching FMA 2003 and it really focuses on the Elrich brothers dynamic and relationship (they really feel like brothers, which reminds me my close bond with my brother.)

[@Adeluz]

i didn't read the manga before watching 2003, and i was disappointed by brotherhood's homunculi narrative (although i admit the spectacle of envy's true form was pretty cool). i know both have their strengths and faults, but i have always been drawn to darker tragic narratives. i was sad to find out that 2003 is not as well received as brotherhood when i personally find it much more emotionally compelling. glad i'm not alone.

[@deaj8450]

I think 03 is my favorite anime, and maybe show, of all time. I do like Brotherhood a lot as well, but the difference to me can be summed up to Brotherhood being a shonen and 03 being a seinen. They're just very different shows entirely and I can't get enough of the dark, realistic, and gritty tone and feel of 03. Whereas I have plenty of other shows that feel like Brotherhood, if that makes sense. Also this is an incredibly well made video, the editing is particularly good.

[@curtisscism1522]

Rewatching this masterpiece with a friend this year. It’s been 5 years since I watched this show. Love the themes, the story, the character arcs and growth as well as the world building. I’m torn on the ending but it is bitter sweet.

[@rpsc8000]

2003 showed me a serious tone for a lot of scenes in early brotherhood and makes me wish that sometimes FMAB went in a more serious direction. The armour suit in lab 5 killing himself was such a tone setter

[@mariokart9227]

I rewatched both 2003 and Brotherhood recently. Both are incredible and I still don't know which I prefer.

[@Its_Just_I]

Just don't choose they both are great!

[@алексейпугачев-л9й]

@@Its_Just_I yeah.....i feel like people who are choosing here is at disadvantage.......

[@imcink]

03 is my favorite anime of all time

[@vogonp4287]

It's interesting how the different iterations of the story reflect and contrast each other. It's basically equivalent exchange.

[@tuntalia]

I will never get over the fact that I was born around the same time FMA03 aired

[@louish5068]

I don't personally think that the one you watched first is always the one you prefer. I watched Brotherhood way back in early 2016 (when i was 13) and absolutely loved it, and was told by friends not to bother with 03 (even though they had not watched it either) because its 'worse' and not faithful. Then in 2018 I attempted to watch 03 and enjoyed it a lot until the big divergence with Wrath having Ed's limbs. At the time I thought it was stupid and I was of the mind it was worse simply because it wasn't manga faithful. But then I gave it another shot in 2020. I had to force myself through those couple of episodes again with Wrath, but then after that point I begun loving it more and more. I especially loved the conclusion with our world being the other side of the gate and Dante. At the time, I didn't realise CoS was a follow up (i thought it was like the Brotherhood movie and just a side story) so I didn't bother watching it. After this watch of 03, I decided to try rewatching Brotherhood, but I only made it halfway through. At the time I thought I was just burnt out on FMA, rather than not liking Brotherhood. But I then watched both earlier this year with my girlfriend. I introduced her to 03 first, as I wanted her perspective from watching them the other way to me. We also made sure to watch CoS as I realised it was a sequel. This rewatch of 03 made me realise just how good it is, and I even loved the movie (despite it being rushed) and I would say it is one of my top anime of all time now. Whereas I felt like I was forcing myself through the Brotherhood rewatch for my gfs sake. I think that Brotherhood just messes up the pacing (it feels rushed at the beginning but then the promised day is an absolute slog) as well as the incessant comedy chibi gags at inappropriate times. But even without those downsides, I just prefer the character driven, philosophical nature of 03 compared to the big plot and power of friendship nature of Brotherhood. Brotherhood is still good, and I still rate it highly, but 03 just really sticks with me despite it being the second I watched. Further evidence against it being the one you watched first is my girlfriend, she can't really decide which she prefers but says Brotherhood as she prefers its happy ending. It at the end of the day just comes down to personal preference as both are objectively high quality shows. Some things I prefer from 03 other than the story: -Direction, the camera work in some scenes is just beautiful, and the fish eye lens panning shot of Ed and Dante is so beautiful and gripping that it + the Dante's dialogue just makes it far better than any final boss fight scene could be. -Lighting, The colour palette of 03 is just beautiful but also just much more fitting. In Brotherhood, scenes of warzones will still play out with overly saturated blue skies and obscenely bright whites that it just feels inappropriate at times. Whereas the lighting in 03 ALWAYS fits the context. -Music, Brotherhood has some iconic tunes but most just fade from memory. Also, Brotherhood also has an issue where the music doesnt fit the scene. Whereas 03 has numerous iconic tunes which always fit the moment. The highlights are definitely Brothers and Dante's Theme (especially with all the different versions). 03 also does something really clever with music, when they first meet Dante, her radio is playing Dante's theme. Of course you dont know its necessarily her theme yet. But when Hohenheim of Light goes to confront her, and Lira is revealed as Dante, that theme is playing in the background. Its a cool switch from it playing from the radio to just playing 'radiantly' to mark one of its biggest reveals.

[@happygilmore511]

Wow editing compliment, that transition scene for the Homonuculi section was so in sync with that music

[@albertwesker9933]

I loved the fact that when his friend died... Mustang really say .. " I was thinkin about a Humand transmutation formula I was working when I was younger.. " after or before we saw that was Huges the one that see him making some experiments.. Meaby .. was trying to bring back the doctors

[@hoangvu620]

I truly appreciate the way you used one of my most favourite anime to explain how the manga-anime industry work. Gintama. I strongly recommend people who learning Japanese to watch it with sub. Most of my motivation to get JLPT N1 is just to understand the jokes in original Japanese. Spoiler: it worth.

[@matteste]

Of those who liked this show, I would also recommend you watch the show Gankutsuou as it is a show with a very similar feel.

[@Rgoid]

At least FMA 03 doesn’t have a “Kill ‘em All” ending.

[@gusherxcrusher]

I remember watching this show back when I was in 7th grade and I watched this version right before brotherhood but 2003 is still my favorite show of all time Everything from the direction to the extremely dark themes I can’t not love this show

[@haosmagnaingram6992]

Your points about isolation are great and generally something I don’t see people other than myself talk about enough especially with how heavily it contrasts the manga in a way where this aspect to me always ends up feeling very pronounced when juxtaposing of the two stories.

[@dete31]

Wow this is a great video. It really put into words for me why I've always enjoyed FMA03 so much.

[@tetitous]

Thank you! For once I feel like the take that's being presented is not trying to dismantle Brotherhood using 2003, but a real, genuine look at the series for what it truly is. To me 2003 is the more shaky out of the two, but it's why I like it so much, why it is so memorable. In a way, that show feels very human, I rarely felt it was over the top (weird cyborgs aside, but I'm repeating my jokes at this point) and the characters really do stand on their own. 03 has a very different message than the manga and Brotherhood, and I really appreciate the complexity and the nuance of that message. The fact that people are actively trying to prevent interested viewers in watching it is the true tragedy, FMA in its entirety is such a unique experience, the only thing I could compare it to is-like- Utena maybe? There is so much FMA to enjoy, so let's share that.

[@myforever13]

i also watched fma 2003 when i was like 12 but it didn’t come across as overly dark to me as my siblings and I regularly read manga with “dark” themes. but looking back i can see what you mean

[@tobiogunyemi7631]

Lost me on how nostalgia was the main crux of why you liked FMA200E, got me all the way back with the rest of the essay. Great recommendation by YT on this one.

[@papageno88]

I always feel like Brotherhood is tighter, but 03 is more raw, sometimes to the point of melodrama, but more visceral than Brotherhood.

[@powerofberzerker9487]

Remembering back when I first watched Brohood, the one thing that I hated so much, besides the comedy bits, was how openings spoiled every fight or big moment that was supposed to happen in that season.

[@kunaldebnath3879]

2023 marks the 20th anniversary of FMA '03

[@KiraAotsuki]

I love 03, it seriously deserves to stand next to Brotherhood as a revered and celebrated anime. Whats also so impressive is the production itself. Arakawa working with the team to plan out an original story that still has allusions to twists that i'm pretty sure hadn't even happened in the manga yet. Seriously you don't get Anime original content like this, ever.

[@TifffanyTaylor]

My brothers & sisters in christ, this was a banger video.

[@andrewstrausbaugh4517]

Great video. Very precise analysis. Made me remember why I used to make sure I was home to record every episode off of Cartoon Network back in the day.

[@senseiimmandi]

I know this video is a year old, but whatever emotions I felt from watching 03 have intensified 100x after watching your analysis of the show. 03 is not just my favorite anime, but my favorite show in general. Beautiful video not just content wise but also production wise-the editing is amazing lord

[@harshgarg7542]

Another banger , People really underestiumate FMA 2003 which is truly a masterpoece imo, I especially like the touch how you use aspect ratio of FMA 2003 for the video. Isuggest you watch Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinju, you will surely love it.

[@AJ-ey5eh]

This is my favourite story of all time😊 thank you for appreciating it

[@Ash-tu1oc]

This was a lovely retrospective! You hit on all the points of what makes this adaptation special and worthwhile ❤ thank you for sharing these thoughts!

[@jish55]

To me, the reason I don't like Brotherhood is that it's way too goofy, even during serious moments. I get they wanted to add EVERYTHING from the manga, but some aspects in manga don't work in animation, and using the goofy, dumb scenes that work in manga (a format that requires you to use your imagination) hurt Brotherhood too much (because animation is showing you what's meant to be shown).

[@Kagatsuo]

I really enjoyed this video! I like how grounded and laid back yet thoughtful (if that makes sense?) your editing and scripting is. It's a massive shame this video doesn't have more views. Wonderful work!!!

[@EndlessKurtis]

This is such a beautiful comparison between 03 and brotherhood. The best I’ve seen so far. I liked your vid structure comparing them across various categories as too. Also I realized in first min you were one of the cast members of podtaku/J-Taku. When I heard your voice I immediately was like “was she on podtaku???” And went to look it up to see. As the voice sounded too familiar. The combined nostalgia for 03 and the nostalgia for podtaku era hit hard. But that’s merely a side-note as your talent demonstrated in this video stands on its own. Good to see you using your talents. I know it’s cliche to say but you are underrated AF. And I’ve watched a ton of video essays on anime.

[@Milla4life2]

Very similar situation to you, it was in 2011 on Adult Swim, it was the dog episode of brotherhood. It came on after Boondocks and I decided not to change the channel. I fell in love with it and got FMA 2003 full series on DVD for Christmas.

[@AndrewLinw]

I love your style so much!

[@sayborgoussawa4424]

Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 is MASTERPIECE

[@Kevin_turner]

One of my favorite anime’s. I used to think Brotherhood was a follow up series like the super to z for dragon ball. I was a little confused and disappointed at first but then really enjoyed it after calming down

[@mrkaji8913]

14:10 “not all humongous are bad”

[@mr.l3938]

I absolutely love this video and I wanna say one thing about the ending of fma03 series i also love ur take on it too 100% the one thing I disagree is that 03 is all over the place I disagree but still amazing video *Spoilers for 03 btw* . . . . the ending was planned to be this from the start and it is a metaphor and everything that the story was about i mean no ill will and no hate to anyone who love fmab I'm just saying my opinion The plot twist was planned out throughout the series if you see it thematically it makes complete sense the main complaints is how early the twist was played out or foreshadowed in the show and they usually forget the virtues that the gate plot twist has 03 didn't only give hints right before the twist itself happened the audience sees images of our world's history in ed's memories of the gate all the way back in episode 29 which is just after the halfway point of the show now that tiny hints sure isnt enough but then u remember me sayin that if u few the whole series as a thematic character study then it all fits in place because what the gate twist lacks in dramatic buildup it more than makes up for it in thematic buildup theres a reason ed travels to our world and not to some metaphysical realm sealed within the gate or to some other fantasy sci-fi setting the writers could have conjured up for the finale 03 is about the conflict between fantasy and reality between childhood and adulthood between the ideal and the concrete between our personal dreams and the needs of the flesh and blood people around us huge examples of this are littered throughout the series but episode 16 is a big example heres a quote from that "A dream to get everything back the way it was but once you have it what will you do with your life?" the pleasure of a dream is that is a fantasy if it happens its not a dream "the anime explores these conflicts primarily ed's stubborn belief in equivalent exchange and through his refusal to accept its possible falsehoods when you keep all of this in mind it makes thematic sense that at the climax of ed and dante's argument about equivalent exchange in episode 49 which is really an argument about the fairness of the "real world" Ed through the gate to our world the actual real world not only is he stranded in the middle of ww1 often being the embodiment of bleak disillusionment but he's also literally stranded in reality itself this is the thematic justification for the suddenness of this twist its a sudden, brutal reality check ed is out of the dream world , his childhood and into the literal real world out of the realm of his dreams, ideals, beliefs, and his ambitions and in the realm of the ugly price of all of those things he discovers that the deaths that take place in our world fuel the transmutations of his world the dream world this is the dark foundational truth of all truths their is no fairness now i know its dark i love it but there is more than that it tries to portray life in a realistic way the main message of 03 from what i can tell is that life isn't all happy it kinda sucks sometimes it aint a fairy tale the idea of equivalent exchange isn't just a law of alchemy for the anime its an incorrect philosophy to live by the idea of giving something up will always result in something that you want is flawed sometimes if you put in a lot of work into something things just wont work out the way you want because thats life sometimes the character existence of wrath in 03 is one example the dude took ed's leg and arm in the gate without giving nothing in return he just stole them, mustang tries his best to avenge his homie but he never gets the chance to confront his killer in this version atleast,Lust wants to change herself she wants to become human but she dies before she can fully redeem herself, and wrath pretty much loses everything in the end of the series the limbs that he thought would make him human and both of his mothers, nina's death,but even though your struggles feel pointless there is always a silver lining you do still get something out of it which is what ed's last transmutation symbolizes even though he went through hell to do it he still succeeded in his goals he got Al's body back though not the way he expected and what he got in return wasn't perfect it has a hopeful connotation to it and there's something comforting about knowing that the anime ends up saying something meaningful about life03 is about many things but most of all its about even if we work hard in some cases we might not get what we want in return or we will get it but not in the way we expected it but you can't simply give up knowing this the world may be flawed but thats what makes it so beautiful no matter what you believe in life is still worth living even mustang said it at the final episode of 03 "the world is cruel but that's why its so damn beautiful" I'm so sorry for the long paragraph plus like I said what the ending is about a thematic buildup and metaphor of Edwards growth ngl that is also what adds more to the plot twist and i said it but again I mean no hate on this if you don't want to read this that's fine I'm sorry for this but yeah I hope u have a good day I love both fmab and fma03 but I think fma03 needs way more love than it has right now like back when it was airing I prefer 03 more but still again I'm sorry for the long paragraph and have a great day

[@willbachman1501]

03 is Toby McGuire spiderman, brotherhood is Tom holland spiderman

[@TheLPRnetwork]

Ironic, how brotherhood fails to adapt the first half of the Manga While the 2003 success to adapt the first half, it couldn't adapt the 2nd half of the manga for it wasn't even made yet.

[@DigiBrad]

I think it was a pretty deliberate choice to focus more on the second half in Brotherhood though

[@TheLPRnetwork]

​@@DigiBrad exactly my point, Brotherhood had a choice, but rather than do both, choose only the 2nd half.

[@DigiBrad]

@@TheLPRnetwork I'm pretty sure that no matter the choice they would have had to produce the same amount of episodes and within the same time frame. So not focusing what was already done before was a good choice. Otherwise they were either rehashing those same episodes or had to make things more different to not be a rehash of those episodes. So I think they definitely made the right call. That first Anime is still there so no harm done in focusing more on the later half of the story

[@haosmagnaingram6992]

So brotherhood is actually much closer to the manga (outside of the first episode) it suffers from unmotivated decisions made when changing its structuring and weak directing (likely from its unseasoned head director). While by contrast 03 from the start really is never following the manga, but as it was planned from the start that it was going to be an original story and a character study the early episodes have motivated decisions behind their existence (and mizushima was a veteran director which showed in his work on FMA and is highlighted when contrasted with its overlapping counterparts in brotherhood). 03 in the beginning is better not because it adapted the manga more closely but instead because it improved upon the manga with active artistically beneficial decisions.

[@haosmagnaingram6992]

@@DigiBrad I also think they put less time focusing on the overlap (though 03’s overlap is actually greatly expanded and broho’s is closer to the manga’s) however it should be noted they did find space to throw in a recap episode in the middle and greatly stalled through the brigs arc. I think the weaknesses at the beginning comes from poor structuring choices that weren’t motivated after cuts were made (by and large I understand why they cut chapters 3 and 4 since they weren’t integral to the plot, but they served structural functions that I feel was lost on Irie and Ōnogi) and Irie was a fairly new director (having only been head director on one short show prior) so I think these episodes suffer compared to the rest of the series in part just cause Irie wasn’t that good at those points and he got better as the series went on.

[@oshoucaps]

another great mecha video from you!

[@Toto.Reyes16]

I also watched 2003 first thinking Brotherhood was (for some reason) a sequel or something and even though i really liked what they did with the Homunculi origins everything else feels inferior to Brotherhood's (also Envy's character is waaaaay more iconic)

[@ghosttimm420]

I like Brotherhood more because it follows the manga more closely but man, the 2003 version was so dark with the beautiful but tense music from the original it's just so damn good. I wish they would release a version of Brotherhood but with the OST from 2003 FMA. The OG soundtrack is literally a masterpiece IMO especially when it's trying to convey certain emotions through music while a shocking or dark scene is happening ❤

[@Jassu323]

That unfortunately wouldn't work. FMAB isn't directed in a way that 03's music would fit. It'd be quite tonally jarring for starters, and few scenes are shot in a way that would benefit from the longer and more emotionally-laden tracks.

[@zap998]

Loved the video, wish you had warned about the brotherhood spoilers though. (But if you did and I missed it my bad) I just finished it and was looking for essays and analysis about FMA's themes and EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM include Brotherhood so thank you for this video 😭

[@kunaldebnath3879]

Amazing video

[@micenabled9418]

2003 is still very good however it’s very dark and bitter sweet at the end Brotherhood is a more ideal series

[@rachnanayak5883]

I agree

[@mangodango1733]

I dont think the 03 version is superior but i think its underappreciated And personally i always start with the 2003 version and switch over Also the shambala movie is goated Both aee top tier for me

[@camsesii2287]

No, you're not wrong. 2003 is better than Brotherhood. The pacing is leagues better, and the homunculus twist was and still is my favorite anime twist of all time. The horror of having to fight and kill the resurrected loved one you sacrificed so much to revive was so shocking and heartbreaking. The biggest flaw of 2003 is definitely the ending. They took too long to get there and so the ending is rushed. The final duel between Al and Dante should have been epic, but as soon as he gets up from the ground after Ed's death its like he's already won their fight. Dante acts like she can't do anything to stop him from using the stone. Meanwhile a moment ago she crafted a dragon out of wood with a snap of her fingers. One more episode could have solved it. Imagine if the way Al beats Dante is by giving her exactly what she wants; an immortal body. That's how he should have won. Realizing that he can't hope to beat her in a real alchemy duel, he instead uses the stone within himself to swap their souls and put her in the suit of armor, and himself in Lyra's. Maybe the sudden loss of her senses drives Dante mad, and so she scratches off the blood seal Ed used to seal Al's soul to the armor. Just to end the horrible pain and end her misery. She'd get a taste of her own medicine. Al would be seen as more of an equal to Ed this way, since he endured for years without feeling anything, and living as a metal suit was so awful that the experience for even a minute would kill anyone other than Al. That's how I'd end their fight, then Al would have to make a choice of using the remaining piece of the stone to return himself to his original body, or to save his brother. Of course he'd save his brother, and he'd come back whole. Though Ed and Al would be sad that Al now can never return to his original self, but otherwise they'd live happily ever after. I don't care much for the movie and it's story honestly. I also really enjoyed the filler arcs of the early series. Lyra/Dante is one of my favorite villains of all time, and she's technically a filler character. She doesn't get nearly as much love as Father does, and that's not fair. I also prefer that Mustang was the one who killed Winry's parents, since the guilt and shame he feels for that act is what propels his desire to become fuhrer, and hopefully change the country for the better. You can't help but root for him. I was so looking forward to seeing Lust getting a better ending in Brotherhood since she had such a tragic death at the end of 2003, and I'd heard that Brotherhood was supposed to have a much happier ending. Only for me to find out she dies in episode 20 as the first homunculus to die, who aren't even former humans in that series. I was super disappointed overall at Brotherhood, since I spent my teenage years as a FMA fanatic, showing all my friends the series whenever I could. I love 2003 and the depressing, disturbing subject matter even until today. I'd love a remake of 2003 where they fix the messy ending, but still keep the series exactly the same otherwise. I know it'll never happen, sadly. I can always rewatch 2003 if I ever get the hankering for it.

[@constantinegarganta8364]

So when you gonna make a video About turn A

[@IwantPeace-cf1nl]

I love it btw which episode had human barry the chopper.

[@kunaldebnath3879]

Please make a comparison video on Brotherhood Homunculi vs 2003 Homunculi. Please 🙏

[@haosmagnaingram6992]

I’m really not sure there’s much to discuss through a direct comparison between the two homunculi groups and their respective narrative purposes. Like broadly I suppose you can examine what facets of their namesake sins they highlight though a number of those like broho sloth in particular don’t leave much room for analysis and instances like gluttony don’t really differ on this particular aspect. Or I suppose one could tackle how their shared themes of humanity and mistakes made of hubris and denial. Like I think each group could warrant its own analysis video on what they achieve for their respective series, but a cross series comparison is something I’m not sure really lends itself well for the subject matter in ways where I think examining other characters like Scar in 03 vs broho or Ed, or Alphonse etc have more points of intrigue to be found through their juxtaposition.

[@Vastroide]

I love anime

[@MrInuhanyou123]

Is YTK the canadian equivalent of toonami for America?

[@traguy2625]

I would argue that some homunculis where already humanized even in Brotherhood

[@mr.l3938]

Well yeah Greed, envy, Bradley,and pride are a few but I think 03 did do a goated job humanizing lust and sloth even gluttony a lil and envy too again

[@noxeternal6732]

The humans seemed to win and never lose in Brotherhood, just was lackluster compared to FMA 2003

[@sammys362]

BUT WHERE WHERE WHERE CAN I WATCH THESE AGAIN?? 😢😢😢😢

[@countereclipse]

some anime streaming sites, but last resort is going to anime torrent sites to download em

[@Mushruums]

I liked Brotherhood more but there were aspects of 2003 version I liked better. Like I liked King Bradley killing his son and also Shou Tucker lasting longer than 1 episode.

[@franklindbrosevelt5260]

sorry not trying to be rude or judgemental in any way but I'm genuinely curious, why do you specifically like fuher Bradley killing his son in 03? It just seems like an odd moment to pick as a favorite or standout scene in the 2003 series

[@youtuber5669]

to me it was like this: first seeing some brotherhood episodes on tv than wanting to see the story from the beginning but not knowing there are two versions i watched some episodes of 2003 version but once i realized there are 2 i watched brotherhood 1-64 than i finished 2003 fma and if i remember right the sacred star of milos wasn't a thing at that point yet video: the year is 2004 and you are in middle school me: I'm pretty sure 2004 and to be precise May 23 was the time when i turned 11 so maybe it was the time of middle school for someone but not yet for me

[@laytonsilz8576]

plenty of the standalone episodes are great like barry the chopper and ed scamming yoki out of the town deed, as well as more brotherly interactions between the two. i simply wont be investing 51 episodes for such a depressing ending again

[@potheadz8489]

stopped at pineapple belongs on pizza

[@MrZacdeath]

coward

[@Jaako880]

Inuyash has never been considered the "female version of dbz" lol what type of revisionist history is this??? If anything that would be sailor moon...

[@PrincessNine]

Homie said 04, that dub did not drop in 04 😂

[@RedDragonM1]

QUIET! THEY'LL HEAR YOU....Isn't like...illegal to talk about this anime? Because...of...stuff and things? Um..er...how should I put this? Does Broly from DBZ sound...different, now?

[@mookiestewart3776]

“The female equivalent of dbz”…..look I love inuyasha as much as the next guy but…….it wishes it was even in the same stratosphere as dbz 😂

[@jakubgodyn7413]

My issue with Homunculi in the 2003 series is that, while this is a great concept, it clashes with the things they adapted from the manga and creates a lot of plot holes. Just to name a few. Why is Lust white? She is the only homunculi that got their skin colour changed from the original. Why Gluttony looks like a grotesque monster when he is supposed to be based on a person? Why are they even named after 7 Deadly Sins? Those are the problems with margin the original story with their own ideas,

[@Jassu323]

The skin tone of the homunculi in general is very pale, almost like they're anemic if not albino. Look at Ed's arm and leg on Wrath or the comparison shots between Trisha and Sloth (best example is episode 45 where Hohenheim shows up at Dante's). Seems like it's a deliberate choice to further convey they're not exactly human. Agreed with Gluttony, but the rest still loosely fit. Brotherhood's version of the homunculi aren't any more tightly fitting in their naming scheme, with Envy in particular being the worst example. This strikes me more as a flaw in Arakawa's choice to use the 7 deadly sins for their names.

[@jakubgodyn7413]

@@Jassu323 Tell me how Brotherhood's versions didn't work

[@Jassu323]

@@jakubgodyn7413 Envy isn't really envious-his conclusion is contrived and doesn't explain the rest of his behavior throughout the show. Lust isn't lustful. You could argue that she makes people lust after her, but that's not really any better than '03. Wrath isn't regularly seeking retribution in any sense and instead largely just plays his role as Fuhrer. Pride's a bit closer, but he displays more sadism than hubris throughout the show. Greed, Sloth, and Gluttony fit just fine (though, I do have my criticisms of Greed). That's why I said they're loose fits. I haven't read the manga, but if Brotherhood's adaptation is consistent with it, then this likely is a poor literary choice by Arakawa.

[@jakubgodyn7413]

@@Jassu323 Envy's convusion is very fitting. Most people act as if they hate the thing they can't have. For example, when a guy can't find a girlfriend (or the other way around) he often acts as if he hates the concept of relationships and the couples around him when in fact he wants what they have. This is exactly the type of behaviour that Envy has in the entire series. He acts as if he hates everything about humans when in fact he wants to be like them. Lust not being lustful is kinda true but in turn, she has more of a bloodlust. Also, since those are 7 sins of the Father you can say that Father never had much lust in him, to begin with, and it fits as when we see flashbacks of his days in the flask when he talks with Hoeheim about how he sees sex as a reproductive need and nothing else. Wrath aka Bradley represents more of the pent-up anger people feel inside on a daily basis but you must remember that he as the fuhrer was responsible for every conflict Amestris has been in since he came to power (as Ed says to Ling) so this was also his way of expressing his anger.

[@Jassu323]

@@jakubgodyn7413 I don't disagree with any of your points, but I do think it makes my broader point that the names are just loose fits. I think the homunculi names are less fitting in '03, but I'm not a fan of the names in either series and think they're poorly chosen for what was trying to be conveyed. My issue with Envy is I just don't find his conclusion very compelling. Ed expositions the whole thing and Envy suddenly feels ashamed of his actions and ends himself. It's too blunt and in-your-face. I get what the author was going for, but I just don't find it believable. And while I think Envy's story in '03 fits his namesake even less, I do find it a bit more interesting at least.

[@4kcris293]

I grew up with the 2003 show as a kid. And I hated it back then. Funny enough. But I finally decided to give it a shot finally as an adult and just finished it yesterday. And I to say I mostly enjoyed it allot. But I do think thr second half dipped in quality a bit. And I hate the ending. And didn't enjoy the movie at all. I have only just started watching brotherhood but so far I like it more myself.

[@bloodsucker5485]

pschy*tic is generally considered a slur :/ ( at least way it is used in the video)

[@zemox2534]

Personally I prefer Scar as the killer. Winry actually confront him about it more than once and it feels more natural.

[@katmossa3503]

I rather brotherhood

[@manofwisdom000]

Another Brotherhood fan boy or fan girl

[@kylemonkiewicz2803]

ive seen both seies and both are good but brrother hood was such a goodone i disagree

[@downeastbeast6448]

"don't subscribe" don't worry, i won't. voice over your own work, stop using AI as a crutch.

[@haosmagnaingram6992]

It’s literally just her natural voice. Watch her interview with Simon Beed, she sounds exactly the same there just a bit more natural there as she isn’t reading off a script

[@Kevin_turner]

One of my favorite anime’s. I used to think Brotherhood was a follow up series like the super to z for dragon ball. I was a little confused and disappointed at first but then really enjoyed it after calming down