Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood 1x4: "An Alchemist’s Anguish" // Reaction and Discussion

[@johnnymckenny4854]

"we're about get a dog on Thursday that looks so similar" they are DONE for

[@Shiva-bi9in]

Dude I heard that and immediately came down to say that. Boy oh boy.

[@Shiva-bi9in]

The guy in the dog suit OH MY GOD

[@user-fp8vl3mb2i]

​@@Shiva-bi9inme too 😂😂

[@Dizalddin]

Reactors normally: "Oh no, this could be sad." Reaction viewers normally: "Mwahahah." >:) Reactors who identify too much with the bad thing about to happen: "That reminds me of my-." Reactions viewers doing reaction-human-transmutation: "Oh shit. We fucked up..."

[@vocal02]

😭😭😭

[@crimsonpotemkin]

"we're about get a dog on Thursday that looks so similar" They're cooked. It's over.

[@petertraicer]

i really hope they name him Alexander

[@shutdahellup69420]

​@@petertraicerBro chilllllll

[@toraokun5819]

@@shutdahellup69420 Alexander if it's male, Nina if it's female

[@nox_tech_]

when there's characters who pass away in the series, arakawa draws a silly comic panel of the characters flying to heaven. when scar says he's sending two souls, he means alex and nina - we know this because she draws them going to heaven. meanwhile, she has shou shown going straight to hell.

[@patrickbaugh9904]

external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2F66.media.tumblr.com%2F5304c16d94b0c77ae3b1d7a1e64af207%2Ftumblr_inline_p9ie8xJgs01qhazvy_250.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=300e3f459c79fd3b0a07acb1e002716be0c4767f19811683baf6e6863c595419&ipo=images KZbin wouldn't let me paste the image, so here's a link to it. Googling "shou tucker in memoriam" also works.

[@shimasanjiko4241]

this comment is like that comment about itachi in narutos sad ost''s. Every Single Time, when i watch a reaction about episode 4 i see this

[@UncensoredScion]

@@shimasanjiko4241 Yeah it's a tradition those who haven't read the manga and are newer to the series than others are brought into "yeah they're dead but Nina and Alexander are safe in heaven now. Shou's in hell where he deserves to be." club of warm cuddles after the tragedy of this episode.

[@spudnick2010]

It’s also important to note every other villain in the series goes to heaven except Tucker which says a lot considering some of the villains.

[@ma.2089]

@@spudnick2010 Well every villain, but one. The other one making total sense as to why they got the ending they deserved.

[@Eterrath]

Before the reveal: Anna - still smiling, slightly confused Ben - face of anticipating terror After the reveal: Anna - in tears, bawling eyes out Ben - frozen in terror

[@UncensoredScion]

Their reaction is the single distilled perfect reaction of this episode I've ever seen, it's a perfect moment of the utter and complete devastating horror of what Tucker did, I'm100% certain we all had a similar face when it first was revealed to us as well, (the only difference for the 03 crew is that we had an additional episode of getting to know Nina even more)

[@ulmoseaking]

@@UncensoredScion in 2003 we also had the devastating moment of seeing how scar killed Nina/Alexander (that was the part that scared me) as well as the much more emotionally complex version of Shou Tucker.

[@UncensoredScion]

@@ulmoseaking God yeah I forgot that scene, the almost "nuclear shadow" look to what happened to Nina.

[@ulmoseaking]

@@UncensoredScion I wish I could forget it.

[@ssjgoku276]

​@@UncensoredScion that did not feel like a mercy kill in the 2003 anime, unlike in Brotherhood.

[@smugsneasel]

This episode has forever scarred the internet and those who partake in anime. Even now, it's being referenced. It's that powerful. Welcome to your life past the Nina Tucker incident.

[@colemanroberts1102]

There are so many one-episode anime characters, even villains, who you barely remember an episode later. You never forget the name Shou Tucker or his face

[@Mischievalrous]

We’re here. It’s THE episode.

[@BobofWOGGLE]

This show has many [THE episode]s

[@Ebyruchan]

yeah i was dreading this one lol

[@felipeaquitral]

​@@BobofWOGGLE yes ofc, but this one is usually the one ppl expects the most. especially when beginning the series.

[@AnastasiaMarin-e2d]

The historical PTSD episode. Part 1.

[@rumaristo129]

Fullmetal Alchemist is incredibly nuanced and intelligent for a shounen series. That's why it's so highly regarded. You're in for a ride. This show is going to stay with you for a long time.

[@saotiago]

Anna went from being absolutely devastated to coming up with the most sick Halloween costume idea in like. 30 minutes. hahaha. INCREDIBLE.

[@GGABueno]

She recovered crazy fast I must say. She was destroyed but when the episode ended she was already fine and Ben was still dead inside lmao.

[@Nazar_Melnyk]

That's some first-rate coping mechanism if I ever saw one 😂

[@GamblingDedicated]

What Scar did to Nina was the most merciful thing. She would have been a test subject until her death. There's a reason why the only words her mother ever said after she was transmuted was "I wish to die".

[@mr.mobboss1190]

Ep 3. Morality without logic Ep 4. Logic without morality

[@EnchanterTim_MPATHG]

Basically the essence of religion vs science.

[@soulscyther666]

Ep.3 = the evils of religion Ep.4 = the evils of science Both are the opposite sides of the same coin when get pushed by its extremist followers to its edge.

[@robertolanzone]

​@@EnchanterTim_MPATHGIt's such a genius idea to touch upon in a story

[@AnselmsAlwaysAccurate]

"If this was the real world Nina would've been taken out of the house." In the 50s Germany decided to do an experiment where they left orphan children in the care of known child predators. Don't underestimate the idiocy and cruelty of the government.

[@felipeaquitral]

cows go moo frogs go croak cats go meow dogs go BIG BROTHER ED

[@xaviermm5506]

Lmao😂

[@ssjgoku276]

This meme can NEVER get old. 💀

[@mocholecho]

U got me there ! 😂😂😂

[@user-qj9en1kp1m]

That was absolutely terrifying and soul wrecking.

[@ivanalarcon1418]

How dare you

[@Grandy_UiD]

JUST when I was thinking "man, you haven't seen an AutoSave FMA:B reaction in a while, I hope everything is okay" this drops. Awesome.

[@shutdahellup69420]

You mind thinking that more often 😂

[@Grandy_UiD]

​@@shutdahellup69420 Yo man, I'm thinking it RIGHT now.

[@nox_tech_]

oh and a fun lighter note, nina's seiyuu is still active! she's 25 and has been doing pretty damn well if i say so. you might've heard her in haikyuu as yachi (the blonde girl helping karasuno).

[@userusernomi]

she got that dawg in her

[@gigabit6226]

@@userusernomi LOL

[@FBI_Metal_Slime]

Previous episode: Faults and corruption of religion This episode: Faults and corruption of science

[@doubleasworkshop1692]

FMAB: "Want me to push a knife through your heart?" ... FMAB: "Wanna see me do it again?" The knife will heal you by the end, but it'll hurt like hell

[@ryugaknight]

FMAB: Oh boy, here I go emotionally scarring people again!

[@KeepingHopeAlive]

Welcome to the Brotherhood! This episode is a right of passage.

[@GameMaster-sh7tr]

Welcome to your first step into FMA trauma!

[@おかだこなつ]

鋼の錬金術師は吹き替えで見る人が多い中で字幕で観てくれてることがめちゃくちゃ嬉しいです😊

[@nataliagarbarini5523]

In my opinion, this is the hardest chapter of the entire series, but also one of the most important for the story.

[@Кот-у9ж]

I like what they did with Shou Tucker in FMA 2003 instead of killing him out, it gave his character more cohesion and showed him as a mad scientist rather than being simply greedy. And he had a funny face at the end 🙃

[@ulmoseaking]

The 2003 version of Tucker was a lot more complex. He reminds me of Bondrewd from Made in Abyss. But as much as I think the character was done better in 03, I still believe that the way they portrayed him in brotherhood fits better with the story brotherhood was telling.

[@SpiderRiderKya]

On a more lighthearted note, in the manga when a character died the author drew a little doodle showing them flying up to heaven. Sho Tucker remains the ONLY character to be shown being dragged down to hell. Dosn't matter how evil someone was, they went to heaven. Except for him.

[@simongosselin4300]

Yep... this is a classic. This show really just hits so hard at the beginning.

[@OfficialMageHD]

Ben with messy hair looks like he'd be one of the vampires in Twilight

[@andyl2599]

14:29 The slow change of Anna's expression😂oh my, is like i can observe her happiness fading away second by second. 👍welcome in to the club

[@umarsubhan7035]

i remember Ep 4 was way more drawn out in the original Fullmetal Alchemist and the horror hit you on a different level

[@ryugaknight]

Partly because FMA kinda help back on Tucker being suspicious, he seemed eccentric and first but not malicious, making the twist hit harder. Not to mention we got more time with Nina and see her bonding more with Ed and Al.

[@mr.dirtydan3338]

Bold opinion, but I think the first part of fma is better than the first part of fmab

[@YoruStrauss]

@@mr.dirtydan3338 Agreed. I was/still am so mad they cut out the Birdie in FMA:B (if you know you know). IMO Birdie added so much to the tone of the show and horrors that happen in its universe as a part of establishing what you're in for. Also Yoki's backstory. I have no idea how newcomers are supposed to watch FMA:B and get who Yoki even is without watching FMA 2003 first. And there's a criminal decline in Hughes's presence on screen. And both the priest and Shou are revealed as villains so early, it doesn't hit you as hard.

[@galakstiv]

Yes, having several episodes with Nina, even taking part with the brothers in helping a mom giving birth, etc. All that additional time clearly helped getting attached to the characters, and all those "distractions" helped us not being focused on Shou Tucker. I've said it in previous episodes, but althoug the first FMA TV shows took its time (with kind of useless episode like the catwoman thief chase, etc), that rythm made everything following having more impactful. Here, they even skipped the mine episode despite one of the characters supposedly coming back later. But I also understand why they rushed the first part in FMAB since most viewers had already seen the first TV shows. I personally like both series, but when friends asked me how to get the closest experience to the manga, I usually advice them to watch the first 25 episodes of FMA, a keep watching FMAB starting from 13th episode or so (don't remember exactly now.

[@TDoughter23]

That, and the fact that Ed and Al lived with them for three years to prepare for the entrance exam, Nina watched Ed get his state cert… the betrayal was a personal one. Then, what we see with the bird in Liore speaking, Tucker’s work seems all the more pointless and evil.

[@DarkRaven4649]

Oh man, Anna was absolutely not OK during that reveal.

[@SmthPositive_]

Need yall to post a pic of your dogs Halloween costume 😭

[@exalkalibor924]

They had nina in the anime expo cosplay i think 😂. Its on KZbin

[@yuichi1024]

原作者の荒川弘は、北海道の酪農家の家に生まれました。 彼女の死生観は、とても興味深いです。 作品を楽しむ上で、原作者の背景を考えるのも感慨深いです。

[@BetaBlue42]

Interesting fact: In the manga, characters who die are depicted at the closing cover with a pair of wings, going to heaven. Shou Tucker is the only one depicted falling into a pit.

[@BetaBlue42]

Also, in the 2003 version, Ed knows as soon as he sees them fused, and it makes it so much worse

[@junzaragoza608]

I'm happy both of you are back!

[@LoricSwift]

I really appreciate your end of show discussion by the way!

[@counterpoint621]

Welcome to the “ I hate Tucker club”

[@Sayhitomimi]

Welcome to THE official Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood community 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@TDoughter23]

Nina Tucker best doggo in anime.

[@lapiandlazu2490]

ふたりともエド以上に勘が良くてもう･･･ トラウマエピソードと名高いニーナとアレキサンダーの悲劇、アナは何が起きたか理解するとすぐに泣き出しちゃって、本当にやさしい人なんだなと思った

[@TofuBug24]

Something to note when Scar says "God, two souls have just returned to you" Shou is NOT part of that list

[@LongandWeirdName]

He did not say those were two... human... souls.

[@DavidGarcia-kw4sf]

Before Frieren came along, this was the number-one show on MAL for like ten years or so. It's that good.

[@parkeryancey7512]

One thing I love about this and the previous episode is that it shows the extremes of both religion and science, giving the rest of the series room to play around with the entire spectrum in between those two sides.

[@なおちゃん-g3s]

この漫画が雑誌に連載されるより数年前に、羊のクローンに成功したことがニュースになりました 連載された年には日本でも狂牛病が発生し、各地で牛が処分されました 原作者の荒川弘さんは酪農家です この事実を結びつけるのは私の空想でしかありませんが 漫画を読んだとき、彼女の命に対する考え方が少し見えた気がしました 彼女が酪農家と知って納得したのを覚えています

[@TheDeafPrinceGaming]

本当ですか？　うわー!

[@doublex85]

In a manga industry packed with idealized pretty-boys, Arakawa-sensei, true to her farmer upbringing, draws manly muscly men. And we love her for it.

[@elmariachi290188]

it is still hitting me hard every time i've watched this episode even now...

[@ChristianGuzmanElespuru]

Hiromu Arakawa sensei is one of the best storytelling in manga. She can create well tied histories and complex round characters. Moreover, she can switch and balance between drama and comedy without loss narrative quality.

[@maxdon2001]

Great reaction! Such a good episode, it knows how to hit emotionally...

[@twoolf01]

Welcome to the emotional rollercoaster that is FMA:Brotherhood. Strap in and enjoy the ride.

[@lexywackess]

Don't forget you're also not in a democracy nor in present time, it can also change the way you would take care of that kid.

[@goclbert]

This was the only episode of FMA I watched as the show was airing in the US and I had a very hard time going to sleep as a kid that night!

[@Laketwig]

Why they cant fix Nina is because, What tucker essentially does with chimeras is making a cake and once you have mixed the ingredients together to a batter how would you separate them again to the base ingredients again.

[@anastasiazabalueva2260]

I simply saw the episode number you reacted to and my pulse spiked. 10+ years after I saw it for the first time

[@LooKingG00d]

That is what we call "THAT episode"

[@AuroraRaiju]

Id say "that" episode is still coming 😅

[@LooKingG00d]

@@AuroraRaiju there can be more thsn one per show 😉

[@kaguyahioguu12]

ah yes, the legendary episode

[@theInsaneDoctor]

This is when the show took a turn for me. It started to become a top tier anime for me. The previous episode showed the dangerous of religion and this one the dangerous of science. Really clever by the writer. The use of religion in this episode is also very clever. The "salvation" that Scar gave the girl is the only way to solve this situation and make it "right" in a way.

[@okechukwuokoro5834]

This show remains one of the best things I've seen on television.. Many twists and turns.. A very well-written show.. You are up for a long, but great ride folks...

[@exalkalibor924]

This show something devine in it. It's not just any anime you see nowadays.

[@ViceroyIcarus]

The "2 souls" scar is talking about are Nina and Alexander. Every time a character died in the Manga, Arakawa drew a doodle of them with a Halo. Tucker is the only one who didnt get one. Man is canonically in hell

[@Emilis2023]

Shou Tucker was the anime community's original best dad before Bondrewd came along and stole our hearts.

[@lamerekeklerek]

14:32-14:33 I love the change in smile ^^ It was like "cool they are going to have fun play again" to "wait a second" and at 14:51 "Is it what i think it is? It's disgusting and disturbing" and at 15:03 "Oh wait, It's true, It's terrible"... Also Like probably many other mentioned already: glad you've watched this one with subtitles, as dub has a terrible translation mistake in Scar's monologue as Tucker is officially the only one person that went straight to hell, no redemption, salvation etc. and other peoples who's died in series, no matter how "evil and twisted" they were they were accepted to heaven or at least end up in limbo, but not Tucker, so souls that Scar was talking about at the end were Nina's and Alexander's, not Nina's and Tucker's.

[@dna5573]

Bro felt it on the spot. That was heartbreaking indeed

[@HugeFrigginGuy]

Fun Fact: scientists are currently creating chimeric (human and animal) fetuses for research! There is a hope to use them as potential organ sources in the future. So, ethically we're getting into some interesting territory.

[@quegs]

Is it fucked up that I saw this video’s thumbnail and genuinely thought, “oh hooray! AutoSave gets to join the FMAB 4 Devastation Club!”?

[@ViolentVibrator]

"In front of the daughter-dog!" 😂😂 Please now go look up all the memes. There are so many good ones.

[@ssjkillluah5935]

As the oldest of my siblings, this episode really tore and shocked me as my dad would NEVER EVEN CONCEIVE THE IDEA of doing this to our family. This anime is in my top 3 for a reason, ive been blessed with amazing friends and family and this anime made me appreciate them more

[@junzaragoza608]

The chills I got when I know they realized what happened

[@cogithefool4284]

The orientation is over, welcome to Fullmetal Alchemist

[@UncensoredScion]

Oh my god you guys just went up 100 points in my estimation with your idea for a Halloween costume. Ben HAS to get a pair of round opaque sunglasses as well with a short light brown wig to wear along with the wig you'll put on your dog though. FMA fans are messed up because we'll all go "no!!!!" and then laugh while loving the reference, we're sort of masochists with that.

[@besupaaa]

This is the episode that really sets things off and people get IN the story. So uh welcome. I think this episode the brothers have to face a harsh reality and that breaks their ego a little bit, makes them see things differently.

[@leob3348]

When Scar praised to God for the two souls going back to him, he was talking about Nina and Alexander, as they were innocent souls that suffered the consequences of alchemy being used by something as dichotomic as the human

[@bauer0788]

I love that almost EVERY reaction video that watches this episode there's is ALWAYS the one person who comments "Welcome to the FMA club.." It's like we can see the gateway when new fans enter and we all smirk at one another as we watch fans lost their minds at this episode.

[@madengineerkyouma]

Ah yes, the fusion dance episode.

[@KuroNekoXIII]

One thing I did appreciate in the first iteration of the series was how this episode played out. For starters the brothers spend like months at Tucker's home. And also Tucker's conversation to Ed was a lot more soul crushing in my opinion. Granted I watched both versions of FMA in Dub, so not sure how well it was translated. But when comparing Ed to himself, Tucker told Ed there was no difference from what they did to their mom & what he did to Nina because at the end of it all they were both alchemists/scientists. And all alchemists/scientists are driven to do their experiments or prove their theories for one reason alone... "We do it simply 'because' we can." Like I felt morally conflicted after that speech, and I'm not a scientist. The 2003 version is definitely way more awful and traumatizing. I won't say the lines exactly, but chimera Nina says a few more lines that broke my soul more than it did for the brotherhood version.

[@doubleasworkshop1692]

"Why even do that?" Because many scientists did do that during the cold war. This episode is the extremity of science to balance out the extremity of religion in the previous episodes. Equivalent Exchange

[@RobinNicoagain]

The series is based 1920-1930 Germany where this kind of thinking had peaked. Families, neighbours and friends were ripped appart for pursuit of the 'perfection' and what people were considering 'greater good.'

[@spudnick2010]

These two episodes go so good together. Shows the two extremes of the religion vs science argument.

[@wadepsilon01]

For Yoki's episode, just look at Fullmetal alchemist ep3 from 2004.

[@jamesauchonghin1388]

I've been waiting for this episode.

[@Etrius10]

I found this channel because I'm addicted to reactions of this episode, I just wanted to say you guys are a beautiful couple.

[@giboit.]

Nina's existence was pure unending physical pain after what happened to her, so killing her was probably the most merciful fate she could have after that. By the way, the last episode and this one are meant to be parallels to each other when it comes to religion and science. Specifically about the dangers of extreme corruption in either side can lead to terrible acts.

[@ClearlyInsane100]

It's an episode that stays with you thats for sure

[@BenHigginbotham]

Ben should get glasses an ask Anna "Do you want to play with our dog" *pushes glasses up nose

[@zellrang]

here it is... the most memorable nightmare in this series

[@subaquatictoaster]

Here's hoping you name your puppy Alexander. Also, great idea with the halloween costume 😂

[@bander-Coolb]

I like how this episode comes fast in the brotherhood adaptation

[@journey9411]

"i wasnt um going into this episode expecting to be traumatize or cry..." Ha..ha-ha 😅🤣😭😭

[@anonymoususer775]

The fact they were so excited to see the dog made it even more painful when that scene unfolded...

[@mx9226]

Congratulations, you have made it through the rite of passage when watching this anime.

[@gork8468]

19:30 I've always liked to think the souls Scar sent for salvation were Nina and Alexanders. Because screw Shou Tucker.

[@swiftiehandler]

Yeah, I also interpret that dialogue as how you said. And f*ck Shou Tucker too

[@thedevilofparadis6107]

Tucker activated "Polymerization"

[@Tcwilliams07]

Welcome, to the FMA Brotherhood

[@shodan1451]

Welcome to Anime guys. This episode is famous as an introduction.

[@Wuffskers]

I know people hate 2003 comparisons but I still feel like this hurt even more in 2003 because we spend MULTIPLE episodes with Nina and Alexander and being endeared to them, I also really like drama of the setting of the reveal in the 03 version, lots of dramatic lighting and shadows.

[@sekishudai]

Damn, the halloween costume idea is one of the most viciously extraordrinarily good idea that I even heard !

[@ratoftoska7497]

This scene is so memed on at this point that I can't even take it seriously anymore. EDUARUDO lmfao

[@Kaslana_Yumma_423]

Yessss I was waiting !!!!

[@grapiploo]

''Daughter dog'' is crazy 😭

[@yusuke5331]

Truly one of the episodes of all time

[@manolososadavinci1937]

This hurt when I first watched it and every time since ……

[@johnnynoise7897]

The moment i saw so happy when meeting Alex and Nina, i knew it the proper reaction to the finale 😢 :v

[@volcanking662]

In the 2003 version, we get another chapter with Nina before this happened. Also, we are kind of told that the alchemist that died on this episode was Tucker's superior and he kind of knew the procedure used.

[@schizomaru]

Welcome to Feels Mental Achemist

[@wafflnator2057]

Everyone talks crap about the original FMA, but i honestly recommend people watch the first bit. This moment is way more intense in that version. Don't get me wrong, its still brutal. The original takes its time and doesnt hint at much being bad, until its too late.

[@toraokun5819]

29:45 no way you're asking for THAT, the live action i mean, lol

[@snails6997]

I'm sorry Anna. This is the one. The Episode. The one which you have to go thru as a pilgrimage. Its hard. I know. I know the feeling. Those tears. Those shock. Now you will understand any meme with a dog and a wig, like many of us did. ...you are one of us now. One of us. One of us.