Fullmetal Alchemist VS Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood - Part 1 | Comparing FMA's Anime and Manga

[@Lowart]

Hey there, folks! Thank you for watching this video. I hope you enjoyed it. I want to take a second to explain why this video took so long to make (especially for those who have seen my old FMA series and who waited patiently for this one). Basically, I was right on track to get this done within a couple weeks of the date I mentioned in my update video for the old FMA series, but then my computer broke. Unfortunately, the repair took nearly two months (even though I was told by the repair place that it would take a month at the longest), and I had no other computer I could use that would let me do any editing. While Chris the editor still edited certain sections of this video, I wanted to make some sections myself and to add in all the audio myself as well. This meant that I waited a long time for the computer to get back to me, but now that it's here there will be no more breaks anywhere near this length of time. The next part should definitely be out within a month, but I am aiming to get it out within a couple weeks. And some of you might have noticed that this is different than what I said it would be. By that I mean that, in my update video for the old series, I said that I would go through the old videos, re-edit small chunks, and put it all together into one long video. However, as I went through the old parts, I realized that they were so incredibly variable in terms of quality of scripting, editing, audio, and presentation that I either had to redo it all or just leave it as is. So I chose to redo it all, tweaking the whole script, re-recording everything, cutting out repetitive sections, and streamlining the whole thing. I have also moved certain section around. For example, one part that was in the fourth video of the original series is in this section, despite the fact that the rest of it covers material from parts 1 and 2 of that series. I have used this opportunity to discuss some of the most major problems people had with this video. One of those is that some people felt that I didn't treat the manga as its own thing enough of the time, that I too often conflated it with Brotherhood. I agree, and I am adjusting this redo accordingly. Another change is that I have taken much more care to make the background music be in line with whatever I'm talking about and to use different tracks, as to stop the music from getting too repetitive. All of the music used is in the description, for anyone who is curious about which piece is which. Of course, all of this is to say that, as you can already tell, this redo will not be one part of old material and then new material immediately afterword. My plan is to continue this redo with approximately 30 to 40 minute long episodes, then to move right into the new material. As I have many notes written out and have made a lot of progress on the new videos, there should be no breaks like those that plagued the old series of videos. Thank you for your patience and understand with all this. You're the best. I hope that this video was worth the wait.

[@Don11037]

Damn we were almost to the big divergences from each other oh well nice video though

[@BirDLaw-dh1di]

Are you reading or watching 7 deadly sins?

[@pumpkin2986]

very much enjoyed it, it was lovely

[@_avi_mageek8275]

Its back

[@itsblitz4437]

Lowart is back doing more FullMetal Alchemist.

[@gilles4prezudent650]

Is fullmetal alchemist as good as we remember? Yes... the answer is yes. Both of them.

[@KaineWraith]

All three of them. The manga, 2003, and Brotherhood all offer something unique and are worth experiencing

[@stapuft]

All one of them you mean

[@M_JackOfAllTrades]

@@stapuft But all is one and one is all^^

[@visoth7791]

More FMA is always a good thing. You get to experience the same characters, in three stories! Three separate experiences. Just imagine how awesome it would be if you could experience any other Anime three separate times, as if watching it for the first. I actually like how the two Animes differ. People compare them, labeling one or the other better, but its smarter to treat them separately and enjoy the uniqueness of each of them separately.

[@Kareem-si7bg]

They are both good I won't lie about that one but the 2003 one had me with an unsatisfied ending but I don't read the manga so idk if that was the true ending

[@khairulanwar5443]

FMA is better than FMA. And when I say FMA I mean FMA. FMA is still cool though.

[@Freefork]

You should be apart of my Brotherhood.

[@EmperorBob]

@That One Guy dude you got this all mixed up fma is obviously better than fma because of the in-depth detail of fma

[@EvilSlayer398]

MadTrax dude! FMA is totally better than FMA?! Have you lost your marbles friend?

[@michaelstafford2845]

People like you disgust me! Stop trolling! FMA is better than FMA.

[@ThexDynastxQueen]

The second layer of this joke is in Japan both adaptations are basically named FMA so this is a normal sentence there. I say "basically" because Brotherhood in Japan is titled Fullmetal Alchemist: FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, yes all caps. Go on look it up.

[@gc8568]

*When you see Hughes in BrotherHood* Don’t do that, don’t give me hope

[@ZianJannah]

It hurts tho

[@obbymillion]

😭😭😭

[@TomimokaDiyuu]

Ohh noooo

[@davidjames0]

😭😭😭😭😭

[@TomimokaDiyuu]

i love hughes, hes like old yasopp but cares about his baby

[@ThatOneWall]

“The bond they share...” Insert me remembering the scene of Ed trapped inside of gluttony *ELRIC BROTHER TELEPATHY*

[@KatastrophicNoodle]

Exactly wtf he on about "there's less brotherhood in brotherhood"

[@ChimeraLotietheBunny]

AbyssalRose oh ya that was...Ridicoulously HILARIOUS

[@TazHall]

2003 just knew how to hit certain emotional notes... The way Ed cried when Nina died and the way Hues' daughter cried at his funeral actually made me tear up.

[@androidsychoshocker]

If we only saw Brotherhood then people wouldn't count that as high of an anime moment as it is. FMA let you like Nina and fam, grew on them. It was devastating when it happened. Brotherhood was incredibly rushed. Killed the entire feel of it.

[@Flaris]

Who knows. That can easily be explained by bias of what you experienced first. There was a massive gap between the first series and Brotherhood. That moment had a lot of time to sink in and whether anything would have been as emotional is debatable. But still possible for that to be true. Those moments were meant to be much bigger in the arc of 2003 than it was for Brotherhood.

[@ahagqgwvisn9879]

nO stOp nOt nInAaaa **cries**

[@annayager6432]

@@Flaris Brotherhood killed off Nina and Hughes before giving you any time to get attached to the characters. You can look at how many episodes the characters were in to see that. Nina was killed off in the same episode that introduced her in brotherhood (episode 4) while in the original, we had more time to care for the character. Hughes similarly had very little screentime before his death in brotherhood as opposed to the original.

[@SemekiIzuio]

On other impactful for me was when that snake lady goes inside Al and the the old man walks up to Al and kills her, blood starts leaking out of his suit...

[@yonatanhoresh2695]

Really? I actually watched Brotherhood without reading the manga or watching the original adaptation, but it still hooked me right in with an interesting and balanced battle system, a cast of colourful characters full of personality, Kimblee's build-up which is AMAZING, the moral ambiguity of the military and more. I mean, by the end of the Fort Briggs arc, Isaac McDougle's actions are practically reasonable! Heck, it's what the protagonists try to do at the END of the series!

[@Kujakuseki01]

The first 10-15 eps of Brotherhood are just miserably bad, when compared to the same part of the story in the original anime. It's almost like they put in less effort than the original.

[@KnotPhound]

I can say the exact same.

[@someguywhocanfly]

@@Kujakuseki01 Completely disagree, I think Brotherhood does the character and world introductions FAR better. I think that's due to just generally better writing and directing, though, rather than the structure of the show necessarily.

[@SSBGogetaFTW]

@@Kujakuseki01 Wait, really? I loved every episode of Brotherhood, it hooked me immediately! I think that might just be a you problem.

[@nathabgrewn8927]

@@Kujakuseki01 That just isn't true. The original series gave way more development to the early parts, but brotherhood executes almost everything else way better. For anyone who isn't already a fan of anime, those beginning episodes of the first anime are going to be "miserably bad" when compared to brotherhood. The payoff for certain side story elements may be there, but it isn't going to matter to someone who isn't already invested in the series. Brotherhood pulls those threads way more tactfully, although with less impact.

[@Vitz_atelier]

23:40 >"...in both a small" >shows ed >"...and large scale" >shows al brilliant.

[@NitroIndigo]

When?

[@Vitz_atelier]

@@NitroIndigo Click on the time stamp.

[@NitroIndigo]

Thanks.

[@owolis3013]

Omg I haven't noticed that earlier XD It's like a subtle short joke!!!

[@catinizer9057]

ed’s coming for you...

[@MrInuhanyou123]

People forget that most of the popularity of FMA globally came from 2003 being so damn awesome. Before the manga was even close to being anywhere near finished or even known globally, before brotherhood ever existed, it was the original 2003 series quality that made the manga and brotherhood such a household name

[@jaceharrison7936]

its you!

[@MrInuhanyou123]

@@jaceharrison7936 It is me? :)

[@Ratchetfan321]

Yet Brotherhood is the one on every top ten list due to side by side the quality shows.

[@MrInuhanyou123]

@@Ratchetfan321 brotherhood is only on the top of every list because of time passing. People who grew up after a certain period generally only give a shit about newer content and have no context for older series that are not actively promoted, and FMA brotherhood is thus more likely for newer fans of anime to be accustomed to along with the manga compared to the original series. Its why all the "top 10 anime of all time" lists are just frustratingly anime of the current decade or those older anime lucky enough to be remembered by the general consciousness enough to remain relevant(jojo, dbz, naruto, hunter x hunter, ect). Nothing to do with quality. I could name off quite a few anime and manga that would never be on a top 10 list of the younger generation due to simply not having any knowledge of them but are just as good if not better than any on the list. There's also the problem of newer anime fans becoming far more insular and elitist over time. If it doesnt have to do with the manga, it automatically sucks. it doesnt matter what the actual quality of the content is, there is no distinction between "filler" and "anime original" content. its all bad and thus must always be dismissed.

[@kevinryanatwood1725]

@@MrInuhanyou123 That doesn't make sense at all, if the popularity is caused by the short period of time that has passed after its airing how you explain the popularity of Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, FLCL, Ghost In The Shell, etc.

[@noodle6852]

I hadn’t read the manga or saw the first series and comprehending brotherhood wasn’t hard for me at all...

[@naruske97]

Same, I do not know why someone would have problem understanding it, to be honest...

[@noodle6852]

Byun it’s pretty straightforward

[@justinharris2272]

I HATE when people say the first episode of brotherhood is bad. I think its a master class on how to present your main characters, the ideals they hold, and VERY subtle hinting that there could be a lot more to what we've been shown. It pulled me in, got my attention and made me interested. As for 03, after Liore i rapidly lost interest due to the overload of exposition on characters i was not fully interested in yet. I feel many, many people overlook basic film theory in regards to anime adaptations.

[@naruske97]

@@justinharris2272 Agree!! Especially with the basic film theory part. Brotherhood characters are way more complex, like Kimblee, Riza, Mustang or even Alphonse ;it talks about a lot of themes, even more than in the 03, but in a subtle way. In 03 everything its in your face, and also has a lot of episodes that fet like filler at the beginning , its hard to watch them.

[@spaceocean2530]

I understood Brotherhood in its first couple of episodes. Lowart didn't say that he didn't comprehend it either. He was just confused about the hype surrounding Brotherhood, and I can understand that. Even without any background info you can tell that the show is on fast forward for the first 12-13 episodes. While you understand the concepts of the show, its hard to connect with the characters and digest the world. Some chapters/moments from the manga are even actively cut in the early episodes, which is super odd. This is because those chapters/moments were only in the story for distinct but important characterization purposes. Also, this adaptation is supposed to follow the manga more faithfully... so why cut these parts out? So, you kind are just passively watching Broho until you get to ep 14. This isn't awful, but it doesnt live up to the expectations the anime community has built up. I watched Brotherhood first, and was just kind of underwhelmed until ep 16. I'm just saying that I think there is a reason why the myth of Brotherhood is that it was created with the mindset that the audience watched 03 or the manga first. The director of Brotherhood rejected that notion a long time ago. Whether you believe him or not, the fact that people felt so weird about these episodes that they created this excuse in the first place and it stuck for so long is something else. Even now the myth persists.

[@theannilators7479]

I liked how short the test was in mangahood. On rewatch, you see that Bradley took one look at Ed performing alchemy with no circle, realized he’s sacrifice candidate, and was like “yup make him a state alchemist”

[@Bluestar-nn2uh]

True, but I liked seeing Ed putting more work and effort and succeeding.

[@cdscissor]

If I recall, Brotherhood cuts one piece of dialogue in the manga that DOES state there was also a written and interview portion of the exam. So this is where 2003 pulls from, it's not made up. Personally, I think it's even more impressive what he did in 2003. Because we see other alchemists, specifically one that struggles. Makes it more obvious how much gap there is between them and Ed. Instead of him pulling out a spear, which for all we know could be done by anyone. (Clap alchemy aside) Having that point of reference really helps sell how powerful he is.

[@ladycobra1773]

I feel like I'm the only one here who actually likes the two adaptations

[@mikitadou]

You are a smart person. Humans like to choose 1 side and hate the other by default. Keep open mind mate :)

[@SSBGogetaFTW]

Nope, I like both. I just have a preference for Brotherhood, thus talk about it more.

[@TomimokaDiyuu]

I like both

[@gunbunnyjunk7881]

Don't worry. I actually liked both versions as well.

[@AGblueMetal]

I like some parts of '03 and some parts of brotherhood. Overall i like both equally

[@scharger100]

2003: Ed quits to his dreams because Dante broke his principles and he was alone FMAB: Ed makes his dreams true because father didn't break him and he had a lot people around him

[@Imperfectio]

I dont know, but i love 03 ending more. Its more realistic. Brotherhood have a happy ending, but i dont feel it fits for it.

[@scharger100]

@@Imperfectio Anyone would say that 2003 is the example that with enough pressure pain and failures even Mc like Edward would give up.

[@Imperfectio]

@@scharger100 Yeah. I agree.

[@Emerardo]

2003 had much more interesting themes and more mature message than brotherhood

[@scharger100]

@@Emerardo 2003: Realism tragedy doubts and Shonnen Mc giving up Brotherhood: Battles Hope Teamwork Bad luck Villains Power

[@henryfuentes3425]

2003 was definitely a darker tone. It really was a great run.

[@justchilling704]

Yup

[@linaetlinda5832]

Idk why man, but uhhh, i really didn't like fma:b, it has such a childish story, no character development, no good plot, rushed the beginning WHICH YOU SHOULD NEVER DO IN ANIME CAUSE IT LETS U GET ATTACHED TO CHARACTERS, still, it fucking sucks

[@barneystinson2781]

@@linaetlinda5832 I don't even have words to describe how blatantly wrong you are. All I will say is give it a 2nd chance and if you still think all of that then I'm sorry you don't see how good the show is to each their own ig

[@qq4954]

@@barneystinson2781 I haven’t watched brotherhood yet but I honestly feel like the first is pack wit more emotion and dark moments

[@kumarshivam1234]

@@qq4954 seeing death of envy will crush your heart

[@liyan00]

I really like both series. I personally think you NEED to watch both in order to enjoy them to the fullest, also more episodes to watch so that always a plus

[@liyan00]

also, Rose's appearance in the 2003 version is better. It not only makes more sense (since she lives in a very sunny town) but the colors used also complement each other better

[@axonfox]

I did that. No regrets XD

[@OTST04]

I can't watch FMA:B because the whole story changes and I want to keep my mind on the original 03.

[@squidward1728]

Zlype why?

[@Flaris]

I disagree on the idea that you need to watch both. You really don't. They are both distinct enough that you can enjoy either and be perfectly satisfied knowing that version of the story. Now I do think you can enjoy both of them, no problem with that.

[@Milfuelle100]

Overall I prefer Brotherhood but FMA ‘03 did several things much better: 1) the Maes Hughes storyline and his character 2) the Nina Tucker storyline 3) showing us Ed and Al’s mom (I actually got attached to her in the ‘03 anime) 4) better villain (Dante is a way better villain than the Dwarf in the Flask.) 5) the soundtrack is superior 6) Edward and Alphonse’s relationship (midway through Brotherhood, they split up and don’t properly reunite until the very end) But overall Brotherhood definitely wins. Here are some reasons why I think so: 1) the ending is infinitely superior (no alternate universe, Ed and Winry get married, the country moves towards democracy, etc) 2) Ling!!!!!!!!!!! And his bodyguards. 3) The North 4) Greed :’( 5) Xing 6) Scar is way better 7) Mae and her panda 8) General Olivier Armstrong

[@eduardoarce1722]

I'll give you 1 and 6 from the 03 version. I would totally disagree with 4, for me father is not only wy much better but has more sence in comparation with dante, specially in relation with greed and the other homunculus.Also number 5 is debatable, music from 03 is happier, in fmab music is more emotional. About Number 2, wll I thought the same but some friends and e tried to take the GOOD PARTS from 03 and wath them with fmab and, well in reality I think it is better in fmab

[@victorqwilleran3331]

Can we also acknowledge that Kimblee from brotherhood is an interesting character that drives the plot in a natural way where as '03 Kimblee was just a racist who wanted to blow up brown folk.

[@eduardoarce1722]

@@victorqwilleran3331 I agree, lots of characters in 03 were pretty unidimentional.

[@shikumas]

Victor Qwilleran yeah Kimblee was actually a good character in brotherhood compared to fma 2003

[@rainbowskin3379]

the 03 anime focuses more on the evil of humanity and how cruel we can be, but brotherhood focuses more on the concept of god and how humans are in a constant struggle to become god themselves and the flaws that exist in perfection

[@AnimeFreakLucky7]

I really hate when people say to just, "watch Brotherhood, 2003 sucks because it doesn't follow the manga!"...Um, FMA 2003 very good in its own right, not just FMA:B. Hey, I love the series so much, I bought both series TWICE and the manga twice as well! Love all three versions of the story, no hate here!=)

[@oliverwatson7170]

Why would you buy the same thing twice?

[@AnimeFreakLucky7]

My DVD copies of FMA 2003 were when anime companies still did 3-4 episodes a disc. And while they still work, at that point I had watched the show enough to think I needed replacement discs. Correction-I actually only have the DVD "parts" collections of Brotherhood. I didn't not manage to grab an extra copy of that version before, sadly, Funimation lost the rights to both series. I have the original single volumes of the manga completed. However as soon as I learned Viz was releasing a hardcover version of the manga, as a huge fan of the series-I HAD to have the hardcover version! I love the Fullmetal Alchemist series as a whole to death, it means a lot to me.

[@toastymarshh5159]

@@AnimeFreakLucky7 Same I already have FMA manga but when I saw the hardcover, I had to get it them, I have two hardcovers now!. I'm a huge FMA fan but I am also a book collector and I love hardcovers, seeing manga in hardcover is rare and a bit expensive but if you are planning on keeping them forever, they will be worth it.

[@AnimeFreakLucky7]

True. Although I wonder what determines a manga gets a hard cover edition. I only know of the following, and some these seems obscure FMA Emma: A Victorian Romance A Bride's Story The Jojo's Bizarre Adventure series Vinland Saga Berserk I'm very interested in picking up Berserk-but I heard its gonna be a 3-in-1 edition, not 2-in-1. Seems risky, if the binding isn't sturdy enough, 3 volumes of material might be too much and the book could fall a part. And they are charging, I think, $60 a book.

[@stapuft]

Brotherhood is the one that sucks, when compared to he 2003 original.

[@MaestroMagnifico21]

i love how Maes Hughes was introduced in the 2003 anime

[@dagothur76839]

BABIES ARENT BORN AFTER JUST FIVE MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!!

[@mystery5793]

Geeze, she thinks we're serious?

[@Ique_312]

F

[@suzannewarhola7616]

Really? Brotherhood hooked me in immediately and even tho I wish I watched fma first it was still very easy to follow

[@samueltodd9815]

I feel like the reason he wasn't immediately hooked is because he had already seen 2003 fma

[@inkoinfinity2]

@@samueltodd9815 didnt he say he did not see the original? That was his whole gripe

[@kingofgames2903]

I read the manga first

[@HermanFalckHow]

Hard dissagree. The pacing in Brotherhood is just relentless and I can't imagine anyone who hasn't already seen the original or read the manga could follow anything that's happening

[@whoisCato]

@@HermanFalckHow ive never consumed any fma media and was able to follow brotherhood with ease lmao. its literally 64 episodes the pacing is fine lol

[@essirikson4082]

I need both of them: the 2003 for its beginning and Brotherhood for its end. I loved the one from 2003 better in a way, because it felt darker and it had a "seriousness" around it that Brotherhood was missing. But story wise, especially the ending, Brotherhood wins.

[@HermanFalckHow]

I think the 2003 one wins because it feels truly special. It's to shounen anime what Evangelion is to mecha anime. Brotherhood looks a lot better and casual audiences always prefer happier endings so I can understand why some people would prefer Brotherhood and think that is the better story. But FMA sticks with you in ways Brotherhood doesn't. Definitely not bad. But it seems more like another dark shounen anime than the absolute gamechanger the original was.

[@alexthegs2624]

@@HermanFalckHow Absolutely agree, while I think brotherhood is close, the original one was better, and not just because of the first half, but because of the second half as well

[@shikitohno1756]

I can't agree to that. I really lost steam for the manga near the end. Even as I reread it I love everything until i get to the last arc where it just looses me. original FMA's climax, those last three episodes, grab me more.

[@theoutsiderspost4982]

Tell him I you just feel nostalgic for 2003

[@theoutsiderspost4982]

Don’t lie you just feel nostalgic for the 2003 anime which halfway through wasn’t even the creators intent

[@tengun]

I was lucky that I watched FMA before FMA: Brotherhood

[@georgeweeks2657]

Me as well

[@adityabanerjee5869]

Yeah, brotherhood's way of executing the story & showing emotional scenes is kinda lame.. FMA was much more in-depth..

[@georgeweeks2657]

I liked how it kept hidden many parts stories hidden until near the end In FMA

[@adityabanerjee5869]

@@georgeweeks2657 yeah, but FMA:B is completely messed up.. and some of the scene doesn't even make any sense..

[@adityabanerjee5869]

We know that the spirit of the lil bro is bound to the armor so he must stay away from the water, there was not a single scene in FMA when we saw him near the water till the end when he himself became the philosopher's stone and jumped in the river.. But in the FMA:B from the very beginning (Ep4) elric brothers are enjoying rain often.. (there are lots of loop holes in FNA:B) we all know that the FMA:B gfx was better because, 2003 version was fully hand drawn but in some areas the old one did far-far better job in terms of visuals and the shape of the characters..

[@carlmart5797]

When I watched Brotherhood (having watched the first series years before), I was yet too inexperienced and ignorant to really pinpoint what I missed so much from the 2003 version. I just knew the manga and Brotherhood were missing something, a feeling I had when watching 2003, but I simply couldn't put my finger on it. And watching this video just now it hit me... It's the atmosphere. FMA 2003 is just sooooo atmospheric, and that's missing in the far more fast-paced Brotherhood and even in the manga. There's this frequent dread and underlying darkness in the 2003 FMA that's just absent from Brotherhood, which is one of the things that really hypnotized me when I first watched it. Brotherhood is more epic, intense, funny, and all-around entertaining, but there's no matching the great atmosphere 2003 gave us. Even suspense and horror anime struggle to really nail what 2003 did to this day. The pacing, the music, the expressions, even the less polished art style, all these things contributed to that atmosphere and it was grimly magical. Just talking about it makes me want to watch it again. Hell, I will.

[@Wtosama]

I completely agree, I literally feel the same exact way. I really enjoyed the 2003 version. It was dark and gives off the late 90’s/ early 2000’s vibe and is filled with dark and emotional moments

[@linaetlinda5832]

You my friend, like me, love the anime that adds atmosphere, mystery, excellent character development, dark sides, suffering and many more, i finished fma03 and i fucking loved it, the ending is good, the buildup is good and i personally think that everything about it was good, brotherhood gives out a friendly childish vibe which i'm a fan of to be exact but i respect others opinions.

[@miyuu5313]

bruh i dropped 2003 after 5 episodes it was so PAINFULLY boring holy shit

[@heroflame608]

@@miyuu5313 Of course you'd say its boring after only watching the first 5 episodes. The start is basically the same as brotherhood except it's not rushed and has more content. You should atleast watch the rest of FMA first before giving you're opinion on it.

[@miyuu5313]

@@heroflame608 i’m not judging all of fma I’m just saying it was painfully boring to watch and if i can’t get pass the first 5 episodes i’m not watching anymore, i was honestly so disappointed that one of the greatest anime turned out to be that slow and boring but i got instantly hooked on brotherhood and i love it sm

[@NoNameC68]

It's difficult to put my thoughts into words, but I feel Al has far more character development in FMAB than most people recognize. In the beginning of the series, Ed takes on this leadership role whereas Al sort of plays the role of sidekick. This is true for both FMAB and FMA03. However, as FMAB progresses, Al begins to make more prominent decisions independent from Ed. By the end of the series, Al is no longer this tag-a-long brother who's helping Ed succeed with his plans. Instead, Al is a character who comes up with plans in conjunction with Ed's plans. In FMA03, emphasis on Ed and Al's relationship is maintained because Al is constantly there to support Ed's plans. But in FMAB, Al is a more independent character. We don't see as much emphasis on the two brother's relationship because we're seeing Al act independently from Ed. We're seeing Al's leadership skills, resourcefulness, and confidence, develop. I believe Al's growth as a character is far more fascinating than his relationship to Ed, which I personally think is emphasized plenty in the rest of the show. But I think that's what separates me from those who prefer FMA03.

[@jaceharrison7936]

The most memorable memory of Al for me is when he was talking with Kimblee on the law of equivalent exchange

[@megancraddock5501]

Also, he's more active and gets to fight more.

[@M_JackOfAllTrades]

I agree. I think the 2003 version neglected Al. His role was smaller and near the end he started acting as if he wasn't as good at fighting or as smart as he had been claimed to be earlier. For example in the scene when Envy looking like Winry comes and fools him, and defeats him too easily. And yet... Somehow, even though Al is my favorite character, I can't dislike the 2003 anime. It was very deep and beautiful and had great atmosphere. I also loved the idea of another dimension. Idk, I love both versions are great imo.

[@erigor11]

It seems like if you didn't watch FMA03. I mean, it's there where the brothers have the most conflicts between them. When you talk about "character development" it is not about who makes plans, who leads or if they get separated (which is the real main reason for Al's having to deal with issues by himself in Brotherhood), but about emotional and psychological aspects that change for the character. That clearly happens throughout the whole FMA03 story, but the last episode leaves that so pristine that I can't even fathom how someone could say what you're stating.

[@bobjones2959]

@@erigor11 Character development doesn't have to come from conflict. Just because Al has more conflict with Ed doesn't mean he has more development. All of the points made by OP are legitimate. The point isn't that Al is more developed because he leads or makes plans, the point is that he was never the type to do that at the start of the show, but grows to be able to do so by the end. Also, a lot of the "development" in FMA03 is handled in such a way where it feels unnatural, especially towards the end. You're free to have your own thoughts on FMA03's ending, but I'd like to note that its ending is more frequently brought up against FMA03 rather than in favor of it.

[@felixcharles9773]

I would have to say that I prefer Brotherhood over the 2003 adaptation, but I could definitely see why someone would prefer one over the other. They are both great!

[@Lowart]

Yeah, both series have so many things going for them, and there are great arguments on both sides for which one is better :) I'm just happy that we have two different adaptations that are both so wonderful to experience

[@bunsmasterbunny]

But the Live Action Movie. @@Lowart

[@Lowart]

oh no

[@TVNmanufacture]

Man do i wish that later down the line, they could make another adaptation, change the story up a bit for redundancy's sake and take all the good elements of both shows and leave the bad parts out.

[@isauldron4337]

@@bunsmasterbunny I unironically agree with You That movie was horrible

[@kevieonbanks2682]

I’m so confused as to why you guys are confused when starting off with brotherhood, I was never confused by the beginning

[@overpinkskies]

They're slow.

[@josephnacario81]

I made a stupid mistake to rewatch "fmab" again. I watched it back at 2010 and rewatched it on 2015. it turns out that the first episodes were from fma 2003 and not brotherhood so I'm confused asf right now. the rest of the episodes were from fmab. it makes me wonder how I even switched up some episodes....

[@HermanFalckHow]

Because it has really awful pacing in the beginning since they assume you have already watched the original show and only need a refresher instead of redoing the story properly. In the original it all feels like one continous story while the opening 8 episodes of Brotherhood feels like an extended "Previously on"

[@christophersalinas2722]

@@HermanFalckHow really?

[@FromsoftgoatKaj]

@@HermanFalckHow It was actually rushed due to time constraints since they were making the anime when the manga wasn't even finished and the period they had to finosh the anime in was too short. Something like that.

[@NitroIndigo]

Something about the early episodes of FMA03 just feels so... warm, like they don't make 'em like this any more. A lot of Japanese entertainment from this decade just feels flashy and hollow to me, regardless of medium and target audience, and I first got that vibe from Brotherhood.

[@Prettywitchiusaka]

Agreed. There's plenty of anime I like from this decade , but a lot of them don't take their time the way 03, or even something like Read or Die do, where they take their time setting up and developing these characters. They feel like real people; they have days where exciting things happen, and days where they just do ordinary things like hang out with friends or run errands. There's more to it than what I'm talking about, but the point I'm trying to make is that a slower pace, while a slog to get through sometimes, is rewarding for anyone willing to give it a chance.

[@owolis3013]

Yes! Some episodes at the beginning feel so wholesome! Like Ed's and Al's happy childhood memories before their mom died. Also seeing them with Nina is sweet and adorable but then that bastard Tucker fucks it up. Makes episode 7 even more horrifying and depressing.

[@HW-uz7so]

@Dude Guy I think it's the lighting. They do a great job with having the sunlight play into scenes and give it this sort of radiant appearance. Almost every scene is absolutely bathed in light, in a way you notice every single shot. Compare that to brotherhood, where lighting is more of a background thing. It's there, and its shading is consistent with the surroundings, but you don't notice it. The original is so distinctive because lighting and light sources, something that's normally just a background thing in anime, is brought into the foreground. The colors in the original are also more saturated. If you look at scenes side by side, the colors in brotherhood are a lot more washed out and pale. It's not bad to look at, quite the opposite, but the original just looks so much more vibrant and vivid.

[@Harrinsain]

a lot of anime from the mid 2000's feels as if they're still trying to figure out digital animation. But 03's tone and general visual style just works so well for FMA and it's on of the things i prefer in 03 over broho

[@apollo9288]

fuck off, 2003 had no warm feeling. Hajime no Ippo and fucking Papa ikki had warm fucking feeling. EVEN THE FUCKING SANTA LILY HAD A WARMER FUCKING FEELING. (fgo)

[@thezantgeneral677]

THE GREAT LOWART HAS BLESSED US AGAIN WITH HIS FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST COMPARISON VIDEOS! Great work, dude. Keep it up!

[@Lowart]

Thank you :) I'm happy you enjoyed it ^_^

[@ranisani5508]

I watched FMA brotherhood first and didn't have any problem with character introductions or anything like that. :-)

[@nguyenthanhhai6725]

Me too but the first 20 eps in FMA they did introduced new characters so well

[@dubiousdeliquite6641]

sania shaikh yea I never had trouble with it either, and im not super easy to please or anything

[@kittens-kun7671]

Most people didn’t. He just had to make up shit to complain about.

[@lloydirving6209]

I think it's totally valid to say you didn't have any problem with it, while also acknowledging that it was done better in the manga and 2003 anime. that's where I stand at least

[@kittens-kun7671]

@@lloydirving6209 Don’t need to acknowledge that.

[@Figgy5119]

I'm so glad to hear praise for the 2003 anime. So many people dismiss it automatically since it doesn't follow the manga later on... But really, why should that make it bad? I can understand a lot of things in brotherhood and the manga may be more appealing to fans, like a final battle with all the characters, happy endings for everyone, but honestly, Arakawa is a great mangaka, but some of her choices later in the series actually are weaker than choices made by the earlier anime series. Given that you've only covered the first few episodes, it may take you a while to get to my grievances with the manga, but maybe you'll find the same problems I did.

[@Dayz671]

Figgy5119 I honestly think Brotherhood had better character developement

[@breakpoint43]

@@Dayz671 It did but people like to be contrarians and claim FMAB doesnt even hold a candle to FMA. While FMA is good it is by no means great and it has really slow pacing. FMAB is insanely fast in the beginning but hits its stride after the death of lust. FMAB is still god tier!!!

[@Dayz671]

AlphaSeries181 I totally agree I thought FMAB had better character development I can see a whole lot more in it then just FMA but I agree with you

[@keelinmccoy5983]

@@mccrillisnsiah You think that Avatar the last Airbender and One Piece are overrated? Do you mind like going into more detail about that because they seem to match the specific things they are praised on very well. One Piece may genuinely be the best world building in any piece of fiction ever, perhaps lesser than middler earth. Avatar is an incredibly well rounded show that has great world building and especially great character work on the secondary protagonists. Also no one praises DBZ for being great, they praise it because it almost single handedly inspired every manga that proceeds it.

[@crono276]

@@breakpoint43 I feel like if FMAB had a beginning as well developed as FMA, then it might be seen as better

[@brunom7162]

Ed: "so... You killed a whole city just to preserve your own life? Why??" Dante: "because I deserve it." I really like Dante as villain. She shows us how selfish and greedy humans can be.

[@bunsmasterbunny]

While Ed shows us how selfless and giving Humans can be.

[@isauldron4337]

And I was like: "Whatever. Ed now please make me a favor and try to use alchemy to attack her rather Than suffering from plot standinitis"

[@nl3064]

Did they say that in the show? I've seen it 4 times, but I can't remember that exact bit of dialogue. If they did and I'm misremembering then that slightly changes how I always viewed Dante. I read her more as she simply wants to avoid her own mortality, which is an instinct most creatures have, and, like most creatures, doing what she can to put it off, which I always though made her a more human and semi-sympathetic, or at least understandable villain.

[@hunterhall1575]

Hearing that there are grown fans who got into it when Brotherhood was already a thing just makes me feel old...

[@TheTrueRandomGamer]

The remaster is finally here! Thanks a million for making this. Let's celebrate the fact that we have two great adaptations of a wonderful series.

[@Lowart]

And thank you for watching! :) I'm also always thankful that we have two great adaptations. It's rare for a story to get that, especially when one of them is so incredibly different from the source material.

[@Alex-tb5xm]

The True Random Gamer and on top of that a wonderful live action Netflix movie. Just the best. 😚 👌🏻 no flaws whatsoever. The best. Like all live action anime adaptations.

[@owolis3013]

@@Alex-tb5xm My sarcasm senses are tinkling

[@thelittlebosniaexperience8181]

The 2003 adding more emphasis on the mother makes the homunculus looking like her a great addition over brotherhood

[@dreamingblue3939]

Brotherhood's Sloth always bored me. I gotta say I prefer how FMA 2003 did the homunculi.

[@ma1ist]

@@dreamingblue3939 Yeah. It's crazy how great the original additions they made were. Envy being a half sibling, and then the poor fuck being used to force open the Gates. Classic.

[@someguywhocanfly]

Eh, it was good in theory but I think it was handled poorly. She looks exactly the same but Al only has a vague suspicion and Ed never even notices? How is that a thing? And it's used so cheaply. It's obvious to the viewer that's what's going on from really early on, but the characters don't learn about it until near the end of the show, which just leaves you feeling blueballed for like 40 episodes. Also, why is she Sloth? In fact, why are any of the homunculi named after the 7 deadly sins? The ones unique to 2003 don't even embody those sins at all. And why do they talk about it like 7 is the maximum when surely there could be more if someone else attempted a human transmutation while 7 were already alive? It's just lazily copying details over from the manga without even attempting to give them any meaning.

[@eatplastic9133]

Has it been said why they are named after the 7 deadly sins in the manga? Isn't it just religious simbolism in all anime or manga?

[@someguywhocanfly]

@@eatplastic9133 Yeah it's pretty important to the story actually. I won't spoil it unless you want me to, but yeah, it has a point in the manga/Brotherhood.

[@Ali_D_Katt]

I love everything full metal alchemist! I can say without a doubt the Nina/Alexander situation gutted me like few things in print or on tv before or since. I blubbered like a baby at the way she still cared for her dad even after he did that to her. I think I've always identified with the FMA story having lost my sister when we were teenagers. I cannot explain the feeling of wanting with every cell of your existence to have them back. You'd gladly try even the most illegal, dangerous thing to claw your way to them and drag them back to the world with you. She passed in 2006 and while laying around wishing not to die or to live really, but to just stop existing all together, to just quit life. I found this manga, then the 2003 anime, then Brotherhood. It gave me an outlet with a poignant storyline and characters I could relate to in their grief and fighting to make it out the other side. The "stand up and walk" quote to Rose is one I still find myself recalling when I start to wish for nonexistence again. I'm not going to be cliche and say it saved my life, it didn't, it was just a sunny spot I could hide away in for a few hours to regain sanity and perspective.

[@jackfrost884]

Hits deep

[@zackakai5173]

Oh man I wish you had come to me instead. I tell *everybody* getting into the series to start with the original and THEN move onto Brotherhood. I think both shows are far more enjoyable in that order.

[@super5aj123]

Zack Akai the problem is most people (especially those who haven’t really watched anime before) don’t like committing to over 100 episodes of a show they might not even like.

[@freshboy3968]

@@super5aj123 Well, the original has fewer episodes. Problem solved. （￣︶￣）↗

[@runbaa9285]

@@super5aj123 the original had fewer episodes than Brotherhood plus a movie... It's not that long.

[@zackakai5173]

@@super5aj123 yeah, *total*. But that's over two separate shows, either one of which can theoretically be watched completely independently. The original is only 51 plus the movie, and chances are if you make it to the end of that and don't like it at least enough to want to keep watching, then you're probably not going to find Brotherhood significantly better.

[@nevermind8675]

As someone who watched and loved the 2003 anime as a kid without reading the manga and before Brotherhood came out, I really appreciate how you emphasized just how great they did in adapting the start of the story. I've attempted to watch Brotherhood several times since it came out and I just haven't been able to get myself to do it because there was always something about the story pacing that rubbed me the wrong way. I've been told time and time again that Brotherhood is an unequivocal masterpiece and one of the greatest anime of all time, so I thought it was only me who was bothered by the starting episodes. I know Brotherhood does get much, much better later on, but now I know I can definitely defend the first anime adaptation for having a much better start. Thanks for reminding me why I fell in love with this story in the first place.

[@chloepechlaner7806]

Brotherhood is... much more of a high-stakes shounen, where the world, and evil and good, matter much more than Ed and ESPECIALLY Al do. It focuses much more on worldbuilding and dramatic fights, but IMO it lacks the ability to create deapth in its characters due to its pace. Even later, it completely fails where 2003 turns Lust into a deuteragonist, and I damn near threw my computer when I saw Brotherhood's (and the manga's, I suppose) version of Sloth. No consequences, no growth, and none of the horrific implications.

[@chloepechlaner7806]

That is to say, while Brotherhood does "get good", it gets good in a fundementally different way than 2003 is good, and personally, and I imagine for you, that isnt as interesting. And its not like 2003 gets bad- Dante is a great villian, as weird as the end and the movie get.

[@nevermind8675]

@@chloepechlaner7806 Thank you for the insight! Because I've always tried to convince myself (for damn near 10 years now, wow) that I'll eventually get into watching Brotherhood, I've always avoided looking for the main differences between the series, and I've always bought into the idea that most people pushed - that Brotherhood is just overall better in almost every way to the 2003 series. I was never able to get past the first 5 or so episodes though, so I've never known for sure. I'm grateful that there are some people like you and Lowart that are able to objectively say what you liked and disliked between all three versions of the story. I'm happy to know that I haven't missed out on as much as I originally thought I did, because to me, I always thought that the "Brotherhood" name signified greater character depth than the original, which is what I really fell in love with the series for.

[@jonsnor4313]

Its great when you saw the start of 2003. And the tone is more lighthearted in a way. They are more ambition and pull it off. I still think its better and i like badass determinated crafty ed more.And less melodramatic. Itseven better when you know the introduction of 2003. Cutting rose to her base function is kinda nessesary to pull it off with reasonable pacing.

[@tristanneal9552]

Honestly just skip like the first 13ish episodes. Go straight to Rush Valley where Ed and Al meet Ling. I know there are people who insist on sitting through all of it, but as someone who did exactly that I see no merit in waiting through those episodes because that essentially all it is... waiting through stuff that 2003 did better until the new stuff starts.

[@naglismalisauskas1779]

Do you more like Fma or Fma brotherhood ? me: yes

[@sugen747]

“I believe the 03 version of FMA had more of a sense of brotherhood than FMA Brotherhood did” *aggressively poetry finger snaps in agreement*

[@ThePreciseClimber]

Well, TO BE FAIR, the "Brotherhood" subtitle was a western invention. In Japan they just added the English title to the Japanese one. So the first series was called: Hagane no Renkinjutsushi And the second series was called: Hagane no Renkinjutsushi: Furumetaru Aruchemisto

[@Jude74]

Totally agree. FMAB splits the brothers for much of the series and has several episodes that barely have any Ed in it, you know Ed? The actual Fullmetal Alchemist that the show is named after?

[@stapuft]

@@ThePreciseClimber I dont know what you are smoking but that's not the English title.

[@Uroboro_Djinn]

@@stapuft Yes it is. In what world is Fullmetal Alchemist not the title of Fullmetal Alchemist?

[@RtistiqSkubie]

stapuft I don't think you can read...

[@spookster3384]

I like how the FMA fandom is split into 2 sides that hate eachother(Oh and actual normal people exist, but who cares about them)

[@mikitadou]

Human nature isn't it. Just like most religions, for exampe Sunni and Shia of Islam believe basically in the same religion but hate each other due to some nuances.

[@giisellegaalvan1996]

then there's the "weirdos" like me who like both and don't give a shit about rivalry ✨😁🙏 (just don't talk shit about either)

[@karthikeyasharma7809]

@@giisellegaalvan1996 Both are great.......I even liked how brotherhood had exact same dialogues for some visually different scenes as the 2003's FMA.

[@HermanFalckHow]

I really hate it. You can like both since they are really different. They're almost separate genres. But it's such a bummer so many younger people went straight to Brotherhood which kinda just ruins a lot of the original for you. You're clearly meant to have watched FMA first, Brotherhood isn't a remake it's an adaptation. If you watch FMA, then Brotherhood and prefer Brotherhood I can understand your point. But everyone should watch FMA first. It's not like it's super dated or anything. It's still great and still super watchable and Brotherhood is meant to be watched after.

[@atharvadeshpande4749]

@@giisellegaalvan1996 same

[@cbrogodesscb5182]

Ok but for real tho whichever one you watch first is gonna be your favorite That aside Brotherhood is better.

[@hi-ct1650]

Facts

[@HermanFalckHow]

Well that is obvious. Because the first you watch you watch with a different lense the second inevitebly becomes a round of "Oh this is different". That is kind of inevitable. But I think FMA is the better version to start with since like this guy is saying clearly the people who made Brotherhood assumed you'd have already seen the original. FMA at that time was one of the most popular animes ever and this was before streaming services etc so they didn't really assume anyone would ever watch Brotherhood first or even worse ONLY watch Brotherhood. Which is just a bummer. It's not bad! It's just not as special.

[@fennec.15]

@@HermanFalckHow i think it's nostalgia

[@thenorthwillow1536]

I disagree. I watched fma first and i just didn't like it. This was before I started watching brotherhood. Idk I just couldn't get hooked on fma. I watched brotherhood 3 years after i dropped fma and I loved it ❤ Honestly brotherhood just hooked me more and made me love the characters more. It especially made me love greed RIP Greed ❤

[@TheBukoStudio]

Not really. I watched 2003 first and loved it but I prefer Brotherhood by a mile. The Lord of the Rings is one of my favorite things in the world and FMAB really give me an LOTR vibes because of its massive adventure with a lot of character development for the whole cast.

[@BigAl2-u7e]

FMAB: Let's just compress the first 25-30 episodes of FMA 2003 into 13 episodes. It surely won't confuse people. I love FMAB by the way.

[@theextreem]

yeah this video made me realize just how confusing the beginning of the show must have been for people who hadn't watch FMA 03 lmao

[@MrSimpleton]

@Joseph Rabozzi The ending, though fitting with Fma's story just wasn't for me. It left me feeling empty, and because of that and a few other things Brotherhood is better in my opinion.

[@0destino0x]

It wasn't confusing for me, I actually dropped 2003 FMA after a few episoded because it dragged sooooo much, then watched FMAB and had no problems really

[@nguyenthanhhai6725]

@@0destino0x actually that is a great way to watch FMA. The 2003 version did pretty great job the first few episodes and The 2009 ver just gets better as the End.

[@MetalMarauder]

Never confused me

[@thatmagicguy369]

I think something should be mentioned about the sound design in 2003 as well. The use of reverb is much more abundant when necessary, which to me personally, creates a much more isolated and cold feeling environment which matches the shows themes pretty well.

[@Cellidor]

Videos like this remind me exactly why I became so focused on trying to find the "ultimate" viewing list for someone to watch FMA. A list of what order to watch episodes from both, transitioning from FMA to FMAB to give the best of both worlds.

[@mythicamagic]

I honestly think the first 20 or so episodes of the 2003 version is much better than the first part of brotherhood. Granted brotherhood becomes much better, but I think a series needs a strong foundation to build off of, and I get that sense more in the 03 one. From the warm nostalgic music in the flashbacks to the brutal moments, 03 just feels more human and personal. This is especially apparent with the treatment of Nina. In Brotherhood, I never got the sense that there was much of a bond with Nina, and Ed just kind of confronts Shou very flatly to me. In comparison, I really got the sense that Ed was going to lose it with Shou in the 03 version. It empathises that Ed could end up just like Shou if he took his brilliant mind too far, which is reinforced later with that warehouse of prisoners. Also the whole segment with Barry the Chopper in 03 really drives home how young and vulnerable Ed is. He tries to save Winry using just one arm and there's so much suspense. I know I'm singing praises for 03 but it's such a shame to me that it's passed over. I usually switch over from the 03 version around episode 20 and watch brotherhood from 13 onwards, as its around the same time Ed is confronted with Greed. Anyway, sorry for the rant, great video!

[@AnimeFreakLucky7]

One of Brotherhoods biggest weaknesses was the early episodes. They are skimmed over so quickly, like a footnote from point A to B! I get if you'd seen 2003/ read the manga they wanted to get to newer material, but in doing so, I believe it really hurt the presentation. In 2003, didn't Ed and Al spend quite a few months with the Tucker family; where in FMA Brotherhood/manga it was at most, two days? 2003 made me genuinely upset when Nina was killed-she was a sweet girl who just wanted to see her mom again! Not knowing her father killed her mother, than her and her dog was just heart breaking! Shou Tucker was a piece of garbage! In Brotherhood I didn't feel that. Among all the earlier stuff-like Izumi and her connection to the brothers, or how much Trisha meant to Edward and Alphonse-to Maes Hughes becoming an important person in their lives, and you felt that every step of the way! Very sorry, just passionate about FMA 2003'S beginning episodes a lot!

[@bunsmasterbunny]

I still think you have to be pretty heartless to not feel any sadness for Nina's death in Mangahood.

[@AnimeFreakLucky7]

Not saying it isn't completely without merit-but it was so quick! Like most people-2003 was my first exposure to the series! I didn't start the manga til about 16. 2003's introduction episodes are still pretty solid. If it got you, that's cool-but it just didn't faze me. Again, the beginning episodes are super rushed to me. From Cornello to Lab 5 was done so well in 2003, then Brotherhood just flys through it! As a whole, FMA: Brotherhood is great-amazing even, all three versions of the story deserve a medal-Hiromu Arakawa created an amazing story-it will take a while before I ever find a story this good again!

[@ThePreciseClimber]

Really now? I thought FMAB had waaay better pacing for a weekly series. Every early episode had a beginning, middle and end and didn't leave me with blue balls. I actually thought pacing got worse later, especially during the Promised Day arc. It felt like so very little was happening every week, it was excruciating.

[@AnimeFreakLucky7]

Well, I guess the difference between you and me was I waited on the DVD releases, and watched in chucks instead of weekly. Plus, I'm a huge fan of the dub cast!

[@crazysmith5408]

I think Brotherhood expected most of its audience to have already seen FMA 2003, so they didn’t really want to go in depth with the stuff that was already covered. It was only a six year difference between the two series, much shorter than some other anime sequel/remake series.

[@Astrothunder_]

I always said that the original FMA anime adaptation had a much darker feel. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s superior to the manga or brotherhood but I really love the incredibly bitter sweet resolution of so much that occurs in FMA 03. Things like it’s ending, the characters (Ed and hoenhiem) are hopeful and thus we the audience are hopeful. But it is a very blue ballsy ending, leaving so much up in the air and almost nothing explained about the truth and the gate. Also I think the Tucker/his daughter also had a far darker approach. The military using a horrible person like him in secret to further their research. Him showing regret for what he did to his daughter but not actually blaming himself. Instead he goes down a spiral of insanity to bring back a literal doll of her. And he’s fine with that. And assuming he lives the rest of his days like that. So many dark situations that the viewer and characters just have to accept. It would have tied with brotherhood much better. As in the end, it’s the same lesson the Dwarf in the flask had to learn. Alchemy can’t solve everything. If you want to see change, you have to believe you can do it instead of leeching on the power of others. And sometimes, you have to accept that some things can’t be changed.

[@ebmage8793]

Im glad Im not alone in liking the 2003 version over Brotherhood. I saw the 2003 version first and I just feel like the choices made in that anime was based on what was best for the medium the story would be told in. Ive watched bits and pieces of Brotherhood but it just doesnt hold my attention. Its really hard to sit through honestly

[@efeceoarata]

You're never be "the only one" to like or dislike something.

[@ebmage8793]

@Fg 98 If I do, is that so horrible? Its got nothing to do with nostalgia and everything to do with what I personally like in my narrative fiction. Sometimes the manga is not better or worse than the anime, just different. What I like in manga is different from what I like in animation. Thats all there is to it for me

[@HarioGu]

Feel the same as you. I like the direction of FMA03 better and lets not forget the OST is lightyears better than brother, way more powerful

[@earthclad6833]

@Fg 98 if anything you're nostalgia biased.

[@brya9681]

because Brotherhood is just a cliche, it does everything anime is criticized for and it just leans on it. Like almost every character is one dimensional.

[@tyronehasanopiniondealwith3703]

The original does some things better than brotherhood But brotherhood has the best ending,fights,OST, and philosophy imo That's why brotherhood is my favorite anime of all time

[@yaelthesnail]

Have you considered that your emotional attachment to it might be blinding you to some of its flaws?

[@tyronehasanopiniondealwith3703]

@@yaelthesnail did i say it didn't have flaws I will acknowledge that Which I did in another comment But it was better for me I related to fmab Ed more than fma And I simply had a better rime watching it

[@frogglen6350]

@@yaelthesnail You should ask yourself that if you prefer FMA 2003.....

[@yaelthesnail]

@@frogglen6350 I'm fully aware of that series' flaws. I may even be more aware of them than you, since I've no doubt watched and analyzed it more than you have. I still prefer it, for very personal reasons. But I wouldn't say it's my favorite series or the best show I've ever seen. Or even the best anime. I just like it a lot, and am not overly fond of the manga.

[@yaelthesnail]

@@tyronehasanopiniondealwith3703 And I found mangahood!Ed to be very disappointing. Different strokes for different folks. Maybe try to dial back the defensiveness a little bit, is all I'm saying.

[@moonjellymusic]

the mining town story is something i really missed in fma:b. it shows a more playfull side to ed's cleverness and marks the moment when i decided i really liked ed and wanted to root for him.

[@aaronborok8398]

The 2003 FMA is one of my favorite anime shows ever, and I always find it interesting to compare it to Brotherhood, so I'm excited to see more of this! Keep up the good work!

[@sleepyhappiness]

the 2003 anime will always be my favourite

[@ItsAnEndlessWorld]

Same

[@KohenBlassingame]

Agreed

[@OTST04]

Omg same here!

[@elizabethdaniels9590]

Brother hood is not the same as 2003

[@Emerardo]

@@elizabethdaniels9590 ok dumbfuck

[@lucasstokes503]

I appreciate someone pointing out the superior beginning FMA has, I have always recommended watching FMA first or at least the first half if you're lazy and then Brotherhood because Brotherhood abridges the hell out of very impactful moments and plot lines.

[@DedHedZed]

Both are amazing but the 2003 version was so much more somber and tragic. So many more feels.

[@kotorandcorvid4968]

Ehhm no. Just no

[@bugaboo2860]

2003 version was much more rushed and sloppy with a terrible ending*

[@bigpenny8223]

bug a boo the ending was rushed but not the rest of it when they were still going off of the manga it felt like they put so much more depth into it they slowed it down and let the characters actually emote and think about the situation

[@kotorandcorvid4968]

@@bigpenny8223 the Manga and brotherhood are better

[@bigpenny8223]

Kosta Danicic to me they’re all equal just different adaptations they all have a lot of merit

[@thestressbus5139]

I love 03 slightly more than Brotherhood, even if it drags a little. I think it all came down to that opening. I remember just being horrified at the opening yet it's one of the best scenes that has stayed in my memory no matter how many anime I watch.

[@EdsGurlMitsuki]

Damn... I need to go back and rewatch both of these. My 14 year old self just came screaming back to the surface and she demands it. Thanks for posting this, its really in depth and its fantastic.

[@Nexsusthepro]

I prefer brotherhood, but I cant understate the ..."Dante" FMA version! both have great value!

[@eviltom1052]

Brotherhood is crap

[@RaffiMiah]

@@eviltom1052 I see why you are evil.

[@eviltom1052]

Raffi Miah change my mind FMA03 >>> FMAB

[@armandoc.3150]

@@eviltom1052 They will never understand ):

[@yeah2152]

Armando C. It’s literally not better?

[@KevinStriker]

I prefer '03, and I appreciate it being different from the manga. I also think it's infinitely better directed than Brotherhood, and doesn't nearly spoil Fuhrer Bradley in its first episode, a first episode which is very rough and basically filler. For the most part, Brotherhood sticks closer to the manga, but it's a story I think benefits more from being on a printed page rather than a series that ends up being hours longer than '03 while '03 has more meat to it during its second half.

[@amyaurion]

I came here just after finishing Brotherhood. I only knew that Ed and Al are brothers and that there is "magic" elements to the story. I still had no issues getting sucked into the story within three episodes. I never judge an anime under three episodes to be clear.

[@BraveHeartedHero1]

The ending of the 2003 version really soured the show as a whole for me. How you beat the humonculus was very convoluted and I to this day still don't understand how Ed ended up in england.

[@bunsmasterbunny]

It's pretty well foreshadowed if you pay attention.

[@isauldron4337]

Agree, killing a freaking homunculus in FMA 2003 felt really contrived : get the remains of the person they were based on, use alchemy to make them throw up red stones ... and THEN you CAN KILL THEM The animators seem to have realized they made it too freaking complicated and contrived to cut them down, as conqueror of shamballa adds the "sacrifice them to open the gate" Like seriously, when the sequel has to add a much less complex method to get rid of them shows that they made them a little bit OP in the resurrection department A minor doubt: yes they regenerate thanks to the red stones .. but DON'T THEY RUN OUT?

[@bunsmasterbunny]

@@isauldron4337 How is that contrived? It's not convoluted at all it makes perfect sense.

[@isauldron4337]

@@bunsmasterbunny I'm just saying that having to find the original's remains is a kinda padded, nothing else Yes, it makes sense that they would be weak to their bases. . But it forces the plot to have to dig out bodies (don't they rot?)

[@bunsmasterbunny]

I don't understand. How is it padded? Remains when buried last a long time. Bones and hair especially. Plus, they dug up a body in the Manga to test to see if it was their mother's remains or not as well.@@isauldron4337

[@Shin_FTW]

There's a lot of reasons I prefer Brotherhood to the 2003 anime (which I saw first). I'll just copypasta a comment I made, though I've made several on this. --- 1000% agree. I saw the 2003 anime first, so if anything, a lot of the impact would've been ruined when seeing it in Brotherhood because I already saw it, but I experienced way more feels from Brotherhood. While the 2003 anime does focus on the brothers more, Brotherhood still does a damn good job with Ed and Al's relationship, and is able to include so many other relationships and characters that don't exist in the 2003 anime. The Homunculi were far better done and actually fit with their names (Ed and Al's mom as Sloth just was so out of place), and it's just far more poetic in Brotherhood. For example, Kimblee lived consumed by pride, and he "died" literally being *consumed* by Pride. And Ling's speech to Greed that included "Fool. If you turned your back on something you wanted, YOU DON'T DESERVE TO CALL YOURSELF GREED!" is so powerful. And Pride is far more terrifying in Brotherhood than all the Homunculus in the 2003 anime combined, yet Brotherhood's Wrath is even more terrifying than that, and Bradley in general is more fleshed out. There's a deeper overall underlying plot in Brotherhood and so many hints where you see it later and connect the dots to EPISODES ago. And the characters are shown emoting much better. You don't see Riza's breakdown in the 2003 anime, or Roy's epic entrance when he torched Lust, which is still to this day the most badass moment out of all the 200+ anime I've seen. Roy and Riza don't even have that much of a relationship in the 2003 anime, and Riza herself isn't as fleshed out. I think the 2003 anime had a better start maybe, but after a certain point, especially when it started to do its own thing, it kinda turned into a bit of a mess. I especially hated the ending because it's like they didn't pick up on the relationship between Ed an Winry in the manga and decided to have Ed separated from her forever. And the 2003 anime is absent of characters like Old Man Fu, and Lan Fan, and Ling, which means their relationship together also doesn't exist. And Olivier Armstrong isn't in it either, which is a huge sin. Nor LinGreed, which adds a whole new level of depth to Greed's character and really sets him apart from the other fleshed out Homunculus. Even for those other Homunculus, Brotherhood manages to make you sympathize with them during their final moments... except maybe Lust. I think the 2003 anime did better with Lust since she lasted much longer, but it then lacked the heartbreaking moment with Riza's breakdown and the epic moment of Roy killing Lust. And since Bradley was revealed as a Homunculus earlier in Brotherhood, it gave the viewer more of a sense of terror when he'd be in the scene, especially when threatening the other characters. The 2003 anime saving the reveal for closer to the end doesn't make it better. Nowhere does saving a reveal later equate to better. It can often be worse if it's done too late. What matters is HOW the reveal is done, and Bradley revealing himself to Greed during a fight where Bradley established himself as a terrifying opponent was powerful, especially since ONLY the viewers and Greed knew. Al had no idea, and was right there with Bradley and Martel inside him. It made it that much more chilling when Bradley went to interact with Al. And also, revealing him earlier allowed him more time to develop as a Homunculus and villain in general. It made for seemingly hopeless moments like when he almost killed Lan Fan and was chasing her and Ling down, or when Bradley essentially held Hawkeye hostage as his "right hand" and the chill when Ed arrived at Central to see Bradley sitting in a private room with Winry. Had Bradley not been revealed to the viewer and Ed yet, that moment would have lacked ANY impact. But since you knew who Bradley was and Ed knew, that action was a clear threat to Ed by threatening Winry's life. People need to understand this, because so many times I see people saying Brotherhood dropped the ball by revealing Bradley early, when the complete opposite is true. That makes it all the BETTER for it. Bradley's reveal as a Homunculus in the 2003 anime, even before seeing Brotherhood, felt like something tacked on as a last minute thought - a throwaway. I'm pretty sure it's because, by that point it was revealed that Bradley was Wrath in the manga, so the ones doing the 2003 anime were like "Oh shit. We need to quick make Bradley a Homunculus!", and they went with Pride since they'd already made Wrath into a whiny kid in their version. Overall, Brotherhood puts more importance in other characters as well as Ed and Al. In the end, and over the course of the series, EVERYONE is relevant. Everyone does their part. And Brotherhood is the one out of the two that portrays the women as stronger characters, who stand for their own ambitions while also standing behind the men they love as both the support to push them forward and to pick them up when they fall.

[@hypermonkeybird4945]

I disagree with Ed and Al's mother being Sloth as "out of place". I thought this too when I saw the show many years ago, but I realized something in my recent rewatch. The homunculi are likely meant to be the sins of their *creators*. At the very least, this applies to Wrath, Sloth, Pride (Bradley), Envy, and Lust. We see Dante say how proud of herself she is for creating Pride, an aging homunculus. Sloth can represent the brothers' unwillingness to move forward and onwards from their mothers' death. Wrath may represent Izumi's nature, though she's not quite as ill willed as the name implies. Envy could represent Hohenheim's jealousy of other people's happiness. He was jealous of those who still had their sons intact, and this could also apply to him being jealous of other people experiencing true love. After all, he says that he never loved in all his long life until he meant Trisha, and just filled the void with Dante. Lust obviously is Scar's brother lusting after his deceased fiance. Gluttony and Greed, assuming they were made by Dante, could theoretically represent her being a glutton for power and her avarice of thinking she deserves the world.

[@Shin_FTW]

That's a pretty big stretch, for Sloth especially. On top of the fact that I wouldn't categorize an unwillingness to move on from someone's death as "sloth". Hell you could say they tried to bring their mother back out of envy more so than sloth, considering how much work they had to put into the process of trying to bring her back. In comparison, FMAB's homunculi were just done much better, given largely more characterization and development (though an argument could be made for Lust in the 2003 anime), and are much more fitting and poetic to their role/name. They way they were handled shows a higher level of forethought, because they actually had forethought. On top of that, it's never said that the homunculi in the 2003 anime are the sins of their creators. It's kind of like themes in movies. If you pick a random movie and a random word/theme, you can adjust your perspective to find that theme throughout the movie or other piece of media. With an altered perspective, I could say that the Ed and Al's mom should have also been Pride, as she was born because of Ed and Al's Pride and overconfidence as alchemists. On top of Envy, as I mentioned before - envy to have something they didn't have. Or, it was Greed, because they tried to cheat the laws of nature in order to acquire something. For the homunculi in FMAB, there's no vagueness or mistaking why they're named after the sin they're named after, and there's a poetic irony to each one. Even Sloth, despite being introduced so late. He was the embodiment of wasted/unused potential (which is what sloth essentially is) being that he was the fastest and most powerful homunculus, but was too lazy to make full use of it, and the irony is that despite his name, he was hard at work for decades digging that tunnel. The real irony was in their deaths. Sloth died while going all out at full speed. Pride died as a result of him throwing away his pride to try to take the body of a lowly human (which he said was beneath him), and Kimblee even called him out on this and helped take him down BECAUSE he was betraying his own pride (and Kimblee himself was a prideful individual). Lust died at the hands of a womanizer who was immune to her charm. Gluttony was literally eaten. Wrath was at peace, for the first time, in his final moments, and made peace with his life. Greed died as the result of a selfless self-sacrifice, with him literally giving up everything for someone else. Envy, the irony about Envy was that he died revealing his envy towards humans, while up until then he'd lived with the facade of despising them and acting like they were pathetic. Envy was also the only homunculus to take his own life, when people who are envious will desire someone else's life. And I mean, Ed and Al's mom being Sloth isn't the worst thing. It was kind of interesting of a concept that the homunculi were people who others tried to bring back from the dead, but then that begs the question of "What happens if... y'know, anyone tries to bring someone else back when there's already 7 homunculi alive? Will they create an... 8th deadly sin? Or does that mean that coincidentally there were only 7 people that others tried to resurrect, and each of them happened to line up with a different deadly sin somehow, and that no one else is gonna try to bring back anyone else and create an 8th homunculus to mess the whole thing up?"

[@hypermonkeybird4945]

@@Shin_FTW Nothing says that homunculi have to correspond to a sin in the 2003 show though. I've never got that "huh what if there's an 8th one" argument. Dante named them that. You could create a homunculus and name it Gary if you wanted. Nobody says it *has* to be named after one of the seven vices. Never understood this and I've heard it so many times throughout the years. And Sloth's name isn't a huge stretch. It doesn't have to be so literal. Also, Lust and Sloth are miles ahead of their FMAB counterparts. Lust amounts to nothing but an early-game boss character in Mangahood and they have something going on with her insisting that she *is* human, but nothing comes out of it. Because she dies 15 minutes later. And Sloth is just...Yeah. Bradley in 2003 is just the same as in Mangahood minus half of his character (i.e actually caring for his wife and shit), so yeah he's better in Mangahood. He still has that deadly and imposing presence in 2003, but he's just kind of that intimidating big bad that gets the badass showdown with Mustang in the end (which is a better fight than Scar vs Wrath not narratively but in how it was presented and directed, though that's a different debate). Wrath in 2003 vs Pride in FMAB goes to Pride probably because Wrath's whole shtick with calling Sloth "mom" is so cringeworthy. Not that Pride is very good or all that better than Wrath, but that thing there with Sloth is the straw that broke the camel's back. The Greed situation is the same as the Bradley stuff. Mangahood wins there. Gluttony is more or less the same but he doesn't have that "ironic" death there. Please ignore CoS. 2003 didn't focus on the Homunculi like Mangahood did, so I don't mind Bradley not having too much depth and Greed just being their to further Ed's own development. 2003 is for all intents and purposes just a tale of 2 brothers. But, even if Bradley and Greed are much better in Mangahood, I think that Lust's character and the conflict with Sloth more than makes up for it.

[@Shin_FTW]

To me it doesn't matter who named them that. I mean, what if Dante had found an 8th one? Would they be Lust, Gluttony, Envy, Greed, Pride, Sloth, Wrath, and Gary? Even the 2003 anime set the precedent that there's a homunculi for every deadly sin. Only 7 homunculi are shown, each specifically named after a deadly sin, of which there are also 7. But of them all, only Lust, Greed, Envy, and Gluttony actually display the sin they're named after. They're the only ones who actually embody their sin. It's no coincidence that these same 4 homunculi are the ones who were established in the manga before the anime branched off to do its own thing, and that the 3 homunculi they did on their own just didn't seem to embody their deadly sin as well as the first 4. That's why those first 4 are the same sin as they are in Brotherhood, and so fitting. It's because the 2003 anime didn't make those ones up. With Sloth in 2003, it comes down to a simple "Does she embody the sin she's named after?". The answer is no, no she does not. Not as much thought was put into her being Sloth as Brotherhood's Sloth, and it can't be said that more character was put into her than into Brotherhood's Sloth because she's not actually Ed and Al's mom, so their mother's character doesn't count towards Sloth's. You can look at Brotherhood Sloth's character and understand exactly why he's sloth. In the 2003 anime, it's like Dante was like "Ok and... you can be Sloth because the other names were taken." The reason I called it a stretch is because the example you gave uses the same line of thinking that I used to justify her being called Envy, Pride, or Greed. If you broaden a definition enough, eventually it'll fit whatever you want. And yes, Lust got a bit more characterization in the 2003 anime (though the scene where Roy torched her was more badass than anything in the 2003 anime), or at least she was around longer, but if you're going to acknowledge her characterization and development, then you have to acknowledge the plethora of characterization and development in FMAB that's not present in the 2003 anime. Roy, Riza, Scar, Greed, Winry, Bradley, Alex, Envy, and hell EVERY character (no matter how minor) is relevant and plays a part in Brotherhood. Especially at the end, where characters who were introduced a while ago pitch in to help. The characters I just mentioned all get more personal growth and depth to them in Brotherhood. And then you have great characters like Ling, Old Man Fu, Captain Buccaneer, Kimblee, Pride, Olivier, Miles, and others who aren't even in the 2003 anime. The 2003 anime does do a good job with Ed and Al's relationship, but they don't do much development or characterization with anyone else in comparison, and it's not like FMAB has no development of Ed and Al's brotherly relationship, but it also does well with other relationships such as Riza and Roy, Ling and Lan Fan, Ed and Winry, and even Al and Mei. Plus, while the 2003 anime does the brotherly relationship a bit better, Brotherhood does the individual characters of Ed and Al better. They show more growth, especially Ed (physically and character-wise). With Bradley I wasn't as terrified of him as I was in Brotherhood. It's because they not only showed more of his terrifying skill, but they gave him a chilling air about him, especially because they introduced him as the bad guy early for us, so we actually had time to grow to fear him and see him grow as both a character and as a villain. That would've been lost if he was sprung as the bad guy at the end. There'd have been none of that, and in the 2003 anime there was indeed none of that. But in Brotherhood? When he slaughtered Greed, wrecked Lan Fan and was chasing her and Ling down, or when Ed came to see him talking with Winry or when he appointed Riza as his "guard", or when he stormed Central and was fighting LinGreed/Buccaneer/Old Man Fu? I was TERRIFIED of him. That version of Bradley displayed the most ferocity and skill in combat. He truly seemed untouchable. And yeah, everything about Wrath in the 2003 anime just felt off to me. He didn't really fit as Wrath and his character was just... annoying. Pride on the other hand is the stuff of nightmares. FMAB's Wrath managed to terrify me even more just because of his untouchable skill and killing ferocity, but Selim was just about as deadly and had that creepy child factor. Not only was Gluttony's death ironic in Brotherhood (I mean, how ironic for the one named GLuttony, who eats others and has a literally bottomless pit for a stomach, to die by being eaten?), but he is expanded upon more in Brotherhood as well. Same with Envy. I could be wrong, but I don't think he has any other form in the 2003 anime. I will give that the 2003 anime is the tale of 2 brothers. It does Ed and Al's relationship better, though Brotherhood does it pretty well too. The issue is, like I mentioned, it kinda shirks all the other characters and relationships. Those others don't get much development, and some get none at all, and then there's some amazing characters in Brotherhood that don't exist in the 2003 anime. LinGreed and Olivier in particular are phenomenal. Kimblee as well. Ling's speech to Greed when he ended with "Fool. If you turned your back on something you wanted, YOU DON'T DESERVE TO CALL YOURSELF GREED" was just one of the many powerful lines Brotherhood has to offer, and hands down the most powerful line between both series, not to mention the whole scene and emotion behind it. And then there was Ed's line to Winry about how her hands weren't meant to kill, but to give life. There being no actual Ed x Winry in the 2003 anime in itself was just a huge sin I couldn't forgive. Like I said/admitted, Lust did get more characterization due to her living longer (don't think she died in the 2003 anime now that I think of it, though Sloth didn't really leave much of an impact with me other than the shock of her being created from Ed and Al's failed attempt to bring back their mother), though her death was part of the most badass scene out of the two series, which also included the most heartbreaking scene of seeing Riza utterly break down when she thought Roy was dead, which also shows more depth and development of her character than the entirety of the 2003 anime did for her. Seeing how painfully vulnerable and human she was, after seeing her so calm, stoic, and collected, really stabbed at my heart and made me tear up for her. And in general, so much of Brotherhood made me tear up while in the 2003 anime, I think it was only the bits with Nina (and I think they still had Maes Hughes death/funeral in the 2003 anime), though both of those choke me up in Brotherhood too. Ed's face at the realization of the chimera being Nina and Alexander was still very chilling. I'd also agree that the fight between Bradley and Roy in 2003 was more entertaining than Bradley vs Scar in Brotherhood, but Bradley's other fights and instances of terror/badassness in Brotherhood ultimately take the cake for me. Though for a while I wasn't sure if Scar was actually gonna die or not. I think Rose being in love with Ed at the end of the 2003 anime may have been influenced by it being revealed in the manga that she had some kind of crush or feelings for him. It seemed to come out of nowhere all of a sudden at the end of the 2003 anime, but I think it may have been around that same time that Rose displayed some interest in him when Al and Winry met up with her and Hoenheim. ... HOENHEIM! I almost forgot! His character was done so much more justice in Brotherhood. I think I'd have to agree with people that he was the most interesting character in Brotherhood. He was out planning and doing so much. He showed a lot of growth and got plenty of characterization. His death was so sad, as was the scene when Ed finally called him "Father" while trying not to look like he was crying at the thought of his dad sacrificing himself to bring Al back, because Ed finally started to care about him when it was too late. And just the little clues here and there show how Brotherhood was thought out. Stuff that didn't make sense at the beginning, but when you have more of the info of the grand underlying plot, you look back and can go "Oh! Now it makes sense!". Like Maes not using the phone at Central, or how Xerxes ties in to everything. Hell I didn't even notice at first, but the VERY FIRST opening for FMAB isn't Ed, but a young Hoenheim and Xerxes. That's what the story's all about. And the whole thing about Amestris being created by Father/Dwarf in the Flask for the purpose of creating a giant transmutation circle just like in Xerxes is mindblowing once you find out and realize the whole country was created by and being run by the enemy for this purpose (which kinda hits close to home). That's why, while I give the 2003 anime credit for being a great tale about the 2 brothers and their relationship, and Lust, I gotta give pretty much everything else to Brotherhood. That and their goosebump-inducing Season 4 opening.

[@hypermonkeybird4945]

​@@Shin_FTW Yes, the manga original homunculi do indeed embody their sin better than the anime original ones. No one's debating this. All I said was that it certainly seems as if the intent was to tie the naming conventions back to the creators. Lust embodies her sin physically but there's a reason that she was made to be the dead fiance of Scar's brother. Envy obviously embodies his sin through his transformation power, but also as the (sort of) son of Hohenheim in that he was jealous of other's happy families. This is specifically made a point through the fact that it's repeated multiple times that he never loved Dante and had one true love in Trisha. The intent was obviously to bring it back to their concept of homunculi being failed human transmutations. Just because you can argue that Sloth could correspond to other sins through this naming convention doesn't make any of what I just said less true. Also, what do you mean he doesn't have any other form in the 2003 anime? Do you think he doesn't transform? Are you speaking of the fact that he doesn't have the bad CGI Monster Mash form (god, that CGI did not do the manga any justice)? I guess Envy does have that shitty dragon form from the movie but we uh, shouldn't talk about that movie. Why are you even asking the question of "what if Dante found an eighth one" anyway though? It's a thematic choice to have 7, and its a thematic choice to have them correspond to the sins of their creators. Surely after watching a whopping 51 episodes, you understood that one of the main themes if not the overall central theme of the show was "the sins we bare"? What with Tucker surviving and regretting his actions, the whole concept of the homunculi, the naming conventions, etc. Do you watch FLCL and complain that they didn't explain the intricacies of how robots came out of Naota's forehead? I'd argue that Envy's whole hatred of Hohenheim thing (that was brought up around episode 20 when they were still adapting the manga but placing chekhov's guns every once in a while) is a lot more interesting than what we got specifically from *him* alone in Brotherhood. But for furthering Roy's character, Envy is a lot better in Brotherhood. I'm also not sure quite why you're bringing up the fact that Brotherhood's supporting cast is much better than 2003's, which it is and which nobody is arguing against. I only commented as a note about the homunculi, I didn't start up a full scale defense on why I think the 2003 show is better. No one said anything about the supporting cast. I literally agree with every single thing you said about Brotherhood's side characters, except for Fu since he existed only to die and Olivier since she's just kind of okay. There's no point in comparing Hohenheim between the two series either. You might as well compare 2003's Wrath and Bradley. They're completely different characters, down to the way they talk and their mannerisms. He serves a different purpose and just really has the same face. It's not even like Roy, where they start relatively the same in the two series (though arguably as this video points out, the 2003 show depicts him as harsher) but become very different in the end. They're different people, Hohenheim of Light and Van Hohenheim. Also, it's a little bit disingenuous to lay out how Brotherhood is so thought out while just ignoring that the 2003 show had been placing chekhov's guns since day 1. Both shows did that and both shows benefitted from it. Yes, I too watched Brotherhood more than once and I too realized that the opening shows Hohenheim. I too watched the same piece of media as you and came to the conclusion that Brotherhood tells the story of the centuries old conflict between Hohenheim and the Dwarf in the Flask.

[@MahoganyBlack]

I hate it when people suggest to watch brotherhood only and ignoring the 2003 anime.

[@thehopeofeden597]

When recommending the show to people I'm almost to the exact opposite of your friend. Don't get me wrong I ADORE both, but I always tell people to start with 2003 because if you watch Brotherhood you can tell it's created with the assumption that you already watched 2003 and/or read the manga. 2003 is not only great, but watching it after Brotherhood really messes with your sense of pacing, because Brotherhood goes through the things established in like the first half of 2003 within like 12 episodes.

[@FinalArcanen]

Oh my god you said it thank you. The bond the brothers share is so important and I definitely feel it's explored and backed up better in 03 than brotherhood. The bond Ed, Al, and Hughes form too wasn't backed up so much in brotherhood either. The beginning moves far too fast and the way it showcases each event I agree is a mix. One that doesn't always play to it's strengths. This was really great to watch and I can't wait for the Barry episode to be talked about in 03.

[@topbackpodcast2615]

After watching Brotherhood, it makes it harder and harder to appreciate the 03 version. I personally really liked the 03 adaption, however it’s really hard to watch all the way through. There is too much filler, pacing during the 2nd half drags a bit and it’s overall a more depressing anime compared to Brotherhood. While some may argue there’s more depth to the 03 version, I particularly lost interest the first time around when Wrath appeared....I couldn’t explain why either, but there was just something annoying about the homunculus in the 03 version, with the exception of Lust who arguably had the most character development in the entire series.

[@parismonroe8068]

a b I love this comment. I can appreciate both adaptations, but in FMA there was a lot of morbidity without any real sense of person and that made the show feel a bit cheap. I prefer FMAB because the pacing is fantastic and every scene felt as if there was a purpose. Plus.. I felt like the state exam was a bit dragged out.

[@naruske97]

@a b completely agree

[@cicadaboi101]

@@parismonroe8068 I liked the morbidity. But I haven't seen brotherhood yet, omg I hope they fix that weird rushed multi universe ending.

[@parismonroe8068]

Cicada Boi Brotherhood is just an excellent story. I don’t think the characters are as explored though. But I definitely preferred it to FMA, though both are really good anime.

[@goastlyarrowplays]

a b I always thought FMA was much deeper then FMAB. Mostly for 2 points. Ed’s idea of alchemy, and the question of “what is a human.” Ed believes alchemy is only supposed to be used for good yet we see countless times people using alchemy for bad. Finally when Ed gets sent through the gate we learn the alchemy causes world war 1. Destruction of one world for creation in another. Second we have “what is a human.” The show answers that homunculus aren’t human because they strive to be human. But we have Greed. He doesn’t want to be human. Yet he cries when his friends dies, tells them not to sacrifice themselves for him, and cares for the one who survives. He has human like emotions. Then we have Dante. Cold, unfeeling, merciless, uses people like pawns, and doesn’t bat an eye when she sends someone to another world. Now who’s more human, Dante or Greed?

[@lokiragnarok1881]

I actually liked the original anime but i know im in the minority, the ending for t hose of us who understood was amazing

[@jhoku1]

I liked much that idea that alchemy is powered from souls dead in "our world" like place.

[@cicadaboi101]

I really wasn't a fan of the idea of that. That makes everyone the show got us to care about straight up evil for using the souls of world war 1 vets to power their old broken radios. It also felt super rushed and weird. Like it ended before it began.

[@huydang7313]

lol so basically you say that people who doesn't like the 03 version simply because they dont understand it

[@superawesome5780]

@Unpopular Opinions Brotherhood is still way better though.

[@HarioGu]

I prefer FMA03 over brotherhood. I honestly cant even finish brotherhood its so annoying with the lame jokes forced in and the ninja just feeling so out of place

[@deanoor9391]

I don't care about the comparisons, I just love FMA both the manga and the anime adaptations

[@RachelAnnTaylor]

My only question is.....why was rose’s hair two different colors? 😂

[@mouseonthestreets8675]

Rachel Ann Taylor hair dye I guess? Did that exist in their time?

[@sunwukong5518]

@@hydrophobicwater5843 In Brotherhood or 03?

[@peachie6284]

why was her skin two different colors

[@RachelAnnTaylor]

@@peachie6284 another good question, friend. Yes I’m replying fast because I’m pretty much always on YT…🥲

[@MrInuhanyou123]

FMA 2003 is was always damn awesome...

[@zodus3041]

**You forgot the netflix adaptation**

[@Amber_xo_133]

Brotherhood 1. Cause it follows the manga 2. No Filler 3. Animation is crisp and very well done 4.the action scenes are brilliant 5. Brotherhood also explores other characters to great detail at the same time 6. The characters developed much better over the course of the anime, gaining much more depth and realism. They felt more alive to me. 7. Amazing Ending Brotherhood ❤️❤️❤️

[@slimfastsubaru2043]

i liked the 2003 one better solely for the homunculus story mostly lust i wont give spoilers but that had so much emotion it really hooked me

[@bikinibuzz3477]

Hell yeah

[@ma1ist]

No matter the addition, Scars brother stays suffering lol.

[@thatoneguy7915]

I have the saming feeling about brotherhood but with greed/ling instead

[@eeee8489]

@@thatoneguy7915 yes but also wrath in mangahood is very good But brotherhood greed is better

[@b-ratevillain3406]

Honestly "The Train" is the first episode in the series that was my favorite, just because of Ed's and Hughes' relationship

[@heavymetalfan1167]

2003 ed needs a hug

[@doorran]

yeah watch the first version. I have always felt that they should have done a better job merging the two versions. I liked the original better.

[@merrittanimation7721]

As someone who watched Brotherhood and read the manga before watching 2003 (I haven't gotten past where they completely separate yet, so I don't have an opinion on Dante or anything) I find the the original anime to overcomplicate things and drag on in places. Like how every trip they take results in them having to deal with some side story that only vaguely connects with the main plot. Or I feel like they play a bit looser with the rules of alchemy, like Scar's philosopher stone infused hand being able to absorb words from a book. I don't hate it, I just have a different perspective on how everything's supposed to be paced.

[@isauldron4337]

Yeah its expansion comes at the cost of dragging on a little bit too much

[@danielramsey6141]

@@isauldron4337 The 2003 anime was DARK and doesn't give a Fuck about most of the characters, it's amazing how the endings between both are like Night and Day where Mustang loses an Eye but does not reach his goal of becoming Furer, the Crimes of the Government aren't exposed, SCAR dies! Rose (quite possibly) got raped and had a baby, and Ed and Al are displaced with Al being revived but doesn't remember his brother Ed, while Ed is now in Our World with Hohinheim.

[@isauldron4337]

@@danielramsey6141 your point is...?

[@catalyst6882]

This is beneficial as I feel 03 uses this " overcomplication " as you deem it to better develop its characters. 03 is definitely slower paced, but you can see the effects it has on the characters

[@isauldron4337]

@@catalyst6882 ah, ok

[@Lugiaskr]

ive been watching this series thanks to the final video appearing my recommendeds. I just wanted to say THANK YOU for being one of the few people to approach this series with more nuance than just "2003 bad brotherhood good". As someone who watched 2003 first but did not read the manga, i struggled to see why there was so much hype for brotherhood until AFTER the plot branch following hughs' death. it felt so rushed and not as fleshed out and it was frustrating to see people downplay the strengths and humanization present in the original series. I love brotherhood, don't get me wrong, but it's amazing to see someone give credit to BOTH series where due.

[@fallofmadness7086]

I love both adaptations. I personally like 2003 better because for me it was easier to connect to the characters. I like how it focuses on the bonds between ed and Alphonse. Brotherhood on the other hand I feel had better action scenes

[@caitlynsharp6066]

I love how you compared and contrast, along with how you explain it

[@VerdesArt]

I love 2003 version for it's climat and character, Brotherhood for it's world building and story. Both of these complement each other, especially in the early episodes

[@xXxgodHunter]

This is the reason why I loved the first FMA than Brotherhood... it is has quite a more dark & serious outlook to it.

[@thaisjensen9338]

thank you for making this.

[@Lowart]

And thank you for watching :)

[@Hyacinth8293]

2003 Fma left an impression on me for years and it's still my fav anime bc of how attached I became to Ed's character and how haunting the story was. FMAB was hard for me to get into as well bc its felt less vulnerable somehow. I think the bittersweet ending of FMA had the perfect impact

[@theoutsiderspost4982]

Less vulnerable? what are you talking about Ed was constantly on the verge of death and had to sacrifice and self so many times

[@elineiochev]

@@theoutsiderspost4982 That’s not the same as emotional vulnerability

[@ahagqgwvisn9879]

I feel like the only person who prefers fma over fmab...

[@tcironbear21]

I prefer FMA over FMAB

[@aliahpersonous2893]

FMA and CoS made me really sad

[@TheRoadKam]

You are not the only one. I feel like they developed the characters better in the original.

[@Gaorl12345]

fma is better

[@rockerangel15]

I do

[@Sifeus]

This is a very thoughtful video. Thank you.

[@HierophanticRose]

FMA's beginning episodes are some of the most emotionally gripping and fleshed out anime has been. I was disappointed that Brotherhood rushed it. The whole relationship between Ed and Al hits much harder in FMA because it had the time to introduce their tragedy in a correct pace. The way I do it is to watch FMA until Episode 17, then continue with Brotherhood Ep 7 onwards. Also I was sad that Brotherhood did not use "Brothers" in their score, which is one of the best tracks in the OST in context of El and Al's brotherhood.

[@dante224real1]

the original anime is my favorite because it is visually and practically paced perfectly for its story. the brotherhood/manga adaptation of the story is more equalized, but it lacks hard hits. hard abrupt pacing emotional segments. the original anime was a filmic take on a perfectly designed tale.

[@funsponge9099]

So i had the same experience as you and I totally disagree. When I first watched brotherhood I had literally no idea what this show was, I came to it from a watchmojo list of good anime openings. The first episode was an introduction to alchemy and its cool and interesting applications. It introduced two quite main characters with a distinct dynamic, as well as some interesting side characters with some plot intrigue which i hoped would pay off in the future. I didnt care about the character because i was supposed to, I cared beacuse i was given glimpses to cool characters that i wanted to see more of. However when I watched 2003 it showed this huge, tragic, life changing event to two characters who i wasnt yet supposed to know. If it wasnt for brotherhood that is. But i had no real context for what this was supposed to be. It ended up feeling less like an event that had an active effect on the characters every decision, to just something bad that had happened to them in the past. I also think the exploration of rose is a bit unfair as you fail to mention that in the 2003 series leore is 2 episodes while brotherhood is only 1 and in the 2003 version rose becomes a much more important character. But brotherhood knew she would basically not show up in its story again they decided to cut down her presence to focus more on ed and als story of the mini arc. Your analysis of the mother is interesting to me. You say her development in 2003 is good, however i felt it was almost entirely unnecessary, because the motivation of i want to bring my dead mom back is inherently relatable, and even if she isnt developed, the viewer/reader can already infer character motivations based on their own mother. It is also unnecessary because at the point the viewer meets ed and al they arent trying to bring their mother back. That is accepted as an impossibility already, so developing her as a character more than an idea is almost completely irrelevant to the story, so when it shows up in 2003 it feels like pointless filler rather that character development. Thats all i had to say, l;ove your vids man cant wait to see more avatar analysis and i dont think u could ever recieve enough praise for ur teen titans analysis. Keep making awesome videos

[@Lowart]

Thanks, bud! I'm happy you enjoy the videos so much. It was interesting to read your thoughts. I always like having contrary opinions in the comments sections, so I appreciate that you took the time to type this out :)

[@king0n140]

Lowart that is the best response I’ve ever seen to a comment like this, I gotta say I do agree with the other guys opinions about fma slightly more than yours even though both series are amazing in there own right but I absolutely love your video.

[@michelewilliams4525]

Hear, hear. I came into anime a bit late- my daughters joke that they dragged me into their world kicking and screaming, and now I spend more time here than they do. FMA:B was maybe the 3rd or 4th anime I'd ever watched. I knew a little of the storyline and background because of them, and I fell in love with Ed and Al from the first episode. Maybe it's coming in as an older viewer, but starting off in the deep end of the story doesn't really bother me. That's how most TV shows I grew up with worked. I love finding out bits and pieces of the boys' background as it becomes relevant, rather than being force-fed everything at the beginning. And while the extended character stories from FMA03 might be nice, it's not really necessary. If anything, to me it would kill the flow of the story. To be fair, I haven't watched FMA03, nor do I plan to, but I have started reading the manga. I've been collecting the new hardcover versions as they're released, and to me, the story changes don't make much difference. There aren't any real fundamental changes to the characters, just to details and the order events are presented. That's fine, and not entirely uncommon in adaptations- a frame-for-frame translation can work well for a single movie (see Dark Knight Returns, which was awesome), but doesn't work terribly well for a story this long. Also, generally speaking, I don't necessarily mind filler, as long as it's at least somewhat entertaining (and I can say this, having watched the ENTIRETY of DB/DBZ/DBS, Fairy Tail, and Naruto/Naruto Shippuden), but I'm not going to watch an entire extra series just to get it, especially when I know the canon storyline already.

[@Sakaki98]

BluBulletin Your point about Rose being uniquely reused as a character in ‘03 also applies to Ed and Al’s mom, who has a homunculi based off of her created. The homunculi’s desire for free will is deliberately contrasted with the mother’s strong sense of love, pride, and dedication for, in, and to her sons for that entire conflict so the development of said mother in ‘03 is required to make said specifically non-canon struggle(and resolution when their mom winds up being made to win out even in death) really hit home. Really, though, this is more of a debate about how much credit to give ‘03’s fillers as opposed to which one of the two did the adaptation better, since it’s honestly unclear if that filler episode I mentioned was planned in advance(which would make the added depth on Ed and Al’s character great planning) or if it was just there to pad out as much time as possible before resorting to said filler.

[@edward-byanyothername]

the fact they gave the mother more characterization is because they 'reused' her later, as sloth. the viewer got to see the difference between an abandoned, loving mother and this woman who tried to find herself anew, without "her" past haunting her

[@hayleyhistorynerd2211]

Oh my gosh you said it! The 2003 anime focuses more on Ed and Al's Brotherhood than Brotherhood does. I have been feeling and thinking this since my watching of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. I love all things FMA, and I loved the manga so much, but nothing besides Berserk, have hit me as hard as FMA 2003. The bond between Ed and Al just fills and rips my heart all in one. Great analysis can't wait to watch more of this series. Hayley ^_^

[@dorylaions]

@Lowart I for one think both of the anime series could have been much better, but my personal favourite is the 2003 version. It is not uncommon knowledge that the FMA:B is the more popular one. Do not be discouraged by the fact that you have a lot more haters than you should have. Good video, good comparison and analysis. Really high quality content. I hope that it will be financially possible for you to keep these uploads coming.

[@mae9033]

Omg thank you for this! I've always thought that the 2003 anime told the early story more efficiently than the Brotherhood. Now here's a video comparing them and the manga :))

[@ceeb420]

Seems like a hot take, but it took me up to the episode Cold Flame (ep 17) to finally feel fully invested into Brotherhood. I'm not sure why. I wouldn't say it was hard to follow, it just felt like the pacing was very odd, and it took a while to start rolling in a way that made me feel connected to everything going on. But by the series' end, I totally understood why people love it so much.

[@shadowsonap7166]

Someone gets to talk about these two adaptations seriously and logically. Loved it! FMA's got a place in my heart from the moment I saw it. And I also hate the fact that some people just focus on Brotherhood (which in my opinion has a far greater value on fights etc., while FMA is way better at showing feelings and storyline - never forget the movie FMA got, connecting our two parallel words together which had an AWESOME ending) and way underestimate the original one...Most of my friends haven't even bothered to actually watch FMA 2003 cause they think they got it all on Brotherhood and they got nothing greater to see. :/

[@supertanzac6]

I think it is because it is so much more famous that they would watch it first.personally I didnt like the animation in the original and felt the first and 3 episodes of the second season boring but now I binge it

[@dubg22]

Honestly, the manga>brotherhood=2003. Both anime have way too many pros and cons between them to declare a clear superior. I would much rather recommend the manga over either of them, but getting people to read can be such a hassle sometimes. Some folks just cant appreciate the graphic medium :( And getting somebody to commit to watching two 50+ episode shows can look a little daunting sometimes too. So even though watching at least the first half of 03 would definitely allow them to appreciate FMA better overall, I still insist that if they only watch one of the two shows, go with brotherhood instead.

[@brya9681]

Lol go with brotherhood if you're a 16 year old weeb

[@brookeachicken]

This video is amazing! I love how you weigh out the pros and cons of each version(including the manga!) the 2003 version is just as important imo! I still remember a time though when the story was very much not finished and I think Bones did a pretty amazing job tying together a series that wasn’t even close to being finished. Also Arakawa-Sensei originally wanted the anime to be different from the Manga which actually wasn’t a crazy concept at the time. It was normal for anime to have similar foundations to their source material but have completely different storylines. It makes sense just for the fact when you think of the transition of storytelling being different between manga/comics and television. Thank you for the time you spent on this, really enjoyed it after being close to finishing rewatching both series and remembering that both were actually amazing and 2003 was beyond great in its own way. Hey, we wouldn’t have a Brotherhood if it weren’t for 2003’s adaptations if you ask me.

[@thatmagicguy369]

45 seconds in and you have already addressed my point when I explain my preference. Fucking thank you.

[@HermanFalckHow]

Like I don't mind people prefering Brotherhood after having seen both. But anyone who says it's better to start with Brotherhood are lunatics. Like you'll scare people off!

[@DisguisedHaku]

@@HermanFalckHow I could say the same thing about you. It's their choice if they prefer watching FMA:B first over FMA '03. Why is that? Both are distinctly different. FMA:B follows the entirety of the manga while FMA '03 gave a unique story later on.

[@Sniper9773]

They are both pretty good to be honest

[@DarkKingsKing]

I remember the 1st time I watched Brotherhood. I thought I missed a few episodes. I started watching ready to see the carnage and body horror from 03's opening scene and I felt confused and put off by Ed comically swishing that ice guy between the alley's walls.

[@noug3662]

It’s just the opening dude. As you saw during the following episodes that scene is introduced

[@kamakazines4901]

I barely made it through this section of episodes in Brotherhood, after loving 2003 so much... it felt rushed, lifeless and lacking character. The plot is definitely more epic in Brotherhood, but I prefer the smaller, more character driven approach of 2003, which is my favorite anime.

[@dreamingblue3939]

@Emmanuel Natividad Well said- I agree.

[@HidinginPublic]

Oh boy here it is. The Big Boy

[@imnotmadii6686]

when i was wanting to watch fullmetal, my friends also told me to watch brotherhood instead of the original because the "03 version sucked." i did, taking their word on it, and i was so confused in the beginning and in some other parts. after i finished brotherhood, i quickly watched the original and saw how much I missed. i have to say, i really enjoyed both. i do regret not watching the original first though.