Friday, April 8, 2022

Manga Review: FULL METAL ALCHEMIST VOLUMES 1-2-3

FULL METAL ALCHEMIST 3-IN-1 OMNIBUS, VOLUMES 1-2-3 by Hiromu Arakawa (Viz Media, August 2021) Paperback, 576 pages. ISBN # 1421540185 / 9781421540184 


Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .


Breaking the laws of nature is a serious crime!


R to L (Japanese Style), for audience T. 


Contains Volumes 1, 2 and 3 of Fullmetal Alchemist!



In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical ""auto-mail"" limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother's bodies...the legendary Philosopher's Stone.


Alchemy: the mystical power to alter the natural world, somewhere between magic, art and science. When two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, dabbled in these powers to grant their dearest wish, one of them lost an arm and leg...and the other became nothing but a soul locked into a body of living iron. Now they are agents of the government, slaves of the military-alchemical complex, using their unique powers to obey their orders...even to kill. But their powers aren't unique. The world crawls with evil alchemists. And in pursuit of the ultimate alchemical treasure, the Philosopher's Stone, their enemies are even more ruthless than they are…


MY FOUR-STAR REVIEW ON THE GOODREADS WEBSITE . . . . .


     Prior to this, I've dabbled in various manga (I am by no mean well-versed in this genre) but have not found anything that really interests me enough to pursue more of a particular series. PLUTO came close, but it was complex and difficult to understand in parts. I'd tried some other series, and came to the conclusion that I should explore more of the horror manga, perhaps finding it more suited to my tastes. CRUELER THAN DEAD Volume 1 was a neat spin on zombie lore, and I ordered Volume 2. 

     Add FULL METAL ALCHEMIST to my list of favorites. While this is not a horror story, it's the first manga I've tried that grabbed my attention from the beginning chapter and kept me fully engaged throughout this omnibus volume. 

     This is very well-written with appealing illustrations. Hiromu Arakawa is a skilled creator, and I'm planning to explore her world-building in the FMA universe further. I like the two brothers, despite their flaws, as well as many of the secondary characters. 

     At first, I though this was going to be light-hearted enough that it could be recommended for all ages. However, once I came to the grim story of young Nina and her pet dog Alexander I can no longer suggest FMA for anyone younger than middle-school age. There's plenty of humor and fun in the adventures of the two brothers, but there is also serious subject matter here. 

     There are enough future adventures foreshadowed here as well as enough details on specific characters and occurrences that are not completely revealed to whet my appetite for more. 

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