It's reasonably priced, has two strong lead characters and shows a lot of promise.

If you're looking for a new manga series to try out, don't shy from Fullmetal Alchemist. It's fun, but it leaves the series up in the air - is it just going to turn into fluff or will the more serious nature touched on at the beginning continue to resurface throughout? That's something that can't be answered from the fist book. The second half of Volume 1 is considerably more superficial. The initial story sets a path for the two brothers, gives them a goal and puts their dire situation in perspective. My only real issue with Fullmetal Alchemist is that the introductory story is far deeper and more interesting than the two stories that follow. It's a balance that some manga ignore or fail to find, but Fullmetal hits the proper notes. He's too mature for his age, but at the same time he's still just a kid. That allows Edward to float between the comical moments and the underlying drama without seeming false. Through all three stories told in Volume 1, Edward is shown as a stubborn and clever kid, not as a man with a mysterious past or an obnoxious teenager. While it commands respect from some, it often puts him at odds with the common man. Early on Edward learns the burden of having such a high position as State Alchemist. While the world around the Elric brothers might be a bit overused, the story itself has a nice mixture of comedy, action and pathos. In fact, the worlds seem almost interchangeable. In short, the two brothers had once attempted to use alchemy to raise their parents from the dead, but things went horribly wrong and cost both brothers a heavy price.įullmetal is set in the same type of futuristic Wild West world as seen in manga such as Trigun. He travels with his brother, Alphonse, who resides within a suit of armor for reasons revealed in the first volume. Edward is the State Alchemist, a high-level position reserved for only the best alchemists. It serves as an introduction to the two main characters, brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric. The first volume of Fullmetal Alchemist is a quick, but enjoyable read.

However, there's still reason to look into Fullmetal even if you're completely unfamiliar with the franchise. Go pick up a copy of Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. If you loved the anime, then you shouldn't even need to read this.

Written and Drawn by: Hiromu Arakawa Publisher: Viz Genre: Manga Price: $9.99 Suggested Age: T+ Release Date: May 4, 2005

Fullmetal alchemist 01 hiromu arakawa