Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.
Watch Episode 7 – Hidden Truths
National Central Library is not blown to pieces by the Scar vs. Lust and Gluttony battle as in FMA1, but is explained away instead by Lust (who’s returned to Eastern HQ) being concerned with Marcoh having given Ed the location of the research. This is a major departure in the motives of the homunculi of FMA1, which was to get other people to do their dirty work and create a Philosopher’s Stone. This leaves me curious as to what the intentions of the monsters/failed experiments in human alchemy known as homunculi are plotting (way to go FMA2!). But if that plot turns out to be the same as FMA1, my heart’s gonna break over this plot oversight. In addition to that departure, there’s an excellent hatred between Lust and Scar, unspoken but shown through every last bit of animation and dialog from her concerning him, that makes the diversion totally worth while.
Gluttony: Can I eat him?
Lust: Right down to the last strand of hair.
Otherwise things are pretty much the same in terms of episodic development thus far. Scar’s bloodied clothes are found, the same assumptions are reached about his whereabouts and condition. We’re also still treated to the introduction of 2nd Lieutenant Ross and Sergeant Brosh (Bloch), a little later but still better than never. Their roles are more important in FMA2 though, as they are the ones who suggest going to see Sheska (Scieszka , the bookworm with a photographic plot device…I mean memory). Once again FMA2 is making life easy for Ed, whereas FMA1 has him doing some detective work to accidentally stumble upon Yomiko Readma–Whoops, I mean Sheska!
Still, in terms of arduous work, Ed still has it cut out in terms of deciphering Marcoh’s “1,000 Type Menus for Today” (I’ll chalk the title goofiness up to translation, but I must mention Volume 2’s title, “Nutrient Rich Meat,” Volume 12’s “Spatch Cock,” and Volume 38’s “Boil Thoroughly Potato Dishes”). There is a greater sense of elapsed time in FMA2, and Ross/Brosh serve less emotionally than they do implicating-ly (Brosh questions rashly how the military could be involved) when Ed and Al finally crack Marcoh’s code.
Lament and woe! Woe and lament! See what happens when we skip filler? True to FMA1, FMA2 has Ed and Al sneak into the fifth laboratory (Lab 5) after a lead. But there can be no Barry the Chopper in tin can form (Number 66), because he was never introduced! The world shall mourn his maniacal banter! Hope springs eternal, however, as Number 66 is still included in FMA2 as a tin can, and this episode ends pretty much the same as its counterpart in FMA1. However, it is worth noting that we are on FMA2 Ep. 7 and FMA1 Ep. 19 (main plot only). Has the stress on action been worth the forsaking of deep character development? Or are old opinions just too tied to a preceding series? Weigh in!
