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Type: Manga
Author: Hiromu Arakawa
Books: 27Genre: Action, adventure, military, science fantasy
Age Rating: 15+
Review:
After the death of their mother, Edward and Alphonse Elric try to bring her back to life using alchemy, leaving Edward without an arm and a leg and Alphonse's soul attached to a suit of armor. Join them as they travel the country looking for clues on how to restore their bodies.
After the death of their mother, Edward and Alphonse Elric try to bring her back to life using alchemy, leaving Edward without an arm and a leg and Alphonse's soul attached to a suit of armor. Join them as they travel the country looking for clues on how to restore their bodies.
I loved this series! No wonder it is one of the most well-known and well-liked. Some themes that were included human possession by Humunculi, messing with the spirit world and trading arms and bodies for hollow reflections of dead people. Though some of these ideas were based heavily on the Alchemical world these characters lived in, the morale behind these lessons was serious and thought-provoking. The whole concept of Alchemy was very well thought-out and the author included background and historical context in order to better explain the idea behind it. The actual magic was inoffensive, but some of the ideas behind it and the explanations contradicted the Bible.
There were a lot of references to evolution, magic, and God, though none of it was Biblical. One character called the power of God because he was below him and now one believed in God. One thing I did enjoy was how Arakawa incorporated Biblical the seven deadly sins into her story. It added a lot of depth and originality, even though some of the characters personifying the sins didn't always seem to posses the sin that they represented. The Humunculi were perfectly creepy and fun to hate, despite the occasional exception, like Greed.
The characters in this manga were well-developed and in many ways I felt connected to the Elric brothers--not because I've lost my mother or my body by magic, but because they fought desperately for what was right, and were able to empathize with the pain of those around them because of what they went through. It was heartbreaking in some ways to watch their transition from who they are at the beginning to the end, and the emotions they evoked in the reader were part of the reason I was continually compelled to read.
This series was one of my favorites because the author simply incorporated so many wonderful genres in at once, and really took the time to plan out the story and provide adequate and interesting backstories and historical accounts that made the setting really come to life. There were several strong women in this series, which added to the array of characters that while mostly male-based, didn't seem uneven in any way. Just the fact that the author was a woman makes me want to throw my fists into the air and scream, "yeah!"
Personal Note:
Roy and Hawkeye <3
There were a lot of references to evolution, magic, and God, though none of it was Biblical. One character called the power of God because he was below him and now one believed in God. One thing I did enjoy was how Arakawa incorporated Biblical the seven deadly sins into her story. It added a lot of depth and originality, even though some of the characters personifying the sins didn't always seem to posses the sin that they represented. The Humunculi were perfectly creepy and fun to hate, despite the occasional exception, like Greed.
The characters in this manga were well-developed and in many ways I felt connected to the Elric brothers--not because I've lost my mother or my body by magic, but because they fought desperately for what was right, and were able to empathize with the pain of those around them because of what they went through. It was heartbreaking in some ways to watch their transition from who they are at the beginning to the end, and the emotions they evoked in the reader were part of the reason I was continually compelled to read.
This series was one of my favorites because the author simply incorporated so many wonderful genres in at once, and really took the time to plan out the story and provide adequate and interesting backstories and historical accounts that made the setting really come to life. There were several strong women in this series, which added to the array of characters that while mostly male-based, didn't seem uneven in any way. Just the fact that the author was a woman makes me want to throw my fists into the air and scream, "yeah!"
Mature Content:
- Sexual References- Mild sexual tension between characters
- Magic- Many of the characters use alchemy, which is a form of magic
- Spiritual- Some of the villains compare themselves to God, one even goes as far as trying to control God because he is "more powerful"
- The use of alchemy
- Evolution- Evolutionary explanations of Humunculi, Alchemy, etc.
- Violence- Battles and graphic deaths (blood is drawn)
- Profanity- Use of "damn," "ass," "bastard," and "shit"
- Intense Scenes- In one scene a little girl has been cruelly mixed with her dog by the use of Alchemy
- The true forms of the seven deadly sins are quite frightening
Roy and Hawkeye <3
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