Review for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood OVA Collection Blu-Ray/DVD Combi

Introduction

Manga Entertainment have the worst luck when it comes to Fullmetal Alchemist and Blu-ray. I think only the Sacred Star of Milos movie has arrived in the UK without a hitch. The Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Series was supposed to come out on Blu-ray in the UK, but low sales prompted Manga to abandon its release after volume 2, with subsequent volumes on DVD only. The Conqueror of Shamballa movie was supposed to be released at the same time as Sacred Star of Milos, but at the time of writing has been delayed yet again, this time into 2013. The last time a movie got its Blu-ray delayed twice was Haruhi Suzumiya... And last month we were supposed to get Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood OVAs in a Dual Play Blu-ray and DVD collection, but a problem appeared with the Blu-ray that required Manga to re-master the disc. Six weeks later, the release is finally upon us. I’m reviewing the DVD component of the release, as the Blu-ray check disc I received is one of the buggered ones, impossible to watch due to its flaws. The Blu-ray will have been corrected for the retail release, but as I haven’t seen it, I can’t tell you anything about it beyond the basic specs. Caveat Emptor as they say...


You’d think that 64 episodes of the epic Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood story ought to be enough to sate even the most rabid passions for this show. Of course the thing about good things is that people always want more. These OVA episodes take us back to the world of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and present four side stories, little tales that offer more insight into our favourite characters, or just offer some more entertainment. They’re short, there’s only just about an hour’s worth here, but quality is always better than quantity when it comes to anime. These OVAs might just be the cherry that tops the Fullmetal Alchemist cake. There’s a whole lot of story background that you need to know to appreciate these episodes, but I won’t go into it here. You can check out my reviews for the series, but really, if you’re looking to buy this disc and you know nothing as yet about the brothers Elric, their tragic attempt to resurrect their mother, the price they paid, and their journey to put things right, then you’re coming at this disc backwards.


1. The Blind Alchemist
Ed and Al hear rumours of another alchemist that attempted human transmutation, but these rumours mention that this alchemist succeeded. The rumour takes them to a well-guarded mansion.

2. Simple People
This is the story of why Winry has so many earrings, and why Lisa Hawkeye has long hair.


3. The Tale of Teacher
Izumi Curtis is the housewife who taught Ed and Al alchemy, but before she was a housewife, she too was an apprentice in need of a master. Her journey took her north, to Briggs Mountain where she left an ominous legend. This is the truth behind that legend.

4. Yet Another Man’s Battlefield
We meet the young Roy Mustang as he attends his first year at the military academy. Confronting bigotry and race hatred, he forms a friendship with a couple of unlikely fellow cadets. It could have been a lasting friendship, were it not for the Ishvalan War of Extermination.

The Disc

The Fullmetal Alchemist OVAs gets a 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer on this DVD, with the now usual 4% PAL speedup. The image is clear and sharp, reminiscent of the television series in look and style, with only the slightest of aliasing betraying the DVD format. Audio comes in DD 5.1 English and DD 2.0 Japanese, with optional subtitles and a signs only track, and all works as it should.

The screencaps are from the DVD.

Extras

The Blu-ray has 1080p, 1.78:1 widescreen, with Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English, and 2.0 Japanese, with signs and subs. It has animated menus, and the extras get a Play All option and some trailers which the DVD is lacking, otherwise the two discs are identical for content, PAL speedup notwithstanding.


If you’ve read the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, you’ll know that creator Hiromu Arakawa adds some four-panel parody comics at the back of each volume, spoofing some of the more dramatic moments from the story. This release contains the Fullmetal Four-Panel Comic Theatre, which does the same for the show. These aren’t the comics from the manga adapted, these are all new gags, but they are a great laugh, and well worth watching. They’re animated in limited Flash-animation style, a parody equivalent to comparing the Haruhi-chan shorts to the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya series. There are 16 in total, running to just over 38 minutes.

Unlike the Blu-ray, there is no play all option for these, which is a drag.

Conclusion

If you’ve seen the Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood series, then these OVA episodes are by no means essential to complete the story. The four short stories don’t really fill in too many blanks, not that there were any blanks, and neither do they really expand the universe. They are fun though, and any collector who wants to build his Fullmetal Alchemist Collection will be very happy to have these on their shelf.


Of all the episodes, Blind Alchemist will probably be the most disappointing, as it’s yet another variation on a theme that the main series covers again and again, the taboo of human transmutation, and Ed and Al’s constant quest to restore their bodies. This story is quite a poignant one though, and has echoes of Nina in it, but it is the most redundant of the episodes.


Simple People is perhaps the weakest of the stories, but it’s fun for the character interactions, and if you didn’t get enough of Winry throwing spanners at Ed’s head in the series, this should satisfy any lingering regrets on that score. Similarly The Tale of Teacher is really one big set up for a very predictable punchline, but fills in some of Izumi’s back-story, mirroring the Yock Island arc.


The final episode is the strongest in terms of drama and writing, offering another perspective on Roy Mustang’s character, his friendship with Maes Hughes, and the tragedy of the Ishvalan people. It, alone of the episodes, adds something to a character and expands a back story in a way that will resonate if you watch the series again afterwards, but it isn’t an essential episode.


The episodes are all fun to watch, while the Four Panel Comic Theatre is a great extra that you will re-watch just as much as the main content. The disc isn’t exactly brimming with content, and for this animation the HD treatment is a little overkill, and maybe rubs salt in the wound of the cancellation of the main series Blus, but if you are a Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood fan, then buying this ought to be a foregone conclusion.

The following six images are captured from the Blu-ray...