Review of Full Metal Alchemist: Volume 6

Introduction

Alchemy is the art of the transmutation of matter by means of an incantation, a mystical circle, or sheer willpower alone. For centuries charlatans and the deluded pursued the creation of gold by alchemical means but to no avail. But in Full Metal Alchemist, alchemy is a realised science. Set in an alternative world during the early years of the twentieth century, the transmutation of elements is indeed a reality, and the state regards such talent highly indeed. Full Metal Alchemist tells the story of brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric, two precocious alchemists who are on a quest. The young brothers had attempted the unspeakable, resurrecting their mother. But the Law Of Equivalent Exchange cannot be flouted, only objects of equal mass can be transmuted, and the dead cannot be brought back to life. The attempt failed disastrously. Now, Alphonse is a disembodied spirit bound to a suit of animated armour, while Edward has replaced his leg and arm with metal automail, but it`s his prodigious facility with alchemy that has earned him the name, Full Metal Alchemist. Now they search for a means to restore their bodies.

In the previous volume, Ed and Al learnt a macabre truth about the creation of the Philosopher`s Stone, but went to explore the rumoured laboratory regardless. Whilst there, they encountered the Guardians of the installation, disembodied souls of executed prisoners, bound to living armour much like Al. Defeating the guardians will be costly enough, but Ed will be asked to make a decision that he can ill afford. There are 4 more episodes on Volume 6 of Full Metal Alchemist: Captured Souls.

21. Red Glow
The battle continues at the laboratory, and subject 66 confronts Alphonse with the question of whether his soul is real or not. Before they can get to the bottom of this metaphysical quandary, Scar interrupts the fight, still on his quest to eradicate the State Alchemists. Ed on the other hand has defeated his opponent and is about to uncover the secrets of the Philosopher`s Stone. The brothers` entry into the facility has unleashed a whole new set of horrors though, and a familiar face in a startling new form awaits Ed with a sickening temptation.

22. Created People
Al and Scar face Lust and Gluttony, and learn a shocking truth about these dark characters. They have been secretly manipulating events up to this very point for a purpose of their own, and all they need is Ed to fulfil his destiny and create a Philosopher`s Stone. Ed will have to become that which he hates the most, but all that matters to him is restoring his brother`s body. While the Fuhrer directs the State Alchemists to rescue the brothers from the prison/laboratory, dangerous inmates are seizing their chance for freedom.

23. Fullmetal Heart
Ed wakes up in hospital after the incident at the laboratory, and is relieved to find Al there. Both have injuries to heal from and damage to repair, and it isn`t long before Winry arrives to perform some maintenance on the brothers. The brothers` injuries are more than physical though, and no amount of hospital care will fix the emotional damage caused to their bond and their souls. Meanwhile Lt Colonel Hughes begins an investigation into the research that was taking place at the lab.

24. Bonding Of Memories
The rift between the brothers widens when Ed is unable to tell Al just what he needs to hear. Al runs off and winds up amongst the Ishbalan refugees. The Ishbalans have been coming under attack again recently, their persecution relentless, and they have taken to hiding in the sewers. Al makes friends with two orphaned brothers who have issues of their own, but when mercenaries attack once more, the younger is kidnapped. Al joins former foe Scar in attempting a rescue, but the kidnapping is just the bait in an elaborate trap.

Video

The picture for Full Metal Alchemist comes in a 4:3 transfer and it is clear and sharp throughout, without any hint of artefacts. The anime looks gorgeous, with distinctive characters, detailed retro world design and atmospheric animation. Once again, an anime blends traditional line animation with 3D design and the results are exciting and vibrant.

Audio

You get a choice of DD 5.1 English and DD 2.0 Japanese. I chose the original language track for preference, and the Japanese track is indeed clear and dynamic enough for a stereo track. Full Metal Alchemist also has some stunning music, most noticeably in the opening and closing themes. The English dub is something I just spot-checked, and while the main character voices are pretty good, the same cannot be said for the voices of the incidental characters. The surround is pretty good, with a fair bit of ambience and it reflects the action well. You can watch the show with translated subtitles or signs. Grammar takes a hit again with this volume`s subtitles and they have more than a few problems with stray full stops and out of place capitals, but nothing that hindered viewing.

Features

MVM once again include a small number of extra features with their anime releases. You get the usual jacket picture as well as multi angle credit sequences depending on which language you watch in.

You can see the textless opening and closing sequences, in a nice twist, they are subtitled both in English and Romanji Japanese, so you can sing along if you feel like it.

In a section called production art, you can find two slideshows, showing Models and Illustrations. The total running time is around 3 minutes.

Conclusion

We are getting close to the conclusion of the first season of Full Metal Alchemist, and this disc kicks the story up a gear with revelations aplenty, and major developments in the main character arcs. Just when I think that Full Metal Alchemist can`t get any better, it puts in a performance like the episodes on this disc, and this clearly proves why it is one of the best anime series around right now.

The first two episodes, Red Glow and Created People serve as something of a conclusion to the first season, or at least a high point in terms of story and character arcs. So far, the series has followed Ed and Al in their pursuit of the fabled Philosopher`s Stone, and here they get the chance to create one, only the price they have to pay is chilling. We also learn about Lust, Gluttony and Envy, the dark figures that have been shadowing the brothers on their quest. It turn out that their agenda is a bigger driving force behind events than hinted at previously. Into this mix is thrown Scar, who is still seeking vengeance for the Ishbalan massacre, as well as Tucker, the Alchemist who was experimenting with Chimera back on disc 2. It`s an intense and heart-wrenching climax that puts most blockbuster movies to shame. It isn`t a conclusion though, what with 7 discs of Full Metal Alchemist remaining. Indeed, seeds are sown for future developments with the release from prison of Greed, one of their kind that even Lust, Gluttony and Envy fear, as well as the Crimson Alchemist, the man who was behind much of the Ishbalan atrocities.

The final two episodes on this disc deal with the aftermath of this, with Ed and Al recuperating from the experience. From early on, there has been a subtle distance between the brothers, and it has seemed down to their differing personalities. But the gap has widened as the series progressed, and it`s in these two episodes that we learn why. The encounter with the Guardians of the prison crystallises Al`s fear, that he isn`t the real Al, but a creation of Ed`s memories following the disastrous attempt to resurrect their mother. Ed meanwhile has been nursing guilt about what happened that night ever since, guilt that he can`t even share with his brother, and this brooding silence threatens to drive a permanent wedge between the two. It`s a good thing that Winry`s around to knock some sense into both of them.

Fullmetal Alchemist is fantastic, and this volume is the best one yet. It presents an elaborate fantasy world, a gripping story, and brilliant characters all packaged with a delightful mix of drama and light comedy. It really has everything to offer, and is peerless in what it accomplishes. Its biggest strength is that it does this while keeping the characters emotionally honest. Once again this disc is only marred by some punctuation pitfalls in the subtitles, but otherwise it`s an essential purchase for fans of this excellent series.