I don't consider Ed to be a "shounen" protagonist. FMA is different enough from shounen that it doesn't belong in that category. It's more along the lines of what Made In Abyss is. Would you consider Made in Abyss shounen? No. It should be the same for FMA. It's an adventure anime.
Typical shonen protagonist: loves eating, friendly, spiky hair, weak first, then becomes the strongest, dumbest of the group... Doesn't mean I hate them all.. it's just so stereotypical
"Edward avoids fighting"? Dude...he LOVES to kick some ass! And all your other arguments are pretty biased as well - objectively, Ed's a VERY TYPICAL shounen protagonist (even in the categories you mention).
While video game adaptations can be great sometimes they are just not necessary or just straight up don't work. This is the perfect example of what happens when you cheap out on an animation studio with no direction or creativity.
Honestly I think they messed this one up because of the writing, I enjoyed Person 4 Anime because they played up the jokes from the game, even the minor ones, and extended the important fights like Adachi, in Persona 5 Anime they cut back on a lot of hunmor, and then there's the faceoff against Akechi, in the anime it's absolutely pathetic, lasts 30 seconds 1 on 1, Akechi summons his persona without removing his mask and uses his right hand to weild the sword, and ends with Akechi shooting his cognitive self instead of them wounding eachother, so they got everything about that fight wrong.
My wild thought about this is "if they will ever do an anime adaptation to P5R, would they have enough budget to hand it to Production I.G again, just like they did for the game?"
A similar character, with a lot of Edwards traits, that predates him, and ironically a similar physical situation is Gai Shishioh of The King of Braves GaoGaiGar (1997). Both are well educated, as Gai was an Astronaut at the age of 18. Keep in mind the youngest Astronuat IRL is Alyssa Carson who in 2019 received her pilot license at age 18 also. So Gai by real world history in story also became the youngest in his field. Such a feat would require by Nasa criteria : "a master's degree in a STEM field, including engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics, from an accredited institution. Have at least two years of related professional experience obtained after degree completion or at least 1,000 hours pilot-in-command time on jet aircraft.making him an intelligent, experienced character." Another factor is Gai, like Ed has a broken body. He's a cyborg who's only true organic part is his face. Like Ed, despite having mechanical parts, they regularly need maintenance and initially, required hours to rest between fights. It even becomes a plot point were GaoGaiGar's signature move, Hell and Heaven (Which also involves putting it's hands together) will kill him due to the strain. Both alter their arms to make new weapons, both have a way of blocking attacks and if they lose even a single arm, it can be a problem as GGG needs H&H to properly beat a foe. The fights in GaoGaiGar are notable as they aren't alway a 'who has the bigger gun' that wins but that the enemies rely on tricks and as a result GGG and it's allies use various tools to circumvent it like a screwdriver that opens up a hole in the ground to avoid collateral, a missile that dispels explosions, pliers that stop the enemies warping space etc. Gai and GGG aren't portrayed as a one-man army, powerful for sure, but it's tactics, planning and his allies which ultimately win. Heck, the final battle of the tv series and GGG Final involves all the characters playing crucial role in the final fight as opposed to GGG being the one who saves the day. They even get the major power up in both the 1st and 2nd half of the series, if wasn't for then uploading their programs to GGG's components, it could nto form in the last ep. Gai like Ed is designed in a more bishonen way too, having long hair for a guy as opposed to a more macho look. Both series have shown to ponder a view of god, with Gai believing God gave him a second chance after nearly dying as opposed to Ed who has a disdain for the Truth. They both believe strongly in others well being over their own safety and happiness, with Gai believing his new body should be used for saving others as opposed to his own needs. Also Gai has a little brother figure in the character Mamoru. Also they have both fought a being who believes they are a god, despite being artificial created beings and both fights ended with a fistfight against said god. They both also were given back some/all of the body and after and are shown with their love interest in the last ep of the series. Both series have religious themes. Another thing is him flying into an unstoppable rage when Mamoru takes a serious blow to have him. Also they both lost their mother early on and later their father at the end of the series. Both fight enemies powered by human life. Also, the Shonen rival, like Roy, Soldato J is in a way the strongest character in series, this due to the fact that J's mech, King J-Der is a 100 ft tall battleship mech. Even with Goldion Crusher, the strongest weapon in the series, it's more of an external weapon any mech could use as shown by how King J-Der used it in the latest novel rather than GGG.
After finished watching FMA Original in 2006..I just stand in front my TV and feeling empty because I will missed those character esp Al and Ed as brother, that fill my day almost a week..
My complaint, well...not complaint but cringe. In the game Ryuji has such horrible posture. He always looks hunched over with a pot belly, and bow legs. In the anime he looks much more normal.
I love the analysis, but Edward is the pinnacle of a human with alchemy and the most naturally gifted character in the show. He’s the youngest state alchemist and son to the second strongest alchemist ever if not the first. He can turn himself into a philosopher stone, heal, deconstruct and reconstruct any form of matter and is greatly skilled hand to hand. This all comes to a heel though cause he is a very scared young boy who hates fighting so it’s kinda hard to see.
Another thing that makes Edward (and the series as a whole) different is how cynical he is. He joins the military for his own ends but also makes it clear how much he doesn't trust them. He's not fighting to uphold the status quo. He never makes excuses for the shitty things the military does. And while he is merciful, he is not overly forgiving. I mean, just look at how pissed he remains towards his father. And his father is probably the most sympathetic of the neglectful anime dads. He also has a personality that doesn't revolve entirely around his ambitions or life goals. Or even just his one off quirks like the food he likes. Yeah that stuff is there, but we also get plenty of scenes where he just is a person. Bouncing off of other characters, especially his brother and Winry. You get the feeling that while he is the main character, he is not the center of the universe. Not everything is about him. Not everything is on his shoulders. Characters don't just wait around for him to save the day. Hell, a lot of the time he needs to be saved. Yet he never seems useless. his supporting cast is never left in the dust.
This was legit my first time seeing the Animation and, I kid you not, I thought for a minute or two that the animation was fanmade. It took me a second to realize "Oh wait, is this from the actual anime?" (Also, Joker's All-Out in the anime just looks like he's trying way too hard to pull off his glove. Like, relax, you don't have to pull so damn hard. With P5 Joker tugged his glove in a way that's akin to Akechi straightening his tie. A small movement and flex. It's just too exaggerated in the anime.)
Idk if its so much that his goal is attainable (which fair enough it is more measurable than being the best somehow) is what sets appart his ambitions from other protagonists. I think you hit the nail on the head that the goals are personal, no one other than someone close to ed would want the same thing. Its also clear that Ed is trying to REGAIN something which most anime protagonists arent trying to do, at least, not when they begin the series
My Story is going to have a greater world building than one piece bro I swear. Just remember my comment and come back in 10 years. Remember these words. “Eight Bloods”
Bonus: Ed was prone to getting extremely angry, especially due to being called small, creating glorious moments like this. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-70KXz9nvjT4.html
Actually Ed doesn't care about getting his body back it's about getting Al's body back frfr and he doesn't want him to get a new body just his same old one back and his feats are amazing he's the youngest state alchemist ever and was beating and out smarting veterans and people with more experiencing. Lol he defeated God but great analysis
I'm late to the party, but one thing I really do like about full metal alchemist brotherhood specifically is that there's no real main character. for The majority of the story it pays attention to Al and Ed but it does also focus on Roy Mustang and his group a lot
I'd also like to point out that FMA and FMAB aren't typical shonen anime full stop lmao. They're full of nuance and small details. The series may possibly even be described as the border or shounen and seinen
Edward is by far the best shonen/non-shonen anime character ever. It’s something about him, in all of his beliefs, that makes him my absolute most favorite anime character ever. He doesn’t strive to be the strongest; he just strives for knowledge, and that’s something I’ve related to with him more than I ever have any other shonen protagonist character, practically ever. He isn’t without fault of course; but he at least realizes and acknowledges those faults of his. He isn’t some “OVER 9000!!!!!” Overpowered character, and he doesn’t need to be; everything Ed is in FMA ‘03, or FMA Brotherhood, is everything he needs to be altogether. Nothing more, and nothing less. He’s just Ed. That’s all that he needs to be.
