How The 2003 Anime Fixed Fullmetal Alchemists Biggest Issue 

Brotherhood had an incredibly crafted story. 2003 had Ready Steady Go

Agreed! Some of the filler or expanded episodes of '03 really helped create more impact on viewers and be emotionally invested. Hell even having the filler episode with Ed & Winery encountering a human Barry the Chopper, makes him showing up again at the lab more menacing and chilling.

fma content in 2023??? hell yeah brother

For as much as the manga and brotherhood is my preferred version I do think a big part of me liking them so much is because of the 2003 anime. Spending that much more time with Hughes, Nina and Ross in 2003 really makes their arcs hit harder in Mangahood and I wonder all the time if I'd feel the same about them if I had started with Mangahood instead. Either way, it's a rare case where both anime are pretty phenomenal.

Fma 03 was so good

One of the things I love about 03 is that their are filler episodes. Unlike Brotherhood where I feel like I'm holding my breath for the next episode as we are chugging through the plot. Also the early chapters/episodes really diversify how we interpret Edward's character. Just by how 03 tells the story we see a character study of how Edward changes in each situation that is going to beat him down after the Tucker arc. And the anime makes you feel every lost.

Commenting for the almighty algorithm. This was a great follow up to your last video, I am interested in seeing you cover other content too so you're not just pigeonholed into FMA content even if it is one of my favourite shows. Good stuff

Fmab is a great way of watching fma without having to rewatch fma

I have been saying you can’t have brotherhood without 03 and it pains me when people say to skip 03 like are you crazzyy

As a writer, it is very so to introduce a setting very different from our own but while also still getting right to the main plot threads. I think no matter what, some people will either complain it is front-loaded or lacks direction, and it's just a coin flip which camp you should cater more to. I have to wonder how I'd have perceived FMA if I watched them in reverse.

Good video, although I don't agree that Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 drops in quality halfway through. It's just that the events become darker, there are more mysteries, more introspection of the characters, and it focuses more on the journey of the Elric brothers. Unlike mangahood, which focuses on more individuals trying to stop the villain who plans to sacrifice an entire country. Unfortunately, the more characters there are, the less they are explored. For example, personally, Fu and Buccaneer's deaths didn’t seem like a big deal to me; they were underdeveloped characters. They can be likable, but the only reason I can see for liking them is their 'personality and ideals.' It's very different in Fullmetal Alchemist 2003, where they continue developing the already established characters, adding new ones that create conflict and greater suspense, making the danger feel more real for the protagonists. Characters that weren’t so essential to the villain's plan (in fact, when Dante learned that Scar could make the philosopher's stone, she didn’t hesitate to try and eliminate the Elric brothers), while in Brotherhood, the main characters are indispensable for the villains, who keep them alive until the final stretch, removing some of the 'suspense.' Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 adds super interesting scenes that became unforgettable for those who loved that version, like Dante's speech, Lust's death, and the unexpected twists that respect the viewer's intelligence without treating them like a child. It’s very different in Brotherhood; I hated the scene where Scar draws on the ground and explains to Lan Fan how he repaired the country's alchemy. Not only that, but it also deconstructs the themes and messages of Arakawa's work without having finished the original work. The first arc, from the early episodes that cover Nina's events and the episode of the miners oppressed by Yoki, teaches a lesson about Edward's arrogance regarding alchemy, idealizing it and believing he could make people happy, a childish view similar to *Brotherhood*. However, from the second half onward, Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 does something I never thought I’d see in a shonen or audiovisual medium. In this version, there is no absolute 'Truth' like in *Brotherhood* (where 'Truth' acted as a judge). The idea of higher limits or an entity defining what is right or wrong in alchemy is absent. Instead, the notions of equivalent exchange and metaphysical concepts are just opinions of the characters (like Izumi, who said that the Gate was hell, while Dante only knows that alchemical energy comes from there), meaning they could be wrong. Dante argues that life and the universe are meaningless, which goes against Edward's belief in equivalent exchange. Dante claims the world is chaotic and meaningless, and even human life has no intrinsic value. Hohenheim presents a similar view but suggests that something can be obtained without paying a price, using love as an example. However, Edward rejects this idea, preferring to believe that his effort and sacrifices have a purpose. Unlike Brotherhood, where Edward's arrogance is seen as a flaw he must overcome, in FMA 2003, his 'arrogance' is a noble affirmation that his life and decisions have meaning in a chaotic world. This concept is necessary to avoid falling into the relativism Dante preaches, and it's a key point in the series' philosophy. In the end, Edward chooses to believe in his own decisions, despite the uncertainty. This leads to a dramatic conclusion when he crosses the Gate, choosing to hold on to the idea that his actions have meaning. That’s why the scene where Edward reaches out toward the sun symbolizes his desire not to drown in a meaningless chaos, and not his arrogance. The themes of Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 go beyond a cliché, something different from Brotherhood. This can confuse viewers who don't understand the director's vision since they're unrelated, and it's something uncommon for the demographic. In the case of Brotherhood, I felt it prioritized adventure and action, with almost no reflection. It referenced philosophical concepts but in a fairly superficial way; the themes were addressed in the background. This comes down to personal taste, but I don't think the second half of * Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 is inferior to Brotherhood, even though I like both versions.

i feel a reason for the skipped parts in fmab might be because they assumed most of the audience would be people who have watched fma 03 so the world building that did happen didn't in the early episodes would be wasted on them, and the first episode is a good way to get old viewers back into the groove and manga readers to know this will be a much more faithfull adaptation than 2003's anime

Love the way you break down some of the lesser discussed aspects of these stories, thanks for the good work💛✨️

While I do agree that the 2003 anime adaptation adds a lot to the early chapters and in some ways makes the content more engaging and emotionally resonant, that doesn't mean the chapters as they were released are as weak as you make them out to be, at least not for me. Fullmetal Alchemist is more of a character driven story rather than a plot driven story, meaning the plot happens because of the decisions and desires of the characters. It makes sense that the first 4 chapters would be more focused on character writing and character dynamics instead of setting up plot points for the future story because you want the audience to care for the cast and be engaged with how they handle the overall conflict. Even though the Elrics are presented with basic traits in the beginning, it still gives the audience an idea as to who Edward and Alphonse are as people and thus we latch onto how they would respond to the ordeals presented. Chapters 3 and 4 even highlight how Edward stands out amongst other state alchemists as a man of the people, rather than be steadfast to the rules of the military or malevolently selfish like Yoki was in chapter 3. Showcasing their strengths and competency also acts as a familiar front for readers since most shonen action stories have their main characters succeed with very little trouble early on in the narrative, only for Arakawa to pull the rug from under the readers with chapters 5-7 by reminding us that these boys are still children and only human, showcasing their weaknesses in a way that is the equivalent of an author's note telling us that this story won't be like the others. In my opinion, having a well crafted narrative won't mean much in the long run if you don't care for the cast and Arakawa does a good job in establishing the Elric brothers first before going full throttle into what the overarching plot is going to be.

I watched both of your Full Metal Alchemist videos and are great points, I remember when 2003 version came out it was praised by everyone and then despite by everyone after brotherhood was released, which iny opinion was unfair the hate towards 2003 version considering the limitations with the source material. I really like 2003 version and you did a great job defending the pros and cons in your videos, keep it up and greetings from Venezuela

I honestly really agree with what you said about the early episodes of FMA 2003 being the best ones. I still love the original story they crafted later on, but the blend of Arakawa's story with the anime staff's own ideas to expand upon it made it so good that it's probably the part that I rewatch the most.

The OG anime was good when it was all we had, but once the manga was completed, it was clear just how off the mark they really were. Nobody cares about the "Other Eric Brothers", Dante, Lyra, Frank Archer, or Chimera Shou Tucker. Not to mention the timeline changes to running into Bald, meeting Yoki, and the events of Nina, Alexander and Shou Tucker

Funny how everyone says FMA Brotherhood cuts out the Youswell mining arc and Yoki's backstory, when in actuality, it kinda doesn't. While it doesn't fully adapt it, we do see it in Episode 38 of the show, through a quick series of, admittedly funny black-and-white, Charlie Chaplin-esqe vinettes. It's a choice that, for me at least, turned out to be the best course of action. For one, Yoki's a bit of a joke, and those vinettes do a good of highlighting that. But there are a few more, much bigger reason why I think jumping straight into the Tucker arc after Cornello works for me. I see Cornello and Yoki as sort of the same: lowly sleazeballs drunk on power oppressing a small town, albeit in different ways. Seeing two of those back to back would've been a little repetitive, so for variety, it makes sense to jump straight into the story of Shou Tucker, someone who, unlike the other two, was a twisted psychopath with no morals. Another big thing is that, while Yoki's story was just a one-off that ends with him getting chased out of Youswell, Cornello was a puppet in a much larger game (unknown to him). Once Ed and Al exposed Cornello, Father and the Homunculi simply got rid of him, and twisted the fallout in their favour. The riots that happened in Liore as a result of that were gonna happen anyway. It's just that, as Lust said, 'they finished ahead of schedule'. Episode 4 and Tucker's story, even though it's technically a one-off similar to Youswell, has a ton of thematic significance (extremes of science/alchemy) that Youswell didn't, while also being an emotional gut-punch. On top of that, it was also an effective introduction for Scar. Up until the end of that episode, he was nothing more than a mystery man who was running around and killing people. When he kills Nina at the end, we see that he is capable of mercy, showing that there is a person underneath: something that's expanded on in the next episode, when we learn of the Ishvalan genocide. Ultimately, every choice Brotherhood makes end up in its favour. Even the first episode, which is, by all accounts, a filler, comes around later: the Philosopher's Stone has a soft introduction, and we learn why Ed and Al have been searching for it in episode 2. In episode 35, once the big plan's been cracked, the show flashes back to the Ice Alchemist, where we see Isaac warning Ed and Al that King Bradley would 'lead us all to ruin', something that, at the time, Ed dismissed without consideration, and is now living in its consequences. Whether the show doing so reveals its hand at the bigger story a little too much too early, you be the judge. But it's this ability to build off and meaningfully recontextualize the events of the first few episodes that makes Brotherhood stand out. And while I do wish Nina and Hughes stuck around longer than they did, their presence was still significant enough to make those moments hit. At least, that's how I see it.

I honestly felt like the 2003 anime didn't even get a true ending. Some plots aren't wrapped up without conqueror of shambhalla. An extra movie was a bad way to conclude the show. But if you exclude the movie entirely, then a bunch of stuff just goes completely unresolved and unanswered. That's bad too. The manga and brotherhood resolved and answered everything they set out to do. And anybody who didn't like said anwers is free to have their own opinions of course. But all that means is that they prefer the filler anime to the source material.

Idk how much of that is cannon cause I still havent read the manga but I still love the og FMA opening episodes following their childhood, entrance exams for the military etc

My favorite filler of 03 is ep 16 when the girl steals Ed's metal leg to help his Grandfather. And also I still recommend people to watch ep 25 of 03 over ep 10 of Brotherhood, because it's infinitely better adaptation of Hughes's death. That said, I think FMA deserves a true adaption, I think it needs to be remade by someone who can take the best of all 3 versions and combine them into a complete adaptation so that we don't have to go back and forth between 03 and Brotherhood anymore, maybe even try to dig deeper into the source material, for the depth of this work is immense.

As an ardent defender of FMAB, there’s a big part of me that wishes we had an adaptation that actually adapted the first few stories in order and in turn, recaptured the manner of Arakawa’s presentation of the world and characters… Both FMAB and FMA2003 restructure the events preceding the first Scar encounter, which give us a distinct atmosphere to build the story off of: in the manga after the two Lior chapters, we get the Youswell/Yoki chapter, followed by Bald on the train (which is our introduction to Roy Mustang in person); in 2003, their version of Lior (which is indeed the most fleshed-out) is followed by an extended flashback story arc which creates a few self-contained episodes but has those two and the Tucker story in it… reordered to fit, but helping to introduce Maes Hughes better than both other versions; Brotherhood makes the interesting choice to give us a different opening story that introduces a few major characters, followed by the flashback episode, then one for Lior and then Nina Tucker and Scar in that order… BH has a lot of my favourite elements, but I do wish there was around 10-13 more episodes. Most of which I’d have put in the first third of what we got (so before the fight with Lust at the 3rd Laboratory); the adaptation has an introductory first 10-15% that is both too fast yet also too slow. Paradoxically, once we meet Greed the storyline hits the brisk stride that really makes it a phenomenal story in terms of pacing, but it does take a bit to get there…

I foresee greatness for you Another banger man

Also does anyone question why Cornello transforms into Senator Armstrong in Brotherhood? Like what were they afraid he was too lame a villain?

i love the fma 2003 version honestly, while i love fmab, i just like the direction the story of 2003 went, and the emotional impact felt more real compared to fmab. dont get me wrong though, fmab is still fire.

I feel Isaac McDougal would work better as a character if he wasn't introduced just to spoil a crapton of important twists. Also he kind of makes the main characters look unsympathetic. The man is yelling, "We have to stop this super-evil dictator before he kills everyone like he did in Ishval" and nobody thought he was onto something?

the 03 anime didnt even have to do all that. they cold opened on a failed resurrection. job done.

The Nina arc hurts a lot more in the 03 show and it makes me have a harder bias for this era of the show.

You did a great job on BOTH videos. Like I said on the last one, even though we can agree to disagree, I still think that you made some valid points as well. Keep growing and keep improving, but also--it's RU-vid lol... Don't let it get in the way of your studies haha

RU-vid put your hunter x hunter video in my sidebar, and your previous video as the next one they wanted me to watch, so then I was like "Well this guy seems great, let me start going through his back log. It looks like I found another channel to watch.". Then I saw you had 4 videos, and I was very surprised that you're so new. I didn't watch the bleach video, since I haven't seen the thousand year blood war arc yet, but the quality of your videos made me think you must've been doing this for a while. Excellent job so far. Keep up the great work. Love it ;3

I think the Olivier Armstrong arc and the initial attack on Central City are the best parts of Brotherhood. Once they get under central towards Father's lair, I hate pretty much everything. Scar vs Wrath, Envy's death, Mustang going blind, the fakeout bad ending, the big loud dumb final battle, I hate all of it. It's all done in the worst possible way, especially the way Pride is defeated. The last 11 episodes of 2003 on the other hand are peak fiction, especially how surreal they feel. I'm fine with the happy ending, but FMAB final battle is the worst series finale ever for me. I refuse to watch or read Game of Thrones, because I find it morally repugnant.

Good video! While I cannot recall my first reactions about it from 20 years ago, I think ep 4 didn't hurt me so much in fhe first place, it has got various defects but I can deal with them no problem (other episodes have defects too, like 10 where I save the Lupin the third homages and not much more)... The one who bugs me more is that, after you get to know better Edward in later episodes, you realize his lack of emotion after the death in ep 4 is *really* out of character. But I can just take that episode for what it is and and accept its a bit sub-par.

I agreee, both are so good it's really hard to choose because fmab2009 has the canon world building and all that precious info that my autistic ass likes, but fma2003 has the best characters of the two, and I reaaally care about both characterization and world building so it's like that joke of "you have two wolves inside of you" but they're no fighting, they're cuddling

03 did well by not having FATHER the last stretch and the beginning of the story are why i dislike fmab… I love everything else and there's nothing in 03 that deteres me as much as father did

I am an anime only. So I cannot really comment on the manga, but I do like videos that discuss it and I appreciate the time you took to go over it. When it comes to the shows I honestly do not see many FMA defenders. There are some, but usually the opinions I see (outside of video essays) are that FMAB is better and FMA should be skipped. I really think it does the world of FMA a disservice. FMA is such a good show especially the first half. I know the overall plot and narrative falls apart at the end, but the themes and the way FMA tells its story are really good. FMAB is overall has a stronger plot thread to follow, but FMA handled so much stuff with care and really elevated what was minor things in FMAB. One change I really do not like is, as was mentioned, the Nina story. In FMA they stay with Tucker for several months (I think) and in FMAB they are only there for like three days. It is still a horrible tragedy, but it hit so much harder when you think about how long they spent there getting to know the Tuckers. I think that FMAB is better from an objective view, but FMA is my favorite even though it has a weaker ending. Obviously FMAB had a lot to cover and it wanted to go over it quick to get to new material so the skimming and cutting is expected. Afterall it takes like 8 episodes to get to like episode 20 of FMA. I do think the first episode of FMAB is a mess especially for new comers, but they probably planned it assuming most people watching new about the show so they could throw everyone in at once. It was still a poor idea, but they had their reasons. Last year, I was showing my roommate Fullmetal Alchemist for the first time and I spent a long time trying to figure out if I should show him FMA or Brotherhood. I tried to make a hybrid list where we could watch the beginning of FMA and then swap to Brotherhood until after the Laboratory 5 incident and then it could just be FMAB from there out. Ultimately I did not end up finding a way to cohesively put them together so we just watched FMAB, but I hate that many people miss out on the great story telling that was present in FMA's first half.

Hello! I saw your two videos about fullmetal, pretty good man! I think you make your point clear, even if I disagree with some things (I got hooked on the show on the first episode LOOOOL). Also, I think you could lower the volume of your transitions (Right at the beginning and at 1:59, to give you examples), for them to be in a closer volume to your voice (to not have contrasting volumes). I hope it helps you in some way! Keep going, I hope your channel grows.

17:20 I just realized how close the ending of S2 of Mushoku Tensei is close to the beginning of FMA. One parent dead, one person not really dead, but also not really alive, and main character lost an arm.

Would have loved if bh followed the manga and made adjustments that improve on the story in a different way.

I have to point out the obvious problem with this critique. Its full metal alchemist. We all got hooked twice atleast so obviously these early chapters did have enough intrigue. Imrpivement is not always from anlosing positon to a winning one. Sometimes its from a strong one to a stronger one.

13:48 Lesbian flag lets go

I think FMA 2003 has some better sides compared to Mangahood and some arguably worse sides. Filler episodes are actually fine in FMA 2003, I think the problem with some of them is more about them just not being really good instead of simply because they're a filler. I like 2003's version of the Chimera "Arc" more, I think it starts off kinda stronger, and there are characters I enjoy in 2003 more(though 2003 Kimblee is a pretty eh character compared to his Mangahood version). Catwoman episode was definitely a miss though

:) I like 10/10 very well written I hope you get even more recognition because this video proves you deserve it!!

Also a really good video ^^ I hope to see more content from you in the future

So the way I'm seeing/hearing it is... the "better" watch order is FMA03 Episodes 1 to 24 (up to the end of The 5th Laboratory) then FMAB Episodes from after The 5th Laboratory to its end? Only asking because I never watched Brotherhood and only caught bits and pieces of 03 when the dub was airing.

Reasons to watch; 1 it's cool 2 animated well 3 interesting 4 not the worst waste of time ever; aka evangelion The point was that they are kids and do not know about the overarching plots. They were just looking for the magic rock to get their happy ending. They were kids unaware of the world or how things really worked

Props for all the Undertale/deltarune music 🎶

Personally I have at least as many issues with the pacing/developments towards the end of Brotherhood (the role of human transmutation and Roy's involvement bugs me more than anything in 2003), and the conclusion just doesn't stick with me like 2003's ending. I think there would also be a lot of issues with the series having such a wide focus on its expansive cast with an opening like 2003, and having the benefit of a loose connection made it easier to enjoy it as an adventure serial rather than a dark fantasy. If anything, I am fairly annoyed that Brotherhood has such a large cast when it has, if anything, fewer character arcs than 2003. That said, I have talked to several people who never watched the series because of how awful Brotherhood's opening was, to the point where I think it could have significantly more viewers if they just redid that section. Probably not financially worthwhile, but its interesting to think about how you would accomplish a much better version of Brotherhood.

In some ways, I feel like brotherhood is better if one just skips its adaptations of the earlier chapters entirely, substituting instead the counterparts from 03 for everthing before the fifth lab. There are certainly bits and pieces that don't quite line up, and maybe an ideal version would be some kind of fan edit that splices the early episodes from both amimes together.

thank you algorithm

You have proven you know ball my kindred, now when's part 2 for Dragon Ball's Analysiss

Ben 10 feels like a shownen while avatar is like sainin

Cover the ending next

I really wouldn't say "fixed" man "This is not a hate comment I watch your other videos"

Your video essay sounds sincere, which not everyone can do.

28:39 I would like to see some of the novels get adapted

22:59 23:05 that surprised me

I watched 03 1st then brotherhood(almost immediately) & initially I thought brotherhood was "better" like many others asserted but the more I thought on it, while I haven't read it I'd say as a whole both the manga & 03 R "better" than brotherhood. Part of it is cus Brotherhood butchers wut feels like the entire 1st 3rd of the series to get to the new stuff. Jus bum rushin since brotherhood started not too long after 03 ended & it makes the start utterly "horrendous". I also feel the directive style is so much more "stale & uncreative" in comparison. Part of this is prob to do wit the manga itself but it's such an odd trend I've noticed in remakes where they go for a regularly brighter & more intendedly comedic tone. It's not somethin that doesn't work for FMA but u don't need me to tell u Y the 03 approach is more "balanced" & hits more effectively in both comedy & darker moments. I also really love where the 03 anime went after splittin off but I won't get into that here cus it's too much. Not to say I dislike the manga canon it's still "great" but not only do I know for a fact the 03 team would've handled it SO much better if they had the chance then but while I appreciate the more "worldly" themes of the manga the 03 endin hits so much harder wit the smaller scoped & personal touch. The movie epilogue is an enjoyable send off too, bein kinda bittersweet but still havin hope & a determined look to the future despite everythin. The more I thought on it the more frustrated I got wit brotherhood. It went from a 9 when I finished it to an 8, then a 5. It does do SOME stuff "better" than either manga or 03 & it's still "fine" on its own which is Y it's not say a 3 or somethin. 03 went from 8 to 9 after the more I thought as well.

Can u review chrono crusade? Its very similar to fma

Maybe I'm insane but I hated fmab, I hate the art style, found it boring and I hated how the plot changed and shifted focus. I also prefer how the homunculus were made in 2003. I love the way the characters were written in 03 as well and I hated ling and the alkehestry sht. Father sucked!! Even though dante was weird I prefer that other the sentient knowledge blob. The manga I'm in a weird spot I prefer it over fmab but I liked the storytelling of 03 more.

One piece Well written

As they say - you watch FMA until it fully deviates from the manga, and then you swap to FMAB.

I'm still in the beginning of the video, but saying Bleach, One Piece and HxH start off bad or slow is such a miss. They are all great introductions to their respective worlds. They are small scale and comparatively understated, but you kinda need that if any of the later stuff is gonna have any impact. Saying Hunter Exams or Romance Dawn (or maybe even East Blue as a whole, I don't know how bad your takes are) is bad is serious brainworms. And you need Substitute Shinigami to properly get acquainted and fall in love with Rukia, Karakura and it's inhabitants, all of which are really important elements going forward (plus, it's really fun). The fact that the One Piece live action show was so beloved and such a success while only adapting the story up until Arlong Park kinda proves what I'm saying. Also, I did in fact get into each show because I like these arcs and I still think and talk about them highly to this day. Maybe I'm in the minority for that, but suggesting this more down to earth style for the beginning chapters is a "mistake" that should be "remedied" is just wrong, in my opinion.

Uuuh uuuh I would say that uuuuuuuh I think brotherhood did fine for the first couple episodes

I think the 2003 anime, since it went for a much more grim and dark tone overall, should have picked a different kind of comedy than the Manga's. It feels more out of place. And sadly Armstrong's war trauma is barely present in the 2003 anime. But every version of Fullmetal Alchemist is great, even if I detest that brotherhood rushed the first few episodes. I can understand why many hate broterhood's comedy, especially since often serious Manga moments are "comedyfied" in brotherhood. But I find brotherhood and the Manga's comedy charming. And wouldn't we often care less about characters without such humor? Arrogant dubs also made a great abridged series on Fullmetal Alchemist.

This is so much better than the disappointing Scott pilgrim anime. Just can’t be as good fma 2003