Why Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is still the best starter anime, explained

Modified Aug 28, 2024 16:30 GMT

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood can often be cited as the perfect primer to anime. The series tells the story of two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who use alchemy, a science in which they can transform matter using equivalent exchange.

As a result of a tragic experiment to bring their mother back to life, they lose parts of their bodies. Edward loses one arm and one leg, while his younger brother Alphonse's entire body is taken, binding his soul into a suit of armor. The whole story is about their quest to return their bodies to their previous state using the legendary Philosopher's Stone.

This article will explain why Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood still is the best anime in which to enter.

Disclaimer: Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

Why Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is still the best starter anime

Alphonse Elric as seen in anime (Image via Studio Bones)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is still the best introduction anime for numerous important reasons.

First of all, the compact size of the series, which comprises just 64 episodes, doesn't overwhelm a potential new viewer with too much commitment, unlike One Piece or Naruto.

With this self-contained storyline, first-time viewers have been able to see a complete narrative without successive seasons dragging them down or filler episodes taking their interest away.

The pacing and quality are consistently excellent throughout Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Since this anime was made after the manga had been mostly completed, it never contained any content fillers or rushed storylines that plague many adaptations.

Quality animation persists throughout, helping the viewer enjoy the series to a higher degree and sustain their interest level.

Young Edward and Alphonse Elric as seen in anime (Image via Studio Bones)

The other notable thing about the show is its coherent power scaling. Alchemy works on the principle of equivalent exchange and does a great job of grounding character abilities.

In contrast to other shonen where the power-ups may come across as arbitrary, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood keeps its rules consistent, making the progressions logical and satisfying.

Finally, family, sacrifice and redemption are common themes in the series, and they are universally relatable. The story feels complete in itself, with a well-thought-out ending that tidies up loose ends without resorting to fanservice or over-the-top spectacular scenes, making it friendly enough for newcomers to anime.

Is Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood as good as fans say?

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is often highly praised by fans in many aspects. First and foremost, the way it's storied is incomparable with an intricate plot, balanced well between action and philosophy, having a deeper emotional touch.

Character development is so deep that the protagonists and antagonists both have their reasons elaborated in front of viewers. The world itself, built on the ideas of alchemy, is rich and logically consistent with its rules, giving birth to an extremely unique world that adds more character to the plot.

It also excels in its thematic exploration, take on heavy themes like sacrifice, the consequences of one's actions and redemption, all falling into place and leaving quite an impression on viewers to add to the depth in meaning within the story.

It's also much more visually and aurally impressive, right from the soundtrack down to the quality of the animation. While opinions on anime can be subjective, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood consistently meets the high expectations set by the fanbase.

Final thoughts

Colonel Roy Mustang as seen in anime (Image via Studio Bones)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood makes for a perfect start for anime fans, as it's compact, with a full story, consistently well-done animation and great pacing.

In this series, the coherent power scaling and adherence to the principles of alchemy make the logical development pleasing, while its treatment of universal themes like family, sacrifice and redemption strikes a deep chord in viewers.

Without any excessive filler, it keeps its visual and emotional impact very well, making it a complete and great anime primer. Thus, it truly lives up to the high recommendation value it often receives and can be recommended to newcomers.

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Edited by Bhargav