Product Details

• Actors: Maxey Whitehead, Vic Mignogna, Caitlin Glass
• Directors: Mike McFarland
• Format: Animated, Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: Japanese (Unknown)
• Subtitles: English
• Dubbed: English
• Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Funimation
• DVD Release Date: July 17, 2012
• Run Time: 775 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (108 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B007V9EACC
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,434 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #15 in Movies & TV > Blu-ray > Anime

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The tone of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood darkens as it continues. In flashback sequences, viewers learn the origins of both Hohenheim and his doppelgänger, the "father" of the Homunculi. Hohenheim was once the slave of an alchemist in Cselkcess, who created the first Homunculus. When the King of Cselkcess's attempt to achieve immortality backfired, Hohenheim became a human Philosopher's Stone and the Homunculus created a body for itself that was a duplicate of his. Decades later, Father plans to activate a transmutation circle that stretches across the entire country of Amestris, killing untold thousands of unsuspecting humans to create a gigantic Philosopher's Stone--and activate the Mannequin Army, a corps of zombies animated by the Stone's power. Director Yasuhiro Irie and his artists pull out all the stops in the appropriately dramatic and moving conclusion. The Elric brothers and their allies--Von Hohenheim, Roy Mustang, Scar, Izumi, the Armstrongs, May Chang, and Ling Yao--strive to thwart the machinations of Father and his remaining minions: Pride, Wrath, Sloth, Envy, and the zombie army. The climactic battles are as wrenching as they are spectacular, with flashy CG effects that rival Hideaki Anno's new Evangelion films. But the emotional impact overshadows the visuals, as each of the main characters must rise to face a dire challenge. Edward and Alphonse discover how much they're willing to sacrifice for each other. Mustang destroys Envy, avenging Colonel Hughes, but Ed and Lieutenant Hawkeye make him realize that his anger threatens to destroy him. The initial Fullmetal Alchemist series, which was completed before manga artist Hiromu Arakawa had envisioned her story's outcome, ended with the setup for the feature The Conqueror of Shambala (2005). Brotherhood, which follows the original manga so closely that much of the dialogue is taken verbatim, reaches a much more satisfying and definitive conclusion. Saying good-bye to two of the most beloved characters in anime history might be the price viewers pay for an appropriate ending to their story--and an example of "equivalent exchange." But the adventures of Edward and Alphonse Elric continue, beginning with the feature Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos (2011). (Rated TV 14: violence, grotesque imagery, brief nudity, tobacco and alcohol use) --Charles Solomon

(34. Ice Queen, 35. The Shape of This Country, 36. Family Portrait, 37. The First Homunculus, 38. Conflict at Baschool, 39. Daydream, 40. Homunculus (The Dwarf in the Flask), 41. The Abyss, 42. Signs of a Counteroffensive, 43. Bite of the Ant, 44. Reviving at Full Throttle, 45. The Promised Day, 46. Looming Shadow, 47. Emissary of Darkness, 48. The Oath in the Tunnel, 49. Filial Affection, 50. Upheaval in Central, 51. The Immortal Legion, 52. Combined Strength, 53. Flame of Vengeance, 54. Beyond the Inferno, 55. The Adults' Way of Life, 56. The Return of the Fuhrer, 57. Eternal Leave, 58. Sacrifices, 59. Lost Light, 60. Eye of Heaven, Gateway of Earth, 61. He Who Would Swallow God, 62. A Fierce Counterattack, 63. The Other Side of the Gateway, 64. Journey's End)

Product Description

In the shadows beneath Central, the Elrics encounter Father, the creator of the Homunculi. His face is familiar - as is the new face of Greed - but his alchemy is unlike anything the brothers have ever seen. As Father's dark plot takes shape, Ed and Al brave the frigid north to meet the top officer of the fortress Briggs: General Olivier Armstrong. With icy nerve and burning intensity, she commands the hardest soldiers in the land. When you witness her leading the warriors of Briggs in battle against the unstoppable, rampaging Sloth, you'll know - the stakes are higher than ever in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Collection 2.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Truly Superlative Series February 3, 2013

By Christopher

Format:Blu-ray

Note: This is a review for the entire Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood anime, not for this particular volume of the set.

For the past several years, I had considered the original Fullmetal Alchemist to be my favorite anime of all time. It featured everything that I loved most about the genre: driven young protagonists, a fantastical and vibrant fictional world, a coherent set of combat mechanics, dynamic fight sequences, gorgeous animation, a well-thought-out and complete plot, and darker, more mature themes. Thus, when I heard that the series was being remade to more closely reflect Hiromu Arakawa's original manga series (which I have not read), I was excited to see the result. Could the full story written by the creator of the Fullmetal Alchemist universe manage to outdo the already-phenomenal anime that was more loosely based on her work?

The two answers to this question, I am happy to declare, are yes and hell yes. Although it gets off to a slightly uneven start, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood manages to surpass the quality of its predecessor by a healthy margin. It is one of the best television series I have seen, and it fulfills the promise of modern anime in a way that no other title has.

For those who are not familiar with either series, a brief plot synopsis is in order. Brotherhood follows the journey of two teenaged boys, Edward and Alphonse Elric, as they travel in search of the legendary philosopher's stone. Their world is a bit like Europe in the early 1900s, but with a significant twist: humans can tap into the power of alchemy, a mysterious science that enables its practitioners to reshape and reconfigure matter. In order to achieve their goals, Ed and Al must contend with their country's dangerous military, ambitious foreigners from the Far East, a revenge-obsessed serial killer, a traumatic past, and seemingly immortal foes with deadly supernatural powers.

One of the greatest strengths of this series is that, whereas the original FMA had a more direct and tightly-knit feel to it, Brotherhood is vast, open, and sprawling. The world is bigger, features a much larger cast of characters, and involves conflicts that are far greater and more earth-shattering in scope. The main characters seem to get more done, cover more ground, and learn more about the world around them. Even though Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a mere 12 episodes longer than Fullmetal Alchemist, it feels as if it explores a great deal more content. This becomes especially satisfying when one reaches the massive, perhaps 15-episode-long, concluding arc. In this, all of the storylines and motivations of all of the characters converge for one massive, epic face-off, building towards a final resolution which--despite a touch of anime cheesiness--is legitimately emotionally powerful.

Another quality that makes Brotherhood so outstanding is its superb animation. I consider it quite tragic that many modern animes (Last Exile and Ergo Proxy come to mind) cut corners when it comes to the animating process, using numerous still shots and barely allowing the characters to move at all. Fortunately, FMAB stands in stark contrast to this trend. The series favors acrobatic battles, detailed movements, and impressive light effects, providing a genuine feast for the senses. The fight scenes deserve special praise here. There are dozens of excellent fights in Brotherhood, and in them, the animators succeed in conveying a magnificently kinetic, gravity-defying, and hard-hitting style of combat. If you aren't watching these sequences in all of their widescreen, blu ray, high definition splendor, then you are absolutely missing out. The only bad word that I have regarding the series' animation is that its backgrounds do tend to be underwhelming.

Which brings me to the few downsides of FMAB. To begin with, viewers who have already seen the original Fullmetal Alchemist might be bored during the earlier episodes of Brotherhood, since both animes start by following the manga rather closely. They made an effort to distinguish Brotherhood by presenting scenes differently and introducing some new characters, but to me, the first 13 episodes were something of a slog. Additionally, the beginning portions of FMAB contain a bit too much in the way of corny Japanese humor. I would be comfortable with this fact in and of itself, but the real issue is that the characters frequently switch over to goofy comedy mode in the middle of serious moments, such as the protagonists' first interaction with the main villain. Thankfully, this stops being an issue perhaps halfway into the show, after which point the humor is confined to separate, nonessential scenes. My final complaint is that the series' music was lackluster overall, consisting of only a few unextraordinary tunes that were repeated often. Some of it was alright, and the songs for the starting and ending credit sequences were almost all great, but I think that Brotherhood would have been more dramatic yet if it had featured a stronger soundtrack.

Having said all that, I believe these issues are negligible on the whole. The bottom line is that you should watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, period. (Watch it on Hulu, if you must.) It's exciting, smart, long, original, expansive, satisfying, and visually stunning. In many cases, anime series tend to be overrated; indeed, it is extremely difficult to find one with an amazon rating lower than four stars. Brotherhood, however, actually lives up to its hype. Anyone seeking a great, high-budget modern anime--or just a beautiful, character-driven story full of loss, struggle, and triumph--need not look any further than this masterpiece.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Stupendous Ending to the Finest TV Show Ever Made March 2, 2013

By Michael Avitabile

Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase

Calling Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood the greatest anime of all time does it a disservice; it is simply the finest television show ever created. The second half of the series, which composes this collection, is a perfect combination of a fascinating plot, fully fleshed-out characters, plot twists, and suspense. FMA: Brotherhood is equaled by no other.

25 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Fulfilling Anime Series You'll Watch June 21, 2012

By Elissa

Format:DVD

It's very rare for an anime series to have a complete and fulfilling finale. This series outshines the majority of what is out there in depth, consistency, and true closure for characters and plot lines. This is a fine series and should be watched by many people. I am hoping that one day this series (I really only consider this anime series rather than the first since this one is manga canon) gets the recognition and publicity it deserves because it is excellent. I think it would make a great live action series for a major network like HBO or Showtime to persue. It's so powerful!