Product Details

• Actors: Vic Mignogna, Maxey Whitehead, J. Michael Tatum, Travis Willingham, Caitlin Glass
• Directors: Caitlin Glass, Mike McFarland
• Format: Widescreen, Color, Animated, Subtitled, Dubbed
• Language: English (Dolby TrueHD 5.1), Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
• Subtitles: English
• Dubbed: English
• Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Funimation
• DVD Release Date: May 25, 2010
• Run Time: 325 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0035LD7WO
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,618 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Part 1 [Blu-ray]" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

As the television adaptation of Hiromu Arakawa's manga Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) remains one of the best and best-loved series of the last decade, it's surprising Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is not a continuation of the characters' adventures, but a remake. Young Alphonse and Edward Elric delved into forbidden knowledge when they tried to use alchemy to bring their mother back from the dead. They paid a terrible price under the principle of "equivalent exchange". Al was reduced to a disembodied soul bonded to a suit of armor; Ed lost an arm and a leg but has been fitted with the mechanical prostheses that earn him the title "Fullmetal". The brothers wander through a world that resembles late-19th-century Europe, seeking the legendary Philosopher's Stone, which they believe can restore their bodies. Although the series has been expanded to 63 episodes from the original 51, many of the subplots have been trimmed or eliminated to keep the focus on the Elric brothers. Their encounters with Cornello, the corrupt priest in Liore, and the murderous guardians of the sinister Fifth Laboratory are noticeably shorter. Yasuhiro Irie's direction is less dynamic than Seiji Mizushima's, but he has the advantage of stronger scripts that pack a lot of emotional punch. He balances that intensity with broader slapstick, using the simple, cartoony versions of the characters Arakawa draws in comic sequences. Almost the entire vocal cast reprise their roles, including Vic Mignogna as raspy-voiced, hot-tempered Edward. But Aaron Dismuke was cast as Al when he was only 11 and had to rush to complete the original series before his voice changed. His replacement, Maxey Whitehead, sounds too feminine for a 14-year-old boy. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood will delight both fans of the original and new viewers with no knowledge of the Elrics' previous incarnation. (Rated TV PG: violence, grotesque imagery, tobacco and alcohol use) --Charles Solomon

(1. Fullmetal Alchemist, 2. The First Day, 3. City of Heresy, 4. An Alchemist's Anguish, 5. Rain of Sorrows, 6. Road of Hope, 7. Hidden Truth, 8. The Fifth Laboratory, 9. Created Feelings, 10. Separate Destinations, 11. Miracle in Rush Valley, 12. One Is All, All Is One, 13. Beasts of Dublith)

Product Description

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood faithfully recreates the story from the classic manga - see Fullmetal Alchemist the way the creator intended!

Edward and Alphonse Elric s reckless disregard for alchemy s fundamental laws ripped half of Ed s limbs from his body and left Al s soul clinging to a cold suit of armor. To restore what was lost, the brothers scour a war-torn land for the Philosopher s Stone: a fabled relic which grants the ability to perform alchemy in impossible ways.

The Elrics are not alone in their search; the corrupt State Military is eager to harness the artifact s power. So too are the strange Homunculi and their shadowy creator. The mythical Stone lures exotic alchemists from distant kingdoms, scarring some deeply enough to inspire murder. As the Elrics find their course altered by these enemies and allies, their purpose remains unchanged and their bond unbreakable.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hello, Split Continuity! June 6, 2010

By Elias L. Blondeau

Format:Blu-ray

While I was a huge fan of the original FMA anime, I'm going to have to out on a limb and say that this new series has,
insofar, provided more action, more character development, and more of almost everything else, than the first thirteen
of the 2004 series. There is (almost) no filler, and the plot moves along at a more satisfying clip than before.
The reason for this is that "Brotherhood" hews a lot closer to Hiromu Arakawa's original manga, and has a lot more
material to adapt than the first series. Those who were weary of the initial series' slow start need have no worries
with this new version.

The English voice acting is as amazing as ever, with the talented Vic Mignogna giving his all as tormented young
alchemist Edward Elric, the role which made him famous in the anime community. There are a few changes in casting,
the most noticeable being Maxey Whitehead taking on the role of Alphonse, Edward's bodiless younger brother, a
role original occupied by Aaron Dismuke (for those curious about that change: Dismuke's voice had matured too much
for him to be able to reprise the role; he does, however, play the part of Young Hohenhiem in "Brotherhood.")
Whitehead does a good job with the part, though, and diehard fans will get used to her voice after the first
episode or two.

The animation is top-notch, and looks especially good on the Blu-Ray release. The music is also phenomenal,
especially the excellent opening and ending themes by Yui and SiD, respectively. But really, would you expect
any less than great animation and music from the sequel to one of the most skillfully-animated and musically-interesting
anime of the past decade?...

"Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood" is one of the best anime of the year, for both fans of the old series and complete
newbies to the franchise. This set is a no-brainer purchase.

Animation: A+ (In a word: Gorgeous.)

Music: A+ (Some of the best BGM I've heard in ages, sandwiched between a catchy opening and ending theme.)

Sound (Dub): A+ (Just as good as the original, especially the outstanding Mr Mignogna.)

Sound (Sub): N/A (didn't watch; I didn't like the Japanese V.A.s in the first series, so I suspect I won't like them here.)

OVERALL: A+ (One of the finest anime I've seen in years, and a great addition to anyone's collection.) Read more ›

83 of 100 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Rewind and Reset February 8, 2010

By Black_Wren

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

The original series is over, done, ended. No more will we see anything from along that arc. That was how it was planned by both anime creator and manga creator. The manga author asked the anime people not to end the Fullmetal series the same as the manga, at least the first time around. However, in an act of appeasement to the Fullmetal Alchemist fans, the anime was recreated this time following the manga arc more closely.

In order to impress upon the audience that this isn't going to be a continuation of the first series, the first episode is completely original and occurs right before Ed and Al head off to Liore. After that it follows the manga with a few exceptions. Because certain parts of the manga were already done in the first series they decided to skip it if it weren't part of the main plot. The confrontation on the train and in the mining town is left out this time, though, hinted at later.

The episodes which are a rehash of what was reliably done in the first series, everything up to the Greed episode, comes across as rushed, getting only an episode per act instead of stretching it out. However, once we encounter Greed things slow down a bit, since this is all new material. People say this series is more lighthearted than the original but when you read the manga you find it's similarly lighthearted. As the plot rolls along, however, it does grow darker.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A new spin to an old tale. May 16, 2010

By T. Bonds

Format:DVD

This series has nothing to do with the first one that arrived to the States in early 2004 and we can all expend one collective sigh of relief for that.
Though the first series was decent in its delivery, this remake has surpassed it in every single way. It stays pleasingly faithful to the manga and its original, intricate storyline, leaving behind the major plot deflections seen in the first series.
The characters themselves are authentic, agreeable and just all around engaging. You find yourself bonding with them on a really intimate level, to the point where you are feeling their pain, sharing their joy and smothering in their hatred. I am personally not an English dub fan myself, but on this series, I had to call an exception. Most of the original voice actors from the 2004 series have strapped their Fullmetal shoes back on and returned to deliver impeccable and emotionally charged performances native to their characters.

As for animation, it ranks as one of the best with very well-executed battle scenes as you would expect from such an action-packed series, but it also has that gripping drama and slapstick comedy to balance out the very shonen constitution. It blends these three prominent traits together flawlessly, and you are left with a grand experience worth every single penny. If you are an anime fan, there is no reason why this should not be on your shelf.

17 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is how FMA should be watched. May 26, 2010

By N. Kelsch

Format:Blu-ray

To start... I LOVED the first series. I thought it was great and the animation and story were fantastic. That was before I knew the truth.

That being said, after watching pretty much up to the current Japanese release of the subbed series I have to be honest. The first FMA series was as if you asked someone to read the first chapter of a book and 'guess' what the rest of the story was. The only thing FMA has going for it was to most of the audience it was first. If Brotherhood was first, FMA as people know it would never have existed.

Brotherhood tells the CORRECT story in a more meaningful way with a REAL conflict that makes sense. For those who do not know, the first 13 episodes of Brotherhood and the first half of the original series are following the same story and it takes a DRASTIC change after episode 13...

Some *KEY* aspects that are explained about the core foundation of the series don't get explained until after episode 13 which means that the 'first' series basically is just flat out WRONG about things. The Truth, The true reason Hughes is killed, The true origin of Homunculus, Transmutation without circles, Ed and Al's Father and Father... key facts about the series as a whole and the raw mythology in Brotherhood is *SO* right and makes the original series *SO* wrong.

Lots of people will dislike this release. Because this release is going to be season 1 which mostly duplicates events from the original series in a more condensed way. They will feel it is like a re-animated retread of the existing story than what it is... the real story told correctly.... I honestly feel they did this series a disservice by not releasing the set in a 26 episode format which will get most viewers *FULLY* onboard with this series when they begin to see the drastic and meaningful differences in the story. You will see that the gravity of this series blows the previous one to shame and makes it almost so unwatchable once you know the true story.

Do yourself a favor, commit to the series. If you liked the original series, if you watch at least to the mid 20's where the major aspects of the true plot are shown, you will be hooked and will never go back. You may want to wait for the second release and watch the first two DVD releases together if you can't handle the comparisons of the first 13 episodes. Read more ›