Customer Reviews

Fullmetal Alchemist: Season 1, Part 1 Box Set

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you love the Fullmetal Alchemist anime, this is a great box set to get. This box set comes with the first four DVDs of the series as well as booklets/inserts for each DVD. Each booklet contains beautiful artwork from the show, character profiles, and comments from production staff. The main box and the boxes that hold the discs and inserts are really well done; they keep everything safe and have great artwork.

I noticed the product description didn't have a rating. I, personally, wouldn't recommend this for those under 13-14 years of age. Things get violent and there are several adult topics prevalent (war, murder, politics, racism).

If you are familiar with the series, this product is exactly what you think it is. There are the first four discs of the series with some small booklets exactly as though you were buying the discs separately. However, these come with a rather nice slip-box. There were no surprises here, which I'm fond of when buying something.

For people who are not familiar with the series, then it should be noted that Full Metal Alchemist is engrossing and an excellent shounen anime. People who tend to enjoy such things would be well advised to buy the collections represented by these boxed sets. Those who are just exploring the genre might be better suited buying simply the first disc singly in order to understand the feel of the show.

This is one of the greatest anime series of all time.... It is full of epic battles, light hearted laughs, dark idealisms, and innocent philosophies. The series follows the exploits of the Elric brothers as they embark on a journey to find the fabled philosophers stone, an item so powerful that it is said to be capable of bypassing the laws of alchemy. As their journey progresses they come across different life altering situations capable of molding their young minds into a darker distortion of their innocence. From making friends with a young girl to seeing that young girl alchemically molded into a monstrosaty by her own father, the Elric brothers realize that they are living in a world as ugly and wretched as any nightmare that could have plagued their troubled minds. The dvd box set includes episodes 1-16 for the hefty price of 39.99, you will also get a full episode of a pretty interesting anime which i will not reveal at this time, safe to say that i will probably look into that anime as well. This series has everything an anime junkie could want, an engaging story line beginning to end, an amazing musical score, incredable battle sequences, and heartfealt drama all throughout, this is not one to miss. For those collectors out there, the anime box looks great and you will also get 5 story sequences with the box set, not to mention the tons of extra features that already come with the dvd's. I loved full metal alchemist and i cannot wait till part 2 of the first season is released, buy this series, i guarantee you won't regret it!

WARNING- CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES

I've loved Fullmetal Alchemist from the start. FMA is 51 episodes long, but doesn't waste a single one. Each episode has a progression of the story. Even if the episode doesn't feature the main characters (and I think there's only one or two that don't) it still uses the time to add depth to the other characters. Each person has a distinct personality- and even characters we only see briefly, are so well fleshed that we feel empathy for them. And, of course, the back story for the main characters, Ed and Al Elric, is amazing! Throughout the story, the series refers back to their past. We really get to see what makes them tick. And they are truly human, not superheroes (at least in the anime sense). Sure, Ed has mad skills with alchemy, but he is far from perfect. He's also a good fighter, but can't beat his little brother... or his mechanic for that matter.... or his teacher.... and with Mustang, it was sort of a draw....

As for Al, he's just so sweet! He has a real attachment to all things fuzzy, particularly kittens. This is, perhaps, more heartbreaking considering his soul is trapped in a suit of armour- causing sensory deprevation. Though upbeat for the most part, there are times when his happy facade cracks, and we are shown how deeply this state of being affects him.... and his older brother.

All in all, this is an anime I can easily place on the same greatness level as Cowboy Bebop, Ghost In the Shell, and Wolf's Rain.

[...]

Not only is FMA one of the best anime shows imported to the United States in the past few years, but now Funimation is offering it in these awesome budget packages! The packaging is both beautiful and sturdy, and the discs include all the special features they were originally released with, even the guidebooks.

For me, even after owning the first volume as it was issued two years ago, it was still cost-effective to buy the other three at the reduced price afforded by this box set. And not only this, but the show is truly excellent.

This series is great but strange, and the part when that little girl i forgot her name was combined with that dog that really had me that was sad and a little frightnig but this was great a nice work and great storyline. This is about two brother's that have a dad that's an alchemist, and then there mother always smiled at edward because he reminded her of there dad, then edward and elric's mother died so edward and elric went and got one of there dad's book to try to bring there mother back but an accident happend, edward lost one of his arm and leg and elric's soul got transported into a armor, edward saw something that was disgusting and that was'nt there mom. Edward was wondering were his brother went then when elric spoke edward was shocked and upset, elric took edward to that old lady's house to get help then edward recovered and then recived a metal arm and a metal leg. Edward's arm has alchemy that can make thing's appear like his sword, a wall, and make the ground colapse when targeting enemys and fix thing's, the use of edward's alchemy don't need a circle to summon his weapons' or to fixable use. His brother recived alchemy as well but he has to draw a circle in order to use his alchemy, edward he just put his hand's together and face them on the floor or the wall, and what ever he summon's will appear, that's cool. So this was a great series i saw all of this 1season know iam on season2 thats great to, this was a great series.

Full Metal Alchemist is one special anime. Although I have a childhood affinity with Dragonball and its 300+ episode glory, stuff like that, orNaruto, just isn't what you want to see too much of in anime.

Not to mention they usually have terrible english dubs. Full Metal Alchemist (FMA) on the other hand, deserves its fanbase. The box itself is nicely designed including the inside booklets from each of the volumes before it's Boxed Release (I think but not first handedly sure). Sliding it out, I knew it was the right choice I bought this after having watched it before on another source. I think only the best can be watched, already and Then bought for principles sake. The foil on the inside sleeve of the box reflects that glistening in my eyes as I begin to watch this great series once again!

Well, it has memorable characters, mostly because of a lot of development in them from the first few episodes on. You can sympathise with Ed and Al, the two young brother protagonists of the series. Hopefully you rent put off by Ed's not so cool look, as he is, as referenced frequently as a joke in the anime "pint sized", his character and dark past make up for his non macho or pretty boy look. The sense of morality, brotherhood, questions on the world parallel to one similar to our own involving War and Religion are some of the passing topics of this series.

But this first box, creates the topics I listed, set up for the brothers and their allies to confront in the later boxes.

But most importantly, I need to tell you this. The English Dub, us Great!
It somehow makes Ed alot more mature and cooler than the japanese dub. And subtitles, you get the choice of the English Dubtitle, or English subtitle translation of the japanese voice acting. Which is nice to know the original meaning and dialogue as well as to get some of the japanese thinking or nominclature.

But the only problems I had is with the unskippable Advert at the start of each of the discs. Although, to be honest I saw some interest in the movies that I meant to have picked up on DVD. But Funimation should have made them skippable, like the Disney Ads CAN be skipped or we can use it to fill up the popcorn bowl or pour some drinks...

Cmon friends, fellow humans, Give FMA a watch. You'll like it. It's not all serious, there are laughs in between each serious event to lighten the load.

One of the best anime series to come along in recent years, Fullmetal Alchemist is an action-adventure series set in an alternate Earth, where alchemy rather than physics is the rule of the universe. Two young boys, both geniuses, try to bring their mother back from the dead, with horrific consequences that echo down the run of the series, and finally come full-circle in the final story arc. Engrossing, well-characterized storytelling.

Though I normally prefer the original Japanese voice actors to English dubs, the voice casting and directing on the English soundtrack is excellent.

Now for my nitpick, which has to do with how Funimation chose to package their DVDs. One of my pet peeves are previews/advertisements on DVDs that you cannot fast-forward through or skip. Funimation has put a long advertisement for Dragonball Z at the beginning of each and every disc in this boxed set, and you cannot fast-forward or skip it. Argh! It's extremely annoying.

I've had mixed feelings about this series until I reached episode 22. Then I was certain that this was a keeper. Fullmetal Alchemist is a heart-wrenching, exciting action anime that struggles with the heart-wrenching issues of genocide and destruction.

The two main characters, Edward and Alphonse Elric, are seeking the Philosopher's Stone to bring back their missing body parts. They tried to ressurect their mother with the magic of alchemy, but instead, Alphonse lost his body and Edward lost an arm and a leg. And while their mother did come back from the dead, she definitely wasn't human.

Although this box covers the only the first 16 episodes, this is a decent starter set to pique people's interest in the series. The first episodes cover Ed and Al's journey to become state alchemists to gain access to alchemy books. Ed and Al also discover the liquid material responsible for making a philosopher's stone.

These aren't the most important episodes--those episodes were saved for the second part of season one. However, I can tell you that this is the best anime ever made--questioning whether the ends justify the means--whether people should sacrifice millions of lives for the things they desire.

Finally, I love this more than Evangelion, which is far more controversial for its ending, which drops the characters into really long existential speeches. I don't like to write about Evangelion--either people love it or they hate it. Fortunately, anyone can fall in love with this series, as long as they can bear with some bloody violence.

Great service, this item arrived on time. I have no complaints here. I will be a return customer. Thank you again.