Customer Reviews

Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 9

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The ninth installment in the Fullmetal Alchemist manga series is nothing short of a reminder that Hiromu Arakawa is a genius. The way she blends comedy, political strife, character development, and plotline with an array of beautful artwork is amazing. The Elric Brothers have returned to Central to visit Maes Hughes, unaware of the tragedy that befell him. Someone in the military is blamed for this and Roy Mustang's thirst for vengence is quenched in a way that the reader will never see coming.

Not to insult Arakawa's previous installments, but I believe this volume deserves some special praise for the artwork. The style here is wonderful, focusing intensely on the character's emotions. It's their emotions that will pull at your heart strings during the emotional segments of the storyline, and Arakawa does a great job of it. The characters also look well drawn and the comedy in here is well placed and serves as a pleasing mixture of comedy to the darknesss inside this volume. Her style is very unique and works wonderfully.

The storyline here, is absolutely unforgettable. What happens here must be viewed by any fan of this series. We see a side of characters that have never been shown before, making us wonder how relationships will flourish throughout the series. Not to mention a jaw-dropping plot twist (Bless you Arakawa) that makes the storyline pure gold. It's a book that's hard to put down, unless you don't like to get excited when you read.

In my personal opinion, this is probably the best or second best installment to date. Great artwork and a golden storyline make this a must have in any reader's collection. It concludes with hilarious extras and a preview of volume 10 that suspends you in anticipation for the next novel. From start to finish, this is an excellent A+++ novel. This is not an option, this is a must-own!

Ed, Al, and Winry return to Central Command and land plop in the middle of the latest Homunculi plot to frame their friend 2nd Lt. Maria Ross as the shooter in the murder of Lt. Col. Hughes. Colonel Mustang still isn't convinced that she did it and is still searching for the information his colleague was killed for. Meanwhile, Barry the Chopper, the serial killer whose soul was transplanted into an armored suit similar to Al, busts out of his safehouse where he was being held by Mustang and his crew for his own safety and information. Having a psychotic murderer on the streets is a bad thing. Expect to be left hanging as Volume 9 has a cliffhanger ending.

While the anime of Fullmetal Alchemist has concluded (I still haven't watched the last two volumes), the manga continues to go strong. The manga is the only truly "pure" version of the series because, unlike the anime, it is solely under the control of the original creator, Hiromu Arakawa. She is one of the best manga writer/artists out right now, and she takes this ninth volume to a whole new level in terms of drama, action, and suspense. She really makes you feel the impact on Ed, Al, and Winry as they learn about Hughes' death. While Arakawa portrays the raw emotion, none of the characters become pitiful or disgustingly overemotional. Their feelings play out within the boundaries of their personalities and makes them stronger instead of weaker. Another thing Arakawa is doing right is still having mysteries in her manga, but never to the point that they begin to annoy you. We still haven't gotten much information on the Homunculi or Ed and Al's father at this point, but you feel as though questions such as these will be answered when the time is right. This is one of, if not THE, best manga being published.

I am not under 13, I'm just too lazy (oh dear, I'm becoming Sloth!) to get on account on Amazon. Scold me if you want.

VIZ Media has never been the best translator in my opinion, in Volume One there was a "gold pocket watch" and I'll always prefer "Brother" and "Nii-san" to "Big Brother." But those I'm pretty okay with. With the release of this Volume, I draw the line. On one of the first pages, Ed and Al's lines are switched. If ALPHONSE made the mask Ranfan (or "Lan Fan" in the VIZ translation) liked and EDWARD's wasn't to her liking, Ed should have thought (with Al's it was a speacking role) "What was wrong with mine?"

Lan Fan, Ran Fan, Lanfan, Ranfan, all different translations of one name. The L and R sounds are confused in Japanese to English translations because they are similar. This is also done in the case of Lt. Hawkeye, where Winry calls her "Ms. Liza." In earlier Volumes her name was translated as Riza.

Ling's name is also changed. In Volume Eight he introduces himself as "Ling Hao" but in Volume Nine his name becomes "Lin." At the same time, the dog-tag bracelet he wears in Nine reads "LING HAO." (Note the G.)

Also, when Ed accuses Ling (NEVER Lin) of having "a freakish adult face" WINRY thinks "We avoided it..." and AL thinks "He avoided it!!" Al is used to Ed's behavior, and would have thought what VIZ put as Winry's. Winry is not used to Ed's behavior.

Jean Havoc's first name is changed to "Jan," even though he was clearly known as Jean (pronounced "John/Jon") in previous Volumes.

In previous Volumes when using "Second Lieutanant" it reads "2ND Lieutanant." Throughout Volume Nine the "nd" part of 2ND was switched to suspended script and back to the original format.

When the trio and Gracia are discussing Hughes' death he is said to be a Commadore, while he was promoted to Brigadier General (or Major General in the VIZ translation) in Volume Four.

After Major Armstrong dents Ed's automail, Armstrong's speech-bubble spells the Elrics' hometown "Resembool." However, Al's spells it "Resemboul."

And last but not least, Al bursts into the room Ed is residing in, Ed clearly says: "Jeez, Ed." How think can you be not the notice a character addressing another character with the wrong name, AND the speaker is using their own name?!

So I hope you do not buy this book for its cost of $10. I AM a fan of Fullmetal Alchemist, and this art is superb as ever. Sadly VIZ is damaging this brilliant series with over-all stupid mistakes. You'd be better off reading illegal fan-translations.

It was an enjoyable read; I can't wait for the next one =)
I would go more in depth but I don't want to spoil anything! So you are on your own, but if you liked the previous books this one won't disappoint.

It's really hard to review volume 9 without giving out some major spoilers, so if this review is more vague than most I apologize. Volume 9 is a bit of a wake up call as Maes Hughes death finally comes to light for the Fullmetal Alchemist and his friends. They are devastated by the loss and blame themselves for dragging him into this mess in the first place. They have some tough decisions to face as a result and some real growth is shown here for both the boys and for Winry as well.

The events in this volume also highlight the animosity between Mustang and Ed. Combined with some looks back at the Ishvala campaign and the machinations of the homunculi makes this one of the saddest and most sinister volumes yet.

I really encourage you to read on even as the plot twists and characters turn around and stun you. Just like with every other volume, keep unwrapping that onion. There's always another layer underneath.

Hiromu Arakawa, Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 9 (ViZ, 2004)

The fallout from the attack on Laboratory 5 is still coming thick and fast. The government are investigating the death of Maes Hughes (about which the Elric brothers still know nothing), Havoc is stuck in a small apartment guarding Barry the Chopper, the homicidal homunculus, and Ed and Al meet a prince from Xing on the train to Central. (Yes, that becomes important.) It's a volume of setup, but that doesn't mean the action doesn't come thick and fast--doesn't it always, when Barry's around? *** ½

A new and bold direction. The series is very quickly moving in a different direction from the anime it inspired. The plot and the action just becomes more intense and intriguing with every volume. And at the end of this volume things heat up to the point of a small war in the streets between the homunculi and Mustang's men. A must read.

Fullmetal Alchemist volume nine begins when the Elrics, Winry, Prince Lin, and his two guards travel to Central. Unaware of the recent tragedy, the Elrics and Winry want to visit Hughes and his family. To Ed's dismay, Prince Lin decides to tag along for the ride.

Meanwhile, Warrant Officer Falman is baby-sitting the living suit of armor containing the soul of Barry the Chopper. Falman is frustrated because Barry is always eager to "chop" someone, and Jean Havoc is so obsessed with his new girlfriend that he fails to bring Falman any useful information on the situation at headquarters. When Barry breaks out of Falman's custody and goes on a rampage, it's all that the military can do to recapture him.

Back at headquarters, Mustang investigates the conspiracy surrounding the military and lab five, and tries to identify Lieutenant Colonel Hughes's murderer. When the military police announce that Second Lieutenant Maria Ross is the prime suspect, Mustang is more interested in avenging his friend's death than discovering the truth....

If you thought the previous installments of Fullmetal Alchemist were dark, I have some news for you. They're going to get darker. The ninth volume is less lighthearted than the first eight, although there are still hysterically funny moments that help alleviate the gloomy atmosphere.

There is also additional character development for Ed, Al, Mustang, Armstrong, and even (surprise!) Barry the Chopper. Who suspected Barry the Chopper would reveal his human side? Certainly not me!

The art is, as always, amazing, and the story was so compelling that I could not put the book down until I finished. There is also a huge cliffhanger at the end of volume nine; if you thought that the cliffhanger at the end of volume three was nerve-wracking, perhaps you should stay far, far away from volume nine.

Unfortunately, there is one small error in the dialogue. At one point, Winry calls Hawkeye "Ms. Liza" instead of "Ms. Riza". I'm not sure if this is a translation error or a printing error, but it would be nice if it could be fixed for later editions.

Also included in this volume: a hint as to the true nature of the homunculi; larger parts for side characters, such as Hawkeye, Armstrong, and Falman; another glimpse at what happened during the Ishvarlan revolution; and, of course, another chapter in the endless cat-in-Al's-armor joke.

So, drop whatever you're doing, and order Fullmetal Alchemist volume nine! You won't be disappointed, although you may spend the next two months counting down the seconds until volume ten comes out.

This latest installment in the Fullmetal Alchemist series is no different from its formers. Ed and Al face the death of their friend Maes Hughes hanging over their heads, and now the death of Maria Ross as well. Winry stands with them through it, but she is suffering as well. While Barry the Chopper gets loose trying to kill his human body, Riza and the others close to Roy are facing the Homunculi. Roy races to the scene, praying he won't lose another friend to the killers. It's a stunning and heart-breaking addition to the manga series, and only a great fool would dare to miss out on it!!!