Arakawa Hiromu - Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 13-16 + ch. 67-68

[oyceter]

I really do love how many more awesome women the manga has.

Spoilers for so far in the manga and all of the anime

Brigadier General Armstrong is so awesome! Particularly when she's attempting to seduce the government agent into betraying his secrets and rolling her eyes at nearly everything coming out of her mouth ("Oh yes, I always wanted children...").

I also now have absolutely no idea where things are going. I mean -- the prince guy is now Greed! And there are two Hohenheims? I'm hoping that Ran Fan gets her automail soon, because I like her muchly and want to see her kicking ass again.

Also: Hawkeye backstory!!!! WTF tattoo?!?! I love young sniper Hawkeye in Ishbal and all the Ishbal flashbacks we're getting. And I love Roy thinking that all his chess pieces have been taken from him, especially his queen. It's sort of odd having Roy know Riza through her father, but ah well. I'm just glad for more Hawkeye in the story, particularly exchanges between Hawkeye and Roy that go something like: "You have to watch my back, so don't go and die now." "Yes sir. Don't get in too much trouble."

Other than that, I am completely baffled by the gate-like-thing in Gluttony's stomach, along with the fact that Ed can sort of create his own gate and that it's not that scary (I still think it's creepy as hell, thanks to the anime). And... so there are different types of alchemy! That don't seem to be based off of equivalent exchange! It's odd, because this is where I thought the anime would go, though it didn't. I get the feeling that this Ed and Al will find themselves back in their original bodies, largely because the manga doesn't seem to have the same ruthless equation of equivalent exchange and logical consequences that the anime does.

In conclusion, Hawkeye!

Comments

[yeloson.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was reading the manga before watching the anime, so all my freinds watching the anime were saying things I didn't really understand. Overall I think the anime had better pacing, but I'm still curious to see where the manga goes.

[jessibot.livejournal.com]

Heh, there are so many things in the manga I am not even close to understanding. The thing with Father (what is he hooked up to and how and why and guuuh) confuzzles me, and with him knowing about Ed and Al's Hohenheim... brain hurts trying to make the connectons.

I think the pay off is going to be pretty kickarse, Arakawa obviously knows exactly where she's going with this and the scale of it is just amazing - on a much grander scheme than the anime. At the moment I don't think there's any way I'll prefer the manga ending over the anime, but you never know. It'll be awesome either way.

What did you think of Lust's demise and what happened to Havoc? Oh, and Ed digging up the grave to check the contents? That broke me - just when I was thinking that the manga wasn't doing emotion that well. Ye gods.

[rilina.livejournal.com]

I loved the bit with the transmutation circle around all of Amestris. I think my jaw literally dropped at that point.

I also adore Brigadier General Armstrong. I also loved the flashbacks in 67? 68? to wee!Ed and wee!Al. OMG SO CUTE.

Meanwhile, I still have no idea what's going on in the plot, so I should probably do a reread. I think chapter 69 just came out too, though I don't know if it's been scanlated yet.