FMA definitely starts slow. I'm so glad I gave it a chance (I usually give manga 2-3 vols because a lot of them are slow-starters, especially shounen) because it's definitely become one of my top faves. I've never seen the anime, but from what I've read of it on Wikipedia I don't like the sound of it at all. The plot is too different and not in a good way, just like, the ideas they came up with all suck compared to what she actually ended up doing in the manga.