Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Part 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Part 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Round two of Brotherhood presents a new high in the adventures of the Elric brothers.

Reviewed by Dustin Somner August 22, 2010

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a newly produced anime adaptation of the original manga by Hiromu Arakawa. Released five years after the original Fullmetal Alchemist series, Brotherhood contains elements of the prior 51-episode production, but remains more faithful to the storyline of the original manga. If you recall my prior review of the Part I Blu-ray release (episodes 1-13), you’ll remember the initial 13 episodes basically rehash events that occur during the first 33 episodes of the original production, creating an excellent primer for long-time fans of the original series, as well as a necessary introduction for those in the uninitiated camp. With the release of the Part II box set, FUNimation includes episodes 14-26, which chart a new divergent path away from familiar territory and offer an initial taste of what’s to come in the story of Brotherhood.

Scar's role in this batch of episodes offers an interesting story arch, making him one of the better recurring characters in the series.

Picking up at the exact point where episode 13 let off, Part II of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood begins with Fuhrer Bradley joining the fight against the homunculus Greed and saving Ed in the process. This display of weakness displeases “Father”, who decides to punish Greed in front of the other homunculi brethren he’s created. Meanwhile, Ed and Al befriend a young man named Lin Yao, who’s also searching for the Philosopher’s Stone (and the promise of immortality), which he’s intent on obtaining before he returns to his homeland in Xing. Joining up with Winry on their way back to Central, Lin is imprisoned for being an immigrant and Al learns of General Hughes death during his time away from Central. When one of his close friends is accused of the murder, Al must put his differences with Roy Mustang aside to discover the truth, bringing them closer to the identity of the homunculi hidden within the State Military. During the course of their investigation, Al and Ed spend additional time with Winry at their side, deepening the growing bond between Winry and Al (who both lost their parents at a young age), as they consistently struggle to convey their feelings to one another. Unfortunately, these trivial matters soon take a backseat to revelations revolving around the creation of the homunculi, the true cause of the Ishbalan Massacre, and the realities surrounding the unsuccessful transmutation of the Elric brother’s dead mother.

If you have zero knowledge of the Fullmetal Alchemist universe, that synopsis likely sounded like nothing more than a pile of random sentences tossed together. Thankfully, we’re at a point in the series where background knowledge is an absolute requirement, so I’m comfortable speaking solely to “readers in the know” regarding occurrences in the continuing saga. Without giving too much away, round two of Brotherhood is the turning point many of us have waited for. After dispensing with familiar plotlines and the usual task of character introductions (of which this series has many), episodes 14-26 offer a continual series of revelations and twists that turn our preconceived notions on end. Just as you’re recovering from the death of a character, or the realization that someone’s motivations aren’t what you’d hoped, a new bombshell significantly alters the path of the show, creating a further mystery to be tied up later. As a result, it’s safe to point to the unpredictable nature of the dense storytelling as the key element in Fullmetal Alchemist’s tremendous following among the anime community, with Brotherhood rapidly emerging as the better of the two productions.

If I had one complaint worth mentioning in Part II of the series, it would center on the incorporation of comedic elements in several dramatic or tragic moments of this episode collection. I understand comedy has always been a significant part of Fullmetal Alchemist, and opinions will differ on what’s considered over-the-top, but the timing and prominence of the comedy in this batch of episodes felt a bit off at times. I can’t provide specifics without giving away key moments in the plot, but there are times when an individual will suddenly jump out of character in a spotlight monologue detailing their predicament, effectively throwing the viewer completely out of the seriousness of the situation. This might be worthwhile in a child-focused production (where it’s necessary to dull the impact of tragedy), but considering the adult-themed nature of Fullmetal Alchemist, I simply can’t see the logic. Before anyone sends me hate mail for complaining over an element that’s been present in the series since day one, I’ll make it clear that I typically don’t have a problem with the inclusion of comedy in the series. Instead, my complaint is centered on the timing of the comedy through this section of the series, which contains some highly serious subject matter. Sometimes you’d simply like to reflect on what just took place rather than listening to one of Al’s annoyingly awkward rant sessions. Minor quibbles aside, Part II of the series is still an extremely effective showcase for creative anime storytelling, which I’ll likely watch on multiple occasions in the years to come.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 33Mbps), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood appears decent enough, though viewers should be aware of the same flaw present in the first box set of the series. The singular element I'm referring to is line consistency, which reveals abundant-yet-subtle stair-stepping jaggies along thin diagonal lines. The issue is pronounced enough to be noticeable on a 100-inch display (or at a short viewing distance), but I'd wager a number of viewers won't find themselves overly distracted by the deficiency. That's not to say I'm downplaying the problem, but as with my review of the Part 1 collection, it's worth mentioning the reality of differing sensitivity to nuances of this sort. Moving along, the show incorporates a bold color spectrum full of lush hues that quite literally jump from the screen. Whether we're witnessing the crimson red of Ed's cloak, or the deep blue of the State Military uniforms, colors never waver from scene to scene, and hold up with equal vibrancy in day-time or night-time sequences. Continuing with the positives, black level depth is consistently spot-on, and contrast never struggles in the creation of shade differentiation. Beyond the usual suspects, banding is kept to a minimum, DNR is absent, and edge halos are thankfully never utilized in an effort to artificially sharpen the image.

Aside from concerns over the appearance of jagged lines, I didn't detect any stand-out flaws in the production of this 1080p Blu-ray transfer, though I'd expect the clarity to appear a touch better for a newly-animated series.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Although there are two lossless tracks on the disc, I wasn't able to navigate back and forth using the convenient menu system on my PS3. This problem was also present on the first box set (I suppose it's more annoyance than problem), but it's still worth mentioning to anyone who's not accustomed to using the disc menu in order to change the audio selection. Along the same line, I couldn't find a subtitle option anywhere in the settings menu, leading me to the conclusion that English subtitles are mandatory with the native Japanese audio track. Breaking down the two language options, we have a lossless 5.1 English dub alongside a lossless stereo mix in the native language of Japanese. As you can imagine, the English option boasts a greater sense of immersion and spatial separation, giving it a noticeable edge over its Japanese counterpart. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is chock full of fantastic displays of epic mayhem (thanks to the widespread use of alchemy), so enjoying those effects across the entire sound field is a true delight. The Japanese track is still no slouch, sporting equal clarity and volume balance next to the dubbed version, but it simply can't compete with the superior English offering. Whatever your preference, there's still plenty to enjoy in the audio presentation on the disc, but the combination of the excellent English voice cast and the added depth of the full surround option make this an easy decision for non-purists.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Mirroring the supplemental features on the prior Part 1 box set, this collection includes two audio commentaries from members of the English voice cast (episodes 14 and 23), textless opening and closing songs, and a selection of trailers for other FUNimation releases. Between the two commentaries, I'd give a slight edge to the discussions on episode 23, which include speculation on the future of the Fullmetal Alchemist franchise.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you're a Fullmetal Alchemist fan, Part II of the Brotherhood series marks a new high in the adventures of the Elric brothers. Featuring twists, turns and profound revelations, not a single episode passes without something significant taking place. I have no idea where the series will go from this point forward (though I have my suspicions), but provided the show remains this strong throughout the final half of the series run, I'm confident we'll rank this among the must-own anime productions of the past decade.