Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood review
9.1 / 10 — CineScope score
Overview
Two brothers pay a terrible price for trying to bring their mother back, then set out to find the philosopher's stone that might undo it.
The short verdict
The best-plotted long-form anime ever made: sixty-four episodes with no filler and a satisfying answer to every question it asks.
Story
Arakawa's manga is a machine of foreshadowing. Nearly every character introduced has a function, and the ethics of alchemy give the story real intellectual weight.
Direction
Yasuhiro Irie keeps the pacing tight and lets the emotional beats breathe without padding the runtime.
Performance
Romi Park and Rie Kugimiya are perfectly matched as the brothers, and the supporting cast is one of the deepest in the medium.
Cinematography
Bones delivers consistent, well-choreographed action with clear geography and strong palette design per region.
Music
A rotating set of opening and ending themes that became a defining soundtrack for a generation.
Pros and cons
What works
- No filler whatsoever
- Emotionally and ethically rich
- Ending that lands
What does not
- 64 episodes is a serious commitment
- Early episodes move fast for newcomers
Final verdict
If you watch one long anime, watch this one. It is the genre's most complete package.
9.1/ 10