Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (FMAB) is the first encounter of any kind I have with the Fullmetal Alchemist series. I have never read the manga, nor have I watched any episodes of the first anime series before watching FMAB.
Being hardly an anime fan, I've found myself (pleasantly) surprisingly engaged to the series "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood" ever since I caught the first episode on Hulu some months back. The story centers around two brothers who, in a failed bid to resurrect their mom through human transmutation (a taboo of alchemy), finds that they have paid a dear price for their transgression and hubris. The elder brother, Edward, lost one of his hands and legs, while the younger Alphonse lost his whole body, and only managed to stay "alive" because Edward somehow managed to transmute his brother's soul into a suit of armor. In a bid to regain their bodies, Edward has now joined the State army, so he could be in a position to search for the legendary Philosopher's Stone, which enables alchemy to be performed by circumventing the principle of equivalent exchange.
I love the close relationship between the brothers, and how they look out for each other. The single most impressive aspect for me is the character design; even though there are tons of characters, each is distinctive and well-drawn, and this is especially amazing considering that in a manga/anime format, the characters have to be physically mapped out too. The Homunculi make for fearsome enemies, and the series, like most anime, isn't afraid to shy away from more brutal depictions. However, and crucially, there are lighthearted moments of slapstick humor and warmth to alleviate some of the more grim proceedings. Memorable episodes to date include "An Alchemist's Anguish", a stomach-churning yet heartbreaking tale of the Sewing Life Alchemist, Shou Tucker who, in a bid to receive continued state funding for his research, resorts to converting his daughter and her dog into a chimera, in order to demonstrate that his efforts to create a talking chimera have been successful. Other installments that comes readily to mind are "Those who Lurk Underground" and "Death of the Undying", featuring especially well-choreographed and thrilling duels between Greed vs. Wrath and Lust vs. Roy Mustang, respectively.
I haven't realized the furious pace at which FMA: B has been going at until I watched the first few episodes of the first anime, and the pace shows no signs of letting up. The last few episodes have really upped the momentum (and gee, I thought the series was going at maximum gear already), with the re-appearance of Ed's and Al's dad, and the capture of Gluttony, one of the homunculi (the previews for next week's episode look positively awesome!).
Count me in as a new fan of FMA in general and FMA: B in particular! The next episode can't come soon enough!
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