My expression whenever I listen to the OP
Did I say how much I love the opening? It’s definitely my favourite song of the season. Download the full version here 😉
It’s 0230 hrs over here so full review first thing tomorrow morning. I’m impressed by how the writers are able to complete the arc in one episode whereas the original series took two episodes to complete. I guess this is due to the reduced focus on the side characters and some clever manipulation of the storyline. Overall, the episode is refreshing and hilarious despite it being ‘old’ material. Thumbsup to the crew of FMA 2. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
Thank you for visiting...
We will proceed to review the show hehehe.
20th April 2009
So, everyone’s been harping about how the current series is following the manga closely so I decided to acquire a copy and read it for myself. After reading it, I realised that the first series was more liberal with the material from the manga as compared to the current series. The first series seems to have placed emphasis on developing rose’s background and story as well the climate of the town itself whereas the second series went for the ‘epic showdown’ at the end of it without compromising on the original storyline itself. Both have merits in themselves I guess. If you prefer a slow pace with more development on the side stories, the first series is for you. If you want a faster paced series with more action, the current series is for you.
However, this series’s background is not necessarily better drawn. Let’s look at a few screenies:
The Town from the 1st series with endless view of the town
The church shrunk with hills in the background
The above screenies reminds me of Magic the gathering cards, the first shot is reminiscent of old cards while the second shot seems ‘newer’.
Artist : I'm so tired..let's get my kid to draw and colour the background.
A little cheery here, ain’t we.
Dead lizard!
Dead lizard redux
This store seems better stocked.
First show portrayed the town’s nitty gritty parts such as the dirt on the sign of the shop while the current show prefers to go ‘clean’ on most accounts.
The screenshots are non-exhaustive and neither does it show how alchemy is performed, what you get from the first series is a little blue light and some smoke while the current series shows some ubercool blue flash of light and presto, restored. I’ve got nothing to add to this post at this point, this episode was pretty well executed and the way the ‘hey shortiee’ jokes were , in my opinion, more hilarious than it was in the first episode. Let’s await the next episode!
Gonna smile and keep on watching..
instead of stomping away. Nice background here, very artsy.
So what say you? Do you still prefer the 1st series if you ever watched it or the current series? Or are you a purist who cites the manga as the most pure and awesome work compared to the anime.
Do visit fellow bloggers who are blogging FMA 2 as well:
Hinano’s review
A Product of wasted time by TJ
Star Cross Anime Blog
Random Curiosity
P.S. Time to switch off and watch dragonball kai.
blindability
Brian
Poro
jGLZA
Loba
TeamZer0
thaivuN
Bokutachi no BLOG 
I liked the emotional component in the first anime series with the focus on Ed and Al’s mother, but the manga has better action, so I’m kind of split at the moment.
I still think they just want to get past all these parts where the anime sufficiently followed the manga so that they can begin to focus on the story after they diverged.
I don’t think we’ll be able to really judge this anime until they get to that point. The manga is really long, and if it is anything like Naruto, they’re in for the long haul with many seasons and episodes.
For sure loving the new series – the budget is so much larger, so the overall production is way way better. Plus, it’s so pretty~ (and they made me like this arc despite having hating it in the original series) Don’t get me wrong, I love the original series, but this one went above and beyond the original because it had the means to do so, so I’m one happy fangirl x3
Probably the first season for me, although I won’t really know until this reaches the later material. I preferred the pace in the older, this one seems to rocket through everything. Still enjoyable though
First series, definitely. I mean, the first one has more emotional depth than this seems to have. Better interaction, if you know what I mean.
And I disagree with the whole “the animation/art is better” part. I mean, seriously? I find it so sad because I love the old animation/art style better than the new. Just…compare how Ed/Roy/Hughes/insert character here in the first anime to the new one. It’s like every time I watch a new episode I had to go back watch some episodes from the first anime to replace the ugly art style from my memory. Aurgh. And the animation is way smoother in the old one. At least for me anyway.
Don’t get me wrong, I love FMA. I also love its humor. But damn, the second anime seems to overexaggerate the humor for all its worth that it’s getting tedious to watch now (i.e first episode, anyone?).
Plus, the OP and ED of the new series. God damn. Even though I love the opening song, the opening/ending animations bug the hell out of me. I mean, what the hell? The ED is so random! It’s not something that fits FMA at all.
Is this anime still by BONES? Because if it is, I’m terribly disappointed. I look up to that animation group so hard because of their quality works, but this…is an exception.
I just wish the old staff would go back and save this thing.
I am enjoying it as much. I agree somewhat with disappointed fan as far as the art is concerned but I don’t think they’ve “ruined” it. I still like it.
Only thing I don’t like is the FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST between commercials. It’s obnoxious as hell.
xDD The church shrunk with hills in the backround that totally just got me