FMA Brotherhood - Final Arc - OP5 - ED5
Ahh peeps, we have reached the final arc in the FMA Brotherhood anime. From here onwards, it's nonstop action, blood, angst and life-and-death clashes for all our major characters. If you have not started watching this anime, you may wanna start now. ^_^
FMA:B OP 5 - Rain (SID)
Once again, I am reminded of how much I LOVE this series, both in its anime and manga form. In the final arc, ALL characters are involved in some way or another. There is no wastage of any character. The spotlight is no longer on Edward Elric alone (like how it was in the first anime). In the original manga (and current anime), even side characters like Maria Ross and Denny Brosch have their parts to play. Al is no longer just a suit of armour; he fights, he thinks, he holds his own against devastating enemies. Ed grows leaps and bounds in his maturity; he compromises on his principles for the sake of greater good, he learns from past mistakes, he makes amends with former enemies for they make better allies. Winry's role as the emotional anchor is much more deeply-felt. Hohenheim is revealed to be an INTEGRAL part in the entire story. The chimera are more than just freaks of nature. The Xingese characters kick MAJOR ass and make decisions that change the course of the story. Scar's different shades of good and evil and everything in between make him one of the most unique characters in the story. Mustang is shown to be as powerful as an alchemist as he is as a politician and leader. The Homunculi are given SUPERB characterisation and resolutions, every single one of them memorable.
BONES has done the FMA manga justice, and then SOME, I believe, in their anime adaption. Their weaving of the various epic fights going on (different major characters battling different villains) is not totally seamless, but smooth and effective. Their choices of music is EXCELLENT (kudos to Senju Akira as the composer of the background music, and to all the artistes involved in the opening and ending themes, none of which was a disappointment). The animation itself is superb, particularly their handling of action scenes. There is nothing like watching an epic fight scene animated, seriously. It takes your breath away. And they balance it with just-as-well-animated plot-building and character scenes. They also take nothing away from the more horrific themes/scenes in the manga. If a character is carved into pieces in the manga, the anime brings it to full justice. No shying away here.
I know I'm gushing (yet again) about this anime, and it's a tad embarrassing, lol, because I've been doing nothing but gushing about it! It's just that I CANNOT remember the last time an anime moved me like this. I've laughed and cried with this anime, and RELIGIOUSLY chased the anime (I've never forgotten a single episode) regardless of the continent I'm in. I'll be seriously sad when the anime is over, although I am still chasing the manga!
The last OP and ED sequences of the anime have been revealed.
FMA:B OP5 - Rain (SID)
FMA:B ED5 - Ray of Light (Nakagawa Shouko)
As usual, there will always be people who find fault with the OP and EDs. For me, I love them, as usual too, lol. Ok, I don't ALWAYS love everything about the anime (I thought OP4 by Chemistry was weak), but honestly, there are a lot of things to like about the latest OP and ED. OP5 takes on a more different slant than the previous OPs. It's heavier on the emotion and angst, and definitely more desperate, with its scenes of bloodied major characters, tears, and a sense of loss. Some people wanted a more light-hearted approach. Ahh, but that's the thing. The final arc in the manga is NOT light-hearted. Oftentimes, our much-loved major characters are brought to the very brink of death, and there ARE deaths of other minor but still loved characters. So, how would a jolly OP fit in with the final arc?!
ED5 is also worth mentioning. One thing I absolutely LOVE about BONES' adaption, is how they sometimes make the last few scenes of the anime episode tie in with the ED. Here, as Al recovers from the damage of his armour and prepares to take on Pride AND Kimblee both, you hear the first strains of ED5, and then the anime ends, and ED5 begins. It's not the first time BONES has done this, and every time they do it, it's always done to great effect. You know an anime has kicked ass when you can actually feel your heartstrings being tugged, corny as it sounds.
FMA:B OP 5 - Rain (SID)
Once again, I am reminded of how much I LOVE this series, both in its anime and manga form. In the final arc, ALL characters are involved in some way or another. There is no wastage of any character. The spotlight is no longer on Edward Elric alone (like how it was in the first anime). In the original manga (and current anime), even side characters like Maria Ross and Denny Brosch have their parts to play. Al is no longer just a suit of armour; he fights, he thinks, he holds his own against devastating enemies. Ed grows leaps and bounds in his maturity; he compromises on his principles for the sake of greater good, he learns from past mistakes, he makes amends with former enemies for they make better allies. Winry's role as the emotional anchor is much more deeply-felt. Hohenheim is revealed to be an INTEGRAL part in the entire story. The chimera are more than just freaks of nature. The Xingese characters kick MAJOR ass and make decisions that change the course of the story. Scar's different shades of good and evil and everything in between make him one of the most unique characters in the story. Mustang is shown to be as powerful as an alchemist as he is as a politician and leader. The Homunculi are given SUPERB characterisation and resolutions, every single one of them memorable.
BONES has done the FMA manga justice, and then SOME, I believe, in their anime adaption. Their weaving of the various epic fights going on (different major characters battling different villains) is not totally seamless, but smooth and effective. Their choices of music is EXCELLENT (kudos to Senju Akira as the composer of the background music, and to all the artistes involved in the opening and ending themes, none of which was a disappointment). The animation itself is superb, particularly their handling of action scenes. There is nothing like watching an epic fight scene animated, seriously. It takes your breath away. And they balance it with just-as-well-animated plot-building and character scenes. They also take nothing away from the more horrific themes/scenes in the manga. If a character is carved into pieces in the manga, the anime brings it to full justice. No shying away here.
I know I'm gushing (yet again) about this anime, and it's a tad embarrassing, lol, because I've been doing nothing but gushing about it! It's just that I CANNOT remember the last time an anime moved me like this. I've laughed and cried with this anime, and RELIGIOUSLY chased the anime (I've never forgotten a single episode) regardless of the continent I'm in. I'll be seriously sad when the anime is over, although I am still chasing the manga!
The last OP and ED sequences of the anime have been revealed.
FMA:B OP5 - Rain (SID)
FMA:B ED5 - Ray of Light (Nakagawa Shouko)
As usual, there will always be people who find fault with the OP and EDs. For me, I love them, as usual too, lol. Ok, I don't ALWAYS love everything about the anime (I thought OP4 by Chemistry was weak), but honestly, there are a lot of things to like about the latest OP and ED. OP5 takes on a more different slant than the previous OPs. It's heavier on the emotion and angst, and definitely more desperate, with its scenes of bloodied major characters, tears, and a sense of loss. Some people wanted a more light-hearted approach. Ahh, but that's the thing. The final arc in the manga is NOT light-hearted. Oftentimes, our much-loved major characters are brought to the very brink of death, and there ARE deaths of other minor but still loved characters. So, how would a jolly OP fit in with the final arc?!
ED5 is also worth mentioning. One thing I absolutely LOVE about BONES' adaption, is how they sometimes make the last few scenes of the anime episode tie in with the ED. Here, as Al recovers from the damage of his armour and prepares to take on Pride AND Kimblee both, you hear the first strains of ED5, and then the anime ends, and ED5 begins. It's not the first time BONES has done this, and every time they do it, it's always done to great effect. You know an anime has kicked ass when you can actually feel your heartstrings being tugged, corny as it sounds.