 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT | | | ▪ | ASPECT RATIO: | | 4:3 FULL SCREEN | | | ▪ | AUDIO: | | ENGLISH DD 5.1 / 2.0 AND JAPANESE DD 2.0 | | | ▪ | RUNNING TIME: | | 264 MIN | | | ▪ | RATING: | | TV PG | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 01/15/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 03/06/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
SYNOPSIS:
What are you willing to sacrifice?
The Elric brothers have fallen once more under the care (and the stern eye) of the one who taught them the art of Alchemy – The Formidable Izumi. But as a new player emerges from the jungle, it seems as if everyone has plans of their own for this mysterious young boy. Disgusted with the reckless pursuit of their goal, Izumi sends her former students away… As both good intentions and the best laid plans go astray, the Elrics are soon separated by kidnappers and Ed must face the homunculus Greed alone. Must death be the only path to reunion? With reinforcements seeking to help the two brothers, they are soon on the path to Ishbal once more. Between the flood of new questions and the trickling flow of answers, this site of the mysterious war looks to be their only source for truth. But as the journey to the ruins and their guide reveal a dark series of events, will Ed and Al be ready for what they find? Or will they be forced to question everything they believe? Contains episode 29 to 40 on 3 discs. REVIEW:
After the traumatic events of last season where the anime left off, the first half of the second season is even more dramatic and shocking. Jam-packed with horrifying revelations, the lives of not only Ed and Al but also those around them, including the homunculi, find themselves in an ever tightening web of interrelated pain and suffering. According to the Laws of Alchemy, everything is connected, but the Elric brothers are about to find out how deep that law cuts. And it cuts both ways, the beginning of season two unveils another of the homunculi, Wrath, while also showing the depths of Greed and the tragedy of Lust. Although all connected, there are three main arcs to the first half of season two. The first is the introduction of Wrath and the awful truth behind his beginnings. It is a past and a secret that will not only shake Ed and Al to the core but also lead them to discover that another has made the same frightening choice they had made – to attempt a human transmutation. They learn to true origins and the tragedy of all homunculi. Anime fans should pay close attention to this as it leaves a large, ominous clue as to what awaits Ed and Al around the corner as the show winds up to the finale of the series. The second arc involves the climatic build up and shocking outcome to Ed’s confrontation with Greed. This is not something Ed has gone looking for, rather Greed has planned from the outset for this meeting and to force Ed’s hand. The battle is tremendous, involving Alchemy, hard feelings, and even tougher choices. They are choices Ed may find it hard to live with. But first he must find a way to defeat the homunculus that has captured Al and is known as the Ultimate Shield. During the amazing fight, Ed learns a pivotal secret about the homunculi, one that may help him to defeat them once and for all if he dares. The third and final arc that this set of episode ends on is the one dealing with the secret of Ishbal. Ed finally arrives at the ruins of the once great city and meets none other than Scar. There Ed at last learns the terrible secrets the tragic history holds. And again, as nothing in this anime ever is done in a vacuum, each of the main arc ties into the hidden movements of the military Ed works for, the competing agendas of the homunculi, and the philosopher’s stone. With each step ending with greater tragedy revealed, can Ed continue on his journey with his brother to discover the whole truth – despite how horrific it is already proving to be? Harsh times face the many characters of the show, including a dangerous choice made by Sciezka and Winry to follow in Hughes footsteps and find out what got him murdered. But dangerous undertakings and shocking revelations aren’t the only things in this anime. The show finds some time for a wonderfully lighthearted episode showing the day-to-day antics of Roy Mustang and his motley crew of bumbling subordinates. Havoc needs a girlfriend, Armstrong has a sister, and a reported haunting at a warehouse shows a lot of delightful comedy at an unexpected juncture while at the same time showcasing some of the secondary characters of the series. EXTRAS:
This third box set continues in the tradition of the first with its striking box art. DVD bonus features include production art galleries, clean opening and ending animation, FUNimation trailers, and character profiles. The box set is has a glossy hard slip case with more great art work. Within are two different things. First is a fold out that holds the disc. This is in shining gold foil on the inside with the discs coolly detailed with alchemist symbols while the outside of the box holds glossy splash art. The other box within the slip case is a silver foil box with an alchemist mark that holds the next three Fullmetal Alchemist Guidebooks for the series. Each book is about twenty pages each, done with hard card page stock and in full color. Inside are commentaries by Rie Kugimiya (Japanese voice of Elric), Megumi Toyoguchi (Winry), and Toru Okawa (Roy Mustang). The books also have a look at the settings, the story, and the characters in the anime with accompanying full color images from the anime as well as design art and black and white sketches. They also include episode summaries. But don’t read the guidebooks until after you’ve seen the episodes as they do hold some spoilers. IN SUMMARY:
The first half of season two contains the most shocking revelations and events so far in the series! |
