Category Archives: 30 Day FMA Challenge

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 21

August 31, 2019 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

It is day twenty-one of the 30 Day FMA Challenge

21. Favorite Moment

To piggy back after what I talked about yesterday, my favorite moment overall in the show is the scene where Ed asks Winry to marry him.

This was an interesting scene for me, for a number of reasons. The first is that unlike most romantic relationships in anime, Ed and Winry’s relationship is allowed to progress to this point. Many other action/adventure shows in a similar vein often restrict the relationships to purely platonic ones, despite heavy implications that the main characters will get together. It is even less common that anime portrays romantic life beyond a high school romance, which makes this scene much more unique.

Then, of course, there is the relationship itself, which is absolutely heartwarming. It was pretty obvious even from early on in the show that Ed had feelings for Winry, and later on in the show Winry realizes the same about Ed. Watching the two of them deal with these feelings in a way that does not feel forced or compelled in anyway is genuinely wonderful, and provides a great thread in addition to the many other present in FMA

It is a moment with a lot of buildup and importance behind it, and probably one of the moments I appreciate most in all of the anime I have watched.

What is your favorite moment from FMA? Let me know in the comments.

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30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 19

August 30, 2019 Jack Scheibelein Leave a comment

It is day nineteen of the 30 Day FMA Challenge. Looks like I accidentally uploaded stuff I bit out of order, lol.

19. Favorite Location

Resembool always seemed to serve as a contrast to the personality of Ed and Al, two brothers set on finding answers that they new were nowhere near there rural town. Although, I guess its more accurate to say that what happened at their house was a both a life-changing event, but also the spark to their in-show journey.

I would say I mainly like it because of its simplicity. The times when it does show up are usually more peaceful, or are moments of contemplation, like when most of the main cast regroups there near the end of the show before the final battle.

Overall, definitely a fun setting.

What’s your favorite location in FMA? Let me know in the comments.

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If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 20

August 29, 2019 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

It is now day twenty of the 30 Day FMA Challenge.

20. Favorite Quote

After finishing Brotherhood for the first time, I was definitely amazed. It was a series that has stayed with me because of how powerful it was. I can also say the same thing about the original series as well, but another small thing that elevated brotherhood over the original, at least for me, were these final lines at the end of brotherhood.

Part of it is, of course, the lines themselves, which of course represents many of the ordeals the Elric brothers have gone through, whether it be trying to revive there mother, searching for the Philosopher’s Stone, or fighting against father and the Homunculi. Then, at the end of the show, Ed makes the ultimate sacrafice, giving up his ability to perform alchemy in order to finally get his brother’s body back, finally completing the mission he has wanted to ever since that day back in Resembool. All of this makes the lines themselves hit with a lot of emotional impact.

The other part of it though is the way in which Vic Mignogna delivers the lines. He portrays Eds character being not only calm, but satisfied with the way things are, and ready to deal with the rest of his life. In the final scene, Ed has not only dealt with the problems he’s faced, but has also learned from them, completing a journey of self-discovery.

What is your favorite FMA quote? Let me know in the comments.

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If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 18

August 26, 2019 Jack Scheibelein Leave a comment

It is day eighteen of the 30 Day FMA Challenge.

18. Favorite Fight

I briefly mentioned in my post a few days ago about my favorite type of Alchemy, but my favorite fight of the series actually comes from the original FMA, and that would be the fight between Ed and Roy Mustang at central.

There are a lot of things that go into it being my favorite fight, but to start, the choreography. Most of the fight has Ed using as agility to as an escape tactic in avoiding Mustang’s extremely precise flame alchemy, while using trying to put up a defense. The way Ed moves combined with the look of the flames from Mustang’s alchemy creates a real sense of tension between the two of them and the members of the military watching.

I also like how the fight puts both of their personalities on display. Ed, while confident in himself, gets frustrated easily, and thus his fighting begins to get sloppy. Near the middle of the fight he starts throwing out moves that he knows are not going to hit, but does so anyway because of how angry he is. Meanwhile, Roy is pretty arrogant, looking down on Ed as just some bratty kid who does not know what he is doing. As a result, he does not pay much attention while actually fighting, which creates that feeling of disrespect in Ed.

While initially the two might seem like polar opposite, the two actually are pretty similar, in that their pride is fragile, and when this part of Mustang’s personality is revealed later on, it becomes that much funnier.

What is your favorite fight in FMA? Let me know in the comments below.

Check out my writing blog, Solidly Liquid!

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 17

August 25, 2019 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

It is day seventeen of the 30 Day FMA Challenge.

17. Most Ironic Title Given to a State Alchemist

Despite having a fairly cool name, it is interesting to think about how he also has the most ironic name. Tucker got his title, the “Sewing Life” alchemist, only by killing someone and fusing them with another animal to make a chimera. Although, I guess in away the name is just accurate because he did sew life together pretty thoroughly.

Who else has an ironic name in FMA? Let me know in the comments.

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If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 16

August 24, 2019 Jack Scheibelein Leave a comment

Welcome to the second half of the 30 Day FMA Challenge.

16. Favorite Title Given to a State Alchemist

Hey, if nothing else, Shou Tucker has a pretty school state title.

Despite being a pretty terrible person, Shou Tucker’s designation as the “Sewing Life” alchemist is pretty cool. The name implies a sort of gentle magic with which he can create something new, like the chimera he creates that gave him his name in the first place. In fact his personality when he first meets the Elric brothers reflects that heavily.

However, when it is revealed that He originally created his talking Chimera by using his wife and another animal, and then uses his daughter Nina and her dog to do the same, this name takes on a much creepier connotation. It then becomes reminder of the harsh reality that makes up the cardinal rule of alchemy, that in order to get something, you must first give up something of equal value. Tucker was only able to Sew new life out of already existing life, and did so by murdering those already existing lives.

What’s your favorite state alchemist title? Let me know in the comments below.

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If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 15

August 23, 2019 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

It is now the halfway mark in our journey through the many aspects of Fullmetal Alchemist.

15. A Type of Alchemy You Would Like to Have

I consider this quite a bit different from yesterday’s question for a pretty simple reason: Just because a power is a person’s favorite does not necessarily mean that power is at all useful, or is something said person would even necessarily want. With that being said, the alchemy I would probably want the most is the iron alchemy of Basque Grand.

The only major reason I have for this is that I am a pretty weak guy overall, and in the case where I would ever need to defend myself, having access to a lot of firearms almost instantaneously would be pretty sweet. Other than that, I would not be super interested in having an alchemist’s powers.

Which type of alchemy would you like to have? Let me know in the comments.

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If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 14

August 22, 2019 Jack Scheibelein Leave a comment

It is day fourteen of the 30 Day FMA Challenge.

14. Favorite Type of Alchemy

To tell you all the truth, I am a pretty simple dude, and when I watched the original FMA, the scene that stood out to me the most was Ed and Roy’s fight in the yard at central. Seeing flame alchemy for the first time was the coolest thing my twelve-year-old mind had ever seen. seven years later, and not much has changed. Flame alchemy is still awesome.

One of the things that drew me to it initially was the explanation behind how it worked, and how, using alchemy, Mustang can create a narrow pathway of oxygen through which the fire from his alchemy always hits its target, meaning that he has a large amount of control over his power. This makes the alchemy not only flashy and interesting, but extremely deadly and flexible in use.

On the opposite side of things though, it is also pretty funny that flame alchemy cannot be used in the rain, and watching that get in the way of Roy Mustang fighting, can be hilarious, especially when Ed is right there to make fun of him for it.

It is a fairly unique form of alchemy that is utilized fairly well, in its pairing with Roy Mustang, and its overall implementation throughout FMA’s story. and for that I appreciate flame alchemy a lot.

What is your favorite type of alchemy? Let me know in the comments.

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If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 13

August 21, 2019 Jack Scheibelein Leave a comment

It’s day thirteen of the 30 Day FMA.

13: Favorite Underrated Character

Someone who I think often times gets written off as an unimportant, and thus unnecessary, character is Mira Armstrong, from FMA Brotherhood. Now, while it is true that her screen time is relatively limited, and her arc at the northern border of Drachma is a short one, only lasting a combined few episodes or so, It is worth giving her some attention.

Mira’s introduction gives her the appearance of a cold-hearted warrior, and someone who, almost quite literally takes no prisoners. The first introduces her while Ed and Al head north to see if they can get help in their ongoing struggle against Bradley. When they meet, Mira tells the Elric brothers that they have to follow her rules or they are getting thrown out into the cold. Even while the two are staying at the fort, she does not go easy on them, making them pick icicles off the wall the first few minutes they get there.

However, as the show reveals later on, a lot of this is a mask put on by Mira. For as tough as she initially seemed, Mira mindset is actually one of deep connection and familial love. She is someone who, while harsh on the outside, does so to protect the people who work under her. A good example of this is when one of the generals from Central comes to the fort, and Mira tells the other crew members that if anything happens to her, they should act like they do not know anything at all.

What makes Mira such an interesting character is the way her personality is slowly revealed to be a hidden dichotomy. Much like the place she guards, Mira is on the outside unforgiving, while on the inside warm and understanding.

Who’s you favorite underrated character? Let me know in the comments below.

Check out my writing blog, Solidly Liquid!

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

30 Day FMA Challenge

30 Day FMA Challenge: Day 12

August 20, 2019 Jack Scheibelein Leave a comment

It is day twelve of the 30 Day FMA Challenge.

12: Favorite Member of the Millitary

My favorite member of the military is most certainly Riza Hawkeye. Aside from being an all around cool character, she also has a lot of compelling personal development. Much of her role in the beginning is assisting Roy, who in turn is helping the Elric brothers. However, later on, at least in Brotherhood, she becomes much more important, as not only a hostage, but also as our view of Fuhrer Bradley. During this part of the series, we see how deeply she cares for those around.

Aside from her own personal development, she also serves a role in assisting Roy Mustangs’s development. In the beginning, it is shown almost immediately that the two are important to each other, both in the way they interact and through their expressions towards each other. Later on, it’s shown that the reason the two are so close is because Roy learned his Alchemy from Hawkeye’s father, and his death became a turning point for both of them.

In both cases, the struggles she faced were intense, but made her who she is, someone who is both strong-willed and loyal to Mustang.

What other characters do you guys like? Let me know in the comments below.