It seems like no one is safe in getting killed off or dying in this series and that makes me scared.

n   4 of 5 starsn

Man this story is getting crazy. Both in the worldbuild aspects (we keep learning more about how souls/homunculi/chimeras work) and in a more 'traditional' sort: death and PTSD. It's so well written and drawn. I'm quite enjoying this.

Chapter 34: The Footsteps of a War Comrade

Shapeshifters! Or at least one! It's interesting, because the characters know about as little as we do about what homunculi can do.

This is the chapter that really hints at the costs of war. Strongarm Alchemist Armstrong has PTSD. Hawkeye likes guns because they’re impersonal. Oy.

And then there's Barry the Chopper. Such ways of showing affection:



And Gluttony: Oy.



New friend?

Chapter 35: The Sacrificial Lamb

He moved back to the countryside.

He had to come up with something on the fly... but oy. They're going to find out.



And there we are.

Then we have Barry saving the day and everyone running into each other at once. Something about Barry becoming a relatively major character is amusing. In most stories, he would have been a one off. Not here!

And whooaaaa that got dark. Flame Alchemist cooking a friend? Oh my oh my.

Chapter 36: Alchemist in Distress



So... was it Ross? With alchemy, I expect even dental records can be faked. From the future: CALLED IT!

Poor Winry is the first to go to the family. :/ That feels like Winry though. Man that hurts.

And then... holy crap. Two Barrys? Can souls be copied? Is it an imposter? WHAT'S GOING ON?!

Chapter 37: The Body of a Criminal



BARRY'S BODY!



BARRY IS (wonderfully) CRAZY!

GAH, this series is weird. And fun.

READ:09/12/21

This volume has a lot of great moments between characters. I notice that FMA balances action packed volumes with ones that let us linger and focus on how our characters are processing what's been happening.

Before getting into that though, we get some really funny moments with Ling. Ed losing it because he's 15, taller and also infuriating in his determination to stay w the gang.

But the conversation between Armstrong and Roy is fantastic. Not only do we get some character work for Roy and Armstrong, but also we lend some urgency to the brothers quest. We also see how close Roy and Armstrong are, truly and underrated friendship.

The whole plot w Hughes death and Maria being accused also has some great moments. Barry being an unexpected ally, Maria having to choose between he life and her morals. Armstrong knowing something is suspicious and of course, Roy's brutal murder of Maria. Ed's reaction is much the same for me. It's so fucked up, even if he can justify it, even if we didn't know she was innocent.

We also get the boys guilt over Hughes' death, Gracia's kindness and her own grief. I think it's such a good touch, that as a responsible adult, she gives them what they need to hear, which is that they aren't responsible for anything Hughes chose to do, he was a kind man, he knew the danger and tragically he didn't make it.

The bonding between the brothers and Winry is also very touching. They're letting her in, and asking her for input and advice. I'm crying.

Then we get, rapid fire the reveal of Barry's body, Riza being in danger (and a glimpse into how Roy operates within the military) and all Roy can see is Hughes.

The battle w the homonculus trio begins.

What happened in this volume is less clear than the rest of the series thus far. And the sudden turn of Roy Mustang to evil, then obviously turning him back to good is I think the center point of this volume. I feel it's a bit clumsy, although it could be a bit more powerful, the whole story with Maria Ross.

Ed, Al and Winry finding out about Hughes is heartbreaking, though, and that's well played on the author's part.

I feel as though this series is becoming too basic for my liking although I'm still in suspense over whether Edward and Alphonse will get their original bodies back or perhaps their deceased mother. In this volume, the brothers and Winry find out that Lieutenant Colonel Hughes has been killed and Maria Ross is the prime suspect. Roy Mustang kills her in an attack meant to have been an order but this is clearly only revenge for the death of his best friend. He scorches her alive. The homunculi don't play much of a role in this tome however we see the suit of armour of a murderer who used to love chopping his victims with cleavers. Prince Lin is a newly introduced character, the previous book, and he doesn't do much here either except for being imprisoned and released by the butcher character. He seems to share the same interests as Edward and Alphonse with regards to finding the philosopher's stone. I hope to learn more about the homunculi in the next volume. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this volume was how the butcher suit of armour saw his body chasing around military personnel and was inclined to chop it up into pieces, complete freak in my opinion though hilarious hahaha

I love the cover for this volume - it's very dramatic.

One thing I like in Fullmetal Alchemist is that nobody is holding the idiot ball. Most characters are clever one way or another (even if it's just "clever about their own domain", like Barry the Chopper who knows everything there is to know about chopping people up and what murderers look like), and some are even wilier than most.

And this particular volume contains a ton of scheming and trickery.

One of my favourite volumes in this series. Here, Arakawa begins to focus on the Homunculi characters more, and although the tone to FMA has always been dark, this volume marks a shift for me in the tone of the series. The characters themselves get darker and more ambiguous, as Mustang “kills” (but not really) Maria Ross. All the motivations are there to make us believe that Mustang would go to such lengths, the loss of a good friend, general distrust in the military. Therefore, it’s believable that Roy would resort to murdering Ross. The ark this volume sets up is one of my favourites too, battle in Central City being one of the most fun as we get to see the Flame Alchemist in action in the next volume.

AYÚDAME LOCO

So we're totally in new territory now and I can't get over how intrigued I am by all this? The way that Mustang has continued his independent investigation and has somehow ended up safeguarding the likes of the animated armor containing the Chopper? Then you have our brother protagonists practically waltzing through the story with Winry only to have the truth of Hughes's death catch them unawares and hit them like a ton of bricks? That is some seriously intricate story plotting right there!

The big operation at the end of the book is one of the most interesting moments in the story but annoying it has to end on a cliffhanger because that's how we sell more books.

But I'd like to think it'll all be worth it because the way this story has gone versus the anime makes a heck of a lot of sense. This doesn't diminish the anime series but does reinforce that the author had a very clear plan for his story and even seemingly trivial characters end up playing a larger role in events later on.

Cried again. Ridiculous.

“SKUČENOST”
*mjauuuuu*
Edvard: “Je l’ realno da opet čuvaš mačketine u oklopu?!”
*mjauuuuu*
Alfons: “Ogromna maca!”