Yes. Don't remember but it's an easy yes. Side characters up the wazzoo PLUS big burly mustache sweetheart man.

Ahhh.. the Philosopher's Stone!
The main focus of this volume, and I'm amused by the yet another variation of the stone in this manga. Things seem to get more complicated for the Elric brothers with every issue, but I'm enjoying the fights and the different aspects of alchemy. Also, just when I was complaining about the lack of female characters, we get that mechanic girl (winry? I forgot her name!) Anyhow, I think she will have a bigger role in upcoming volumes, and I can't wait!

2024 review:
- winry is what these two boys need in their life
- their tragic life story never fails to make me emotional
- interesting questions about souls, identity and being a human

Me siento tan identificado con este personaje...

“i kill, therefore i am.”

and we are now back to our regularly scheduled semi-fluffy programming. this volume was pretty fun too and we get to learn more about the philosopher’s stone (wonder if this was inspired by harry potter?) and how it may be made. the brothers land in trouble as usual and this time around it seems even more dangerous. let’s see if the odds will be in their favor next volume!

I'm liking the characters more, but the plot wanders off into a nowhere digression about a girl with photographic memory girl before an extended and boring fight scene reveals a couple crumbs about the ho-hum larger mythology. Seems awful early in the series to be throwing in so much padding.

I'd honestly forgotten what took place in this volume, and even though the pacing felt smooth while I was reading it, afterwards I was surprised to note that the Lab 5 plot started here - somehow it was all tied up in the events of the fourth volume for me, so realizing that I had recalled incorrectly was a tad bit jarring.

That being said, it doesn't really reach its fruition until the next few chapters, so the highlight of this volume is definitely the chapter about Ed and Al returning to Resembool. It's a good thing that this happens so early in the broader scheme of things, too, because the relationships they have with the people and places of their hometown really humanize them. Imagine how jarring it would have been if Arakawa had waited until after five or six volumes of these boys being like superheroes to show them as ordinary human beings. Instead, she establishes this aspect of them early, which is nice. The essential strength of the story, after all, is that it's about the kind of people who feel real - even if they can snap their fingers to create fire or clap their hands and remake buildings. There's a market for stories about powerful, distant characters, it's true, but they're rarely the kind of narratives that really get into your heart.


(This is also the volume in which Sheska and Maria Ross are introduced, as if I needed more reason to love it.)

Забавните и изпълнени с приятно пата-кюта приключения продължават. Дано Pro Book не забавят следващия брой, както се очертава.
4,5*

Nostalgia y tristeza

I will be rating the book Fullmetal Alchemist volume 3. I give the book 4 stars because it has you sitting at the edge of your seat. It has a lot of fighting. Last but not least, it has a lot of characters.
It keeps you at the edge of you seat because it has a lot of serpents and I don’t know how many times I wanted to read ahead of where I was. For example when Huges wife kills him we don’t know why. I don’t think we find out why until the next book Fullmetal Alchemist volume 4. There is a lot of stuff that goes down in the book.
There is a lot of fighting in all the Fullmetal Alchemist books but I like fighting because we don’t know what will happen and who will win. It may have a lot of fighting and death but it is a good book. Yes I might be exaggerating a bit but that's what I feel like with this book. There isn’t just fighting though. Yes that is what makes the monga but that isn’t everything that makes it what it is. Fighting may be a main part of the monga but it has a lot more than that.
Last but not least, there are a lot of characters. Main characters are the alchemist brothers. There are a lot of antagonists and protagonists. There are other characters as well but I can’t think of what they would be put in. I do know is that they are on The main characters sides.
So these are the reasons I give this book four stars. It has a lot of interesting things and I think that a lot of people would read this book. There are so many more reasons to read this book but I want you to read it and find out how many more reasons there is. I hope you read it.
-Have a nice day.

I'm still trying to figure out why this has captured the popular imagination so much. It's good, don't get me wrong, but the good parts of it tend to be a little more subtle and understated than most mangas. I'd expect this to have a dedicated cult following, not for it to be one of the most popular mangas of the last 20 years. But whatever the case, I'm enjoying this series so far. I like that an overarching plot is starting to come together a bit more. And Elric and Alphonse are very interesting characters - their characterization really does hold the series together. I also like the side characters. Even the ones that only show up for a couple scenes seem to be distinct, without being too over-the-top. The one exception is the side villains, which are by far the worst thing about this series. I like most of the main villains, Lust and Gluttony and Scar are all cool, but I hate the side villains. They're always incredibly one-sided, and Arawaka writes them as if there's any chance of us thinking they'll defeat the heroes. They always lose because they monologue about their intentions and/or their weaknesses, and while the fight scenes are well-drawn, they get boring just because of how predictable they are, and how long they go on. There was actually a chapter that ended with a cliffhanger, when the only thing happening was Elric and Alphonse fighting minor villains we've never seen before. That is inexcusable. But other than that, I enjoyed this volume. Particularly the first half - I appreciate that Arakawa is willing to take a break from the action and write something that's more devoted to atmosphere and character development. And her artwork is certainly great at creating whatever atmosphere she happens to be going for. It's starting to bother me how little we know about the setting here, but other than that, I like this series, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next volume.

Re-read these first three volumes so I can continue on with the manga!! Enjoyed it just as much as the first time - I adore the cast and the art style and everything about this series!

3.5/5

Después de que destruyeran el brazo de Edward y de que a Alphonse lo dejaran medio destartalado, ambos hermanos regresan a su pueblo natal, en donde una abuelita particular y su nieta les arreglan los brazos y demás partes metálicas.

Así mismo, la culpa pesa sobre los hombros de Ed pues abundan usuarios que usan la alquimia para lograr sus turbios objetivos y a pesar de su corta edad, se siente responsable por la vida de varios inocentes que sólo se hallaban en el lugar y momento equivocados.

Aunque no todo es malo, por supuesto, ya que conforme viajan de pueblo en pueblo, conocen gente sorprendente como la bibliotecaria Sheska, una chica que recuerda absolutamente todo lo que ha leído y quien les ayuda con la investigación del difunto alquimista llamado Marcoh, quien pasó varios años de su vida intentando descubrir el secreto sobre cómo crear la piedra filosofal.

Dicha piedra es famosa entre los alquimistas y los hermanos la buscan con el propósito de utilizar su poder para regresar sus cuerpos a la forma original. La cosa es que la piedra filosofal demanda sacrificios humanos para su creación.

Al final aparecen un par de contrincantes que sufren la misma ‘cualidad’ que Alphonse al ser almas atrapadas en armaduras. Y, por si no fuera poco, la chica llamada Lust y Envy se topan con los hermanos Elric.

Este volumen contiene los capítulos 9 – 12.

REVIEWS ANTERIORES:
Volumen 1 | Volumen 2