Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 1: The Curse (Episodes 1-4) (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)Edward and Alphonse Elric were child prodigies in the field of alchemy from the time they were Pre-K age. When their mother died, they tried to bring her back from the dead but instead Edward lost an arm and a leg and Alphonse's body was taken and his soul bonded to a suit of armor that was in their home. Now they search the world for the "Philosopher's Stone", an item of great alchemical power which they believe they can use to make their bodies whole. Of course, they fall into adventures along the way, coming up against priests that work mysterious miracles and murderous spirits.
Fullmetal Alchemist generated a lot of hype before it was even released in America, and I have to say it lives up to it. This is an instant classic. Its greatest power is its underlying poignancy, because the brother's problems were born out of their love for their mother. Who hasn't suffered the loss of a loved one in their life? Except these two boys thought they had the power to change fate. Realizing their tragic mistake, they now rely on each other, and their uppermost thought is to restore each other, a testament of their love if there is one. There are also great moments of humor and the symphonic score accentuates all the changing moods. Masterpiece!
There are tons of artwork galleries on this disk, lots of promotional videos, the usual opening/closings, character profiles. It is also available in manga form.
A good companion anime to Fullmetal Alchemist is Scrapped Princess. It hits all the same themes of Fullmetal and is even animated by the same studio, Bones.

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Edward Elric changed the night he trapped his younger brother\'s spirit in the unfeeling steel of an ancient suit of armor. That night Edward and Alphonse exploited the clandestine science of Alchemy to attempt the unthinkable - resurrect their dead mother. They failed unleashing an alchemic reaction that ripped their bodies apart.Four years later an expanding evil lurks behind the false face of freedom. With rebellion crushed the State turns its eye to increasing its grip on the people by seizing a legendary artifact that would ensure complete domination and plunge the land into State controlled darkness.Now a lone State Alchemist combs the country for a single stone that could amplify his Alchemy. If successful he would control a power permitting him to restore the precious things that were lost. But it would also allow the State Military to senselessly obliterate countless more. The Alchemist is soon faced with the harsh truth that the power to create is but a breath away from the power to destroy and that with each birth death must follow.Volume One DVD Includes Episodes 1-4.ExtrasTextless songsProduction artJapanese commercialsImage galleryCharacter profilesTrailersEnglish & Japanese Languages with English subtitles.System Requirements:Running Time 105 Min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:ANIMATION/ADULT SWIM Rating:TV-PG UPC:704400081323 Manufacturer No:FN-08132

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