Fullmetal Alchemist Anime vs. FMA Manga

[shoujoaifan]

This has been brought up before (which is why I'm asking :sweat: ) , but the anime is supposed to break away from the manga's storyline somewhere in the 20's of the episodes, and develop its own storyline, right? I was wondering then:

1. What episode or bunch of episodes does it leave off so if someone read the manga and watched the anime at the same time, it would be different?....

2. ....and would that even be a good idea? Would reading the manga STILL spoil the anime? Even with the anime's diverging storyline, does it still recycle enough of the plots from the manga so that reading it would still spoil the manga, and vice versa?

3. If reading/watching one "ruins" the other, which should I do first? Read the manga or watch the show? Thanks for your time!

[Cere]

Well, there's no complete cut-and-dry answer to those questions, but I'll try my best. And to keep everything clear, I'll talk about "episodes" with the anime and "chapters" with the manga.

In all reality, there are subtle differences from the start. For instance, there is no large flashback in the manga. The incidents involving the Youswell coal mine, the train battle with Bald/Bard, and Shou Tucker all happen after Lior in the manga. The Elrics' meeting with Dr. Marcoh (episode 14-15 and chapter 8, hope that's not too big of a spoiler) plays out differently (more involved and interwoven with other plotlines in the anime). Episode 22/chapter 13 is the first instance where the anime and manga are very different. However, they don't branch off at that point.

Chapters 17-19 are quite different from episode 26, especially since in the manga, Winry stays in Rush Valley and chapter 19 contains a slightly different birth scene from episode 6, but chapter 20 and episode 27 are similar. Chapter 21-22 starts a flashback containing stuff from episodes 3 and 27-28.

Chapter 23 shows a major difference between the manga and anime in relation to the Gate/Door and what happened on the night the Elrics attempted human transmutation. Chapter 24 (how Ed became a State Alchemist) is quite different from episode 6. Episodes 29-32 introduce characters and events that don't appear in the manga, though there are some scenes taken from the manga. Episode 33 and chapters 27-28 are very similar, except for how they end. Chapter 29-30 and episode 34 are a little similar, in that they involve how Ed defeats Greed and how most of Greed's men die, though it isn't until episode 40 when we get the scene from chapter 30 where Martel is killed inside of Al's armor.

This explanation may be a little general, since some scenes are thrown around and placed here and there. But ultimately, chapter 31/episode 35 is where the break occurs. Nothing from chapter 31 on appears in the anime. Absolutely nothing. The nature of the main villains is completely different and even the nature of the universe itself may be different, though the manga hasn't explained much yet about the Gate/Door.

So, I hope that answers your questions. I don't know which I'd recommend doing first, watching the anime or reading the manga. They sort of spoil each other for a while, and then branch off completely. However, I'd definitely recommend doing both.

[shoujoaifan]

Thanks for all the info! Although I might wait to read the spoilers until after seeing both (although that might make it redundant :sweat: ), but thanks for pointing out all the different breaks!
So, I hope that answers your questions. I don't know which I'd recommend doing first, watching the anime or reading the manga. They sort of spoil each other for a while, and then branch off completely. However, I'd definitely recommend doing both.Thanks for the recommendation. Although after posting and then thinking about it for awhile, I figured since one would spoil the other anyway, that I would just go ahead and read the manga now, and keep following the anime on AS :D

BTW, I heard that the movie came out recently and that there's quite a fan following, having FMA conventions and all. Any chance of the anime getting a 2nd season? Or would that be too much work to come up with a good story after splitting off?

(IF the anime has an ending that resolves everything, then that's okay, you don't have to tell me the ending :D )

Thanks again for the info!

[Riza Hawkeye]

BTW, I heard that the movie came out recently and that there's quite a fan following, having FMA conventions and all. Any chance of the anime getting a 2nd season? Or would that be too much work to come up with a good story after splitting off?

(IF the anime has an ending that resolves everything, then that's okay, you don't have to tell me the ending :D )
The movie comes out this summer, link (http://www.shochiku.co.jp/hagaren/top.html) to official movie site. I highly recommend NOT viewing any of the trailers until you have seen the anime in its entirety. A second season of FMA is not likely at this point, based on what happened already, but I guess anything is possible. The anime does not resolve everything, the movie will likely do that.

[shoujoaifan]

The movie comes out this summer, link (http://www.shochiku.co.jp/hagaren/top.html) to official movie site. I highly recommend NOT viewing any of the trailers until you have seen the anime in its entirety. A second season of FMA is not likely at this point, based on what happened already, but I guess anything is possible. The anime does not resolve everything, the movie will likely do that.Thanks!I'll take your advice and wait on it.

I know its nothing new, and I already knew some popular anime series end after one season, the people behind it content not to make more (and the FMA anime's own diverging storyline would probably be hard to make new stuff for it anyway), but I always find it funny that'll they won't continue making a popular show, yet will make a movie of it.

[Cyporiean]

Thanks!I'll take your advice and wait on it.

I know its nothing new, and I already knew some popular anime series end after one season, the people behind it content not to make more (and the FMA anime's own diverging storyline would probably be hard to make new stuff for it anyway), but I always find it funny that'll they won't continue making a popular show, yet will make a movie of it.
Because 30~120 minutes of extra fluff is completely different then making another 26 episodes of material.

Take Bebop for example, Another series would be pointless, the crew is departed, storyline is resolved, and spike is in his heaven, all's right in the world. But Knocking on Heaven's door works because they just added some filler inbetween two sessions.

Not every series needs to have Conan or Doramon lenghts.

[Riza Hawkeye]

Listen to Galvatron, popular shows don't necessarily need additional seasons, esspecally after all that happened in the series. Speaking from someone who has seen the entire series, I don't feel there is a need for any more seasons at this point. I want to see what the movie does, it takes place 2 years after the events of the series, because it's the movie that I think will really conclude FMA. The movie might change my mind on this, but that's not likely so right now I can live with a great 51 episode series and a movie.

[shoujoaifan]

Because 30~120 minutes of extra fluff is completely different then making another 26 episodes of material.

Take Bebop for example, Another series would be pointless, the crew is departed, storyline is resolved.......................
Listen to Galvatron, popular shows don't necessarily need additional seasons, esspecally after all that happened in the series. Speaking from someone who has seen the entire series, I don't feel there is a need for any more seasons at this point. I want to see what the movie does, it takes place 2 years after the events of the series, because it's the movie that I think will really conclude FMA. The movie might change my mind on this, but that's not likely so right now I can live with a great 51 episode series and a movie.
Good point, a 2nd season could come out bad, and Bebop:KOHD is a great example of a movie that doesn't mess with continuity, compared to some movies that undo something in the show to make it work, and then revert everything back to normal, making you scratch your head then :p

P.S. (NOT to get on your case Galvatron :sweat: but while the majority of us nerds on Toonzone have seen Cowboy Bebop already, not everyone has, so you might want to put a spoiler box in the later part of your post.)

[Cyporiean]

Good point, a 2nd season could come out bad, and Bebop:KOHD is a great example of a movie that doesn't mess with continuity, compared to some movies that undo something in the show to make it work, and then revert everything back to normal, making you scratch your head then :p

P.S. (NOT to get on your case Galvatron :sweat: but while the majority of us nerds on Toonzone have seen Cowboy Bebop already, not everyone has, so you might want to put a spoiler box in the later part of your post.)

that wasn't really a spoiler, just a little reference to Eva

"God's In His Heaven, All's Right in the World"

[lostrune]

that wasn't really a spoiler, just a little reference to Eva

"God's In His Heaven, All's Right in the World"
And Evangelion took the quote from the famous poet Robert Browning (1812-1889), but sort of taken out of context. The original is Browning's lovely poem "Pippa's Song":

The year's at the spring,
And days's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearl'd;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in His heaven --
All's right with the world!


Browning's Pippa's Song has been quoted and attacked by countless preachers, most of whom have never read the complete poem. Actually, Pippa was an impoverished and exploited orphan girl slaving in a silk mill under horrible working hours and conditions. She knew very well that all was not right with the world, and should know it better than anyone else.

In the total setting of the poem, then, Pippa's Song must be taken to mean: not unmindful of, but precisely in spite of all the sufferings, injustice, evil, and sin that here besets us, if we can still believe that God is in his seat of authority (i.e., if we can still refer all of existence to him and receive it as coming from him), then, behold, all is right with the world.

Contrast this Browning quote with the following passages from the Bible:

1. But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. (Psa 115:3)
2. Don't be rash with you mouth, and don't let your heart be hasty to utter anything before the Lord: for God is in heaven, and you are on the Earth: therefore let your words be few. (Eccs 5:2)

http://members.shaw.ca/divent/Analysis/schung/epiguide.html#Episode1

[Bubblegum Girl]

When do you think the FMA manga is going to come in the US?

[Cyporiean]

When do you think the FMA manga is going to come in the US?
Around April 28th (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=Li6NP7vA03&isbn=1591169208&itm=2) or May 3rd (http://www.rightstuf.com/cgi-bin/catalogmgr/BtAacFlewRQc7=PGuP/browse/item/65596/4/0/0)