10 Reasons Why Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is Still the Gold Standard of Anime

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood came out so long ago, and yet its impact is still felt in anime circles. It became a hit show when it was airing, and made it to the top of many anime charts. It currently sits at number three on the top-rated anime on MyAnimeList, an incredible achievement for a series that aired its final episode in 2010.

There are a lot of reasons why Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is so compelling and still resonates with anime fans. It has a maturity in its storytelling that's not often seen in anime and goes beyond gore or shocking moments. It has genuine messages about how the world works, about relationships, about philosophy and politics. More importantly, it just tells a great story with some great characters, but it also stands the test of time in other ways.

10 It Follows a Complete Story

No Hundreds of Episodes to Slog Through

A good deal of anime that have been adapted from manga follow stories that haven't finished. Ongoing manga can take years to be completed. FMA already went through these growing pains and has two versions: the first, with an original ending because the manga hadn't been completed, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, which is a faithful adaptation of the manga from start to finish.

Between waiting for years between seasons, filler episodes, or original additions from the anime creators that commits character assassination, watching an anime after the fact is so much better. What's more, FMA:Brotherhood isn't hundreds of episodes long, and is a commitment that doesn't ask a lot of you.

9 No Gross Fan Service

It Respects All Its Characters

I've been an anime fan for a long time, and as a girl and woman who likes anime, you have to look past all the things that make you feel humiliated. And anime has a lot of it. Fan service is one thing, but anime often takes it to its worst point, where casual sexual assault of girls and women in anime is considered just a trope of the genre.

It doesn't have to be like that though, and FMA: Brotherhood is the perfect example. There are a ton of female characters in it, they're each different from each other. They inspire those around them, both men and women. They're equal partners, and they change the world in fundamental ways. Winry, Olivier Armstrong, May, Lan Fan, Izumi, Hawkeye, Trisha, Pinako, and even Lust are all complex characters who are different from each other and serve different roles in the story. They aren't humiliated for being women, and are simply treated as people, something that I deeply appreciate.

8 Every Character Has a Role to Play

Everyone Matters

Like many shōnen anime, FMA: Brotherhood has a very big cast list, but every character has a role to play. Characters outside the core group, like the Xing characters and the Ishvalans, play a vital role in the greater story and its themes.

Ideas are introduced slowly as each new character is brought into the story. All of these different characters appear to be distinct and separate stories, but they're told in parallel to each other, and become one cohesive whole in a masterful display of storytelling. Each character is important, and has a part to play in the larger story.

7 It Knows What It Wants to Say

Not a Moment is Wasted

The importance of payoff in storytelling is often underrated, but it's the difference between throwing things at a wall and seeing what sticks and actually having a tight, cohesive story that makes sense. FMA: Brotherhood has some of the best payoff in the genre, where things are set up and come full circle, even if it's only much later.

This is done in several ways, including recurring imagery and clever use of theme. Concepts such as religion, philosophy, and systems of power are reinforced over and over again through its storytelling, such as the Ishval genocide and the laws of alchemy.

6 Events are Remembered

Recalling Past Events is Important

Sometimes things happen in anime that are brushed over by the characters, but these are missed opportunities. FMA: Brotherhood is so well planned that every moment informs its characters, none more so than what Tucker did to his daughter Nina and her dog Alexander.

This is a horrifying moment that takes place at the very beginning of the show, but it's mentioned again by Ed at the very end of the anime. It was an event that changed how the brothers saw the world, and affected their actions and decisions they took going forward. Other events do the same, which is significant as it makes them more complex characters, but also reminds you of everything that the characters have been through, giving them more impact and meaning.

5 It Had Genuinely Shocking Moments

And They Have a Purpose

FMA: Brotherhood has some moments that are genuinely shocking, such as the Nina and Alexander example. There are also several significant plot twists that transform the entire story and put characters into a different perspective. This isn't unique to FMA: Brotherhood, but its twists and shocking moments are there for very specific purposes rather than just shock value.

This is because every event is there to build towards something. Even the silly side plot of Liore has a purpose. This makes these moments have all the more impact, and you feel it more than if the moments just happened then were forgotten. Constantly calling back to the shocking moments and giving them a new meaning every time it does so creates tension and a build up to the twists, which are ultimately more meaningful because of what came before.

4 Its Worldbuilding and Magic System

Limitations Inspire Creativity

A solid magic system is always a benefit in stories that have them, and sticking to a set of rules is vital to ensure that immersion isn't broken for the audience. Setting limits is also important, as it makes both the characters and the audience think of ways to overcome them, and that is a great tool for immersion.

FMA: Brotherhood's magic system is fantastic. Alchemy's law of equivalent exchange is a hard rule, and breaking it has real consequences that form the basis of the Elric brothers' origin story. The law of equivalent exchange is also the basis of the setup of the wider plot, going back to Hoenheim's backstory and the formation of Amestris as a country.

3 Its Art Style

A Visual Medium Needs Good Art

Arakawa Hiromu has a gorgeous art style that's instantly recognizable. She's created several manga, but in my opinion, she's at her best with FMA. Her lines are clean and her designs are simple, and yet every character is visually distinct. Characters wear clothes that match their culture and faction, fight scenes are easy to follow, and her visual humor lands every time.

Not only is her art beautiful, but it translates flawlessly to anime. The art style is different to conventional anime styles, but still recognizably anime. Her characters carry their emotions on their sleeves, and even subtle expressions tell a story.

2 It Has a Brilliant Ending

Fix-It Fics are Not Needed

I love anime, but most of the time my enjoyment is in the journey. I've accepted that the ending of any anime is most likely going to be rushed or subpar compared to the rest of it. This is not the case in FMA: Brotherhood, which has one of my favorite endings in anything. It works with the themes of the story, it's within what we'd expect from the characters, it doesn't break the lore or its magic system, and it's so satisfying on every narrative and emotional level.

Its ending takes us back full circle, and really drives home the journey we've just taken. It takes stock of what was lost, and what was gained without preaching or stating the obvious. It wasn't dragged on and on in favor of more sales, it ended exactly when it needed to, not a moment too soon or too late.

1 It Has Tangible Cause and Effect

Actions Matter

Like the law of alchemy, FMA: Brotherhood's characters and story experience cause and effect. Every action a character takes has a corresponding reaction, from the obvious, such as the characters who attempt human transmutation having something taken away from them, to the unintended consequence of Scar hunting down state alchemists because of events that had happened years before.

It's this cause and effect that makes FMA: Brotherhood's ending so effective. Something fundamental to Ed is lost, but what he gains in exchange is invaluable. It's a fair deal, is appropriately clever for him, and is yet another example of what he would do to save his brother. Having the two brothers sacrifice everything for each other makes for a compelling and heartfelt journey, and keeps FMA: Brotherhood in my top anime spot even nearly two decades later.