11.09.2008
FMA vol. 17 discussion start
Erm... well, I guess I won't post anything in the body here so as to avoid spoilers. But let's go ahead and do the discussion thing via the comments as you guys suggested. ...actually, I can't think of anything off the top of my head, so anyone is welcome to throw something out there. :p
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8 comments:
Without rereading and off the top of my head, I'll just say that the military is making me very nervous. Roy is separate from the people he trusts, Ed and Al are beset where they are, and honestly I don't know who I trust anymore among anyone. And the appearance of Sloth is worrisome.
Read my volume today...I'll have more comments tomorrow, but it's a very cool volume. I love the backstory on Hohenheim. Maybe Father is his brother? Twin brother?
Okay, as promised, a little more substantial comment...or at least my initial impressions.
First off, I was amazed how much I remembered. There were only a couple of times where I was like, "Um, let me think where we were last...oh yeah, Scar battling it out on the train, check." I still need to pull out all the volumes and start from the beginning...and one of these days I will.
Yoki (that's his name, right?) is such a loser.
Major General Armstrong is cool. I'm a little shocked she took out Raven (not like he didn't deserve it) but hey, whoever's got the power has the power and she wasn't afraid to take control. I was just chatting with my husband on what voice we hear when she talks and we agreed it's pretty close to the Major's in GITS.
Sloth...hee hee "too much effort". He's kind of likable. I'd put him in the 'brawn but no brains category' with Gluttony.
Okay...scary eye/mouth thing in the tunnel. Any thoughts on what that is?
Winry's back, Ed's not happy, but maybe he'll get the right automail for the weather.
I'm trying to think of any major discussion points, and the big question that every one has is what is going on with the huge transmutation circle. Envy said it was more than just a philosopher's stone. Raven talked about creating an immortal army. Why would Father want an immortal army? Maybe he wants to continue expanding his reaches into bordering countries?
Oh, and I enjoyed the backstory on Hohenheim. It's nice to know that Trisha knew about him and accepted him (and tried to get him to accept himself). Little Alphonse makes me think of my toddler...they both have fat cheeks. Too cute.
Aaahh... I've had the volume sitting on my desk for a week to put out some more thoughts...
Anyway, one I had is that I liked the moral dilemma that Armstrong had to face. I mean, it didn't seem like it took too much to get her to make up her mind, but I was glad to see that she is ultimately not all that different in moral character from her brother. I think.
I was wondering if anyone else had anything to say about this volume. :P
I really like Armstrong. She's certainly someone to contend with - no push-over her, no way.
I think that runs in the whole family. I wouldn't want to mess with any of the Armstrong clan, personally, they're all very formidable people.
Random thought, since this came up in discussion of the anime. What are your thoughts on Winry as a main/secondary character, and just as a character in general? I think she's more complex and a bit easier to think of as a main character in the manga, but in the anime a lot of people were arguing that she was a glorified secondary character who was annoying and not to smart. Personally, I like Winry, if only for her ability to throw a wrench and fix stuff, but I can see their point. In the anime in particular they tried too hard to put her in the spotlight.
Well, one of my favorite anime episodes is the one where Ed and Al come back to Resembool (that time with Armstrong). I think it fleshed out Ed and Winry's relationship a bit. It never really occurred to me that she was not a necessary plot element, but I can see that point, too.
Regarding the manga, I think she's become rather essential to the story because she is used by the military as a check on Ed, and he knows it. Honestly I think my I sort of felt a punch in my gut (so to speak) when she showed up there at the end of 17.
Overall, though, I think she's a worthwhile character. I think it helps make any character more human when their various interpersonal relationships are part of the story.
I think that Winry could have been a lot stronger of a character in the anime. Rewatching the series a few times from the first time I saw it, I find her actions sometimes really annoying. She is an important element for the boys - she represents their family as shown in that poignant Resembool ep - but I think she's much more important in the manga storyline.
Besides being the check on Ed that Ian mentioned, she has a stronger relationship with Ed in this storyline. I feel like her feelings for the brothers are a lot more genuine and less the "feeling left behind" vibe that I got a lot in the anime (without good reason because she always is left behind!).
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