And so it ends. [b:Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 26|10281904|Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 26 (Fullmetal Alchemist, #26)|Hiromu Arakawa|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1311365650l/10281904._SY75_.jpg|15183193] was absolutely bonkers, so to say that the final battle actually takes a step back and makes the ending all the more ... human, that's saying something.

But you know what? I think they really pulled off the landing. No idea how or really what in the world was going on there, but it all comes together.

And in the end, the boys got back (some of) what they'd lost, the day was saved, and most of the major characters managed to survive. A pretty solid ending all around.

This was quite a series. Well worth the read.

Spoilers:

Chapter 107: The Last Battle



Of all the people to say can't fight, you're going to choose Riza, Major General Armstrong, and a chimera? All righty then.



Body horror thy name is Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter 108: Journey's End



Of all the people to save the day, with the split of Greed and Lin? I like it.



God...ish?



You know what? He's really trying to do the right thing. Major credit for that, even if the real 'right thing' turns out to be even better.



Did he just propose? In the most Fullmetal Alchemist way possible? All righty then.

Bonus Chapter: Another Journey's End

You know. That's a good cooldown chapter. A good use of the armor that kept his soul safe for all those years.

Fin. ( )

Very nice conclusion to the series. I liked the way everything wrapped up, and it had been long enough since I watched FMA Brotherhood that I didn't remember the ending going into this. Also, I was amused by the fun extras at the end of the volume. They added some nice humor to the otherwise more emotional ending. ( )

A fine enough ending for a pretty darn good series.

My main criticism of the book is also one of its assets: it is too overstuffed with engaging characters -- 50 of them in this big climax!. The ensemble is so large and the story revisited them all so regularly, that the main characters got lost in the shuffle and the book lost focus. And the creator obviously loves them all too much, keeping the final body count ridiculously low for a series that features a four-volume final battle with military engagements and super-powers.

Still -- despite that one page
-- I enjoyed reading the series and will definitely be seeking out more of Arakawa's work. ( )

It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that this is the end of Full Metal Alchemist. After twenty plus volumes, it felt like it was going to last so much longer. But all wars much draw to a close, and the Elric brothers' quest eventually had to end. But even though the series has ended, the possibilities for all the characters involved seem endless, and we are left with a story that will continue to draw in readers and linger in their minds long after this final book.

You can read my complete review of the FMA manga finale at my review blog: http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/ ( )

Wow. Here we are at the end of an era. What a ride it has been.

I've been a longtime fan of this series due to the excellent storyline and the fabulous art, especially the art. I love how the characters have always had a distinct look from each other. And the detail is amazing.

We have come to the end of a long journey with these characters and while I know everything must come to an end, it's still very bittersweet nonetheless. It just goes to show how excellent this series is when you can feel such emotion at the conclusion of the story.

Thank you very much, Arakawa-sensei. I look forward to your next work. ( )