Man the action of these volumes just keeps ramping up and up. We're learning more about who all of the Homunculi are, even if not quite getting to why yet. Man there are a lot of people and threads coming together though.

Chapter 46: The Distant Image of Their Backs

Van Hohenheim is so totally a Homunculus confirmed... sort of? He can't eat at least.

Also... why do people not tell each other things.

Chapter 47: A Girl in the Grip of Battles Past and Present

Dang Scar can fight.



He's probably one of the most interesting characters in this story. I hope he gets a redemption arc, for what it's worth.

Also, Gluttony... is so Gluttony:



Oy. Just oy. Redemption for Gluttony ... I'm less hopeful for.

Chapter 48: A Promise Made by Those Who Wait

That little girl and her panda are cute and awesome.



IT'S ADORABLE! THEY'RE BOTH ADORABLE!

And as cute as that was... HOLY CRAP THEY KNOW THINGS ABOUT FPKBradley now!? And his son is adopted?! But what does that mean about Al and Ed and their father?!

Chapter 49: A Monster Among Men

Even amoung the Homunculi, Envy is creepy...



The heart is a nice touch though.

But... Gluttony still wins that one for now...



What is with that eye...

Also: a random thought. Can they transmute guns? Isn't that something we saw way back with the battle with the priest in [b:Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1|870|Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1 (Fullmetal Alchemist, #1)|Hiromu Arakawa|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388179331l/870._SY75_.jpg|1959820]?

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So... when I read through this in panel mode, it totally skipped the *Fake preview of next volume* text...



If only. ( )

It seems like non-stop action time as the heroes use a battle with Scar (not the evil lion) to draw out the secret society of homunculi, but we are still given tidbits from the larger mythology and emotional character moments. Well crafted. ( )

Enjoyable installment of the manga, though some of the battle scenes were difficult for me to follow. When manga battle panels are too similar, I get confused by the apparent repetition (even if there's no actual repetition). The story parts woven throughout were good, though. (Poor Winry. This was a hard volume for her.) ( )

Another volume that especially stands out to me. There's a lot of scheming going on, but somehow I love it, even when Ed and the military are being very devious.

But the scene in this volume that absolutely nailed me was the Scar confrontation. I have seen very few scenes, in either book or manga, that have ever stunned me so strongly, have ever rang with such power and emotion. I've found that there are even some specific panels in mangas that glue themselves into my brain, leaving me wondering how on earth an artist can draw a single picture so moving. The interplay between Ed, Winry, and Scar in that one scene is amazing, and so far I still consider it one of the series' crowning moments. And of course now I love Winry and Ed's relationship a zillion times more. ;) ( )

New truths are learned about the power of the homunculuses, both in strength and in just how far their reach goes. It turns out things are even more sinister than originally thought. And who would have thought that? The power and strength of alchemy as a result also is being re-evaluated. How much is the alchemy and how much is just the people that wield it?

As far as horrendous acts are concerned with the horrible military experiments and the war in Ishbala the humans involved have some tough lessons to learn about changing and enduring, about vengeance and forgiveness. There are flashbacks involving these themes throughout and I appreciated how the art in these frames differed and made it clear that they were flashbacks both with the coloring in the frame and the way the speech bubbles were drawn that made it immediately obvious what was going on.

The kids also are really growing up in this one. They take an active role in trying to find answers to their questions and attempt to solve their own problems. They are determined to try and not get any more people involved for fear of their safety. They also take responsibility for things when they go awry and are determined to work to try and make things right. ( )