Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 2

I finished this volume on the same day that I started and finished Elie Wiesel's Night. While I've noticed FMA's allusions to Nazi Germany in the anime before, I was hyper aware of them while reading the source material. Human experimentation, genocide, eugenics, and the rise of facism are all highlighted. It's a heartbreaking allegory of human suffering and people's responses to grief.

Yes, FMA is a shounen manga. It's also a critical piece of literature.

Even as the world of Fullmetal Alchemist is shown to be increasingly dark down to its roots -- religious conflicts, civil war, genocide, martial law, human experimentation, religious extremist serial killers -- Arakawa brings more humor to the character interaction. It's a battle manga with a quest for the Philosopher's Stone at its center, but I'm hoping the characters will become more human as the story progresses. It's on the right track at the moment.

Volume 2 picks up right where volume 1 left off, with Roy Mustang “owing one” to Ed for saving the general on the train. In return Mustang introduces Ed to Shou Tucker, the “Sewing-Life Alchemist”. Ed is branching out in all directions searching for a way to restore his body and that of his brother. Unfortunately who he ends up meeting is a scientist who is willing to use any means to achieve his ends. Ed and Al have some hard lessons to learn about their own continued powerlessness and about the difference between sacrificing others for your ends, and sacrificing yourself. I thought this was a very powerful and eerie part of the series, and of course very sad.

After that a new character is introduced, Scar is a man that is set show more on a lifetime of vengeance. Scar believes that the alchemy of this country is a perverse sin. That it is wrong to create, transforming something into a grotesque pantomime of what it should be is a sin against his god. Ironically enough he uses alchemy himself to serve justice. Scar is not without his reasons though as you discover when you read about the military's dark past with his mother country Ishvarla.

To end the volume the brothers meet up with Dr. Marcoh. He is their first good lead on the Philosopher's Stone as he used to be a state alchemist that did that exact research. What he discovered terrified him and he fled to hide in the countryside as a simple doctor. Ed and Al's story and determination to right the wrongs they committed touched the Doctor. But, regardless of how horrifying the truth is that his research notes contain, can the Elric brothers not only face that truth but also look beyond to "the truth within the truth"?

Unlike the first volume this one takes time to explore the world around these characters and particularly the role the military takes in it. The military's warlike past and experimental present are explored and it soon becomes clear that in his quest for knowledge Ed may have allied himself with an organization with sins blacker than anyone could have guessed.

Through it all the author continues to make clear that Ed and Al are just kids themselves, so even though this manga is deservedly rated T for Teen, Ed and Al are portrayed as dealing with the problems and horror that arises in a very realistic way for someone their age. That is, not well at all. I appreciated the realism. show less

Reading this book is part of my exploration of manga. It seems as if this book is more geared toward guys because it's full of violence and fighting. The characters have more a greater sense of "super heroes" than other manga I've recently explored. I still haven't decided if I like this series enough to read it in its entirety, but the story is interesting enough, and I'd like to see where it goes from here. It is one of my older son's favorite series. He also likes the anime and video game that goes with this manga.

This is the kind of book I'd probably never have read before. It's different than American comics because, as the volumes continue, the characters begin to grow, and the reader learns about the complex history that is the show more background for the story. Very interesting!

One part made me laugh. It was when Alphonse Cedric, a soul encased in armor was made to travel with a bunch of sheep in order to be transported by train. "Al" was not happy about that!

In this volume, both Cedric and his brother Alphonse are severely injured and have to travel to their "mechanic" to be repaired. We encounter some nasty characters along the way, including Lust, Gluttony, and Scar. Since Edward has to be protected at all costs, Major Armstrong was appointed to travel with him. I feel as if I've invested so much time learning about all these characters and the history of the Cedric brothers, I should read volume 3.

Well, carry on then! show less

After the first volume , I am glad I stuck along. This volume was amazing. It had everything , amazing moments that clearly proved not to take this world lightly. The arc with Dr. Tucker kept me in a state of horrific suspense. Surprisingly , I enjoyed the fight sequences to a great extent. The entry of the 's philosopher's stone, the Ishwarite's history the world this writer is building up is interesting.
This is one of the first times I felt a manga was able to portray subtle emotions (of horror or desperation) beautifully. The despair in the face of Dr. Tucker set the mood of the coming horror and the sudden shift of the scenario during Edward Elric's dream were amazing moments.

The only complain I have of the writer , not show more necessarily for this volume , is the character sketch of Lust. Unlike gluttony , her behavior sans her looks does not match up to the sin she is portraying. I would have loved this series even more if I writer was able to show that or surprised me by his interpretation of lust. Right now she is just a amazing villain nothing lustful in her except her looks (which I find to be very juevenille attempt to show her as LUST). show less

"Then you might be able to reach the truth that lies within the truth..." FMA is a bittersweet manga for me. I began the first anime series just after my first relationship began and ended that relationship just after both animes and the manga concluded. rereading it now I can so easily remember the emotions I felt then and invested.

This volume has the story of Shou Tucker & Nina, the appearance of Scar, Armstrong, Havoc, Envy, and Hughes. And in hindsight ALL of what Hughes' says is heart breaking.

[b:Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 2|873|Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 2 (Fullmetal Alchemist, #2)|Hiromu Arakawa|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348990451l/873._SY75_.jpg|2276648] sees the introduction of a number of the other National Alchemists, with their ridiculous names



Along with a new baddy Scar who doesn't do the whole tear things apart and put them back together again... he just tears them apart:



And of course, the creepy old baddies are back again:



We're starting to get hints at just how horrifying the world of Fullmetal Alchemist can be, from--well, the above, to someone that figure out how to transmute people into little bitty bits and then another that merged his daughter and dog together. Oy. show more Just oy.

Wonderful story, in a sometimes gritty and violent sort of way. Worth the read. show less