Full Metal Alchemist-
Volume 3- Equivalent Exchange
Volume 4- The Fall of Ishbal
(MVM Region 2 PAL DVD)
(2005)
review by Blackgloves

The third volume of the energetic, action-packed, yet often very moving anime series, "Full Metal Alchemist", brings us four more episodes that finally allow us to catch-up with the original starting point of the show in episode one, where we saw brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric embarking on their long trek through a fictional, East European period landscape in search of the fabled Philosopher's Stone. The last volume focused exclusively on the Brothers' quest to become State Alchemists after an experiment -- conducted when they were children in order to bring their beloved mother back to life -- went terribly wrong. The aftermath resulted in the lose of Ed's arm and the total destruction of Al's body, forcing Ed to conduct a rushed piece of alchemy which fused Al's soul with a nearby suit of armour! After travelling to Central City, Ed took the Military's entrance exam and soon qualified as the youngest ever State Alchemist. A series of adventures in Central City ensue, and Ed and Al have now finally started their search for the Philosopher's Stone -- the mysterious gem that may just give them the power to restore their bodies by overcoming the discipline of Alchemy's most fundamental rule: the law of equivalent exchange!

Episode 9: "Be Thou For The People" sees Ed, now a newly qualified State Alchemist, assigned a strangely bland-sounding mission by his superior, Colonel Roy Mustang: a routine inspection of a coal mine in a small town called Youswell. Naturally, Ed takes along his faithful, younger, metal-armoured brother, Al, on the scenic train journey across country. Upon arrival in the town, Ed and Al are distressed to find that they are treated with contempt by the poor inhabitants once it is realised that Ed is a representative of the State! They cannot even get a room for the night! It seems that the State official in charge of the mines is abusing his position with the aid of his young assistant, who has a rudimentary ability in the art of alchemy. Together they have managed to tarnish the name of all State Alchemists.

This is the first of a series of adventures for the two young Brothers that detail their gradual ascendancy to legendary status among the people of the towns and villages in the region of Central city. In their quest to find the Philosopher's Stone, they encounter the misuse of alchemy almost everywhere they go -- usually subjugating the poor populations in the regions. Ed and Al see it as their duty to right these wrongs and, in the process, they become the people's heroes; although the stories about them tend to emphasis Ed's freakishly diminished stature -- something that sends the sensitive State Alchemist into paroxysms of rage!

Episode 10: "The Phantom Thief" takes place in the city of Aquroya, the City of Water, where Ed and Al become involved in solving the mysterious case of an elusive thief known as Psiren. They also both become rather enamoured with a pretty young nurse called Clara that they encounter at the local hospital after Ed suffers from a bout of food poisoning. Once again, the Brothers' reputation is enhanced by the capture of this beguiling villain, but Psiran also provides compelling information about the location of the Philosopher's Stone.

The two part adventure, "The Other Brothers Elric" finishes off this third volume where a trip to the town of Xenotime brings the boys closer than ever to their goal but also involves them in another strange adventure: they arrive to find that two boys who go by the name Ed and Al Elric are already living at the estate of a local land baron called Mugear! The town is also being polluted by the waste from Alchemical experiments taking place in the bowels of Mugear's mansion. The impostors who are posing as Ed and Al are engaged in their own quest to create a Philosopher's Stone, but the chemical pollution is ruining the health of the local people!

The end of this volume brings us up to the point where Ed and Al first visited the town of Liore in Volume One, and dealt with the priest leader there who was ruling and maintaining authority over the community by passing his alchemy off as a miraculous power. In the meantime, General Mustang has been promoted to Colonel and moved out of Central City to run East City instead. With Volume 4, Episode 13: "Flame vs Full Metal", Ed and Al arrive in East City after three years of travels in their capacity as representatives of the state military, picking up information all along the way that will help them in their quest to find the Philosopher's Stone. While helping the people of Xenotime, the boys learned of a doctor who visited the region and was able to cure the people suffering from the poisoning caused by the "red water" pollution; Ed is convinced this man knew secrets about the elusive Philosopher's Stone. Upon meeting his boss once more, Ed asks for information that could lead to the identification of this man.

East City is also paid a visit by the Military's "Fuhrer", who has been moved from Central because of the mysterious State Alchemist-killing murderer (encountered in Volume Two) who still haunts the environs there. Many State Alchemists from Central have tagged along with the Fuhrer as an excuse to leave the City. One of these, the Brigadier General, identifies Ed and Al's mysterious doctor as Tim Marcoh: a State Alchemist who deserted from the field of battle during the rebellion at Ishbal. This rebellion resulted in a massacre when the military were ordered to use Alchemy to destroy the People's uprising. Marcho deserted, and his whereabouts remain a mystery. When Ed discovers that all information about the man known as the "Crystal Alchemist" has been removed from the Military's libraries, he becomes convinced that Colonel Mustang knows something he isn't telling. With the assessment for the renewal of his State Alchemy certificate due, Ed strikes a deal with Mustang that his re-certification shall depend on the outcome of a duel between the Colonel and himself; if he wins, then Mustang must hand over the information he has about Marcho!

Episode 14: "The Right Hand of Destruction" starts to bring together the threads that have amassed since the start of the series: The strange, red-eyed woman and her dwarfish, cannibal assistant from the earlier episodes crop up again, as does the serial killer known as Scar. The key that brings them all together is the missing Alchemist, Marcho, now being sought by Ed and Al in their quest for the Philosopher's Stone. Scar turns up in East City after learning of the mass exodus of State Alchemists from Central; the red-eyed woman is somehow related to him, and she and her assistant (along with the former-minister of Liore, who has now transformed into a woman for some reason!) leave their ruined City and also head for East City. meanwhile, Ed and Al locate Marcoh who has possession of a red stone -- the closest approximation they've encountered yet to the Philosopher's Stone -- which caused great destruction during the Ishbal uprising but which he now uses to cure the locals of their medical ailments.

Scar soon tracks them down though, for it turns out that Scar's thirst for vengeance against State Alchemists stems from his being involved in the Ishbal massacre: he witnessed his brother die at the hands of these representatives of the State Military while defending his peoples' rights to pursue their own anti-alchemy religion. His conviction that Alchemy is against God's law does not prohibit him from utilising Alchemy in his own killing though! In Episode 15: "The Ishbal Massacre" we learn of some startling secrets about that terrible event that shakes Ed's faith in the Military he is pledged to serve, and an encounter with Scar proves devastating for both the youngsters.

The final episode in this Volume, "That Which is Lost" sees our two heroes setting out on a journey back to Central where they hope to find Marcoh's hidden materials which they believe will lead them closer to the Philosopher's Stone. But the evil red-eyed woman is also interested in this secret information that only Ed & Al know about. Despite his being guarded by the full might of the military, she tracks Marcoh down and extracts the vital information. It should be a race to Central City now, but events are complicated when Al's armour is accidentally left at the wrong train station, forcing Ed and his bodyguard, Alex Louis Armstrong (aka: "The Strong Arm Alchemist") to go back to find the missing armour-plated brother.

This series continues to progress with every Volume, constantly finding new and unexpected directions to branch out in, and weaving a compelling web of plot threads which are now beginning to come together very satisfactorily. "Full Metal Alchemist" is still essential viewing!