Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has two incredible protagonists at the helm of this anime. Edward Elric is the main protagonist and he is the focus of one of the most dynamic character developments the anime world has ever seen. We see the anime explore various levels of Edward’s personality from deep feelings of hopelessness that go beyond your usual pouting of a hero who can’t seem to accomplish what he set out to do to his more surprisingly light hearted moments that lead to uplighting and inspiring scenes that can make even the most gloomy audience members feel reinvigorated with hopefulness. Edward often finds himself questioning the ability of humanity rather than just his own abilities. He struggles with the concept of what humans can and cannot do and doesn’t always believe in his own ability to accomplish the unexpected simply because he is, first and foremost, a human. This ideology is complicated by the presence of his brother, Al, whose soul is now attached to a suit of armor. This anime does a wonderful job of challenging the very definition of what it means to be human and what limitations, if any, actually come with such a title. Another key character that makes the series so special is Winry. Winry is a rather underrated protagonist and she breaks the mold by having an existence in the anime that is not entirely dependent on Edward. She is not the damsel in distress and she is not empowered only by Edward’s presence. In fact, she often appears in this anime to come to Edward’s aid rather than the other way around.
In addition to boasting a dynamic cast of characters, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has exceptional pacing that fills 64 episodes wonderfully, a narrative that challenges your moral compass, and just enough surprising plot points that don’t feel overly complicated and convoluted. There is even more good news for anime fans that hate filler content: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood gets straight to the point and keeps things simple in terms of how it chooses to move the plot forward or introduce the new arc. With so much to praise about this anime, it’s no wonder why it still reigns supreme as the #1 ranked anime on My Anime List despite the fact that Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood concluded back in 2010.