FMA: BH ep 2 - The First Day

[lettered]

This ep was mostly flashback, with Ed and Al on the train to Liore, where they think they might find the Philosopher's Stone. We watched with subtitles, which is actually available on Netflix--I didn't know they had that option. The Japanese voice actors are so much better, although the subtitles are a light green color that is very hard to see over many other colors. kate_nepveu found some more on YouTube, so maybe I'll try watching those next, though they apparently haven't subbed all of them. I'll look around and try to figure it out! (Thanks!)

On the whole this episode was more sense-making and enjoyable. It felt more like a first episode, and while I didn't feel overwhelmed with want to watch feelings, it presented two young boys with parental issues and one girl who builds armor, and that's pretty much a great set-up for me. That said, it's unclear whether Winry will be around later, seeing as how she appears stuck at home with Granny. She had a bit of the whiny-sister archetype going on for most of the episode, with which I was perfectly okay. I was a whiny sister of two older brothers. I wanted to be included all the time, and more importantly, in the anime I've experienced whiny!sisters still get to be badasses. I just loved that she was a mechanic!

Speaking of mechanics, though, it was unclear where Edward got the armor to which he bound Alphonse's soul. Was it just sitting there? I didn't see it there to begin with. Other than that, the backstory about them performing human alchemy, why they did it, and what happened was pretty darn cool. And sad. And scary. And icky. Scary and icky in the good ways, though. I hate jump-out surprises but love being creeped out; I hate icky for the sake of icky but love it when there's thematic and conceptual reasons to bring in things that are really viscerally disturbing.

At first I thought that it was Alphonse talking to the world/universe/everyone/no one/himself. I guess I got confused; I have to remember that the pointy-hair one is Edward in the flashbacks. Anyway, apparently this gave Edward Super Alchemy Powers. Him losing his leg and arm was all really hardcore, and him crying for Alphonse was pretty intense. I hope there's a lot of I-did-this-to-my-brother guilt and protection!urges to build on this, because right now I want to have feelings about it, but I'm not really invested enough in the story yet.

So, they brought back/created a Thing that was not their mom. Granny said she even saw it. I'm confused about whether it's dead. What if it comes back later? What if it's Sexy Villain Lady from the end of the first ep and the credits, and they have to fight their mom? That would be the best. Fighting your mom sucks.

And then Mustang visited the Elrics and told Edward he could be a state alchemist. This was four years ago, and Ed and Al were 11. This makes them 15? I had assumed Roy and Riza were like only five years older, but they appeared to be adults in this flashback from four years ago, so maybe they're more like mid-twenties? And Cool Soldier Girl is Riza! She didn't do anything particularly cool this ep, but I did think it was interesting the way they cross-cut her saying becoming a state alchemist was completely a matter of choice, against Roy who was pretty much saying that if you don't become a state alchemist you're a wimp. Do they have differing view points? Did Riza feel bullied into become a soldier person? (And is she an alchemist?) Or maybe Roy did and Riza felt like it should have been a choice? And who does she have to protect? I remain intrigued, mostly because she's kind of a badass who wears her earrings to work.

Then Edward auditioned (or whatever) to be an alchemist, and we saw more of Fuhrer Bradley's badassitude with his invisible-sword that cuts metal. Bradley is also weirdly lacking in pretense so far; I mean, he'll cut you and you won't even see it coming, but he'll totally act like he wants to have a beer with you and shoot darts too. I remain suspicious, because Fuhrer. Also, King Fuhrer! What does that even mean?

No sign of Crimson Alchemist, Sexy Scary Lady, Gluttony, 'Stache Strongarm Man, or Major Hayes/Hayne and his adorable three-year-old daughter. I'm more on board than I was last ep, but I'm still in the, "Let's wait and see where this goes!" camp.

Thanks everyone for your replies to the last post!

Comments

[likeadeuce]

Does this episode have the scene of Riza and Winry talking to each other while the guys are in the other room? That bit (which comes much later in the manga) was one of the things that really won me over. I'm not even sure if it counts as a Bechdel pass scene because probably, technically, they are really talking about Roy & Ed. But it's so much in the spirit of the Bechdel test -- making sure the women have an independent relationship and their own motives and perspectives.

And Cool Soldier Girl is Riza! She didn't do anything particularly cool this ep, but I did think it was interesting the way they cross-cut her saying becoming a state alchemist was completely a matter of choice, against Roy who was pretty much saying that if you don't become a state alchemist you're a wimp. Do they have differing view points? Did Riza feel bullied into become a soldier person? (And is she an alchemist?) Or maybe Roy did and Riza felt like it should have been a choice? And who does she have to protect? I remain intrigued, mostly because she's kind of a badass who wears her earrings to work.

These are all great questions to ask about Riza and Roy. And nice note re: the earrings -- I may have constructed way too many clothing-and-fashion- related theories about the characters based on a tiny amount of canon, but keep an eye on her.

[lettered]

Yes, this one had Winry and Riza talking. I was pleased with it because I really, really, really like Winry at this point, and loved the idea of her looking up to Riza--partly because Riza is so collected and professional whereas Winry at this point was so I'm-a-little-sister-AGH!!! But at first I was afraid Riza would be cold with Winry, and instead Riza was gentle and quite kind. It was nice.

keep an eye on her.

I will do so, and thanks for the advice. I tend not to really notice clothing, so thanks!

[likeadeuce]

I know what you mean about Winry as the little sister -- the way she's introduced in this episode was particularly poignant (and in fact, this ep put me off the series for quite a while, because I didn't like seeing Ed treat her like a baby -- in the manga, she's introduced in the 'present' timeline before we see her in flashback, so she comes off as much more of a peer right away). Riza's way of responding to her here, not just the kindness but treating her as someone whose concerns were valid and worth of an answer, not 'just a kid'. I have really got a lot of feelings about both of them.

Also, I'm not sure WHERE it falls or if it's available, but there's a nice little OVA, based on a short backup strip in the manga, where Riza talks to a female colleague about the meeting with Winry, and in a parallel scene, Winry talks to the boys about meeting Riza. It's a tiny thing but I like the confirmation that the meeting made an impression on both of them.

Re: clothing and the like, it's not like there are major, significant things to notice, but stultiloquentia has gotten hilariously detailed theories from me about Riza's code-switching practices based on a really small amount of canon. (Basically, Riza can dress up to go to the opera and look fabulous; she can also throw on slacks & a turtleneck and go bowling with the guys. Roy is great at the opera but if you tried to get him to put on bowling shoes and eat fried potato skins he would probably die. None of these scenarios, I should emphasize, arise in canon so there's no spoilering. It's just my theories ;))

[lettered]

in the manga, she's introduced in the 'present' timeline before we see her in flashback,

Oh, I'm glad she comes back!

treating her as someone whose concerns were valid and worth of an answer

Yeah! That was what I liked.

a nice little OVA

Huh. I'll look for it.

None of these scenarios, I should emphasize, arise in canon so there's no spoilering.

It does say interesting things about their personalities!

[likeadeuce]

It does say interesting things about their personalities!

Or about my particular obsessions /o\

ETA: BTW, did you catch Riza's last name yet?

[lettered]

I did, but I forgot it. However, I picked it up from another comment, and they said she was a sniper. I'm just really amused that there are so many fictional characters called Hawkeye!

[likeadeuce]

Yes! And don't forget:

[lettered]

I don't know who that is!

[likeadeuce]

Kate Bishop! The costar of the current Hawkeye comic by Matt Fraction & David Aja. She 'became' Hawkeye when Clint Barton was (sort of) dead & didn't see any reason to give up the title when he came back. So they are both stars of the book & they are both Hawkeye.
It is amazing.

[lettered]

Oh! I've heard the current Hawkeye is really good. But me and comics . . . I should give it a try; Bishop sounds cool.

[staranise]

I normally can't follow comics just because I have trouble parsing the graphics most of the time. I can't follow panels or make links between the different pictures. Hawkeye is no different, except that it is acutely aware of the reader's experience and the gap between images and perception and uses a graphic designer's sensibility to play with that. So at least my struggle to make sense of it is acknowledged and rewarded.

[lettered]

I've read some graphic novels that seem to take the same tack. Well, I was already interested in the Hawkeye comic; I suppose I'll give it a try!

[likeadeuce]

It's very different from typical Marvel comics, so even if they're not usually your thing you might dig it. I know there's one print collection out already, and I think there might be two.

[lettered]

I really like comics! By which I mean, I really like the stories in a lot of comics! I just have trouble reading them, and I find getting a hold of them frustrating, and trying to figure out what order to read things in and how it connects to canon just drives me absolutely crazy. But I need to be more patient and give it a shot.

[likeadeuce]

All understandable concerns! And the Hawkeye book is really written for people who are avoiding the whole continuity thing. There's some hope this is the trend of the future. (I like a lot of things that have continuity, I just wish that wasn't the default).

[lettered]

This is good to know! I was already interested in the Hawkeye comic; sounds like this one's for me.

I like a lot of things that have continuity, I just wish that wasn't the default

Yeah. Continuity is just really hard in a big comic universe.

[likeadeuce]

Also, oops, I forgot older-Winry wouldn't have shown up yet!

ETA: Or, oops, okay, she HAS shown up as the mechanic back in the boys' home town. But yeah, this isn't the last we'll see of her, and I'll leave it at that.

[lettered]

I figured she'd be back; this isn't spoilery. It's just interesting how just writing stuff up about the eps and then reading comments makes me absorb more about the show that just watching did. I tend to be a close watcher, but not at the beginnings of things. This is because I want things to make me fall in love with them. For the first season of tv, for the first 50 pages of a book, etc, I just let things happen, don't question them, don't like or dislike them, don't get particularly curious or invested, and assume that things will get better, get addressed, be explained, and become interesting. However, even though I'm only two episodes in, because I'm viewing it this way I already have more questions than I usually have, and I find myself using answers to comments to try to find answers! It's weird.

[likeadeuce]

It's not weird, it's cool! FWIW, I read the FMA manga first, very casually over the course of like a year, and it didn't dawn on me that it was something I might be fanish about until, literally, volume 23. Then I went back and found a ton of things to obsess over, but it literally only happened because of something very near the end of the canon.