‘Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’ Fans Are Freaking out Over This Announcement
Talk to any devout anime or manga fan, and they likely have a soft spot for Fullmetal Alchemist.
While the series has been out of publication for several years, it never lost its loyal fanbase. Recently, creator Hiromu Arakawa announced a new animated project that has fans clamoring for new details, with some even speculating.
‘Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’ at a glance
The original Fullmetal print ran from 2001 to 2010, and a direct adaptation appeared early in. Around that same time of its final printing, IMDB notes how a sequel series reached television screens across the world by way of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Taking the spirit of Arakawa’s original ideas and adapting them to the television medium, fans who loved the manga and the ones who never heard of it fell in love with the mature anime series.
A steampunk-inspired story that crosses over through nearly every genre, the series was a massive hit in Japan and the American market. While it only lasted three seasons, the sustained popularity of both it and the source material means that new fans are born every day. With Arakawa teasing new content, however, the fanbase may soon grow even bigger.
A big announcement
The speculation started with a cryptic announcement that Manga Mogura teased on Twitter. In it, they confirmed that Fullmetal Alchemist artist Hiromu Arakawa was working on something new, but the who or what remains unspecified. Add that some new images and a whole lot of fan hype, and it predictably set the anime world ablaze.
In a French interview translated into English by Tumblr user Clewilan, she spoke about her groundbreaking artwork that helped make the manga into the bigger brand it is today. She spoke about that journey at great length. According to her, the greatest feeling in the world was getting nine years of work in without selling herself short or feeling like she gave an incomplete story.
“When we finished the manga, I was surprised because I had been drawing this story for nine years, and I was convinced that in the end, I would be sad, as in a breakup. When I submitted the last chapter, I was actually relieved. Not because I was glad it was over, but because I had the conviction I had told everything I wanted to,” Arakawa told the French publication.
However, while Fullmetal Alchemist ended its print journey and Arakawa is on to other things, these cryptic messages have fans wondering if something new is headed their way. Many see it as a perfect opportunity to expand the anime world while keeping the original saga intact.
Fans have big hopes for new ‘Fullmetal’ material
In a Reddit thread about the big announcement, fans speculated, celebrated, and further broke down what this news will mean to them. After all, a decade after its final print, the franchise remains as big as ever. A return to the Fullmetal universe could mean many things, from new Manga to new anime, to both. . U/MrEriMan13 sees it as a potential extra story building off of one of the original’s biggest events.
“If it’s a bonus chapter, I REALLY hope it’s about Mustang being appointed as the new Fuhrer. I was kind of confused why they didn’t include that in the original manga ending,” they wrote.
Other users, such as u/AnnePackrat, just want to see what Arakawa came up with, be it part of this franchise or another.
“I wanna see an Arakawa do a Sci-Fi show. Like a space romp or buddy comedy. Ah hell, she could just do FMA in space, and I’d buy it immediately,” they wrote.
From anthologies about the many characters to a sequel, spin-off, or brand new franchise altogether, everyone had takes about the direction of Arakawa’s career. It helps explain why her creation is so big. People are on board not just with her ideas but with her. Now, they just have to see where this is headed next.
