FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD: CHAPTER 2
The new "chapter" of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood starts next week, with the advent of the Xingese characters, so here's a little primer/reminder. I covered most of this in my first primer, mind you, but I wanted to approach the characters again, a little differently in some cases.
Xing is a country in the East, where Rentanjutsu (Funimation subs it as "alkahestry", after "alkahest", an alchemy term), an alchemy used for medical application, is practiced, passed down from a Sage from the West. Xing lies beyond the Great Desert, to the east of what was once Ishbal (which itself is east of Amestris proper, where most of the story takes place). Xing is ruled by an Emperor, who controls the many clans of the country.
Ling Yao - The twelth prince of Xing, representing the Yao clan. Contrary to his irresponsible, often overly cheerful demeanor, he is skilled in Xingese martial arts. He is very similar to Edward Elric, only he usually keeps a cooler head. His ambition is to become the Emperor of his country, and plans to obtain immortality to do so. He is not trained in any sort of alchemy. His Japanese voice actor is Mamoru Miyano (Light Yagami in Death Note, Setsuna F. Seiei in Gundam 00).
Mei Chang - The seventeenth princess of Xing, representing the Chang clan. A girl of no more than ten, Mei travels across the Great Desert with no other company than her miniature panda, Xaio Mei, coming to Amestris for the secret of immortality. She is trained in the Rentanjutsu of her country, unlike Ling, utilizing throwing knives to pass energy from one alchemy circle to another. She becomes embroiled in the events in Amestris when she meets Scar and Yoki. Mai Goto is her voice actress.
Fu - One of Ling's bodyguards and grandfather of Ran Fan. Very well trained in martial arts and deeply loyal to the prince. Katsunosuke Hori (Gigelf Liqueur in Silent Mobius) is his voice.
Ran Fan - Another of Ling's bodyguards and granddaughter of Fu. She is fiercely protective of the prince and possibly has romantic feelings for him, as well. Nana Mizuki (Wrath in the previous Fullmetal Alchemist series) voices her.
There are several other characters, some of which have been introduced in episode 14 of the series. I'll try not to spoil too much.
Father - The mysterious creator of the homunculi, he lives below Central and is perhaps not very mobile, as he rarely leaves his seat to move around. He devours Greed's essence to return him to his soul, having made the sins, the homunculi, from himself. Iemasa Kayumi (Chief Chujo in Giant Robo) is the voice.
Pride - A mysterious presence that is first present to scold Envy in the middle of a battle, though he doesn't appear until well after. It isn't revealed who Pride is for many chapters of the manga.
Sloth - A large, hulking man-shaped creature who digs tunnels underground
Van Hohenheim - Master alchemist and father of Edward and Alphonse, who left home when they were small children. He seems to resemble Father quite a bit.
Olivia Milla Armstrong - The commander of the Briggs Mountains fortress and Alex Louis Armstrong's older sister; a strict, powerful woman who has the full support of her subordinates; she believes in "survival of the fittest" and isn't afraid to apply it to her work. Has a rivalry with Roy Mustang, but respects him (somewhat), despite being annoyed at his fast rise in ranks.
Barry The Chopper - A former serial killer who was supposedly condemned to death by the state, but whose soul was instead bonded to a suit of armor so he could stand guard at Laboratory 5. After the lab's destruction, Barry wanders Central until he meets Riza Hawkeye, and comes under the protection of Roy Mustang, who is looking for information on the killer of Maes Hughes. Later he meets Ling Yao and they strike up a deal. Played by Hideyuki Umezu (Ian Vashti in
Gundam 00).
Garfiel - A skilled automail engineer whom Winry Rockbell apprentices for in Rush Valley. He's big beefy man who wears lipstick and acts effeminate. (Make of that what you will.)
The new OP for
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is "Hologram" by NICO Touches the Walls and the new ED is "Let it out" by Miho Fukuhara.
The next few episode titles:
Episode 15 - A Messenger from the East
Episode 16 - In the Footsteps of a Comrade
Episode 17 - The Cool-Headed Flame
Episode 18 - The Pledge of the Common Man
Episode 19 - The Death of an Immortal
- Penguin Truth
(2009)
