[Manga] Manga Plot & Story Discussion

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by ChronoReverse

Because you get rid of your door to get rid of your alchemy. If you give up your door, you no longer have a way back to the real world.

Exactly. It worked for Ed because they still could go back through Al's gate.

[ZeroForever]

amazing series, the end is probably one of the best manga ends I've ever read.

now here to hoping the anime end does it justice.

[Freya]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Exactly. It worked for Ed because they still could go back through Al's gate.

Ohh I get it now. Thanks.

[wandering-dreamer]

Originally Posted by ProlificSky

Truly one of the most fulfilling endings in a long time. However, there is one thing I'm unsure about. When Al goes to visit Hughes' family, he talks to Hughes' wife about trying to prove a new rule in contrast to equivalent exchange and in response gets asked if there is something he wants to do. Al then mentions Nina, but I'm not quite understanding what Al wanted to do in referencing Nina?

I think he was still ashamed that neither he or Ed could deconstruct the Nina+dog chimera and then it showed the military chimeras discussing theories about how to get back to normal so he's trying to make up for Nina by helping as many people who have been messed up by alchemy as he can.

[Bombo]

I can't belive it...I really can't belive this series will be done now
Ialot things I want to say, But all what I want to say now is thank you Ms. Arakawa you are the women who made this series for us..
thank you very much

All this years finally its the end...I really like it alot stuff but a wonderful scene between winty and ed about half and all :d

[ProlificSky]

Correction:

Originally Posted by Bombo

I can't belive it...I really can't belive this series will be done now
Ialot things I want to say, But all what I want to say now is thank you Ms. Arakawa you are the woman who made this series for us..
thank you very much

All this years finally its the end...I really like it alot stuff but a wonderful scene between winty and ed about half and all :d

[Ryus]

First post in the FMA threads here... I just picked up the manga series a month and a half ago (very odd since the original FMA was my favorite anime of all time , guess I feared them being too different... What a moron I was for fearing FMA the manga ) . Well need less to say I finished it in a week (I was moving at the time so there was no way i could have read it in a day or two ) all happy thinking there was another awesome thread here I could finally hang on only to have it dawn on me that the plot feels like it's ending. Did some checking only to have my newly founded fear confirmed . So I spent the last month trying to pretend I didn't want to post anything here.

Didn't work...

Now about the ending...

Spoiler for Just incase someone hasn't read the end yet:

it really reminded me of the last episode of Stargate SG1 (the longest running US scifi show of all time) which the title of the final episode says it all, "Unending". For a moment I was thinking there might be a spin off series but the photos at the end said it all... Ed and Winrey have kids, Al and May Chang seem to be dating, Ling Yao became Emperor, Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye seem to only be working together , Scar's truly found something worth living for (too bad we didn't see Mustangs reaction to finding that one out ), there be puppies , slightly confused with Darius & Heinkeledit & Yoki Why does it look like they joined a circus? Since the poses that Darius & Heinkeledit are in + that frill around Yoki's neck + the scenery behind them really makes me think of a circus...

Now the ending wasn't dark which sometimes I really prefer in series but here I won't complain, too much. I'm really glad Ed kept the leg but that they got the rest of there bodies back. I also thought the brothers walking back home together was a great touch, especially since they didn't call in advance .

Not sure it's the time and place for me to discuss my over all series impressions, since clearly everyone is way too busy talking about the ending.

Any details on Hiromu Arakawa's next series? I'm so going to check it out! Until then I'll be popping in here every now and then but mostly hanging on the Claymore thread.

[Spectacular_Insanity]

Wow. Massive 112 page chapter.

Spoiler for comments on some stuff:

I'm sad Greed died. I really liked him as a character... he had a lot of growth over the course of the manga.

And I lol'd at Ed's lame proposal. And Winry's "90... no 80 percent?". That entire scene was both funny and heartwarming.

But overall my favorite part was Ed giving up his own gate and ability to use alchemy for Al's life was great. The way Truth said, "that is the correct answer, alchemist", was utterly epic.

Fantastic end to a great manga. I can't wait til this is animated. I also can't help but look forward to Arakawa's next work.

[Zek]

So...

Spoiler:

Why does having a philosopher's stone automatically make you Emperor of Xing? I thought the current emperor just wanted it so he himself could be immortal, which is impossible anyway?

[Slayerx]

Originally Posted by Zek

So...

Spoiler:

Why does having a philosopher's stone automatically make you Emperor of Xing? I thought the current emperor just wanted it so he himself could be immortal, which is impossible anyway?

Spoiler:

Ling explained it way early on... Obtaining something like the philosopher's stone or a "way towards immortality" was just a method to increase the Yao family's standing in the country. Even if it was not complete, the findings would please the emperor and he give the family a great deal of praise... Ling planned to use that heightened status to cement his standing in the country and claim his place as heir and gain victory in the succession war between the families.

[Ryus]

Originally Posted by Zek

So...

Spoiler:

Why does having a philosopher's stone automatically make you Emperor of Xing? I thought the current emperor just wanted it so he himself could be immortal, which is impossible anyway?

Spoiler for Spoiler:

Quick sum up...

By giving an old man hope before he died he became the favored heir to the throne... so when the Emperor inevitably died next in line to the throne out of all the countless heirs was Ling Yao. In short there was no clear successor until Ling Yao gained favor with the emperor.

Age nor sex had anything to do with the right of succession in Xing. It was all about gaining clout with the Emperor... when you think about it every family/clan was likely telling the guy I'm the best choice and here is why when Ling comes back and says "why do you have to die?"... it's clear why he gained the throne Ling just stood out and offered him a chance at something almost every dying person secretly wants a chance to not die, or at the very least not having there final days consumed by fear and worry.

Now clearly this didn't give him the throne but it made it far easier to gain it after the Emperor died. Since during the time while the Emperor still lived Ling would gain power in the empire by giving his father what he wanted, the spend that power/influence to gain the throne.

[Bombo]

Originally Posted by ProlificSky

Correction:

thanks ..I though his man not a women

[coraleaterlinda]

I cried. I'm not ashamed to admit it. The ending was incredible. I've been an FMA fan for 5 years (but started reading the manga only 6 months ago), its so crazy to finally say good-bye.

Spoiler for the end:

The only problems I had with the end was that I wanted to see Ed and Winry's first kiss. I also wanted info on Al and Mei, and Roy and Riza's relationships (but I can guess that Al and Mei are dating). The Hoenheim ending seemed a little weird. I get that he came home to die, but then he says he doesn't want to die. I wonder how letting a little homunculus kid run around is going to work out, lol. I also wanted to see Mustang become Fuhrer, but I can guess that he will eventually.

Thank you so much, Arakawa, for dedicating so much of your life to such an incredible work. I greatly look forward to your future efforts.

[Mr. DJ]

great ending, loved it and I'm sad that it's over

[Hov]

Originally Posted by coraleaterlinda

I cried. I'm not ashamed to admit it. The ending was incredible. I've been an FMA fan for 5 years (but started reading the manga only 6 months ago), its so crazy to finally say good-bye.

did you seriously cry from reading a manga? =\

great ending though and i enjoyed the series.

[kitten320]

Just saw it, can't believe that manga is over
It really had a nice ending.

Spoiler for in case:

I loled at Winry/Edward moment, he sure knows how to propose
Though I'm sad on lack of details about Roy and Riza
Well there is possibility that anime team might add something

Oh, and I LOVED Olivier's expression when she was grinning and shining

Wonder if they will do some movie after anime is over...

A bit hard to believe that one of manga giants is over... wonder what will take it place and what will be authors next work. I sure will check it when it will be out. FMA is probably the only show where I have almost no complaints. I even approve main character

[Xion Valkyrie]

Absolutely loved the ending. A ton of manga seem to end abruptly, and totally skimp on the aftermath. FMA's ending is an example that other manga should take note of.

[yajra03]

perfect ending for a perfect manga..

thank you author for this beyond epic manga..

[xellos2099]

It is a real shame, Hohenheim basically give up his last 10 years of his life with his family for the sake of creating a real future for his family. If Hohenheim had not intervene on Promise day, everyone will die, including his family. It is a shame that it take till the very end for Ed to forgive him in a sense. He made a hard choice to leave his family in order to create a future.

It is also interesting the truth shown concern to ED when he said he is going to give up his alchemy by asking is he going to be alright. Before he disappear, he give off a nice smile in comparison to his previous evil big smile.

[Slayerx]

oh god... I couldn't really tell before,
but i think i just noticed what's going on in the photo of Darius, Heinkalel and Yoki...
I think they joined the circus XD

photo of ling is still my favorite though