Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa
001 4 Having just seen the sneak preview screenings of the english language reversioning of Fullmetal Alchemist - Conqueror of Shamballa , I can say without reservation that it is a thrilling and must-see epilogue / ending capping off what is without question one of the greatest masterpieces of anime . However , DO NOT START your exploration of this story with this movie . Some of the things that make this story so great are its character development , story arc , pacing , and unexpected twists of plot . To be properly appreciated , Fullmetal Alchemist MUST be seen in sequence from episode 1 through episode 51 , and THEN this movie . If you try to watch this movie before seeing the series , not only will you find it largely incomprehensible , but knowledge of what happens will SPOIL many of the surprises that await in those 51 episodes . Virtually no backstory is provided ; viewers are assumed to have seen the series .
All the charm and wonder of the series is here in this film . All the voice actors from the english reversioning of the series were brought back to voice their characters for the movie . The care and attention to detail shown by both the original creators and the reversioners is remarkable to say the least . I only wished it was longer . The epic story of the Fullmetal Alchemist , in its entirety , will stand for decades as a monument to and inspiration for what can be achieved in this medium . This film is the final coda at the end of all its symphonic glory .
076 4 Man , this movie was EXCELLENT ! ! The animation was superb ! And the storyline was awesome = ) . The dvd arrived in perfect condition , it was worth it to buy the more expensive-special edition of this movie .
109 4 really good movie , helped clear up a lot of loose ends ( but of course some parts are left hanging , with no word of another movie that ive heard ) . a little boring at parts if you mainly watch it for the action / alchemy , but it deals with some political situations that our world has been through in the past ( hitler's uprising mostly ) and how it links to ed and al's world . wont say anything more as not to spoil it , but i would highly recommend this movie if you watched this series till at least the end ( doesnt deal with the beginning of the series a whole lot ) .
009 4 After I have finished watching the TV series of Fullmetal Alchemist , I have been expecting for this movie Conqueror of Shamballa and watched it in May Day this year . I have to admit that this is a glorious movie of Japanese animation , and even I can say it's the best one I have ever seen .
At the beginning of this movie , I was a little wondering that why Alphonse maintain his armour form . Then as the story went on , I knew that this movie was shown in flashback . I love this kind of method , it made us recalled something old in TV series and led us into an all-new adventure . It attracted me at once . The stories of this movie is wonderful , all the plots were attractive , and all the suspenses have been set perfectly . The stories have been set on the background that the World War 2 , it made the fable story very authentic . To a very extent , the history of World War 2 that we are familiar to was in this movie , so this movie is easy to be accepted by many people . Besides , similarly to the TV series , this movie is full-filled with courage , bravery and love .
Secondly , the wonderful tableaux are what attracted me much . At first , I didn't think the quality of tableaux was better than that in the TV series . But after I watched the movie for several times , I found it's more technical than the TV series . Some 3D and other kinds of techniques were in the making of this movie . For example , the armours appeared from the ground , the movement of them seemed so smooth and natural . And , many of the scenes have appeared in the TV series , but the excellent technique of this movie made them more beautiful and colorful . In my opinion , tableaux in this movie is one of the focuses .
Thirdly , characters of this movie were what I paid most of my attention to , either old or new . All the old characters performed perfectly in this movie , especially the Elric brothers of course . Alphonse is my favorite character , and he became more handsome in this movie , he resembled this brother Edward . I love Edward in this movie , but he often seemed so mopish in the movie . However , when he reunited with his brother , he became more spirited . Wrath is my favorite Homunculus , he seemed very different from how he used to be in the TV series , I was surprised that he helped Alphonse in opening the door . My favorite new character in this movie is Alphonse Heiderich , it's not only because he looked like Alphonse Elric but also because of his kindness , wisdom and courage . But it's really a pity that this young man was killed . My friends and I all consider that he's the most tragic character in the movie . I think many of fans have been expecting for the evolvement between Roy and Riza . We could see that Riza's attachment to Roy hasn't faded at all , but there was only a little dialogue between them . However , I felt very happy for them that they met each other again .
Finally , I think the ending of this movie was expected much , because this movie is the sequel of the TV series . At first , I thought the ending of this movie would be a perfect and happy one that would surprise us much . I think I would feel happy that the Elric brother reunited finally , but I didn't know why I still felt very regretful . After I watched the movie , every time when I watched the TV series and see Winry was with the Elric brothers , I feel sorry for her . At the end , she would never see her friends again . When I saw her sorrowful face as soon as she saw Edward went to the other world , I felt so sad that my tears almost fell . Maybe that's why I feel regretful for the ending .
I think this is really a great movie and a wonderful sequel of the TV series , though I was not very satisfied with the ending . This movie has an lamented ending , but if it was a perfect and happy one , it would stray away from the theme of Fullmetal Alchemist and it wouldn't be so impressing . However , I still wish that the door could be opened again and everyone who loved each othe so much could all reunited , skipping a cruel war of course . . .
007 4 The Fullmetal Alchemist Movie was an amazing end to the series , however I strongly do not recommend to do what I did and try to watch the movie without finishing the series . To new fans and those who haven't finished the series the movie is extremely confusing , but not impossible to figure out . The music was good and so was the plot line . I saw the premiere at Otakon and people were literally cheering at scenes , or when all the old favorites would make their debut on the screen . Overall it was an amazing movie , with a nice historical references , and a storyline that wraps up the loose ends left at the end of the series . Watch it , own it , if you're a fan you'll probably love it !
010 4 This review contains spoilers for the movie .
At the end of the series we're told : Anyone who puts forth effort will be rewarded , even if it's not what you expected . Well , that goes for this movie . While it's generally entertaining , I felt that Conqueror of Shamballah lacked the overall epic quality it promised us . Sure there are huge battles between giant monsters and a crazy rocket powered Nazi warship , but only the latter actaully involves our heroes , Edward and Alphonse Elric . The main Villain is tragically wooden and in the end , not much of a threat . She also gives a ridicolous speech about how this world must perish . . . because I fear it . I guess this was supposed to humanize her a bit , but it just makes her sound like a bad saturday morining cartoon villain .
The ending was perhaps the most dissapointing , as Ed and Al end up back in the ' real ' world of 1923 Europe , destroying the Ed / Winry romance a lot of us were hoping to see . In fact , the whole thing sort of falls apart , and lacks the finality that the end of such an amazing series needs .
Now , I don't want you to think I have nothing good to say about this film . The bittersweet quality that made the series so endearing translates to the movie , particularly in the scenes between Ed and Al or the oh-so fleeting moment between Ed and Winry . The film also excells at portraying 1920 ' s Germany , using a desaturated color palatte and a lot of muted browns and greys . The animation is gorgeous . I particularly like the slight redesigns on the characters . The 3d effects however , don't blend with the gorgeous animation , making a lot of the final action sequence a bit lifeless . It supposed to be some sort of epic battle , but it feels tacked on .
All in all , I would recommend this film to a serious fan of Fullmetal Alchemist but not to anyone who has not seen the series or is only a casual fan . Not what I expected , but a decent film .
011 4 It is usually a bad sign when there is a guide included to explain the movie makers reasons for making the movie and to explain the lesson they want to teach . The movie does give you a conclusion for the anime . There is little to laugh at in this movie , the directors are to focused on making their point . They have decided to make the anime and movie more real than the manga and as such have lost the light hearted humor and in their attempts to be realistic have created inconsistancies that can not be explained .
The music and animation are excellent . But I would recommend buying the soundtrack and renting the movie .
013 4 Me and my first watched this movie on You Tube Japanese version of course . Anyway when me and my friend watched it . We were amazed usually anime movies suck but this one was great . I've already pre-ordered the Limited Edition set so awsome ! Anyways those who are comlaining becuase they bought the regular edition should in the future check out these kind of things first . I knew about the Limited Edition about three months ago . So therefor when the Sept DVD release came out I just waited patiently . anyways can't wait to get this Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie The Conqueror of Shamballa Limited Edition filled with goodies YYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
019 4 It's here at last ! Fullmetal Alchemist the movie : conqueror of shamballa ! This movie is f * * * ing awesome , the story has a amazing and unique storyline . And the ending brings closesher to the series . Great action , great comedy , great drama , and great music . Overall i give the movie a 9 / 10 .
The audio is great , crysital clear sound , and a great score . Overall i give it a 9 / 10 .
The video is great to , fantastic animation , and you can really see the hardwork the animators did for this movie . Overall a 9.5 / 10 .
The extras are okay , the ones for the special edition ones are amazing , but in the regular are meh . Good documentery , great traliers , and good charecter art . overall i give it a 8 / 10 .
Overall it's a mazing film , great audio , and great video plus good extras , i highly recomend it to anyone . I give the dvd a 9 / 10 . My favorite dvd of the year !
023 4 This Movie is really great . It's one of the best continuation of an anime movie that is out there . Go out and get it . It's a great movie for anime fans who are brothers . . .
025 4 If you follow the series , this movie complements and completes it . Even if you don't follow the series , the movie can stand on it's own .
Great animation .
026 4 When I watched the Fullmetal Alchemist Movie , I was astonished . I have seen loads of AMVs of the movie and thought it looked quite good . Once I had watched it for the full , I was so amazed . It was really well drawn , the voices match the characters perfectly and I was stunned . I am trying to get more people into Fullmetal Alchemist and hope to start collecting the series overtime .
027 4 i like the things that came with this movie ( it is a special edition ) , they are cool . but the movie is not what i thought it would be . from everything i read it sounded as if there would be alot more of Ed back in his world , but that was not so : ( and it mosts fast . it is a good movie , but could have been made better .
031 4 First off Fullmetal is an interesting take on Japanese Anime . It fits many of the characteristics of the story telling style , including over-the-top face expressions and impossible leaps , but despite the foolish animation I normally find irritating , this managed to make me smile and laugh along with the terrible over dramatized antics .
Ed and his little big bro have been through a lot and as the last few episodes in the series show there are things that go way beyond their understanding . This inability to comprehend their own world and the very things they've witnessed is a tough reality for the brothers and many times in this film you find yourself lost along with them . Wondering what in the world is going on and then trying to make sense of it even as Ed gets angry and Al tries to be the stoic one .
As with any Anime that involves battle magic there is a fair amount of violence beginning at the very start of the film . The insanity of science and alchemy existing in the same reality is a very odd parallel and yet as we journey through the story we see just how connected the two aspects of human imagination are .
Without giving away the ending I will end with saying that the finale to the intriguing series does not disappoint and bravo to the writers for turning in one of the imaginative endings in Anime history . The only knock I would give this really is the finality of the ending , as an ending is the end it isn't that much of a objection , but there are stories left unfinished . . . perhaps for lost episodes ?
032 4 The movie was a good way to end the series as it tied up all the loose ends pretty much . It wasn't exactly what I wanted the story to end with but it was good .
033 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
Fullmetal Alchemist : The Movie did not dissapoint me in the least . The loose ends left at the end of the orginal series seem wrapped up here . The added touch of tossing in historical characters and references of early 1920 Munich , Germany serves rather well as a major catalyst . There is strong evidence Hitler was indeed involved in Thule as well as various other branches of the occult . Other members of his party were as well . Thus , the whys and reasons of NAZI members had good backing as far as the storyline was concerned .
As for Ed and Al , as always the two brothers simply found themselves in events much larger than themselves when all they wanted was something so simple : Ed wanted to go home . Al wanted to get him home . Even so , the older of the two brothers displayed how much his character had grown since the orginal series : Can't keep thinking their dreams are all that matter .
My only complaint ? The movie was too short .
034 4 Fullmetal Alchemist : The Movie did not dissapoint me in the least . The loose ends left at the end of the orginal series seem wrapped up here . The added touch of tossing in historical characters and references of early 1920 Munich , Germany serves rather well as a major catalyst . There is strong evidence Hitler was indeed involved in Thule as well as various other branches of the occult . Other members of his party were as well . Thus , the whys and reasons of NAZI members had good backing as far as the storyline was concerned .
As for Ed and Al , as always the two brothers simply found themselves in events much larger than themselves when all they wanted was something so simple : Ed wanted to go home . Al wanted to get him home . Even so , the older of the two brothers displayed how much his character had grown since the orginal series : Can't keep thinking their dreams are all that matter .
My only complaint ? The movie was too short .
043 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( Limited Edition ) ( DVD )
The DVD that I bought over amazon.com came to me in perfect condition . I had no issues with it at all . There was no skipping and there was no scratches on the disc . When I received the DVD it was still in plastic wrapping .
045 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
As an adult , there are not many things I see these days that I classify as good entertainment . But , after spending some time watching Full Metal Alchemist with my kids , I've got to say , this series is awesome . The movie completely wraps of the story in an interesting way and teaches a little history , too . I highly reccomend it to fans of all ages .
046 4 As an adult , there are not many things I see these days that I classify as good entertainment . But , after spending some time watching Full Metal Alchemist with my kids , I've got to say , this series is awesome . The movie completely wraps of the story in an interesting way and teaches a little history , too . I highly reccomend it to fans of all ages .
047 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( Limited Edition ) ( DVD )
If your a Fullmetal fan and you still don't own the movie this Limited Edition is for you the book in it as a great read ! along with all the bounus material on disk 2
049 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
Thjis was in cgreat condition when arriving on time = AndI loved the movie . What made me very happy was the brothers ended up together .
051 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
I love it , I never thought that ed and al elrick would see each other again .
058 4 The movie was wonderfully done , great graphics , fun plot and a good ending . My children and I were happy to have closure from the previous episodes .
061 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
It is a good ending to the story , but it could have being better . As a whole it was great , lots of action keeping your eyes on it for the entire movie . I would give it a thumb up .
062 4 It is a good ending to the story , but it could have being better . As a whole it was great , lots of action keeping your eyes on it for the entire movie . I would give it a thumb up .
063 4 I love this series and even though the movie was bitter sweet , it was still awesome . I can not wait for the second season of Fullmetal Alchemist . Yes a new season . Probably 50 episodes . It's compiles the rest of the author's Manga . It's coming out in April 2009 in Japan . So in a year it will be over hear . I can't wait .
064 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( Limited Edition ) ( DVD )
The story is great , the end of a chapter and - maybe , why not - the beginning of another .
The product is awesome , high quality aditional material , a lot of extra matl minutes , and really nice case .
A jewel for every fan of the serie .
065 4 The story is great , the end of a chapter and - maybe , why not - the beginning of another .
The product is awesome , high quality aditional material , a lot of extra matl minutes , and really nice case .
A jewel for every fan of the serie .
070 4 I am not into accidentally spoiling plots so will keep it brief . If you liked the Fullmetal Alchemist series , you will like this . It is a perfect ending with a bitter-sweet bite . The characers development continues , the story line flows perfectly from the series into the movie and Te is plenty of action . I believe you have to have watched to the series to make sense of this so do not try watching it as a stand-alone movie or it may confuse yuo and leave you a bit disappointed and thinking I am crazy , rating it so high . If you like Anime with a good story Watch the series , and have the Movie for dessert .
071 4 this movie is really good but u would have to watch episodes 1 - 51 to get it or if your a mega fan like me u just might need to research a little . but besides that this movie is really good , but i would rate it
PG - 13 for fowl language and anime nudity .
074 4 I'm glad I got the Limited Edition of this movie , because it includes a lot of artwork . There's beginning sketches , some interviews , and talk about how the movie was made . Really inspirational .
As for the actual movie , it continues the series nicely , but I think the series was done better . It just doesn't have the same feelings as the series . . .
077 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
For anyone who has watched the series , this is a nice conclusion that wraps up the story and answers the few remaining big questions.Even if you haven't seen the series , it is still a great movie and will not leave you in the dark just because you have not watched the previous 51 episodes.All in all I recommend this movie for anyone , not just anime lovers .
078 4 For anyone who has watched the series , this is a nice conclusion that wraps up the story and answers the few remaining big questions.Even if you haven't seen the series , it is still a great movie and will not leave you in the dark just because you have not watched the previous 51 episodes.All in all I recommend this movie for anyone , not just anime lovers .
079 4 I was a big fan of the show . Finally the movie came out and I rewatched the whole series just to get in the mode . When I finally watched the movie , I was completely amazed .
Beautiful story and animation : )
084 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
While it's true there are some areas of the movie which lack and should have contained more , and the main ' bad guy ' was a little on the flaky side , overall I found it to be the perfect ending for the series . Some fans are unhappy that the imagined relationship between Ed and Winry was never to happen ( and never will happen ) . Tough luck I say , as the series was never about that fluff to begin with , it was about the brother's journey together and it remained true to that all the way through . The end of the movie really helped the series come full circle . My only wish it that it had been much longer !
085 4 While it's true there are some areas of the movie which lack and should have contained more , and the main ' bad guy ' was a little on the flaky side , overall I found it to be the perfect ending for the series . Some fans are unhappy that the imagined relationship between Ed and Winry was never to happen ( and never will happen ) . Tough luck I say , as the series was never about that fluff to begin with , it was about the brother's journey together and it remained true to that all the way through . The end of the movie really helped the series come full circle . My only wish it that it had been much longer !
089 4 Compared to the series the movie was a bit of a let down . It was interesting to see what occurred after Full Metal went over to the other side of the gate , but it lacked a lot of the development from the other characters in the series . It was entertaining , but seemed to be lacking something .
094 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
I don't know maybe its just me but seemed as if Romi Pak was trying to cover too much ground or explain allot of things indirectly in regards to the series that I felt made it even more confusing or forced me to read in between lines wasting time that could of been spent simply leaving off from where the series ended or even better on improving AND extending the battle scenes like the one with Wrath and Gluttony , without giving too much away the villain in this was built up to be so powerful and yet destroyed too easily . True fans like my self good or bad review will continue to follow the story relentlessly but honestly I was a little bored mostly and left wanting more and not the suspense on the edge of your seat wanting more , more of the felt like I was gypped cheated wanting more . If your a true fan I still say worth collecting when you look at the big picture or story but if your just on the band wagon maybe get it from a friend . . . for free . ~ 1 luv .
096 4 Usually I dread the endings of most anime series due to the way they leave the last episode with an open ending or something lame . Fullmetal did not disappoint me . The saga about two parallel worlds and the fight to save both of them was well scripted . Can't say if they ever do another movie but if not , this was a fitting conclusion to a awesome series .
098 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
This movie completes the Full Metal Alchemist series quite nicely . The non-collector's version of the movie has plenty of features if you are purchasing it just for your own viewing pleasure .
100 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
Fullmetal Alchemist - Conqueror of Shamballa may not be a casual anime fan's masterpiece but any fan of the series should see it . The story takes place after the last episode in the TV series , which had an open ending ( leaving enough unresolved issues for a movie ) . A complete conclusion alone is reason enough to see the movie .
The animation is stunning and the storyline is as if an episode was stretched for the movie's time length . The story itself is good but it will not win over those who dismissed the series . It also leans on the assumption that the viewer has seen the series by giving little background on previous events . The documentary found on the disc is gives a very informative look into the process of making the movie .
Hard-core fans will love this DVD regardless of any review , but those who only like Fullmetal can find satisfaction in an ending .
102 4 To be brief , Fullmetal Alchemist the movie is all anyone could hope for in an ending to this great series . Most anime seems to end abruptly or fizzle out , but not fullmetal .
I wont go into detail as not to spoil the film but if you liked the series and were left hanging by its end , this movie will set everything right .
The only remotely bad thing I can say about this film is that because it is basically an ending to the series , it does not really stand up well on its own . If you haven't watched the series then there will be alot that you dont understand .
105 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
This was for my son and he loved it . He is a big fan and felt that it brought all the stories to a good end .
113 4 First of all , sorry for my English , sometimes it's hard to express myself in other than my first language ( Portuguese ) .
I loved the anime series and had great expectations about this movie , but had no fun at all watching it . Old clichès and an awful plot , plus the stupid ending , so meaningless . The movie was just boring and didn't have the magic the series had , that attracted millions . Some major scenes that should be more sentimental and emotional , were simply badly done .
I wish I hadn't seen this movie . It will take a while to forget it and begin to love the series again .
116 4 If you have seen Full Metal Alchemist the serie , you have to se this !
118 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
If you enjoyed the TV series then of course you must watch the movie . I suggest renting it or buying it used . It's not the kind of movie you want to spend too much money on . There should be a part two . That's for sure !
120 4 i have no problem with Fullmetal Alchemist its just first you need to start watching the series and then the movie or youll have a big ? ( question mark ) above your head but in all the movie is great and its a must have . . . . . . well what are you waiting for go get it : )
122 4 After such a great series , I had high expectations for this movie , and it failed them all . All of the build up of the series came to naught , and all of the groundwork laid for the science of alchemy was ignored . Plus , the villian was just about the most flat , underdeveloped , ridiculous thing ever .
When a movie has to come with a fat guidebook to explain why they made the stupid choices they did , you know something is definitely wrong .
125 4 Though I personally don't think this movie was quite up to the standards that the TV series had , it is still a very good continuation of it . Good charcter development , advancing plotline , all the hallmarks of a masterpiece . My only gripes with it is that the villians in this one are not very smart , they have nothing on the ' Shepard of Sins ' . And the charcters were made OOC at times just to advance the story-line . I really don't like the fact that the ' Flame Alchemist ' after everything he went through gave up on becomeing the Furhur , and abondoned romance with Hawkeye . It could have been just a good a story if he had stayed in Central and become Furhur , or at least was still trying to do so !
126 4 As expected , fans of the TV show will be pleased . There is plenty of action and alchemy , suitable drama , and the usual peculiar humor . Of course , the plot twists and surprises are excellent , and the animation , overall , ranks with the best scenes from the TV show . Last , the deep sense of mystery and dark knowledge is tangible . In total , well in keeping with the spirit of the Full Metal Alchemist .
128 4 This was a great DVD , long awaited by eager animae enthusiasts ! And well worth it , too ! The story is both fullfilling and haunting , a great ending to such a deep , powerful series . There are neat behind-the-scenes bonus features interviewing both the English and Japanese vocal cast , along with a look back on the movie with director and final editing staff .
133 4 A must for all Fullmetal Alchemist fans . This is the last installment and wraps up what happens to Al and Edward . No spoilers .
146 4 It's a DVD , no problems with it . The extras were okay . The movie itself is a little weird personally , I thought certain things would end a certain way - but overall the story is interesting and visuals are pretty awesome . It's the only way the Fullmetal Alchemist series ends on the screen so it's good to see if you are a fan of the series .
147 4 This movie deserves all the awards it can get . All the great reviews it got did not lie . For once , I agree with the critics .
148 4 I had a chance to watch this film when I was in Japan . I brought a copy back to america for my friend . This is probably the worst of ideas for Fullmetal Alchemist . We knew following the series , that the end would be dramatic , however this is not an ending , mearly a pointless interuption . Try searching the reviews of others through google or yahoo . Many others would agree , others may disagree .
161 4 I got to watch the English dubbed version of the Japanese Movie . This ought to be a nice continuation of the series .
018 4 First of all , if you by any chance read the reveiw in which someone called this movie pro-Nazi propoganda and such . . . that's so untrue . The only sane reasoning would be that they didn't watch the whole movie , because , duh , the Nazis ARE pretty much the bad guys , after all . That's like saying Silence of the LAmbs promotes canibalism , or whatever . Anyhoo . . .
THIS IS A REALLY GREAT MOVIE ! ! !
If you've seen the series ( which you should have if you're looking at the movie ) and the trailer for the movie , this may not be mucha of a spoiler , but if you really don't want to know anything then dont read furthur .
POSSIBLE SPOILER !
I just wanted to say that there was one thing that really bugged me in the movie . . . Ed and Al never touch ! I was so looking forward to them hugging and was so disapointed when it didn't happen . Sure there is that one hug , but it doesn't count , because Edward has been waiting six years to see his brother back in the flesh , so in the suit doesn't count . And Ed does put his hand on Al's shoulder , but it's even his fake hand ! GRRR . . .
But that's just one little bit of the movie . I still love it so ! !
LONG LIVE FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST ! ! ! !
I know they say this is it for the animated adventures of Ed and Al , but wouldn't another movie , say , 20 years later be sooooooo interesting ? I say YES ! ! !
059 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( Limited Edition ) ( DVD )
This movie is a wonderful continuation of the series ! But , as a warning to those who have not finished the series , FINISH THE SERIES FIRST ! This movie is so involved with the events at the end of episode 51 that watching the movie out of order would cause the series to be spoiled for you !
The product itself is really amazing ! It comes with two disks and a small book containing fun facts about the making of the movie ( including character drawings , storyboards , interviews and other fun things ) . It also includes an envelope with 10 postcards with pictures from the movie .
The first disc has the movie , theatrical trailers , image gallery and a 40 - minute making-of special ( in Japanese with English subs ) .
The second disc comes with commentary from both the Japanese and English cast and crew and an extended trailer .
Overall , this is an excellent buy if you are interested in knowing how the movie was made and the behind-the-scenes facts . If you just want the movie , I recommend the single disc version instead of this one .
060 4 This movie is a wonderful continuation of the series ! But , as a warning to those who have not finished the series , FINISH THE SERIES FIRST ! This movie is so involved with the events at the end of episode 51 that watching the movie out of order would cause the series to be spoiled for you !
The product itself is really amazing ! It comes with two disks and a small book containing fun facts about the making of the movie ( including character drawings , storyboards , interviews and other fun things ) . It also includes an envelope with 10 postcards with pictures from the movie .
The first disc has the movie , theatrical trailers , image gallery and a 40 - minute making-of special ( in Japanese with English subs ) .
The second disc comes with commentary from both the Japanese and English cast and crew and an extended trailer .
Overall , this is an excellent buy if you are interested in knowing how the movie was made and the behind-the-scenes facts . If you just want the movie , I recommend the single disc version instead of this one .
087 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
This is a fantastic end to the great anime series . Don't watch this before the series if you want the real effect and understanding of what these brothers mean to each other . This series is easily on my top 3 best anime of all time list . But WATCH it in JAPANESE . Ed's English voice is atrocious . Anyways , a worthwhile buy and one of those movies you're still thinking about a couple days later .
088 4 This is a fantastic end to the great anime series . Don't watch this before the series if you want the real effect and understanding of what these brothers mean to each other . This series is easily on my top 3 best anime of all time list . But WATCH it in JAPANESE . Ed's English voice is atrocious . Anyways , a worthwhile buy and one of those movies you're still thinking about a couple days later .
114 4 Fullmetal Alchemist is THE best anime series you could watch . It's packed with emotion and adventure . This movie does a terrific job explaining what happened to all the loveable characters of Fullmetal Alchemist : The Series . Some important characters have changed since their last appearance on the final episode of the show . OH AND ED IS TALLER ! The action comes and goes throughout this movie , but that doesn't mean things get boring . It all builds up to a wonderful ending . This is a wonderful movie . I would not hesitate to own this movie . Again it is a must own .
141 4 Let me start off by saying that I loved the Fullmetal Alchemist television series . I believe that it ranks among the top anime ever made . However , I don't feel that this movie holds a candle to it . After seeing the heart-wrenching conclusion of the television series ( It would have left loose ends untied but could have stood on its own without this movie having been made ) I heard that there was a movie . With much trepidation , I watched The Conqueror of Shamballa , hoping that my fears would not be confirmed but they were . This movie really feels like too many other full-length features based on television series ; rushed , loosely tied together and crammed with way more style than substance . The deep characters that we grew to love in the series are gone and have been replaced with shallow , generic drones that spout cliche after cliche instead of the actually intelligent rhetoric of the series . For heaven's sake , there's even a gypsy woman character who serves no other purpose to the storyline other than to provide a pair of mammaries as fanservice . The only factors that keeps this from being a one-star film in my book is that there are fleeting moments of nostalgia in the film that help you remember just how brilliant and wonderful the television series is . Michiru Oshima's soundtrack is wonderful though it recycles a lot of music from the series . ( It's good music though , so no need to complain ) However , the great music doesn't hide what the film lacks otherwise . My recommendation in all caps : IF YOU HAVE SEEN THE FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST TELEVISION SERIES AND HAVEN'T SEEN THIS MOVIE YET , FORGET IT EXISTS AND ACCEPT THE SERIES ' ENDING AS CANON . As a side note , I strongly urge Fullmetal fans who have not already done so to check out Hiromu Arakawa's original manga . The anime storyline diverges wildly from the original manga's at about the time that the homunculus , Greed , meets his demise . The manga's storyline is quite exciting and offers just as many twists and turns as the anime does , if not more . Plus , the manga is still ongoing , so if you're hungry for more Fullmetal Alchemist as the anime has ended , that's where to find it .
( EDIT ADDED AFTER SECOND VIEWING : I was very hard on this film in this review and I still stand by most of what I've written but must concede that I have seen far worse movies than this one . However , one must remember that Fullmetal was a television series and was meant to be taken in in small doses . I imagine it's very difficult to transition from directing a television series to condensing a script to fit into a two-hour film . )
035 4 This movie's story is set two years after the events of the Fullmetal Alchemist TV series last episode . Dragged from his homeworld to this world , Edward Elric lives in Munich , Germany , in the year of 1923 . Stripped of his alchemical powers , he has been all this time researching rocketry with Alphonse Heiderich , a young man who resembles his brother .
053 4 Great movie that gives you another adventure of Ed and Al but still refuses to give you the resolution you want .
075 4 The product was shipped to me quite expediantly , which was appreiciated as it was a christmas gift . The actual movie itself is great for any fan of the series .
145 4 This is a rely good movie and i say get it you will like it .
149 4 This has to be the greatest anime movie ever , Interacting with real historical events never been so much fun . But the ending did leave me wanting more . The movie turned out better then i expected . . .
090 4 Well first off i'd like to say that i am a huge fan of the anime but i put that aside to write this review of the movie . The movie answers many of the questions that the last season left . The movie was good in my opinion but it leaves you wanting more ( you'll understand what i mean when you see the movie ) . I feel that the movie should have been about something else becuase it felt more like it could have been a episode then a movie . On the other hand that is what i liked about this movie , it wasnt like the movies of other animes that have nothing to do with the story . I felt that it was a very nice end to a good anime at first i was mad becuase the end was the way it was but then it made sense . If your a big fan then buy the moive if you liked the anime a lil then borrow it from someone . Like i said im a big fan so I bought the speacil edition and everything and i loved the movie . So really you know if you should buy this movie if your a big fan but if your not that into it borrow it from someone or netfilx it lol
008 4 I was disappointed . The end totally disregards the feelings and hopes of all the characters in the main series besides the Elric brothers . The movie did not have the philosophical edge that the show did , though it tried to . While the show was thought provoking , the movie felt preached to the audience . In the end , I would adivise not watching this movie because it is a let down and you'll like the show more if you don't .
015 4 The movie was a great continuation of the series . It was enjoyable and the ending was conclusive . For those who gave this film a low rating , all I have to say is . . . you need to understand the underlying message and attempt to have an broader view . For those who seek the perfect ending . . . well , that just isn't the way life always turns out . But without giving too much away , I'd say it was an excellent conclusion to the series .
028 4 The movie was great . I have watched the whole series on TV and couldn't wait to get it once I found out that there was a movie . The ending wasn't like I wanted it but not every thing is perfect . They should make a movie for the adventures of the Elric brothers on earth . That would definitely be cool ! _ !
055 4 i saw this movie before I had finished the anime and loved it , although it spoiled the end of the series for me . An interesting and well-written follow-up to the series .
066 4 None of the DVD's played on our players due to different region codes which i new nothing about so we had to purchase a new player as well as the DVD's so we could watch them .
068 4 Wow , this was an amazing conclusion to the astronomical series . I'll stop using big words now = ) Anyway , If you've seen the series , you definitely have to get this . And for 30 dollars for a NEW one ( at least right now ) , I would get the special edition . You get nice art card things ( that are not attached to the booklet , so I framed them and are scattered in my room ) and there's a small booklet that has sketches of the characters , and there's just so much more stuff ! Why are you still reading this , order it ! ! !
073 4 If you're buying this movie you have probably seen the series so I can spare you that . One thing I really like about this movie is the inclusion of real world history in the world Ed has gone to . It's nice to add some real history and thread our loved characters into it . Some of the plot involving Dietlinde Eckhart is a little difficult to make the leap to but it is an anime so its not that bad . The Ed and Al interactions are very sweet and its lovely to see Al following in his brother's footsteps . All in all , a good movie and an enjoyable watch . Not as much humor in it as tends to be in the series but still lovely .
082 4 The movie came in great condition brand new . Also very fast delivery and if they had any more items that I like . He will be the first I'd buy from .
083 4 yes 2 years after the last episode of full metal alchemist we got what we wanted al got his body back but ed was transported to our world still ed meets al's counterpart and rose ' and yeah she's hot I love that gypsy song it's so exotic yeah baby and yeah we have blood for fma fans who can't get enough dying wrath is dead finally , izume's dead yes , even hoehoniem meets his maker and yes it's about freaking time too and envy's still stuck in the form of a dragon maybe he'll die next and kill gluttony too he's already braindead anyway the manga of fma is still running and is even more darker than the show at last ed and al is reunited but they're both stuck in our world will they ever get back winry's waiting on them hahahahaha .
love how alphonse ' couterpart dies .
086 4 A great end to a great series . Wraps up the series brilliantly . If you like roy mustang , wrath + sloth this is a must see .
106 4 This was for my son and he loved it . He is a big fan and felt that it brought all the stories to a good end .
115 4 First of all , it's disappointing to see that the only language to be listened to is Japanese , but things change and I know it will be an upgrade . Secondly , the animation in this movie is so much better than the series that it almost puts the series ' animation to shame . Now then , to the rest . The story is excellent : funny , sad , beautiful . You feel for your favorite characters when they're in pain , and laugh when they get a crack in at a long running joke . Yes , it doesn't finish everyone's life stories , but that's why there are sequels . The cameos on the other side of the gate , our world , make you crack up when you first see them , and glad to know those people still exist somewhere . If you are a fan , even just a little , or if you even hate the series , this movie is worth a watch and purposely not seeing it is depriving yourself of entertainment .
119 4 If you enjoyed the TV series then of course you must watch the movie . I suggest renting it or buying it used . It's not the kind of movie you want to spend too much money on . There should be a part two . That's for sure !
124 4 This is a great ending to a great series and the price is much cheaper then you would find in any retailer . I recomend this for any fan or collector .
129 4 What could be better than alchemy and nazi's . . . . this animation was awe inspireing . . . There was never a point where the vivid colors , not to mention imaginative story line , was lacking . . . I recomend this movie to all those with enough forsight to enjoy a few twists and turns into a new world beyond the tv series
137 4 If you have seen the series , you are hurting yourself by not seeing this movie ! ! ! ! i was jumping out of my seat the whole time , reminising about the entire series , seeing old faces , and just , ah , amazing . i can't stop watching it ( 6 since i bought it haha ) and i never will !
095 4 I don't know maybe its just me but seemed as if Romi Pak was trying to cover too much ground or explain allot of things indirectly in regards to the series that I felt made it even more confusing or forced me to read in between lines wasting time that could of been spent simply leaving off from where the series ended or even better on improving AND extending the battle scenes like the one with Wrath and Gluttony , without giving too much away the villain in this was built up to be so powerful and yet destroyed too easily . True fans like my self good or bad review will continue to follow the story relentlessly but honestly I was a little bored mostly and left wanting more and not the suspense on the edge of your seat wanting more , more of the felt like I was gypped cheated wanting more . If your a true fan I still say worth collecting when you look at the big picture or story but if your just on the band wagon maybe get it from a friend . . . for free . ~ 1 luv .
142 4 an excellent movie that continues the adventure of ed and al , on our world as well as theirs . so if you love fullmetal aclhemist , and lots of action , you'll love this film .
022 4 The movie itself is excellent . If you haven't seen the sereis you should watch that first because they dont explain anything .
135 4 If you are a fan of the Fullmetal series , then you'll definatly enjoy the movie . It has all the aspects of the series with a few surprising twists .
150 4 If you're any kind of fan of the series , you'll love this finale . While we're sad to see it go , at least they didn't leave it off with the series finale .
153 4 Bought as a Christmas gift , it arrived on time and in excellent condition , brand new as promised , Thanks !
155 4 Body and soul . . . . I'm a freak I'm a freak
Body and soul . . . . I'm a freak I'm a freak
164 4 I just read in the August edition of anime insider that its going to be available at the end of September ! ! I can't wait to watch it in English . The Japanese version was fine though . . . I had subtitles ^ ^ . Its an amazing movie ! ! I love it so much ! Everyone needs to buy it ! !
044 4 The DVD that I bought over amazon.com came to me in perfect condition . I had no issues with it at all . There was no skipping and there was no scratches on the disc . When I received the DVD it was still in plastic wrapping .
050 4 Thjis was in cgreat condition when arriving on time = AndI loved the movie . What made me very happy was the brothers ended up together .
123 4 I'm satisfied , Amazon had the DVD I wanted at a good price , ordering was easy , delivery was on time and in good condition .
158 4 OMG ! ! ! ! I love this movie ~ ! ! ! ! Its one of my faves ! ! I loveeeeee ED ~ ! ! !
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
Back in the mid - 90 ' s I really got into buying Anime . In fact I was into Japanese animation even before it became regularly available on VHS tapes . After several years I quit picking them up because I seemed to be stumbling across more misses than hits . Some were quite spectacular but an unfortunate amount were mediocre , bland and derivative and the worst thing was that Anime tended to be on the expensive side . There were a few specific directors that I continued to support including Miyazaki and Otomo but even Otomo let me down with Steamboy . Recently I felt the Anime bug again and decided to try my luck . Unlike before I had quite a few resources available to research the quality of an Anime before purchasing it . Fullmetal Alchemist looked like the most appealing being highly rated , top selling and low priced . Maybe I set my expectations too high but it failed to live up to my hopes .
The animation is a mixed bag . Sometimes it's quite beautiful and other times it reverts to a very silly cartoonish style . Overall I give the art mostly high marks but it seemed to lack a certain spark or pizzazz . My biggest problem was with the plot . The Thule society ( a real life group that worked with the Nazi's ) has discovered a gate between our world ( or at least something close to it ) and the world of Fullmetal Alchemist , also known as Amestris . Dietlinde Eckhart , the Thule society leader and movie's antagonist , mistakenly believes the portal leads to Shamballa , the mythical Tibetan kingdom in the Himalayas . At this point things started to fall apart . First of all there is no ` Conqueror of Shamballa ' because there is no Shamballa just Amestris and technically the Thule society doesn't even try and conquer it . Second , the Thule society's plot seems dubious at best . The plan is to raid Amestris in order to grab technology or mystical weapons they can use to support the fledgling Nazi party . Oddly enough the Thule society already has some pretty stunning resources including rocketry that shouldn't have been available for another 20 years , automatic guns and armor that seems to mix technology and magic .
So if the Thule society already has this kind of fantastic weaponry why bother with parallel worlds and if Amestris has even better technology wont the Thule army just get decimated . Well , yes . That is exactly what happens . This first raid is easily taken care of by young Alphonse Elric single-handedly . The second raid is much larger but the slow moving armored warriors are no match for the much faster and more powerful Alchemists of Amestris . I don't want to give away the ending but the plan of the Thule society was ill conceived and doomed from the start .
As someone who has never seen a single episode of Fullmetal Alchemist I found the movie frequently confusing . Probably the coolest battle in the movie was the one between a character named Wrath and a creature named Gluttony . Unfortunately I never saw these characters before or after the battle and have no idea what the fight was all about . It looked dramatic and the main character Edward Elric was present but I have no idea how it tied into the rest of the movie . The biggest crime committed by this movie is that it just isn't memorable . As the main villain Eckhart has nothing interesting going for her . The movie is good but never really reaches the level of great and it will likely sit on my shelf collecting dust . This one would have been better as a rental .
002 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( Limited Edition ) ( DVD )
Note : this may contain minor spoilers . That said , the FMA movie brings a close to the storyline left open at the end of episode 51 of the TV series . It has stunning visuals and a superb soundtrack , nicely rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound . It picks up three years after the end of the television series and wraps up loose ends surrounding the gate , Hoenheim , Envy , Gluttony , Wrath , Ed , and Al . Despite the fact that it was written by the same staff who created the series , the movie does have a different feel to it ( especially since alchemy can't be used for a good portion of the film ) . If you liked the series , you'll definitely enjoy ( at least most of ) the movie . Fans who are looking for romantic relationships are going to be disappointed as the staff seemed to focus more on the bond between the two brothers .
For the big fans of the series , this special edition will definitely be a highlight to your collection , as it will contain a hard-bound book , several character portrait cards , and a bonus DVD with multiple commentaries and interviews with the Japanese cast and crew , as well as the American staff . It also has a nice portrait of Ed on the cover of the box ( the same that was used for the Japanese ltd . ed . release ) .
I would highly recommend this film to anyone who likes Fullmetal Alchemist ; despite what I saw as the film's few shortcomings , it was still a good movie overall .
003 4 Note : this may contain minor spoilers . That said , the FMA movie brings a close to the storyline left open at the end of episode 51 of the TV series . It has stunning visuals and a superb soundtrack , nicely rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound . It picks up three years after the end of the television series and wraps up loose ends surrounding the gate , Hoenheim , Envy , Gluttony , Wrath , Ed , and Al . Despite the fact that it was written by the same staff who created the series , the movie does have a different feel to it ( especially since alchemy can't be used for a good portion of the film ) . If you liked the series , you'll definitely enjoy ( at least most of ) the movie . Fans who are looking for romantic relationships are going to be disappointed as the staff seemed to focus more on the bond between the two brothers .
For the big fans of the series , this special edition will definitely be a highlight to your collection , as it will contain a hard-bound book , several character portrait cards , and a bonus DVD with multiple commentaries and interviews with the Japanese cast and crew , as well as the American staff . It also has a nice portrait of Ed on the cover of the box ( the same that was used for the Japanese ltd . ed . release ) .
I would highly recommend this film to anyone who likes Fullmetal Alchemist ; despite what I saw as the film's few shortcomings , it was still a good movie overall .
004 4 Similar to End of Evangelion , this film is essentially the conclusion to the 51 - episode anime show that caught on big with audiences stateside . While it's not a fair comparison , that was my first thought that came to mind , especially since like EoE , Conqueror doesn't end with an all questions answered ending . While it's definately cool to see your favorite characters in a fuller context , there's some things that aren't dealt with , mainly with characters , that I wish they concluded . In case you haven't seen the series , I am going to spoil it so consider yourself warned .
At the end of the series , 4 Homunculi had been killed with one being sent through the Gate . Al had been restored to his body with his memory wiped out and Ed was in our world circa the 1920 ' s in Munich , Germany . In this film , Ed rescues a gypsy named Noah who has mind-reading abilities . It also turns out she's being hunted by the Thule Society who wants to reach the world Shamballa . Back in the series world , Al actually turned out to be a pretty powerful alchemist and has been trying to find Ed while dealing with a new villain .
One of the things that's always fun while watching these movies is seeing one of the old characters show up . I don't want to spoil it but some of them are like hey ! that's him / her ! . But like certain movies that have the same back and forth structure , you start to get intrigued by the appearance of characters in one world then you jump back to someone else . It's only a minor nitpick so it isn't as important . But it is great to see the characters again .
Now where I guess the disappointment comes in is the handling of certain characters . There's obviously some romances that are suggested such as Mustang / Hawkeye , Ed and Winry ( and even at one point Ed and Rose ) , Scar and Lust and you'd at least like to see some acknowledgement of one of them actually happen . And the conclusion of the film suggests there will be a sequel since there's obviously stuff that can be resolved . I haven't read a single manga of the show , not that we have it available here anyway , so I have no clue what happens at the end .
It's highly recommended that you watch the series as everything from transmutation circles to Homunculi will be completely lost . Sure you'll understand the basics but all the small details will be completely lost . The film's great so it's not that big of a problem but still , it's a big investment to watch the film so set some time to watch all 51 episodes then come here .
005 4 ( EDIT - - Jan 2008 : I've rewatched the entire series and watched this film again 2 or 3 times - - and liked it far more on subsequential watchings - - I would now give it a 4 star simply because I love the characters so much - - but my complaints about its weakenesses still stand . I will say that I've watched it in both English and Japanese and I applaud both Romi Pak and Vic Mignogna for their outstanding performances as Edward . It's still muddled and could do with serious re-editing - - but I've come to love it after seeing it again . _ )
Fullmetal Alchemist , in my opinion , is one of the most gripping , emotionally charged and memorable anime series of all time . It's not just good anime - - it's good storytelling with characters you grow deeply concerned for . Even in the weaker ' filler ' episodes are still worth watching . I rented the first three discs of the series and then purchased the imported box set with the movie - - and believe me , I wouldn't invest that kind of cash if I didn't think FMA was a classic . The day after I finally viewed Episode 51 I sat down to watch the move , still stunned , shaken and moved by what I'd seen in the final episode . . .
. . . And I came away from the movie thinking how there was simply too much story , too many scenes that didn't propel the action forward . The subplot with the Rose-lookalike , Noah , as the psychic who figures out Edward's secret past could have been edited out completely and nobody would have missed it , as would have much of the Fritz Lang material ( as a film buff I did appreciate the sly references to his wife , Thea Von Harbou , who was a dedicated follower of Hitler - - their movie ' Metropolis ' is the science fiction film Lang keeps refering to ) . All in all , the historical parts could have been pared back - - most of us know enough about 20th century history that we don't need all the pointed references .
As for the Amestris characters - - seeing Roy Mustang falling completely into his depression and self loathing ( a key subplot in the series ) only to rise to the occasion , recover his belief in himself and to take command once more provides some of the strongest scenes in the film . His brief reunion with Ed and Al suddenly shifts the movie into high gear - - it develops a terrific Indiana Jones-type energy with sharp dialog and comedy / action timing that SHOULD have set the tone for the film . When Edward snaps , Love the eyepatch . Pity it isn't over your mouth . I wanted to cheer . Classic Taisa and the Shrimp sparring that kicks both characters back on course . And of course , Armstrong steals every scene he poses in , sparkles and all .
Is this the end of FMA ? Good question . There have been a few short OVA's out there , but nothing on the scope of the original series . The manga is still running strong .
The truth is , there was so much potential in this film - - we know and love these characters , share their history - - we want to know what happens next to Al and Ed as their journey continues . The fact that there was no GUARANTEE that the Gate was sealed could potentially leave the door open for more films . . . who knows ? Studio Bones indicates that FMA anime is officially completed . If you watch the documentary with the disc you'll see that this original script was originally over 100 pages long and could have been made into a second series . I just wish the final hurrah had been better edited - - it should have been a tighter , more exciting film . Still , it's definitely worth seeing .
006 4 This is , generally speaking , an enjoyable movie . It does provide some closure to the series ( that's as close to a spoiler as I'll get ) . But the series itself was such a cut above most anime that I found myself disappointed with this movie .
Basically this is about as good as most decent anime movies . If you're a fan of the show , you'll probably want to see it ; but don't set your expectations too high . If you haven't seen the show , this movie won't make much sense . If you're not already an anime fan , this is NOT the movie to get you hooked .
012 4 The very well thought out ending to Fma was not what I expected at all . It was maybe even better then I expected .
. : : Plot : : . - - 9 / 10
Munich , Germany , 1923 . Two years have passed since Edward Elric was dragged from his own world to ours , leaving behind his country , his friends and his younger brother , Alphonse . Stripped of his alchemical powers , he has been all this time researching rocketry together with Alphonse Heiderich , a young man who resembles his own brother , hoping to one day find a way back home . His efforts so far had proven fruitless , but after lending a hand to a troubled gipsy girl , Edward is thrown in a series of events that can wreak havoc in both worlds . Meanwhile , at his own world , Alphonse Elric ventures deeper into the mysteries of alchemy in search for a way to reunite with his older brother .
. : : Music : : . - - 10 / 10
The music was awesome ! I liked the Begining Theme and the Ending Theme .
Begining : Link by L'arc ~ en ~ Ciel
Ending : Lost Heaven by L'arc ~ en ~ Ciel
The other background music in it is very good too . It'll have a good soundtrack ^ ^
. : : Characters : : . - - 10 / 10
Obviously you have Edward Elric , Alphonse Elric , Winry Rockbell , Pinaco Rockbell , Hohenheim Elric , Envy , Wrath , Rose Thomas , Roy Mustang , Riza Hawkeye , and all the regular cast . New characters are Eckhart , Noah , Karl Haushofer , Alphonse Heiderichand more . There's even Scar n ' Lust which I was sooo suprised with and happy ! ! ! ! ^ ^ But they only get a breif part in it . . . oh well . The characters were designed perfectly .
. : : Overall : : .
Your gonna be on the edge of your seat , it has non-stop action . But I mean c'mon MY GAWD ! ! In my opinion the end annoyed the HELL outta me ! ! All the girls got blown off ! ! First Roy goes off without Riza on his little hot air balloon , blows her off . Then the worst one ! Ed just LEAVES Winry like it was nothing and Al too ! Wtf ? ! ? ! ! Poor Winry . . just leave her alone . . damn ! Ya well I enjoyed it n ' I hope you enjoy it as much as meh ^ ^
. : : Cast : : .
Edward Elric : Vic Mignogna
Alphonse Elric : Aaron Dismuke
Winry Rockbell : Caitlin Glass
Riza Hawkeye : Colleen Clickenbeard
Rose Thomas : Colleen Clickenbeard
Mabuse / Fritz Lang : Ed Blaylock
Karl Haushofer : John Swasey
Noah : Leah Clark
Wrath : Luci Christian ( Yay meh favorite voice actor = P )
Hohenhiem Elric : Scott McNiel
Roy Mustang : Travis Willingham
Envy / Dragon : Wendy Powell
Sig Curtis : Bob Carter
Gluttony : Chris Cason
Izumi Curtis : Christine Auten
Alex Luis Armstrong : Chris R . Sabat
Bido : Greg Aryes
Sceizka : Gwendolyn Lau
Hess : Jason Douglas
Alphonse Hiederich : Jason Liebrecht
Priest : Jeremy Inman
Denny Bloch : Jim Foronda
Pinaco Rockbell : Juli Erikson
Eckhart : Kelly Manison
Kain Fuery : Kevin M . Connolly
Vato Falman : Kyle Hebert
Gracia : Lauren Goode
Maria Ross : Meredith McCoy
Jean Havoc : Mike McFarland
Lyra : Monica Rial
Maes Hughes : Sonny Strait
Frank Archer : Troy Baker
. : : English Staff n ' Companies : : .
Studio : Funimation
Dubbing : Funimation
Licensed by : Funimation
Director : Mike McFarland
Line Producer : Colleen Clickenbeard
Script : Jared Hedges
ADR Engineer : James Barker
Audio Mixing Engineer : Adrian Cook and Nathanael Harrison
Executive Producer : Gen Fukunaga
Logo Animation : Chas Naylor
Producer : Carly Hunter and Justin Cook
Highly recomended ! Buy it !
014 4 Buying the Limited Edition has got to be the world's greatest deal ! It has all of the goodies the folks over in Japan got , and it's CHEAPER than what the folks in Japan bought it for !
As for the movie , it was great from an artistic stand-point , and held true to that long-hammered-in truth that since the world isn't perfect , a person's ending never will be , either . While the ending was kind of a disappointment , I must say that I wish they would've released the movie in its originally-written 4 + hours version - I think there would've been more answers to our questions . . . But the ending didn't quite make me happy , but at the same time . . . I don't think it was supposed to .
So , if you're an FMA fan , be sure to buy this version ! It pays to wait out until later versions , like this Limited Edition ! : )
016 4 This is a very good movie . You get to revisit all your favorite characters from the anime . It puts a very well-done conclusion on the series . From an objective perspective , it is also very good . The ending makes you want to cry whether you know the whole story or not . It is a beautiful work of art with captivating music , meaningful characters , and an amazing story . It is a must buy for any fan of FMA or anime period .
017 4 First of all , as many people have said , this movie will be complete and utter nonsense if you decide to spoil yourself and see the movie first . Of course , one you will not understand the story , two , you will regret it , because the art in the making of a sequel is seeing how well it follows its predecessor .
So , if you decide to cheat , go ahead , it's your loss . You can't make a sequel without the first one being there , enough said .
Now , if you are going to be smart and have already seen the series , hats off to you . Now , a quick review of the series before I go over the movie . When we last left Ed and Al , Ed had been stranded on the other side of the gate in an attempt to sacrifice his entire body and soul to get Al back ( The back forth No , I want you to live , NO , you live ) went on and finally Al regains his body and Ed is stuck on the other side of the gate . In exchange for his body , Al lost his memories and Ed lost his arm and leg again . So , we begin the movie with Ed on the other side in the WWI-WWII period with the start of the rising of the Nazis .
Now this is an interesting spin on the series . Most of the viewers of the series probably thought that the world of Fullmetal Alchemist had nothing to do with our world , that it was a completely alternate universe , wrong ! The two sides are connected in the same way as the past and future , and the gate is some sort of gap between the two .
And is this story , Ed is forced to abandon alchemy because it doesn't work on that side of the gate ( Watch the movie and you'll figure out why ) . And in addition to that , he meets people that he recognizes from the other side of the gate , who look like those people but are almost polar opposites . Now , Al is on the other side and has been studying Alchemy this whole time in hopes of finding Ed , and a suprise twist of a character from the series springs up ( Again , watch the movie to find out ) .
On top of all this , we have the rising of the ambitious Nazis who want to get to the other side of the gate to Shambala to use the powers of that world to help the Nazis to rise .
And as for the rest , just watch the movie ( And watch the series first ) , to fully comprehend everything leading up to the movie , then watch the movie and enjoy a true masterpiece . Conqueror of Shambala pays tribute to every aspect of the Manga and the Anime , and is also a good movie for history buffs .
Also , the special features has a selection of artwork from the making of the film , interviews with the actors and actresses and a full 45 minute special of a play by play clip on how they made the movie , from artwork , to scripts , to the exact pieces that they removed from the original screenplay ( And the tour is led by the director ) .
This is a must see , Brilliant !
020 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
Like other reviewers , I must stress that this movie is not a stand alone feature . You must watch the anime to even have the faintest idea of what is going on .
That said , I love the anime and decided to purchase this movie to give me the resolution I needed after the final episode . I must admit , it doesn't have the perfectly wrapped happy ending that I hoped for - but that's part of the whole point . The world isn't perfect ( something that both Ed and Al comment on ) and the resolution of their story lines isn't immediately perfect , but after thinking about it , there was no better resolution .
I wish there would have been a little less of the set up and a lot more alchemy action but still , a very enjoyable movie overall . I laughed , I got a little weepy eyed , and I was finally ready to close the book on FMA ( well sort of . . . I wouldn't be upset if they decided to do another anime . )
021 4 Like other reviewers , I must stress that this movie is not a stand alone feature . You must watch the anime to even have the faintest idea of what is going on .
That said , I love the anime and decided to purchase this movie to give me the resolution I needed after the final episode . I must admit , it doesn't have the perfectly wrapped happy ending that I hoped for - but that's part of the whole point . The world isn't perfect ( something that both Ed and Al comment on ) and the resolution of their story lines isn't immediately perfect , but after thinking about it , there was no better resolution .
I wish there would have been a little less of the set up and a lot more alchemy action but still , a very enjoyable movie overall . I laughed , I got a little weepy eyed , and I was finally ready to close the book on FMA ( well sort of . . . I wouldn't be upset if they decided to do another anime . )
029 4 Fullmetal Alchemist - The Conqueror of Shamballa is the conclusion of its remarkable 51 - episode TV series . Familiarity with the TV series is required prior to viewing this movie .
Animation and Japanese voice acting are both outstanding . The only flaw I see in this movie is its Evil-Conquers-World , Hero-Saves-World plot which has been used in countless predictable anime shows . The movie slightly lost the unique quality that the TV series had . Despite the complaint this DVD still deserves a space in your FMA DVD collection because it still had the action and drama of the TV series .
030 4 The movie was o.k . I didn't like the ending that much , but it was better than Ed dying . Although , I wish it had a happier ending . It leaves off almost like there is still more . I believe Ed said they'd find another way back , so it sounds like there is more . Overall , the movie was pretty good , but you wouldn't be missing much if you didn't see it . I give it 4 stars because I really like FMA , and , like I said already , it was pretty good . Sorry for the repeating of that so many times . ^ _ ^
036 4 First off , as you probably know , this movie is a sequel to the Fullmetal Alchemist series , and as such , you need to have seen the series prior to the movie if you want to understand and appreciate the film . Unless you've seen the entire series ( particularly the ending ) , you're not likely to really understand what's going on . That said , on with the review .
The animation in this film is extremely well done - somewhat higher than the series . This unfortunately means that the tone of the movie is more serious than the series . There are certainly some jokes and the like , but most of the movie is quite serious .
The dubbing is as great as ever ( I can't say how good the Japanese voices were since I watched it in English ) . Even the new folks were well done . I really think that the dubbing for Fullmetal Alchemist is among the best in the business .
All the main characters are back , but due to the short length of the film , we only see some of them briefly . The movie focuses primarily on Ed and Al - particularly Ed .
The plot is good , but I really think that it could have used more time . The movie moves along fairly quickly , putting all of the pieces in place for the conclusion , but not going into great detail . What they did was well executed , but somewhat rushed and thus shallow . They could have easily produced an entire season of the show based on the plot in this movie , but instead we get this short movie .
I would have definitely given this movie 4 stars - maybe 4 1 / 2 ( it's too short to get 5 ) , but I REALLY don't like the ending . I found it to be highly disappointing . I won't spoil it , but I'd expect a lot of FMA fans to be disappointed by it . It arguably wraps everything up , but leaves enough open that they could make more FMA if they wanted to . Unfortunately , from what I hear , there are no plans to make more Fullmetal Alchemist .
All in all , this film is definitely worth watching for any FMA fan . However , I think that the ending really leaves something to be desired . Personaly , it's the first time in quite a while that I've actually been angry after seeing the end of a movie
037 4 I am a huge fan of the Anime Fullmetal Alchemist and bought all of the DVDS in the series in less than six weeks , much to the family budget's chagrin ! I was thrilled to hear that there was going to be a full-length movie coming to DVD . I waited and bought the Limited Edition version but in truth , I wish that I had just purchased the regular release . As any FMA ( Full Metal Alchemist ) fan knows , Edward and Alphonse Elric are separated at the end of the series and Al is determined to get his brother Edward Elric back by mastering Alchemy again ( He had lost a huge portion of his memory at the end of the series , including his skills as an alchemist ) from beyond the gate in a world that is much like ours in a pre-WWII Germany .
Ed seems just as determined to be reunited with his brother BUT there is no alchemy in this world so Edward puts his skills to other uses helping a friend who sort of looks like his brother and shares Alphonse's name . Based upon the previews , the hype and commotion , I expected an anime movie of epic emotionally gripping proportions . Perhaps my expectations were just set so high because I'm an FMA fan but I feel the movie just fell flat and didn't live up to the series that truly is stirring and wonderful .
Yes , it has its moments and it does answer some questions for us but I feel that the movie was gutted of much ( but not all ) of the essential core which made the series so special . Basically they had two worlds to work with , characters we all loved ( or hated ) and instead , the creators went for big battle scenes , pointless diversions and an ending that may leave you feeling slightly more than mildly apathetic or confused or just plain angry about the fate of our heroes , Edward and Alphonse Elric . ( I won't give it away ! )
The drama , the humour and the type of action of the series just isn't to be found here except perhaps in small doses , in my opinion . Also , so many parts of it just don't make any sense at all . If you MUST complete your collection , I suggest purchasing the regular edition because the limited edition isn't worth the extra money . There was so much potential gone to waste that I would have only given it two stars but without spoiling the ending , I will just say that three stars were deserving because of the nature of family and loyalty between the brothers we have come to love .
038 4 The Fullmetal Alchemist movie is one of the best things I have ever seen in my life next to the series . It is absolutely the best from the Japanese version I have seen . The graphics and details are amazing , and from what I have heard the english version will be a hit . To people who think negatively of this , such ad Hsing Lee's comment , I would have to disagree strongly . The movie , to me , does none of that . It shows the characters in their reverse roles through the gate , and how different their lives would be . It takes place in Germany so the enemy of course was picked accordingly . It has nothing to do with racism . If you have watched Fma and understand it you will see this point . Some may feel differently but I along with my friends do not . IT shows the determination of two brothers , their world , the new challenges they have to face , and their strength . In my opinion , if you parents let your kids watch any sort of Anime , let it be FMA . It teaches kids important lessons , things they may not find elsewhere . As one of the kids who was touched by FMA I say this in all honesty it truly is the best for all kids out there .
039 4 First of all , I would like to give a shout out to all those who have worked so hard in the production of this movie . I absolutely loved it . For all of the loyal FMA fans out there , this movie is sure not to dissappoint you . I have seen the movie a few times already , because I imported it in from Japan . The Japanese track for this movie is good as usual . However , I would like to also commend the good rendition of the movie Funimation gave it when translated into English . I was lucky enough to be able to see the stateside premiere of the movie at Otakon 2006 a few days ago . Overall , despite a few lacking translations , I am proud to rate this movie with a 5 out of 5 .
040 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
My first impression of FMA : COS is a nice way to tie up the tv series . The animamation recived an upgrade but to carhter desings are still reconizable . I watched the disc on an lcd and the colors are viberant . I would say you could wacth COS as a stand-alone movie because the story tells only want needs to be told .
041 4 My first impression of FMA : COS is a nice way to tie up the tv series . The animamation recived an upgrade but to carhter desings are still reconizable . I watched the disc on an lcd and the colors are viberant . I would say you could wacth COS as a stand-alone movie because the story tells only want needs to be told .
042 4 Let me start off by saying this is a fantastic movie . The graphics are beyond excellent , the characters are all perfectly cast and unchanged from the series , and there is an abundance of cool moments . The plot is interesting , the action is more frequent , and there are quite a few laughs dotting the main plot . However , i agree with the other reviewers that you neeed to watch the show and catch all the twists b4 watching this movie .
The movie starts off with Ed trapped in pre-WW2 munich , germany . Apparently , Earth is a world parallel to Eds world , Alcestia ( amestria ? i forget the name , and i dont think they even say it in the show . ) . Alphonse has returned to his body , and is an alchemist just as powerful as Ed was when he was in alcestia ( stronger ? maybe . ) . He is currently searching for Ed , not knowing what has become of him .
( SPOILERS AHEAD ! ! ! ) Some characters seem to shine like they never did in the series , but others seem cheated out of screentime . Mustang has demoted himself to an enlisted man , and is waiting for Ed to return . He rises to the occasion at the end , however , and winds up being just as cool as he ever was . Winrey has a lot of screentime , but she doesnt do much with it . Rose is barely in it at all , and Riza is in about 2 seconds of it , much to my disappointment . I thought she and Mustang were together at the end of the series , but i guess not anymore . Hohenheim is in like 3 seconds of it , and you never really find out what becomes of him after the movie ends . Envy is taken out without any real closure to her conflict . Izumi is dead , but her death brings about one of the most interesting aspects of the movie - the return of Wrath . To be honest , I always loved Wrath , but he is ( pardon my french ) unbelievably kickass in this movie . His battle with Gluttony is the movies high point , and his death is touching . at the end of the series , he was distraught about the death of his mommy Sloth . In the movie , he says he wants to die to see his mommy again , and you find yourself wondering which mother he's talking about - Sloth or Izumi . Watch the movie to find out which one , its insanely touching .
So , again , this movie is excellent . I loved it all the way through . So why am i giving it only 3 stars ? BECAUSE THE ENDING MADE ME WANT TO THROW MY TV OUT THE WINDOW ! ! ! Please take my advice , Fullmetal fans , if you dont want to feel completely betrayed , stop the movie as soon as he defeats the villain and make up your own ending . If you've watched the entire tv series and expect the movie to entail Eds return to his world , think again . He goes back for about 2 seconds , and then , bam ! He's back in Europe . Then the movie ends , and we're supposed to be satisfied . It was an insane dissapointment .
So , Fma fans , if you want some great action , great bits with Wrath and Al , and superb graphics , watch this movie . If you dont mind a terrible ending , watch the whole thing . if you do , stop before the end and use your imagination . Either way , this movie deserves to be viewed , if for nothing besides the fact that its Fullmetal Alchemist , and all fans of the show will watch this movie no matter what i say . So enjoy the movie for what its worth , but be warned about the foul ending . Adios .
069 4 This feature is a good way to get back in touch with the characters that made the FMA series amazing . It's interesting to see how they adapt to their changed lives . The Nazi storyline was very Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , but still entertaining . Overall , this was a satisfactory follow-up , with the only real negatives being that the whole story felt extremely rushed , while some sequences dragged on .
072 4 I'm very glad that I chose to purchase the Limited Edition version of ' Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ' . I only paid a few scant dollars more than I would have for just the DVD , but the little extras make it all worthwhile .
Fans of the anime will definitely appreciate the limited edition casing , the beautiful official art prints that arrive with the set , the book-within-a-book full of production notes and art concepts , and the extra DVD containing commentary with the English voice actors . I know I certainly did .
If you're looking to purchase this movie for yourself or someone else , please consider the limited edition - - it's definitely worth the extra effort .
080 4 I have seen both the anime and this movie and just started the manga and I have to say this movie is incredible . I loved it . I saw it once it got it into my hands . Though the ending to the movie was basically for the anime [ I heard . Supposely the manga continues on . ] , the ending was semi sad . Especially for Winry lovers . Also seems like her and Ed were never meant to be . But all in all it was an awesome movie and any true Full Metal Alchemist lover . . or anime fan in general would watch this movie and the anime .
= D
091 4 This movie , the ending to the 51 episode series , is a wonderful wrap up to it . The worlds depicted , the graphics , everything is just so amazing and is the most intriguing part of the FMA series . While we are still left with some of those long unanswered questions ( do Riza and Roy EVER get together ? ) and some tragic romance it is possibly the best anime movie to have come out within the last few years .
092 4 awesome movie , great series if your into FMA . Shipped fast and wasn't expensive . Thanx Amazon !
093 4 This one you'll want to watch over and over again-is a must see for FMA fans !
097 4 If you're an FMA fan , this is the DVD for you .
The two-disk limited edition includes the movie itself , both the FUNimation dub that most American fans will be familiar with and the original Japanese version with the original cast . It also includes a bundle of extras such as The Making of Full Metal Alchemist , The Movie , a 40 minute documentary with director Seiji Mizushima and Staff , numerous Japanese TV trailers , a production art image gallery , US trailers , Talk Session ; 54 minutes of interviews with the cast and crew , 3 audio commentaries with : the Japanese director and staff , the Japanese director and actors , and the US ADR director and actors .
The movie itself is not at all what fans demanded after the end of the series ; in my opinion nothing was truly concluded at the end of The Conqueror of Shamballa , but it was good in its purpose of being a continuation of the series itself . All of everyone's favorite characters come back for another round of Elric-type fun ( unless of course they died in the series , in which case they are not to be seen again . . . ) . There were many small things thrown in that one wouldn't notice if they haven't read the manga , as well .
The extras , though extensive as they are , are wonderful . I'm a geek who loves to know everything that goes on behind the scenes , and this DVD was my dream come true . It's easy enough to come by interviews with most of the American cast and crew , but the Japanese are a bit more elusive . I was laughing a good deal with them through their talk sessions , and found myself feeling their pain of knowing the series was over . The stories those who worked on the series bring to the table make it that much more realistic , and gives one an appreciation for the effort put into bringing this product to the US .
I honestly have nothing truly against this product to say . Other than the small details of the movie not really wrapping this whole kit and caboodle up , or the fact that Travis Willingham ( Roy Mustang ) managed to stay out of the American VA commentary - - nothing is negative here .
Great product , if you can still find one - - get it !
101 4 Fullmetal Alchemist - Conqueror of Shamballa may not be a casual anime fan's masterpiece but any fan of the series should see it . The story takes place after the last episode in the TV series , which had an open ending ( leaving enough unresolved issues for a movie ) . A complete conclusion alone is reason enough to see the movie .
The animation is stunning and the storyline is as if an episode was stretched for the movie's time length . The story itself is good but it will not win over those who dismissed the series . It also leans on the assumption that the viewer has seen the series by giving little background on previous events . The documentary found on the disc is gives a very informative look into the process of making the movie .
Hard-core fans will love this DVD regardless of any review , but those who only like Fullmetal can find satisfaction in an ending .
103 4 First off , my opinion might be a little biased by the fact that this is one of my all-time favorite anime of all time .
Second , if you haven't seen the series yet , I highly recommend that you do so before watching this , as you will have a better time understanding the characters and storyline .
Since I hate giving away storylines and because everybody hates spoilers , I'll just give a brief summary of the series . It's about two brothers who , after trying and failing to bring their dead mother back to life using alchemy , set out to search for an item called the Philosopher's stone . The series chronicles their journey as they search for the Stone with the help of the military and other friends . The movie itself is the official sequal to the series , beginning where the final episode left off .
In conclusion , this is a great movie for FMA fans and newcomers alike to enjoy . Although there are two versions , standard and limited edition , I would highly recommend the limited edition . It doesn't cost too much more ( about $5 - $10 more ) , and it comes with a booklet that helps the viewer understand the history of some of the characters , places , and events in the movie . The limited edition also comes with a bonus disc containing interviews with the Japanese and English cast and crew of the movie , as well as a set of character art cards . If you want a great anime movie , then this is the one to buy !
110 4 For those who have been watching the Full Metal Alchemist , there's no doubt you should pick this movie up . The movie picks up shortly after episode 52 left off .
The movie is amazingly beautiful . The graphics are stunning .
If you HAVEN'T been watching this show , you'll miss out on a LOT of stuff in there , and possibly won't enjoy it at all . The movie largely assumes you know what's gone on until this point , with just a few token gestures towards keeping bringing a newbie up to date .
111 4 I absolutly love this movie . the creators of FMA did a wonderful job of putting it togther . I would defantly suggest watchign the seris before you watch thsi movie . There is no back ground infor in the movie . they assume you have watched the seires . dont get me wrong it wont hurt if you havent watched the series .
The movie also did a wonderful job of wrapping up the seris since the last episdoe leaves you wondering what will ahppen to Edward and Alphonse . I was very satisfied with the ending .
112 4 I'm a big fan of FullMetal ALchemist . I have the first 4 manga volumes and two of the games ( Dual Sympathy for the DS & Curse of the Crimson Elixir for the PS2 ) . When I bought this movie , I thought , OH MY GOSH I FINALLY HAVE THE MOVIE ! ! ! . Boy , I wasn't dissatisfied .
The movie starts out in Munich , Germany , and is placed 2 years after the last episode of the Anime ( You can find the last few episodes on the Anime's Vol . 13 DVD , entitled Brotherhood ) . As Edward Elric - now seperated from Amestris while thinking his brother Alphonse is dead - tells stories to a man named Alphons Heidrich - a German rocket builder whom Ed met two years ago , and whom also looks like an older Alphonse - , he accidentally crashes the car into a tree and then hitches a ride to the local carnival with some gypsies , one of which resembles Rose from the ANime . Then , the action starts , and plays out like FMA should . I won't spoil anything , but I will say this : The ending is very dissappointing ( If you see the movie , you'd agree ) .
Anyways , FullMetal ALchemist : The COnqueror of SHamballa is a must-have for Anime and FMA fans alike . Although the ending's rather suckish , anyone'll love the movie , and then some .
117 4 I purchased a copy of FullMetal Alchemist The Movie Conqueror Of Shamballa on DVD . Two years have gone by since Edward Elric's ( AKA FullMetal ) sacrificed himself separating him from his younger brother . Ed's continuing research into rocketry has allied him with a fellow researcher who looks alot like his younger brother . Ed saves a girl named Noah with the power to read minds . Ed finds himself in the middle of a plot that could drag both worlds down . Al the younger brother has been unlocking new secrets of alchemy and gaining new power in the hopes of finding Ed . Can Ed and Al find a way to reunite without causing chaos , or will the world of alchemy and the world of modern science collide ? Please watch the 51 episode tv series before you the movie or you will be lost . The movie provides no backstory . I have some info about the DVD below .
Extras Includes
The Making Of FullMetal Alchemist The Movie 40 Minute Documentary With Director Seiji Mizushima And Staff .
Japanese Theatrical And TV Trailers
Production Art
Image Gallery
Trailers-Of Other Anime Shows
Movie Run-Time : 104 Minutes
Extras Run-Time : 45 Minutes
English 5.1 Surround English Stereo
Japanese 5.1 Surround Japenese Stereo
Subtitles On / Off
FullMetal Alchemist The Movie Conqueror Of Shamballa Guide Book
121 4 if you dont have it your missing out ! this movie wraps every thing up into a awsome thought provoking , action packed 104 minuets ! If by some weird twist of fate that you live under a bridge and hvent seen FMA this movie can stand on its own ! if thats so you need to see the series too . its a awsome story that draws you in and keeps you watching and thinking ! stop what your doing and git this movie now you wont be disapointed .
127 4 I purchased this for my daughter , she has watched it countless times and is still enthralled with this movie . . . if your child likes FMA I would definately recommend that you purchase this movie .
130 4 If you've watched the series all the way to the end , you already know that you're going to buy this movie , or at the very least rent it . It picks up two years after the end of the series , with Ed and Al working to find each other .
I was immensely looking forward to the Conqueror of Shamballa . Fullmetal Alchemist remains one of my all-time favourite anime series , and with the ending being what it was , I was eager to see what would come next . To tell the truth , I was somewhat disappointed with the movie . While the main story thread of the two brothers ' quest to be reunited is given sufficient attention , I found that most of the other characters were treated badly , with very little screen time , and very few of the plot threads left over from the series are resolved satisfactorily . What happens with Mustang and Hawkeye ? What becomes of Winry and Ed ? Much to my annoyance , these were not addressed . Instead of giving us more time with the characters we loved ( besides Ed and Al ) , we are introduced to new supporting characters and villains that are neither very interesting nor sympathetic . In my opinion , tying the whole Nazi angle into the story in more than just a background setting is rather hackneyed , and takes away from the main story and characters . I got the feeling that the creators were far too eager to take advantage of the fact that most of the story takes place in our world .
I can recommend it on the strength of my love for the characters ( despite the lack of screentime of most characters but Ed and Al ) and the strength of the series before it , but as a return to the joy that is the Fullmetal Alchemist , it falls a bit flat . Apart from that , it will serve fans who wish to get some closure or finality to the series ending ( i.e . all of you ) .
131 4 I highly recommend that you watch the entire series first . . . . ^ _ ^ ; It's slightly confusing if you haven't done so . ^ _ ^ However , it's a great movie ! ! ! ! I really liked it very much . ^ _ ^ I LOVE FMA !
132 4 A must see for any fan of FMA , The Conqueror of Shamballa is not only an excellent installent in the series , but a wonderful film in general . The movie takes place where the series left off , with Ed in Germany studying rocket science and Al relearning alchemy . Though it deviates from some of the artsitic and narritive styles of the series , the animation and plot are quite good , incorperating actual histroical fact and science with more mystical elements . The voice over cast from the dubbed series returns witht the usual stellar vocals , particulary Aaron Dismuke , who has imporved his acting skills since the series . The dubbed movie is a great improvment on the subtitled Japanese version , which left out major plot points and included confusing lines ( such as how Alphonse became a mother ) , leaving those not fluent in Japanese in a state of confusion . One note though , as with the series , The Conqueror of Shamballa could distrub younger viewers with scenes of intense gore . But for those of you who liked FMA for it's fight scenes , you will NOT be disapointed ! My only qualm about the movie is that it could have included the colorful secondary charcters from the series a bit more . Also , the special features are quite subpar . But otherwise , I believe The Conqueror of Shamballa will be a treat for anyone who appreciates a good story and sublime animation .
134 4 This movie is the ending to the absolutely amazing Full Metal Alchemist series . The thing I like about the movie is the way that it ties up all the lose ends that the series left straggling . I think that this movie needs to be seen to really experience all of the FMA animated storyline .
138 4 What a conclusion ! Is the only thing I could say upon completing Fullmetal Alchemist : The Conquerer of Shamballa .
If anyone was wondering what happens to the Elric brothers after the anime series ended , you'll find that out , right here .
- Will the Elric brothers ever see eachother again ?
- Will Ed ever return to his own world ?
- Will Al ever find Ed ?
- What ever happened to Ed and Al's father ?
And what on earth is Shamballa ?
These questions and more , are answered in this nearly two-hour long conclusion to the popular anime series , Fullmetal Alchemist . If you ( like me ) are a beloved fan of the series , then this DVD purchase ( or atleast a viewing ) is a must !
If I were to go into any of the plot , I may end up saying too much about the storyline and spoiling alot . So i'll try my very best to give a few details , and encourage you to purchase this DVD .
The Conquerer of Shamballa , takes place in Germany . The place where Ed found himself trapped , after FMA ended . He is now a normal citizen there , unable to use Alchemy , and is trying to adapt to his new life . His world has citizens that resemble those that he'd known in his own world . Even a boy ( by the name of Al ) whom looks suprizingly like his younger brother . While on his way to a fair , he meets a fortune teller . . . or a gypsy of sorts . She sees into Ed's mind after touching him , eventually later telling him that she can see into his dreams . And she knows about his other world . The world he's really from .
And that's where the fun begins . . . .
That's all i'm going to say about the plot . Saying any more , would give away too much , and thus , turn this review into a spoiler novelization .
But rest assured , the action is there . The suspense is there . And even the heartfelt emotion from the television series , is there .
If you're wanting to know what happened to Wrath and Gluttony , after FMA ended , this is the place to look . If you're wanting to know what happened to Ed and Al after FMA ended , this is the place to look . If you're simply wanting to know whom the Humunculus were originally modeled after , this DVD , is the place to look .
All questions are answered here , in this nearly two-hour long conclusion to a great series . Yes . This movie isn't a stand-alone movie . It infact is , the conclusion to the series .
Why let yourself miss out on the conclusion ?
Consider this movie to be the true final epsiode , of Fullmetal Alchemist . Do yourself a favor as a fan of the series , and don't let yourself pass this deeply thrilling , awe-inspiring , and action-packed conclusion by .
Purchase it .
As a fan of Fullmetal Alchemist , you owe it to yourself to see the final episode , and lay all pondered upon questions , to rest .
5 / 5 stars .
Brilliant finale , to a brilliant series !
139 4 I got to go to a premiere of the dubbed verison of this movie while attending Otakon . I loved it ! ! I laughed , and cried thoughout the movie . Unlike other anime movies it actually continued on where the series ended so it is wise if you had not done so alredy to watch the series first before viewing the movie or you might be alittle lost . They bring back ALL the original voice actors which was a major plus in my eyes ! ! Anyways it is a must see if not buy for ALL FMA fans or even anime fans for that matter ! ! I promise you , you will not be disapppointed ! !
140 4 I first caught wind of a FMA movie being in the works , more than a year before it was released , and I was ESTATIC ! . I watched it one time through , the usual action and badassary was present , until the end . The ending was just so . . . so . . . attrocious . Here's the story : Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric were 2 boys , living a good life , until thier mother dropped dead . Ed and Al are amatuer alchemists , but Ed tries a forbidden alchemy , to try and rez his mother . In the process , he loses his arm and leg , and Al loses his whole body . Quickly , Ed puts Al's soul into a suit of armor.They go a journey to find the fabled Philosopher's Stone . I wont ruin the end of the series , but somehow Ed gets transported to Germany . World War 2 is going to come around the corner and Ed is going to get mixred up in it . Al gets his body back , but forget his journey with his brother . Alphonse trains in alchemy and goes on a search for bother . The movie was great , but the ending sucked . Watch all the way until the end , then quickly turn off your dvd player .
143 4 Full Metal Alchemist the Movie picks up a few years after where the series left off . With the two brothers seperated by a rift in two worlds ( with Ed being transported into one that looks much like our own . Things aren't going too well for him . However because it would be boring to see his character moping the whole time , stuff happens .
The plot is crazy and doesn't make a whole lot of sense ( which isn't helped by the fact that you need to have seen a 51 episode series to understand the events of this movie ) but it's entertaining . There's something about the Nazis in here and how a woman who works for them is trying to open up a gate to Ed's world through Alchemy , but how Alchemy works in a world where it's not supposed to is never explained ( for the same reason that Ed can clap his hands and make things appear while everyone else has to draw up elaborate chalk diagrams I suppose . )
Anyway things start happening . People in metal suits invade Ed's world in giant flying Alchemy machines while the crazy woman screams about how she has magical powers now . In the end however everything works out okay . Oh , aside from the fact that Ed's dad is now dead and that the brothers are trapped in a world away from everyone they ever knew . And there's this gypsy girl who lives with them . Yeah , I dunno what that's about .
FMA The Movie is well animated , and ends on what they try to convince you is a ' happy ' note , but considering all the plot holes that this movie has it doesn't really deserve to be seen as the end of the series . Also the villains are given absolutly no motive . Why that is I don't know , but I can only think that perhaps the production studio was biting off more than they could chew here and opted to go with a visual over story approach . The whole production feels rather unfufilling though , and we're never given any reason to believe that this is actually a happy ending except for the fact that the two main characters , the Elric brothers , are smiling at the end .
In a sentence , the FMA movie is only for great fans of the series who will overlook the subpar writing in the movie and enjoy the visuals . I still have no idea what the Nazi party was trying to invade this other world for . And who the heck was the crazy woman ? Too many questions remain unanswered .
144 4 * Yes * you will read this same review on each of the DVDs for this series . I do not own them all as of yet , but have seen the series in it's entirety .
I am absolutely impressed with this show . The first time I watched any of it , I was not the least bit interested . I'm a definate anime fan , however , I'm very select about what I choose to watch ( no sailor moon , or pokemon for myself thanks ! ) . My original take on this show was that it was over-hyped and childish . At the time I was involved in another set of shows and was content , but when I finished those shows this series was rerunning from the beginning on cartoon network's adult swim , so , with nothing else to watch I thought I would give it another chance .
This time I fell in love with it , it has become one of my favorite anime's to date ! The story is very indepth , and detailed . There isn't near as much fan-service as in other shows which can take away from the show itself , and it has relevant undertones .
I am a fan of shows like Cowboy Bebop , Trinity Blood , Trigun , Big O , FLCL ( Fooly Cooly ) , Samuria Champloo , and such . If you share similar interests , then you may very well enjoy this show !
151 4 Some would say I am a pretty big FMA fan . From the pocketwatch to clothing to even seeing a bootleg version of this movie about 11 months ago . I must say that I was disappointed . The ending of the movie ruined the WHOLE FMA series for me . I don't want to put in any spoilers ( and I won't ) but the entire movie was good up until that ending . It's happy in a sense but just wrong , way off track , and bad for the cannon .
Now , leading up to the ending , this movie is pretty good . The story line of Ed was boring in parts but was ' creative ' . It was really fun seeing Al in human form ! Took a bit to get used to but when he fights , he fights better than Ed in the series .
I adored this show . But if I had my way , I'd go back in time and not watch it . I'd rather have it end as it did in the series .
154 4 If you're wondering what happened to the characters after the end of the Fullmetal Alchemist TV series , this movie picks up a couple of years later , and attempts to wrap up the outstanding story questions .
The setting is an interesting one - - one of the storylines plays out in Munich in the early 1920s , and does a nice job of portraying Germany racked by post-war inflation , bitter WWI veterans , the beginnings of research into rocketry , and the rise of the Nazi Party , and the beer-hall putsch .
However , the plot suffers from some major logical inconsistencies , suffers from a sagging middle where not much happens except for a walk-on cameo by a real historical figure ( movie director Fritz Lang ) , and ends up falling back on well-worn B-movie evil Nazi cliches .
Fans of Fullmetal Alchemist should enjoy this one , and it does attempt to provide an emotionally satisfying conclusion to the long strange journey of the Elric Brothers in a rarely-used historical setting .
156 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
Back in the mid - 90 ' s I really got into buying Anime . In fact I was into Japanese animation even before it became regularly available on VHS tapes . After several years I quit picking them up because I seemed to be stumbling across more misses than hits . Some were quite spectacular but an unfortunate amount were mediocre , bland and derivative and the worst thing was that Anime tended to be on the expensive side . There were a few specific directors that I continued to support including Miyazaki and Otomo but even Otomo let me down with Steamboy . Recently I felt the Anime bug again and decided to try my luck . Unlike before I had quite a few resources available to research the quality of an Anime before purchasing it . Fullmetal Alchemist looked like the most appealing being highly rated , top selling and low priced . Maybe I set my expectations too high but it failed to live up to my hopes .
The animation is a mixed bag . Sometimes it's quite beautiful and other times it reverts to a very silly cartoonish style . Overall I give the art mostly high marks but it seemed to lack a certain spark or pizzazz . My biggest problem was with the plot . The Thule society ( a real life group that worked with the Nazi's ) has discovered a gate between our world ( or at least something close to it ) and the world of Fullmetal Alchemist , also known as Amestris . Dietlinde Eckhart , the Thule society leader and movie's antagonist , mistakenly believes the portal leads to Shamballa , the mythical Tibetan kingdom in the Himalayas . At this point things started to fall apart . First of all there is no ` Conqueror of Shamballa ' because there is no Shamballa just Amestris and technically the Thule society doesn't even try and conquer it . Second , the Thule society's plot seems dubious at best . The plan is to raid Amestris in order to grab technology or mystical weapons they can use to support the fledgling Nazi party . Oddly enough the Thule society already has some pretty stunning resources including rocketry that shouldn't have been available for another 20 years , automatic guns and armor that seems to mix technology and magic .
So if the Thule society already has this kind of fantastic weaponry why bother with parallel worlds and if Amestris has even better technology wont the Thule army just get decimated . Well , yes . That is exactly what happens . This first raid is easily taken care of by young Alphonse Elric single-handedly . The second raid is much larger but the slow moving armored warriors are no match for the much faster and more powerful Alchemists of Amestris . I don't want to give away the ending but the plan of the Thule society was ill conceived and doomed from the start .
As someone who has never seen a single episode of Fullmetal Alchemist I found the movie frequently confusing . Probably the coolest battle in the movie was the one between a character named Wrath and a creature named Gluttony . Unfortunately I never saw these characters before or after the battle and have no idea what the fight was all about . It looked dramatic and the main character Edward Elric was present but I have no idea how it tied into the rest of the movie . The biggest crime committed by this movie is that it just isn't memorable . As the main villain Eckhart has nothing interesting going for her . The movie is good but never really reaches the level of great and it will likely sit on my shelf collecting dust . This one would have been better as a rental .
157 4 Back in the mid - 90 ' s I really got into buying Anime . In fact I was into Japanese animation even before it became regularly available on VHS tapes . After several years I quit picking them up because I seemed to be stumbling across more misses than hits . Some were quite spectacular but an unfortunate amount were mediocre , bland and derivative and the worst thing was that Anime tended to be on the expensive side . There were a few specific directors that I continued to support including Miyazaki and Otomo but even Otomo let me down with Steamboy . Recently I felt the Anime bug again and decided to try my luck . Unlike before I had quite a few resources available to research the quality of an Anime before purchasing it . Fullmetal Alchemist looked like the most appealing being highly rated , top selling and low priced . Maybe I set my expectations too high but it failed to live up to my hopes .
The animation is a mixed bag . Sometimes it's quite beautiful and other times it reverts to a very silly cartoonish style . Overall I give the art mostly high marks but it seemed to lack a certain spark or pizzazz . My biggest problem was with the plot . The Thule society ( a real life group that worked with the Nazi's ) has discovered a gate between our world ( or at least something close to it ) and the world of Fullmetal Alchemist , also known as Amestris . Dietlinde Eckhart , the Thule society leader and movie's antagonist , mistakenly believes the portal leads to Shamballa , the mythical Tibetan kingdom in the Himalayas . At this point things started to fall apart . First of all there is no ` Conqueror of Shamballa ' because there is no Shamballa just Amestris and technically the Thule society doesn't even try and conquer it . Second , the Thule society's plot seems dubious at best . The plan is to raid Amestris in order to grab technology or mystical weapons they can use to support the fledgling Nazi party . Oddly enough the Thule society already has some pretty stunning resources including rocketry that shouldn't have been available for another 20 years , automatic guns and armor that seems to mix technology and magic .
So if the Thule society already has this kind of fantastic weaponry why bother with parallel worlds and if Amestris has even better technology wont the Thule army just get decimated . Well , yes . That is exactly what happens . This first raid is easily taken care of by young Alphonse Elric single-handedly . The second raid is much larger but the slow moving armored warriors are no match for the much faster and more powerful Alchemists of Amestris . I don't want to give away the ending but the plan of the Thule society was ill conceived and doomed from the start .
As someone who has never seen a single episode of Fullmetal Alchemist I found the movie frequently confusing . Probably the coolest battle in the movie was the one between a character named Wrath and a creature named Gluttony . Unfortunately I never saw these characters before or after the battle and have no idea what the fight was all about . It looked dramatic and the main character Edward Elric was present but I have no idea how it tied into the rest of the movie . The biggest crime committed by this movie is that it just isn't memorable . As the main villain Eckhart has nothing interesting going for her . The movie is good but never really reaches the level of great and it will likely sit on my shelf collecting dust . This one would have been better as a rental .
159 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( Limited Edition ) ( DVD )
Why didn't they release this version the same time as the non-limited edition ? I just bought the original movie release . If I had known about this upcoming version , I might have waited .
It's bad enough that many movies get re-released a ridiculous number of times . But to sneak this in for a first-time release is just wrong . Anime doesn't get the kind of free media coverage as mainstream titles , it's wrong to expect that fans are all going to do the extensive research necessary to find out pre-release dates for curveballs like this .
It's time to stop marketing DVD product with the assumption that everyone is rich and doesn't think about how many copies of the same title it is sane to own .
BTW , the movie is very good but not a perfect ending to the story . For the most part it rose above the level of extended TV episode , but FMA's standards for TV episode were high to begin with .
I hope there's more to come . And that it's marketed better when it does .
160 4 Why didn't they release this version the same time as the non-limited edition ? I just bought the original movie release . If I had known about this upcoming version , I might have waited .
It's bad enough that many movies get re-released a ridiculous number of times . But to sneak this in for a first-time release is just wrong . Anime doesn't get the kind of free media coverage as mainstream titles , it's wrong to expect that fans are all going to do the extensive research necessary to find out pre-release dates for curveballs like this .
It's time to stop marketing DVD product with the assumption that everyone is rich and doesn't think about how many copies of the same title it is sane to own .
BTW , the movie is very good but not a perfect ending to the story . For the most part it rose above the level of extended TV episode , but FMA's standards for TV episode were high to begin with .
I hope there's more to come . And that it's marketed better when it does .
162 4 Ive been a fan of FMA since the first episode i watched . As the series story became more unraveled and you meet all the characters you found out new and different things . But out of them all , im a fan of the flame Roy Mustang . The beginning of the movie was a good start to it but as you watched more of it there was more twist and turns to it . But in the overall end it was pretty good .
163 4 So , yeah . After watching the entire Fullmetal alchemist series dubbed , I really wanted to see the movie and I wanted to see it in Japanese because I couldn't wait for it to come out in America , so yeah , this is what I thought :
I thought it was interesting how they used historical events such as the beginning of WWII with Hitler and such and how they used OUR WORLD as the other side of the gate . Some points were really confusing though such as Why was Gracia ( Maes's Wife ) in our world . Other parts were confusing like Roy Mustang's rank being Demoted and why he didn't become president if it was his life long dream or something like that .
I really liked the ending , even though it made me really sad how * SPOILER *
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- A lot of MAIN Characters died a long with the rest of the homunculus .
Anywho , I loved the movie , the background music was also great as well , if you like to pay attention to the background music of the movie and so where the sound effects , they really dragged you in . Despite the sadness , there was some comic relief in the movie ^ ^ So yeah , I hope you all enjoy as much as I did .
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
The Conqueror of Shamballa is the final installment of the Full Metal Alchemist series , and takes up where Ed has been trapped in pre-World War II Germany . Without giving away the details of the movie , I will say this movie only earned 4 stars , because I expected the movie to resolve the issue of the humunculi and scar , and it BARELY touches those two topics it was such a small segment of the story . I was surprised even by the handling of Ed and Al's father . . . it was a very shallow ending . I think they spent so much time setting up the story about the rise of Hitler , they missed a great opportunity to delve into the wonderful story they had already created .
056 4 Before I say anything I else , I have got to say that FullMetal Alchemist is one of the GREATEST animes and mangas ever made . The plot is fantastic , the characters are amazing and you love all of them instantly , and the series in its entirety is a perfect blend of sci-fi , fantasy , action , humor , and hurt / comfort . Altogether , FMA is my favorite series ever and I cannot think of many people who can outright hate it . It's amazing , simple . as . that .
This movie is an amazing ending to the series , although I do sort of wish it came out different at parts . But besides that , it is amazing .
A quick warning though ; if you have not seen ALL of the series , then this movie will make absolutely no sense to you , and not only will you come out completely confused but the series will be spoiled for you . So yeah , see the first anime series before you watch this .
This anime is so amazing . I recommend it to everyone I know . I find most people enjoy it , even people who don't like anime . FMA is hard not to love , and this movie makes it all wrap up perfectly .
I think everyone should not only see this movie but the whole series in general . Its amazing . I can't express my affection for the series enough ! XD : )
057 4 box came a little damaged ( not senders fault though ) , looked like defect from whoever made box . Came wrapped brand new ! however shipping was fast and on time . GREAT MOVIE for the fma fans out there . something i recommend for those of you wanting to keep the anime collection going
107 4 This review is from :
Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie - The Conqueror of Shamballa ( DVD )
The Conqueror of Shamballa is the final installment of the Full Metal Alchemist series , and takes up where Ed has been trapped in pre-World War II Germany . Without giving away the details of the movie , I will say this movie only earned 4 stars , because I expected the movie to resolve the issue of the humunculi and scar , and it BARELY touches those two topics it was such a small segment of the story . I was surprised even by the handling of Ed and Al's father . . . it was a very shallow ending . I think they spent so much time setting up the story about the rise of Hitler , they missed a great opportunity to delve into the wonderful story they had already created .
108 4 The Conqueror of Shamballa is the final installment of the Full Metal Alchemist series , and takes up where Ed has been trapped in pre-World War II Germany . Without giving away the details of the movie , I will say this movie only earned 4 stars , because I expected the movie to resolve the issue of the humunculi and scar , and it BARELY touches those two topics it was such a small segment of the story . I was surprised even by the handling of Ed and Al's father . . . it was a very shallow ending . I think they spent so much time setting up the story about the rise of Hitler , they missed a great opportunity to delve into the wonderful story they had already created .
152 4 there were explosions , action , explosions n a killer plot . plus more explosions ! ! many caused by Ed or Roy . . . hehe . but v sad : , ( but great ! ! !
^ ^
i REALLY recommend ! ! !
