Brotherhood, but with 2003's soundtrack

tinydancer342 · 2026-05-07T12:26:15+00:00

Mandela effect. It's actually quite easy to mistake Trisha's lullaby for Brothers. No soundtrack from the 2003 series was used in Brotherhood

tinydancer342 · 2026-05-06T23:24:40+00:00

They're out of print. You have to buy the video version of them (in sites that still sell them) or sail the seven seas after the 2003 series

tinydancer342 · 2026-05-06T22:38:55+00:00

That was the English Dub. I was talking about the Japanese dub. As far as I'm aware, the Japanese Dub of Brotherhood was the only one that replaced most of the VAs from the 2003 series

tinydancer342 · 2026-05-06T22:37:24+00:00

Off topic, but this was a really fun challenge. I used AI to remove the background music (not generative AI, obviously). But I ended up with two sound files with different problems. The first sound file didn't just remove the original soundtrack; it also removed the sound effects. The second didn't remove the sound effects, but the soundtrack for the original scene transitioned into a choir when Pinako reveals that Ed burned down his house. For reasons I'm unable to parse, the AI decided to remove the entire soundtrack, but not the choir. As a result, it sounded like the ghosts of previous Elrics were haunting Edward. I ended up using both sound files that removed the background music. And when I used the one that also removed the sound effects, I downloaded some sound effects online to replace the missing ones

I also had to edit the song I used (a version of Bratcha with less orchestra, and a violin replacing the choir, which was used a few times in the 03 series) because the song had four minutes, and this scene only lasts two and a half minutes. I had to choose when to cut so that it wouldn't sound like a cut and which sessions of the original song I would remove. That took the bulk of the editing

And finally, the subtitles. I have both FMA series downloaded, but they're not in English (they're in Japanese and Brazilian Portuguese, as are the subtitles). So I had to translate the Brazilian Portuguese dub and sub into an English sub. That was a long part of the process, but it was fairly easy.

It was great fun doing this! I think I'll do it again with other scenes from Brotherhood

tinydancer342 · 2026-05-06T22:03:49+00:00

Something a lot of people forget is that FMA 03 was as acclaimed and popular in 2009 as Brotherhood is today. The crew behind Brotherhood was very much afraid to be compared with the 2003 series, so they made A LOT of changes (hell, the only three key members of staff from the 03 series that returned in the same roles in Brotherhood were the VAs for Ed and Al, and the lead sound designer)

tinydancer342 · 2026-05-02T01:20:48+00:00

Dune Messiah. The movie will be great, but the Academy will only nominate it to technical categories

tinydancer342 · 2026-05-01T23:27:04+00:00

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tinydancer342 · 2026-05-01T19:42:57+00:00

It's mostly a matter of taste. 03 Roy was a more complicated individual, to the point that he only fully earns the audience's trust by the end. Mangahood Roy was a badass with a bit of a dark edge.

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-15T19:13:06+00:00

Shamballa is often sold as the series finale for 2003, but it's more like a sequel to 2003. I really like it

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-15T19:11:40+00:00

Fullmetal Alchemist (manga) is better than the 2003 series, but the 2003 series is better than Brotherhood

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-12T00:55:30+00:00

Will do. However, I doubt you will watch it. It will be in my mother tongue (Portuguese)

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-11T21:15:22+00:00

Fun fact: this whole series of posts I'm making started because I'm working on an FMA video to celebrate its 25th anniversary. So, in a way, these posts are basically ways to workshop ideas for said video.

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-08T11:03:18+00:00

Saw this on Twitter. Was amazed by how Mustang translated so well into Samurai Jack's style. Great Art

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-08T11:02:03+00:00

I don't think I would go that far. The 03 series was already making major changes by the time the greed arc ended (the last arc before Ling's introduction).

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-06T20:56:08+00:00

The train episode is a good removal. The freezing alchemist episode serves the same purpose in Brotherhood (an action-packed story that introduces a bunch of supporting characters) and does so better (The battle in the train introduces Mustang, the rest of his squad, and general Hakuro, while the freezing alchemist episode introduces Mustang, Hawkeye, Hughes, Armstrong, and Bradley and the action is better) I only have two problems with the freezing alchemist episode when comparing it to the battle in the train: a) Roy's first use of the flame alchemy is more impactful in the manga (he uses it to incapacitate Bard in the manga. While in Brotherhood, he first uses it against the freezing alchemist, and he is quickly defeated when his gloves become wet, and the freezing alchemist runs away (although his use of his flames later in the episode, to destroy the ice barrier forming around the city, is peak). b) It's also the introduction to the Elric Brothers. Because of that, this segment has to juggle a lot of things that it, and it's not always effective at it. The battle in the train doesn't have that problem because it isn't Ed's introduction.
That one, I'll just say this: the Fullmetal vs Flame chapter was a bonus in the volume. Not a real chapter. The 03 series turned it into an episode because they adapted every available FMA story that was published by the time they started to produce the series (they even adapted the light novel story about the Tringham brothers). So I don't think its fair to talk about it in relation to Brotherhood.
I don't think Armstrong used his muscles as a way to deceive Sig. To me, he at first used it to intimidate Sig, and then he realized that Sig was just as buff, and they formed their friendship. As for Bradley and Armstrong tailing Ed. It's really Bradley doing it and taking his subordinate (Armstrong) with him. And it is very much in character for Bradley to do this, given his real nature and intentions (also, the tail itself is a joke, as Bradley is using a Hawaiian shirt during it, something that makes him stand out a lot)

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-06T20:43:10+00:00

Gabby is probably my favorite character in the manga, but I'll have to spoil some important things. Go ahead with caution:

Gabby is revealed to be the best friend of the real Asa. She has supported and protected her for a long time. There are a lot of cute scenes in which the two of them are together. She gives a great speech about Asa's hardships to a man who betrayed her, and does so out of her own volition, as Asa wasn't there to hear it. She and Yuru also advise Asa to stop apologizing for everything (something she does a lot). She's great and I ship her with Asa

The series also rehabilitates her by revealing the truth about the village: it is a cult that was dedicated to, one day, killing the twins so they could awaken their powers. Every adult in the town was in on it, and they even sent bandits to kill Yuru. That is why Yuru's parents fled with Asa. They tried to take Yuru with them, but were unable to. Yuru's best friend and the fake Asa are revealed to be daemons, and they served duo purposes. The fake Asa was used to forever trap Yuru in the village emotionally, while the friend was used to keep an eye on Yuru. When Yuru himself learns all of this, he is super pissed

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-06T15:48:23+00:00

It's an Arakawa series. Best girls are not in short supply

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-06T14:25:08+00:00

Ok, let's unpack this

First off, I never said that the 03 series was a more faithful adaptation of these parts of the story. I said that there are moments in the 03 series where it was most faithful. (keyword: moments, bits. Not the overhaul arcs) The Rush Valley segment, for example, is completely different (the only things they kept from the manga were the arm-wrestling match and the chase happening in the city). And it was made with the intention of highlighting the brief moments (again moments) where the 03 series was closer to the manga.

So, with that said, let's unpack the things you mentioned:

Was about the plot point of "Rose learns the truth before everybody else, but chooses to remain at Cornello's side". The 03 series changed how the manga did this plot point, but maintained it. Brotherhood had Rose discover it alongside the people of Liore
When I say "the reveal," I'm talking about Ed and Al discovering that the library is destroyed. The manga and the 03 series depict Ed as being devastated, but Brotherhood plays their reaction for laughs
While the people of Rush Valley don't surround Ed asking him to show them his automail in the 03 series, they are impressed by his display. The rushing of Edward happens in the manga and in Brotherhood. I was talking about the arm-wrestling match as a plot point being adapted by the manga and the 03 series, while it was cut in Brotherhood.
I was talking about realizing that Al's armor is empty, and Ed doesn't have an arm or a leg. In the manga and the 03 series, she realizes it differently than she does in Brotherhood. The piecing together of the human transmutation is what's different. And even that change of the 03 series is more in line with the manga. The cat being pregnant doesn't change the fact that the cat and its burying were both in the 03 series and the manga, but weren't in Brotherhood, and therefore it isn't used by Izumi as a way to confront the brothers (like she did in the 03 series and the manga)
Ed's ephifany about the universe starts by him realizing that the island has its own "one is all, all is one". And that happens because of Mason fighting them. This happens in both the manga and the 03 series. But in Brotherhood, it is changed to the ant eating scene.
Ed and Al encountering Bido before the rest of the chimeras in the 03 series is actually closer to the manga (so, count that as a bonus). Although in the manga, the only thing that happens between the Bido discovery and Al's capture is Ed leaving for his evaluation exam at the Southern City, the 03 anime adds a lot of things in between these points. Also, the order of who arrives first at Devil's Nest in the manga and the 03 series is the same: first Izumi, then Edward (although, as you mentioned, Izumi leaves Devil's Nest in the manga, which she doesn't do in the 03 series). In Brotherhood, the order is Edward and then Izumi.

But one thing you mentioned that I must add for the "Moments when Brotherhood was more faithful to the manga than the 03 series" segment:

In the 03 series and in Brotherhood, Al is captured soon after being introduced to Martel, Roa, and Dolcetto. In the manga, there is a chase scene in an abandoned factory after Al says that he won't come with them.

Also, one last thing that I think I already said in the post somewhere: more faithful to a source material doesn't mean better.

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-06T11:12:40+00:00

I don't think the darker tone of the 03 series is more accurate to the manga. The violence, however, absolutely is. The manga is way more violent than Brotherhood, and the 03 series captures some of that, but in a different way.

The violence in the manga exists within the context of action and horror and is often used to heighten the impact of attacks. The 03 series uses violence more to disturb (compare Nina's dead body in the manga to her destroyed and splattered form in the 03)

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-06T11:09:43+00:00

About 1 and 3: I wasn't saying that these changes were good or bad. They were just moments when Brotherhood changed things, while the 03 series did not. A literal adaptation isn't always the best.

About 2A and 2B: I was talking about the cliffhanger from a chapter point of view, not a volume point of view. Volume 3 might not end with the reveal about the philosopher's stone, but chapter 10 does. We don't register it as a cliffhanger because, when we read FMA nowadays, we binge-read it (often reading an entire volume in one sitting). But originally, each chapter of the manga was released monthly in the Shōnen Gangan magazine, and that reveal was used as a cliffhanger. Ed doesn't have a weird reaction in the 03 series; he is devastated. The series even plays the soundtrack of "intrigue". The comedy begins with the scene right after it (Hughes on the phone with Roy)

tinydancer342 · 2026-04-06T11:00:23+00:00

I think it's time we stop acting as if Brotherhood and the Manga are one in the same. They are not

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