Friday, December 27, 2013

Spice and Wolf Season Two Anime Review

Spice and Wolf Season Two
Okami to Koshinryo or Spice and Wolf II
Funimation
Complete Collection - 2 discs
325 mins. - 13 episodes
$69.98 (2011) Blu-Ray
$64.98 (2011) Blu-Ray/DVD combo
$64.98 (2012) Blu-Ray Seasons 1-2
ISBN 704400011825
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Takeo Takahashi
Studio - Brain's Base

Synopsis: Kraft Lawrence is a traveling merchant who follows a trade route buying and selling goods.  He met up with a supernatural wolf-goddess during a harvest festival and made a deal to take her to her ancestral home in the far north.  She calls herself Holo the Wise Wolf, but acts anything but!  She mostly complains and acts haughty while truly being unfamiliar with the ways of the modern world.  Beneath her playful impatience lies truly magical power.
Lawrence and Holo travel together. It gets colder as they head further north
Lawrence and Holo have journeyed together for quite awhile and shared many adventures.  He is a skilled merchant and impresses Holo with his trade dealings.  He is especially adept at reading potential partners and taking advantage of currents in the local marketplace.  While Holo may seem obsessed with food and drink (mostly drink!) she also develops a good head for business by paying close attention to Lawrence's deals.  She possesses keen senses which come in very handy when assessing local intrigue.
Holo and Lawrence visit a town during a festival which looks
ominously like a scene from the Wicker Man movie!
The two have become very close during their travels and have helped each other greatly, but the end of their journey draws near as they head further north.  While staying in a town where Lawrence has a good merchant friend the two meet a young man named Fermi Amati who is instantly smitten by Holo's looks.  He ends up being a shrewd merchant who threatens to drive a nail between the two traveling companions.  Lawrence's merchant skills are put to the test when he locks wits with the young man.
Lawrence takes care of Holo when she falls ill
Cracks form between Holo and Lawrence as they both realize their final destination means an end to their partnership.  Lawrence seeks information about Holo's origins and the land she comes from, but the news threatens to break them apart forever.  Will Lawrence choose to follow his dream of setting roots and financing a local shop when it means separating from Holo?  Will Holo leave Lawrence behind to spare him from the dangers of her goal since he is a mere human?
The young merchant Amarti challenges Lawrence to a test of
financial skill in order to get closer to Holo.
Pros: Nice animation style, good music and opening/ending theme songs, great characters and story development, simple supply/demand economics of the merchant trade was a rare treat, relationship between Holo and Lawrence was excellent progression from the first season, Holo is great - knowledgeable sage one minute and then capricious drunk the next, good dub
Lawrence attempts to sell his wares, but is Holo working with him or
helping Amarti to teach Lawrence a lesson?
Cons: Slow-paced, practically no action, only two story arcs over the entire season, ending was a bit unsatisfying
Holo takes a morning stretch.  Hmm...I wonder what Lawrence sees in her?
Mike Tells It Straight: I loved the first season of Spice and Wolf and was really excited to watch this second season.  The story and characters were really fresh compared to a lot of recent anime.  Holo and Lawrence are really fun to see interact as she teases him while he tries to get business done.  Their relationship slowly grows across these two seasons and is very touching.  I'm an accountant and it was a treat to watch merchant dealings as a main focus of an anime.  It's highly simplified, but the situations really build in drama until a final resolution.
Lawrence meets a mysterious merchant who has information about the
fur trade - are they trustworthy or attempting to manipulate the market?
The biggest difference between the two seasons is the first was more episodic as Holo and Lawrence get to know each other during their trip while the second had only two story arcs.  Both arcs were fascinating and contained a lot of intrigue, but it really limited the scope of the show to these two major situations.  The pair get closer to their final destination and tensions rise.  We don't know what Holo will do and whether she'll keep traveling with Lawrence to the end.  Great drama and storytelling!
Holo and Lawrence's friendship becomes more strained as they
near the end of their journey
The artwork was relatively consistent with the first season, but I didn't notice the same lush backgrounds as both story arcs were set within dingy medieval cities.  Both opening and ending theme songs/sequences changed and weren't quite as good as the first season's.  I was a bit disappointed at the complete lack of action and only subtle fantasy elements in this second season.  The lack of action was my biggest gripe for the first season and this season had practically nil.  I guess the focus was squarely on the relationship between Lawrence and Holo.  I still loved the show and highly recommend it for viewers looking for something playfully mature and charming.  The ending wasn't very strong and it absolutely begs for continuation of the story.  I really hope a Spice and Wolf Season 3 happens!
Lawrence uncovers startling tales about Holo's origins and where she's from

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Ghost in the Shell Anime Movie Review

Ghost in the Shell
Gosuto in za Sheru and Kokaku Kidotai
Manga Entertainment
Movie - 82 minutes - 1 disc
$14.98 (2010) 2.0
$19.97 (2009) 2.0 Blu-Ray
$19.97 (2007)
$34.98 (2005) Special Edition
$19.98 (1998)
ISBN 780063552929
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Mamoru Oshii
Studio - Production I.G

Synopsis: Human technology has been steadily advancing to the point where in the year 2029 cyborgs are commonplace and the net is a vast landscape of information.  The line between human and machine continues to blur.  Cyborg enhancements enable great strength, dexterity, information processing, and direct communication through data links (similar to telepathy).  Entirely artificial prosthetic bodies are available with the human's soul residing as a 'ghost' in the machine.  Crime and espionage have reached a new level and governments have set up special groups to deal with the elevated threat.
The Major repels down a building after completing a mission
The Japanese government's Public Security Section 9 is a sanctioned group which deals with the highest level of cyber-crimes.  They use the most advanced technology and their field commander is Major Motoko Kusanagi, a full-body cyborg.  She's an expert at hand-to-hand, urban combat, and tactics.  Her right hand is Batou who possesses enhancements to his eyes and upper torso.  He's a tough customer, but still bows to the Major's authority.  Section 9 is led by Chief Aramaki, a man with intense morals and attachment to his team.
A diplomat's aide gets her cyberbrain hacked and Section 9 is called in
Section 9 investigates a hack into the cyberbrain of an aide to a government official.  Soon they're embroiled in a chase to find the powerful hacker known as the 'Puppet Master'.  This hacker is able to enter the cyberbrains of individuals and make them perform involuntary tasks.  It's called 'ghost-hacking' and one of the frightening drawbacks of cyberization.  When their investigation draws attention from Section 6 it becomes a political power-play to find the Puppet Master.
Batou is the Major's second-in-command and a real hard-ass
Who is the elusive Puppet Master and who is really trying to find him?  Are Sections 6 and 9 being to carry out another government's kill order?  The Major and almost every member of her team have been cyberized - are they easy targets for the Puppet Master?  The intrigue thickens as Section 9 gets closer to finding the answers to these questions.  What is Project 2501?  Where does the line between humanity and machine intelligence begin to lose coherence?
The creation of the Major's cyborg body - here we see the
final formation of the artificial skin
Pros: Visually stunning and CG layering was revolutionary for its time (released in the mid-nineties), haunting soundtrack, compelling story which still resonates today with the nature of computers and humans, great action sequences, amazing technology (thermo-optical camouflage)
The backgrounds in a chase scene literally look like photos
Cons: Very little action and a lot of theorizing about electronic souls, movie does not end with a frenetic crescendo instead more theorizing, absolutely no humor (which deviates from the original manga), dry and existential movie - Oshii's specialty
Who is this mysterious prosthetic body which just walked
off the assembly-line and ran into the streets
Mike Tells It Straight: Ghost in the Shell (aka GitS) can easily be considered one of the top anime films of the 1990s and has been considered the decade's Akira.  It was a revolution in film making with highly detailed backgrounds, advanced use of computer graphics in tandem with traditional animation, and compelling exposition on the nature of humanity/technology.  The film is often considered director Mamoru Oshii's (The Sky Crawlers, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade) masterpiece and has garnered much international attention.  It's originally based on the manga by Masamune Shirow, a prolific artist with many works translated into anime (Appleseed, Dominion Tank Police) although none quite so popular as GitS.
One of the creepier cybernetic enhancements portrayed these
prosthetic hands expands out for lightning fast typing.  I think
this would instantly de-sexy any hot receptionist
In stark contrast to Oshii's film, Shirow's manga includes many humorous moments.  It's intricately detailed and paramilitary focused, but Shirow clearly enjoys contrasting the serious subject matter with comedy.  The character of Batou particularly has an amusing, awkward side in the manga, but is portrayed as a complete hard-ass in the film.  GitS the film spawned (thankfully) several sequels including another film (Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence) also by Oshii, two television series (Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex and Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex 2nd Gig), and more recently a prequel OVA series (Ghost in the Shell: Arise).
The Major takes on a Think Tank (multi-legged tanks) by herself
One of the biggest issues with the DVD and Blu-Ray releases of GitS are the various changes with each release.  I sometimes find this maddening (as in the case of Akira on DVD where the dub was replaced from the VHS version) and GitS has not escaped changes over the years.  What is the best version of the Ghost in the Shell movies?  Due to the critical popularity of GitS many fans have cried foul on the various releases.  The original Manga release seems to be fairly decent while the Special Edition gets lambasted for poor transfer quality and different closing song.  The 2.0 versions make many changes such as using amber hues for all of the formerly green CG elements and replacing several scenes with pure CG.
Original version thermo-optical camouflage effect from opening scene
CG enhanced/replaced version - major differences!
These changes were overseen by Oshii to make his first film more consistent with his second film.  The 2.0 release also includes an HD version of the 1.0 film, but surprisingly it's a transfer from the laserdisc.  It's tough to say which is the best version because we always cherish the one we were exposed to first (especially if we actually like the movie).  I suggest picking up the older and newer versions to make your own decision (if you're completely new to the film).  If you've already seen the film then try out the 2.0 Blu-Ray, but hang onto your older versions in case you end up disliking the changes.  You should be able to pick up a current copy for relatively cheap (unless you want the penultimate version = Japanese 1.0 Blu-Ray which is a bit more expensive and includes English dub/sub).
This scene looks much better in Blu-Ray HD
I believe GitS is an iconic film which caught international attention at just the right time to cement itself in anime history.  Despite being an anime classic it's quite dry and relatively straightforward (i.e. explains itself pretty directly through the dialogue of its characters).  It can be hard watching a film that's been built up so heavily by critics yet is almost two decades old and still come away with the intended experience of its director.  Technology has changed, but GitS remains the same.  I was pleasantly surprised to observe the future technology and feel of GitS has held up really well since it's release.  It's easily one of the cornerstones of anime cyberpunk history and worth at least one watch.  I don't really get the urge to re-watch the film aside from wanting to check out new versions (same thing with Akira).  It doesn't stop me from having it in my collection though!  I'm looking forward to checking out the sequel film by Oshii and the two television series.  Stay tuned!
The Major dives into the Jane Doe prosthetic body!
TO BUY and Recommendations:

Happy Holidays 2013 from DubSub Anime Reviews!

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday season from DubSub
anime reviews!  May you give and receive many excellent anime
gifts this holiday season.  Here's to a prosperous 2014!

Friday, December 20, 2013

Sorcerer Hunters Anime Review

Sorcerer Hunters
Bakuretsu Hanta
ADV Films
Complete Collection - 7 discs
725 minutes - 26 episodes + 3 OVA
$59.98 (2007) Thinpak w/OVA
$19.98 (2004-2005) Vol. 1-3/ea. Essential Anime
$59.98 (2003)
$24.98 (2003) OVA Chocolate, Springs, and Other Hot Things
$29.98 (2001) Vol. 1-4/ea.
ISBN 702727186325
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Koichi Mashimo
Studio - Xebec

Synopsis: On the Spooner Continent exist Sorcerers, individuals with powerful magical abilities, who frequently abuse their gifts and terrorize regular people.  Life means nothing to Sorcerers and self-fulfillment is their only goal.  Oftentimes an entire town will be subjugated to the will of an evil Sorcerer.  Only one group exists to counterbalance these wicked beings and they are called the Sorcerer Hunters.  This enigmatic team defends the weak by challenging the oppressive Sorcerers.
The Sorcerer Hunters (from left) - Marron, Chocolate, Carrot, Tira, and Gateau
The group is made up of:
  • Carrot Glace is a young man who carries a sword and leads the Sorcerer Hunters.  He's a complete pervert and tries to get every cute girl he meets to go on a date with him.  It almost always fails.  When Carrot is not completely blinded by lust he's a very kind person.  He possesses a lycanthrope ability which is triggered when he absorbs significant quantities of a Sorcerer's magic and transforms into a massive beast.  
  • Tira Misu appears to be a shy girl with hot pink hair and wearing round glasses.  She's really a powerful fighter who throws off her over-sized frock to reveal a skintight outfit underneath.  She skillfully brandishes a whip and has a maddening crush on Carrot.  
  • Chocolate Misu is the carefree and outgoing sister of Tira.  She also has a crush on Carrot who inexplicably shuns the two sisters.  Chocolate whips off her regular clothes to reveal a skimpy outfit beneath.  She adeptly handles a garrote wire with savage ferocity.  
  • Marron Glace is the shy, reserved, and delicately beautiful brother of Carrot.  He's a crafty magician who uses magical spells written on paper as an offensive weapon.  He's the exact opposite of his brother and doesn't seem overly attracted to women.  Marron cares for his brother very deeply.  
  • Gateau Mocha is a powerful fighter with immense strength.  His physique is perfection and he's very macho.  He joined the group of siblings after they had already formed and is slightly older (and more mature).  
Tira and Chocolate transform into two sexy women to fight Sorcerers!
The Sorcerer Hunters work for the powerful priestess Big Mama who assigns them missions to take down specific Sorcerers.  She appears to care for the group very deeply, but also hides secrets from them about their past.  Aiding Big Mama is Dotta, a dizzy angel who speaks very quickly and is somewhat clueless.  She is utterly loyal to Big Mama and always trying to help.  Big Mama is guarded by a strong group called the Haz Knights. 
Carrot meets a cute girl who is more than she seems.  Watch out!
Although the Sorcerers are a major threat to the Spooner Continent there is another even deadlier menace - Sacher Torte!  This man is an incredibly powerful magic-user, but doesn't have a Sorcerer's typical marking on his forehead.  What is his link to Big Mama and the Sorcerer Hunters?  The group face a continuous parade of evil Sorcerers, but their greatest challenge could be from within.  What is their secret past and will it come back to destroy them?  Carrot could care less as long as he gets to meet another pretty girl.  Tira and Chocolate usually have to whip Carrot off of these poor unsuspecting girls!
Sacher Torte is one bad mutha!
Pros: Lots of silly comedy, Carrot is a shameless lecher, Chocolate and Tira transform into two hot girls, English dub highlights the comedy and voice actors had a good time recording it, OVA episodes turn up the ecchi content and are very naughty, some touching stories, decent music
"Sure, Dotta, I don't mind looking at your butt, er, back!"
Cons: Lots of slapstick silliness, repetitive story gimmicks (monster, ahem, sorcerer of the week) and recycled animation sequences (transformation sequences for Chocolate, Tira, and Carrot), the television series was much tamer than the OVA, television series ending was drawn out and not very good, OVA ending wasn't really an ending, dub can be a little over-the-top at times
Carrot looking serious with Dotta, Tira, and Chocolate in the background
Mike Tells It Straight: Sorcerer Hunters is a fantasy series with heavy doses of comedy backed by a somewhat serious final storyline.  The characters are all pretty funny and they do a lot of silly things.  The anime is based on the manga by Satoru Akahori (Saber Marionette and Sakura Wars) and Rei Omishi.  I'll say loosely based because the anime was much tamer than the original work (i.e. no nudity and costumes were less risque, particularly Tira and Chocolate).  It's one of many comedic fantasy shows which came out in the 1990s (like Slayers, Those Who Hunt Elves, and Rune Soldier).
The manga is much racier than the television series, but the OVA
is even more in-your-face than the manga!
It's a decent series with a good mix of comedy and action.  The character designs are pretty neat and it has a little fan-service content.  Chocolate and Tira transform into attractive girls and you can always leave it to Carrot to stumble upon the nearest cute girl to wherever he happens to be.  The few drawbacks to the show are all linked to each other.  It's highly formulaic - group goes after a Sorcerer, Carrot gets all lecherous and reprimanded severely, Chocolate and Tira transform into their uber-hottie personas, and then Carrot absorbs a bunch of magic to become his monster beast form to save the day.  The transformation sequences are all recycled for these three in every...single...episode!  The comedic situations are the only thing making the show entertaining at times.
The OVA gets much hotter than the television series!
It seems like the anime was toned down considerably from the manga in order to appease broadcast standards for younger viewers.  Not a bad idea to ensure a successful program with broad appeal, but kind of a letdown for hardcore fans of the manga.  The OVA was a shocker!  It opened up with a steamy hot springs trick and contained lots of nudity/fan-service.  Definitely aimed at fans of the manga.  Both Chocolate's and Tira's costumes were the same as the manga and based on dominatrix attire.  Chocolate in particular has a ridiculously skimpy outfit (seriously, she's just wearing pants, suspenders, and a hat).  The opening sequence has major boob-jiggle at one point with Chocolate's stripper outfit.
Tira and Chocolate's outfits in the OVA match the manga (and
are much racier than the television series)
Bottom line on this series is it's an older show and fairly cliched (plus highly formulaic).  It's funny, cute, touching at times, and serious at the end.  Not the best show out there, but it has a few genuine moments.  The opening/ending theme songs are okay.  It's a bit long and can get boring.  I watched it in the background while working on other projects (like writing anime reviews!).  The OVA gets NSFW and was a nice change of pace after the super-serious ending to the television series.  I really liked how the latest complete collection (the thinpak) included the OVA and series together (OVA price used on Amazon is really high as of this review).  Get it if you like all of those older comedic fantasy shows from the 1990s, but otherwise take a pass.
Yeah, the OVA is borderline hentai at a few points

TO BUY and Recommendations:
 

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

IGPX Immortal Grand Prix Season Two Anime Review

IGPX Immortal Grand Prix Season Two
Bandai Entertainment
Complete Collection - 3 discs
290 mins. - 13 episodes
$39.98 (2007)
$24.98 (2006) Vol. 1-7/ea.
ISBN 669198227882
English/Japanese Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Mitsuru Hongo
Studio - Production I.G

Synopsis: In the year 2048 the ultimate race is the Immortal Grand Prix using giant high-performance robots!  The mecha race along a 60-mile track at speeds upwards of 350 miles per hour in teams of three.  Each team battles the other in order to finish the race and the fastest ones win.  Team Satomi returns after a successful rookie season in the highest IG-1 racing level and amidst a bevy of financial troubles.  The team is made up of Takeshi Jin (talented forward and avid kendo practitioner), Liz Ricarro (spirited tomboy and martial arts expert), Amy Stapleton (former child prodigy and empathic midfielder), and Amy's co-pilot Luca (a cat!).
The IGPX racetrack has an entire city built around it
Now a new team called White Snow joins the IG-1 league.  What is their secret agenda?  Team Satomi made a lot of enemies in their first season and everyone seems to be targeting them.  Alex, the ace pilot from Team Velshtein still considers Takeshi his chief rival.  Even Fantine from Team Skylark can't decide whether she likes Takeshi as a boyfriend or an opponent.  The poor guy is being crushed by an overwhelming pressure to succeed.  Takeshi is starting to crack under the psychological strain and lashing out at his teammates.
Team Satomi struggles under the pressure of the IG-1
(from left) Amy Stapleton, Takeshi Jin, and Liz Ricarro
It's a perfect time for Team White Snow to strike using their computer hacker tactics.  Can even the talented chief mechanic, Mark Ramsey, keep them from messing with his prize mechs?  Just wait until Team Satomi faces White Snow on the racetrack - sparks will fly!  Does Team Satomi's coach, Andrei Rublev, still have a few tricks up his sleeve to save the day?  What is his mysterious connection to the famous Rocket G, former race champion who disappeared over a decade ago?  It's the final race to the finish and Team White Snow has an ultimate attack!
Team White Snow join the IG-1 and cause a major uproar
Pros: Good soundtrack, lots of mecha racing battles, animation is nice, decent CG graphics, Team Satomi have a cat co-pilot, the races/battles get kicked up a notch compared to the first season, likable characters, good voice acting, fair ending, broad appeal
Team Satomi battles Team White Snow!
Cons: Takeshi and the rest of Team Satomi turn into a bunch of whiners, the commercial break visuals (eyecatch) had really weak CG renderings, Team Satomi does far too well for a rather fresh team to the IG-1, final attach by Team White Snow as a bit silly
Fantine has doubts about her relationship with Takeshi
Mike Tells It Straight: The first season of IGPX was exciting as we meet the members of Team Satomi and their support cast while they compete as rookies against more experienced opponents.  It was fun to root for the underdogs, but things changed in the second season.  Now they're no longer rookies and have established themselves among the other teams.  Replacing the excitement of the first season we have a fractured team with Takeshi bowing under the pressure of fame.
Team Satomi faces Team Sledge Mamma
A lot of episodes are just Takeshi being a total pill and fighting with his teammates.  The only good thing which came out of this season was more intense mecha racing battles!  This time robots are smashed apart and pilots actually get injured.  The first season seemed pretty tame in comparison.  I thought Andrei's big reveal was well-played especially during the actual races.  The voice-acting continued to be top notch in the series (although I swear they changed up Fantine's voice).
Coach Andrei, owner Michiru Satomi, and assistant Jesse Martin
watch as Team Satomi flounders!
My expectations for the second season were high and I think the first season ending kind of blew it for the series.  They could have easily ended it right there without dragging out another season.  The ending for the series was still fairly decent and it's a good little show.  Definitely has broad appeal and can be watched by younger viewers.  This second season is ridiculously hard to buy at a reasonable price (as of this review) and I was incredibly lucky to find it after years of searching.  From the box cover art I expected things to get violent (red racing suits), but the show doesn't fall out of it's giant mecha racing theme.  It's not worth the inflated price and hopefully an affordable re-release will hit the market.
Can Team Satomi pull it together in time?
TO BUY and Recommendations:

Friday, December 6, 2013

Fullmetal Alchemist Season Two Anime Review

Fullmetal Alchemist Season Two
Hagane no Renkinjutsushi (Alchemist of Steel)
Funimation
Complete Collection - 4 discs
$49.98 (2010)
$69.98 (2009)
$49.98 (2008) Part 1-2/ea.
$19.98 (2008) Vol. 8-13/ea. Viridian
$49.98 (2006) Vol. 10 Limited Case
$29.98 (2006) Vol. 8-13/ea.
ISBN 704400082702
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Seiji Mizushima
Studio - Bones/Aniplex

Synopsis: The Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse, are a tragic pair - they grew up alone with their mother after their father disappeared.  He was a famous alchemist and the boys had a natural affinity for alchemy.  They couldn't keep away from it and quickly learned its basic arts including transmutation circles, chemical compositions of physical objects, and the absolute law of equivalent exchange - "in order to gain something one must give up something of equal value".  When their mother becomes ill and passes away the boys are devastated.  They vow to use alchemy to bring her back to life and assemble the ingredients for a human body.  Human transmutation is highly illegal and for good reason.  The brothers' attempt goes horribly wrong as Ed loses a leg and Al loses his entire body during the procedure.  In desperation Ed bonds Al's soul to a suit of armor, but loses an arm to equivalent exchange in the process.  The creature they create is not remotely human.
Ed and Al continue their journey to find the Philosopher's Stone
Ed is lucky the brothers' childhood friend, Winry, and her grandmother are expert 'auto-mail' mechanics and fashion artificial limbs for him to use.  Al's soul can animate the suit of armor, but he no longer has a biological body.  The pair have a new mission to restore their bodies and learn of the mythical Philosopher's Stone which enables transmutations outside the law of equivalent exchange.  Ed joins the military as a State Alchemist to tap into their research about the stone, but soon learns being a 'dog of the State' is not all it's cracked up to be.
Winry tags along with the brothers on their journey
Years ago the State was involved in a bloody war with Ishbal which led to almost complete genocide.  Ed becomes known as the "Fullmetal Alchemist" and serves under Roy Mustang, a reluctant hero of the Ishbal campaign and known as the "Flame Alchemist".  Al tags along with Ed on his State missions as they search for the stone.  During their journeys the brothers have encountered many pretenders to the true stone, but eventually find genuine leads to its secrets.  The closer they get to uncovering the truth the more deadly the stakes.
Fuhrer Bradley seems like a strong yet fair leader, but how could he be the
same man who ordered the genocide in Ishbal?  
Their toughest opponent has been an Ishbalan refugee with a tattooed arm and criss-crossing scar on his face, known only as "Scar".  He vowed revenge on all State Alchemists for the slaughter in Ishbal, but his arm holds a deadly secret.  To what ends will he go to achieve his vengeance on the State Alchemists?  What does the massive death toll in Ishbal have to do with the Philosopher's Stone?
The "Scarred Man of the East"
A shadowy group of beings known as Homunculi guard the secrets of the stone.  They have incredible powers and seem unable to die.  What are their terrible origins and their link to human transmutation?  Who is behind their actions?  Ed and Al slowly discover the real origin of the stone with it's horrific price.  Death lurks around every corner and corruption in the State goes right to the top.  Can Roy Mustang find Maes Hughes' killer?
The brothers encounter the Homunculus called Greed
Ed and Al apprenticed under a hard-nosed teacher who finds them again after many years.  Why can she perform transmutations without a circle?  As the boys get closer to achieving their goal of finding the Philosopher's Stone their loved ones are put into greater danger.  What happens when Winry discovers the person responsible for her parents' murder is someone she knows?  The final search for the stone brings all of the conflicting forces together and sparks will fly.  What is the gate which appears during a human transmutation and what lies beyond it?  Can Ed and Al truly get their bodies back even if they somehow manage to obtain the Philosopher's Stone?
What are the secrets of the gate?
Pros: Great continuation of the search for the Philosopher's Stone from the first season, the ending answered a lot of questions from the series, fairly decent ending, good soundtrack and character designs, the Homunculi are tough adversaries, tone gets more serious in the final season
Winry works on Ed's auto-mail
Cons: Slapstick comedy just like the first season (although less this time), story and ending don't follow the original manga, simple animation and backgrounds, final villain was somewhat disappointing and came out of nowhere
Ed and Al's hard-nosed teacher
Mike Tells It Straight: The second season of Fullmetal Alchemist was an intense roller-coaster ride as the Elric brothers close in on the true Philosopher's Stone.  If you watched the entire first season then you're familiar with the series' blend of comedy, action, and drama.  It's difficult to balance these elements, but FA pulls it off pretty well.  The comedy felt out of place sometimes, but you get used to it and the serious elements are worth the wait.  I really liked the mystery of the stone and its slow reveal throughout the series.  The Homunculi are intriguing villains who seem unstoppable and evil, but seem to have a softer side as we get to know their history.  Scar remains a badass and plays a small, but significant role in the second season.
What is the horrifying secret of the Homunculi?
We get to see another piece of the brothers' origin when their old teacher shows up.  Her story and the revelation of the gate are truly horrifying.  The entire second season was much more serious than the first.  We're left with some major episode cliffhangers and the political intrigue within the State is nail-biting with Roy Mustang.  Winry is around for more the story and we learn who killed her parents.  All of the story seeds from the first season bear fruit and almost everything gets resolved by the end.
Roy Mustang getting some work done
Some new characters and story elements added in the second season were a little controversial.  The brothers' teacher is one, but we also meet their long-lost father and the true villain of the series is revealed (is it him!?).  Events start happening very fast at the end and the final episodes are highly emotional.  This first series diverged from the massively popular manga by Hiromu Arakawa because it was created before the series was ended and he wanted to have each medium's version be different.  Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is an adaptation which follow the manga more closely and is more serious in nature.
A glimpse into the events of the final season!
I enjoyed this series and thought the ending was actually pretty decent.  A lot of people didn't like the final villains since they appeared so late in the show.  The mystery of the gate was really intriguing, but I would have liked to get a better explanation.  Despite its shortcomings I thought Fullmetal Alchemist was one of the better anime from the past decade and recommend it highly.  I'm really excited to check out Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood to get the real story of the manga, plus it looks more hardcore!
Ed might want to get that wound looked at
TO BUY and Recommendations: