Director: Seiji Mizushima
Starring: Romi Pak,Vic Mignogna, Rie Kugimiya, Aaron Dismuke, Shun Oguri, Jason Liebrecht, Kazuko Kato, Kelly Manison, Masane Tsukayama, John Swasey,
Running Time: 105 minutes
Certificate: 12
Extras: Japanese Cast Commentary, English Language Cast Commentary, Creators Commentary, The Making Of Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror Of Shamballa
Before cracking on with the review, it’s important to note that this is the film that finished off the original 2003 series, since rebooted as FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD. That’s important because Manga Entertainment are also currently releasing collections of the latter series as well, so try not to cross the streams.
FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST was one of the greatest animes ever produced. It mixed in-depth character psychology, magic, astonishing animation, great action, emotional gravitas, and engaging stories throughout the entire course of its run. The series saw Edward Elric (Pak/Mignogna), a talented young alchemist, try and use his skills to bring his mother back to life. Unfortunately, he ended up paying an arm and a leg (literally) as well as encasing his brother’s soul inside a suit of armour, all the while not managing to get his mother back.
FULL METAL ALCHEMIST THE MOVIE: CONQUEROR OF SHAMBALLA picks up some time after the end of the series, which was an ambiguous and bittersweet affair. That means fans will have an immediate gut reaction to the very existence of this film: Some will see it as an unnecessary addition that in some ways removes the pathos of the show’s finale, while some will be ecstatic with a bit more closure. The film still retains the main themes of love, loss, brotherhood, and sacrifice, but transposes the action into an alternative reality…OUR reality. This makes for some excellent twisting of ideas as we see the protagonists in Germany during the rise of the Nazi party, amongst other scenarios. The writers also have a lot of fun playing with alternative realities by making one of the characters from the show’s alternative persona be that of directing legend Fritz Lang. The subtle, but well researched, nods to our history make this a sumptuous layered production.
The show was always heavily influenced by European designs and architecture and on a cinematic budget and presented on Blu-ray, the film version looks absolutely gorgeous. You feel swept into these worlds, which makes every action sequence more involving. There are moments where you can feel the sunlight on your skin or the wind in your hair. Colour is also used to fantastic effect. It never once feels overbearing, and yet you notice the delicate balance between lights and darks.
FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST’s biggest strength was how it explored its themes, which poses some difficulty when compiling them all into a 100 minute film rather than a 51 episode series. There are still characters that are easily swayed by the notion of immortality and ressurection, and these are topics that the audience will also have their own views on, including Edward imparting his knowledge, having learned the hard way, to those who mimic his previous actions solidifying the growth of the character. Such themes also give rise to twists which are both angering and understandable.
To fully enjoy FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST THE MOVIE: CONQUEROR OF SHAMBALLA, you’ll need knowledge of the show and at least a C in GCSE history. This may sound like a heavy prerequisite for getting the most out of a cartoon, but there is also a lot of comedy, affectionate relationships, and excitement for the uninitiated. The vocal casts (Japanese and English) remain some of the best performances heard in anime and whilst it may not be an essential title like the show itself, it does offer an alternative story in an alternative world.
Extras: One thing anime shows and films need more of are commentaries. So thank the heavens this release has three of the talk-tracks. Fans will be overjoyed with information overload, as well as hearing the different perspectives from the Japanese and English vocal casts. The Making Of… is also a charming watch that informs us of the pressure of following up such a hit TV show.
FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST THE MOVIE: CONQUEROR OF SHAMBALLA is released on Blu-ray on 1st April. It is also available in a double pack with FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST THE MOVIE: THE SCARED STAR OF MILOS via Manga Entertainment.
