From manga to television to the big screen, Fullmetal Alchemist is anime that really gets around. Based on the television show which aired 64 episodes on Cartoon Network’s late night Adult Swim through Sept. 2011, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos is the popular series’ second try at a feature film.
Employing manga artist Hiromu Arakawa’s characters and directed by Kazuya Murata, Sacred Star of Milos follows Ed and Al — the Elric brother — as they track down a criminal alchemist. The chase brings them to Table City, a land once inhabited by a people called the Milos. The citizens have been forced out of their homes by corrupt politicians and live in exile around the city. Ed and Al’s mission is to restore dignity to the Milos while fending off the various creatures sent to attack them.
Not only did I completely miss the boat on this cartoon series, which sold more than 50 million volumes and ran on television for nearly a decade, but I’m an anime novice to begin with. Despite seeing friends occupy themselves with various anime series, it just never clicked with me. What’s worse is that I recall coming across it on Adult Swim and immediately registering the title as Fullmetal Jacket. No, Stanley Kubrick has nothing to do with it.
That being said, I found Sacred Star of Milos to be impressively creative, and I appreciated the level of depth given to the subject matter. This isn’t purely entertainment for entertainment’s sake — there’s an explanation for the imaginative (some would say bizarre) plot points and a purpose to the story.
Despite enjoying the film, I would still classify it as a tough sell for someone unfamiliar with the series. The plot and characters are by now too well established in the minds of the audience for newbies to easily follow along. However, Sacred Star of Milos is definitely must-see viewing for Fullmetal Alchemist fans.
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos is showing one night only at Clearwater Cinema Café on Fri., Jan. 27 at 10 p.m. More info at clearwatercinemacafe.com.
This article appears in Jan 26 – Feb 1, 2012.