×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
Fullmetal Alchemist and the War in Iraq.


Goto page 1, 2  Next

Anime News Network Forum Index -> General -> Anime
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
chrisb
Subscriber



Joined: 07 May 2006
Posts: 664
Location: USA
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:31 pm Reply with quote
OK I don't want to start some debate on the war I was just wondering how Fullmetal Alchemist reflects the Iraq War and what kind of message is it trying to send? I've heard Zac talk about this and I was a little curious.

I have started watching some episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist and I think I owe the show an apology for calling it "sucky"

[EDIT: Corrected the title for your spelling of Fullmetal Alchemist. -TK]
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Curtis W.



Joined: 30 Sep 2006
Posts: 94
Location: KCMO
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:40 pm Reply with quote
chrisb wrote:
OK I don't want to start some debate on the war I was just wondering how Full Metal Alchemist reflects the Iraq War and what kind of message is it trying to send? I've heard Zac talk about this and I was a little curious.

I have started watching some episodes of Full Metal Alchemist and I think I owe the show an apology for calling it "sucky"


Acctually it deals alot more with World War II. I am not going into that huge spoiler, but trust me.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Azathrael



Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Posts: 745
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:43 pm Reply with quote
Oh? And just last week I read Fullmetal Alchemist being related to some other war. There are no references to the Iraq War, as far as official statements from the author goes, and any coincidences are, well, coincidences.

When was there ever warfare where there were no "collateral damages" whatsoever? The war scene in Fullmetal Alchemist where there are innocent victims, racial discrimination, or any such cases can be applied to pretty much any war. Overall message? War is bad.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
omar235



Joined: 02 Apr 2006
Posts: 1572
Location: Florida, Jacksonvile
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:45 pm Reply with quote
I suppose the Ishbalins could be used to symbolize middle eastern countries but I wouldn't say it really relfects the war...like Curtis said its more like WWII. Wink
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail My Anime
Acinom



Joined: 04 Dec 2004
Posts: 49
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:53 pm Reply with quote
Azathrael wrote:
Oh? And just last week I read Fullmetal Alchemist being related to some other war. There are no references to the Iraq War, as far as official statements from the author goes, and any coincidences are, well, coincidences.

When was there ever warfare where there were no "collateral damages" whatsoever? The war scene in Fullmetal Alchemist where there are innocent victims, racial discrimination, or any such cases can be applied to pretty much any war. Overall message? War is bad.


I would have to agree with you there. I doubt that the original author of Fullmetal Alchemist nor the director of its anime adaptation decided to take it upon themselves to send a message out to the world to teach us or make us aware of whats going on in Iraq.
Becuase of wars very nature, you're bound to draw some parallels between FMA and what's currently going on with Iraq.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
omar235



Joined: 02 Apr 2006
Posts: 1572
Location: Florida, Jacksonvile
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:56 pm Reply with quote
Acinom wrote:
Azathrael wrote:
Oh? And just last week I read Fullmetal Alchemist being related to some other war. There are no references to the Iraq War, as far as official statements from the author goes, and any coincidences are, well, coincidences.

When was there ever warfare where there were no "collateral damages" whatsoever? The war scene in Fullmetal Alchemist where there are innocent victims, racial discrimination, or any such cases can be applied to pretty much any war. Overall message? War is bad.


I would have to agree with you there. I doubt that the original author of Fullmetal Alchemist nor the director of its anime adaptation decided to take it upon themselves to send a message out to the world to teach us or make us aware of whats going on in Iraq.
Becuase of wars very nature, you're bound to draw some parallels between FMA and what's currently going on with Iraq.


Very true but I'm curious about what Zac said...where did he post about this topic?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail My Anime
Lapis Lazuli Lolita



Joined: 01 Oct 2006
Posts: 220
Location: The N-Field
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:02 pm Reply with quote
It's a direct reflection. We're attempting to create a Philosopher Stone to improve the lives of America by taking the lives of those in the Middle East and sometimes our own.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Curtis W.



Joined: 30 Sep 2006
Posts: 94
Location: KCMO
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:04 pm Reply with quote
omar235 wrote:
I suppose the Ishbalins could be used to symbolize middle eastern countries but I wouldn't say it really relfects the war...like Curtis said its more like WWII. Wink


Well spoiler[Adolf Hitler was in the movie!] Which was really weird at first, seeingspoiler[Mayes as a Nazi]

So yes more on the WWII side than the Iraq War. The Ishbalans were oviously jewish.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
chrisb
Subscriber



Joined: 07 May 2006
Posts: 664
Location: USA
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:05 pm Reply with quote
Someone asked Zac about the series on the Ask Answerman column I think a while back and he said something about a relation between Full Metal Alchemist and what's going on with the war. Sorry if I am mistaken on this part but while I was looking at the archives I'm more than sure I read Zac say that.

And I suppose the series probably does hav more of a connection with the WWII but I'm not sure what message it was trying to give on that either. I'm guessing its just about how war takes a toll and its never a pretty thing.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Curtis W.



Joined: 30 Sep 2006
Posts: 94
Location: KCMO
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:10 pm Reply with quote
In world War II films war is always Romantic and Glorious. Defending Freedom, Fighting Evil. I think FMA was trying to say that war is not acctually like that, and that people who think that need to wise up.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
omar235



Joined: 02 Apr 2006
Posts: 1572
Location: Florida, Jacksonvile
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:20 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
The Ishbalans were oviously jewish.


Meh...it could work both ways Iraki, Jewish....its all the middle east to me! (yeah I know that was lame). Embarassed
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail My Anime
Curtis W.



Joined: 30 Sep 2006
Posts: 94
Location: KCMO
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:26 pm Reply with quote
omar235 wrote:
Quote:
The Ishbalans were oviously jewish.


Meh...it could work both ways Iraki, Jewish....its all the middle east to me! (yeah I know that was lame). Embarassed


Right, I was just going with "Jews VS. Germany" Thing, trying to expand my WWII theory.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
omar235



Joined: 02 Apr 2006
Posts: 1572
Location: Florida, Jacksonvile
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:41 pm Reply with quote
Actually I was just pokin fun...but yeah the two sides could be anybody...they could be "America VS Britan" or "America VS Japan" hell even the "Spanish VS the Maya"...basically Acinom is right a wars very nature is common to another war...the two sides could be anybody.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail My Anime
Curtis W.



Joined: 30 Sep 2006
Posts: 94
Location: KCMO
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:44 pm Reply with quote
omar235 wrote:
Actually I was just pokin fun...but yeah the two sides could be anybody...they could be "America VS Britan" or "America VS Japan" hell even the "Spanish VS the Maya"...basically Acinom is right a wars very nature is common to another war...the two sides could be anybody.


I agree. The way I see full metal alchemist is A tale of two Brothers who just want to put there lives back togather. It reminds me alot of Evangelion, in a way.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
omar235



Joined: 02 Apr 2006
Posts: 1572
Location: Florida, Jacksonvile
PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:52 pm Reply with quote
Hmm...how so?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail My Anime
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> General -> Anime All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group