Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.

I'm down to reviewing my favorite anime of all time. Merging science and religion with alternate history, Fullmetal Alchemist is a must-watch.

Here we have a series about two brothers who practice alchemy. In their reality, alchemy replaced what we consider modern science. They can transmute materials into other materials given something called equivalent exchange. When their mother died, they thought they could bring her back. They were wrong. The story picks up in medias res, years after their accident. Younger brother Alphonse has been bonded to a suit of armor and older brother Edward has enrolled as a military alchemist, under the code name Fullmetal. Their life goal is to capture the Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerer's Stone for you underprivileged US Harry Potter fans) so they can restore their bodies.

For all my Midwest, generally non-anime friends I have, FMA always finds a way around their aversion. It's not a super long, childish series like Dragonball or Pokemon, so don't think that it's a pointless time-waster with no depth. It's quite the opposite and here's why. In the first five (5) minutes, you get the exposition regarding the accident and hear the most blood-curdling scream a grown man could ever admit to hearing and call blood-curdling. It's definitely serious, but full of humility comedy, mostly poking fun at Edward's height. It's harmless fun, but lightens the mood between some very dark material. The main antagonists are homunculi based on the seven deadly sins, making way for the blatant Christian references, which doesn't make it seem particularly anti-Christian (there are some controversies), it's just part of the overall theme.

The voice-acting is superb and very believable, the art isn't stereotypical jagged anime.

Fullmetal Alchemist is your typical anime based on a manga, but it's strangely adoptable for those who "don't like anime". Take a look at the two seasons and the feature film, Conqueror of Shamballa.