Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Complete Collection Two [Blu-ray]

In the shadows beneath Central, the Elrics encounter Father, the creator of the Homunculi. His face is familiar - as is the new face of Greed - but his alchemy is unlike anything the brothers have ever seen. As Father's dark plot takes shape, Ed and Al brave the frigid north to meet the top officer of the fortress Briggs: General Olivier Armstrong. With icy nerve and burning intensity, she commands the hardest soldiers in the land. When you witness her leading the warriors of Briggs in battle against the unstoppable, rampaging Sloth, you'll know - the stakes are higher than ever in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Collection 2. The tone of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood darkens as it continues. In flashback sequences, viewers learn the origins of both Hohenheim and his doppelgänger, the "father" of the Homunculi. Hohenheim was once the slave of an alchemist in Cselkcess, who created the first Homunculus. When the King of Cselkcess's attempt to achieve immortality backfired, Hohenheim became a human Philosopher's Stone and the Homunculus created a body for itself that was a duplicate of his. Decades later, Father plans to activate a transmutation circle that stretches across the entire country of Amestris, killing untold thousands of unsuspecting humans to create a gigantic Philosopher's Stone--and activate the Mannequin Army, a corps of zombies animated by the Stone's power. Director Yasuhiro Irie and his artists pull out all the stops in the appropriately dramatic and moving conclusion. The Elric brothers and their allies--Von Hohenheim, Roy Mustang, Scar, Izumi, the Armstrongs, May Chang, and Ling Yao--strive to thwart the machinations of Father and his remaining minions: Pride, Wrath, Sloth, Envy, and the zombie army. The climactic battles are as wrenching as they are spectacular, with flashy CG effects that rival Hideaki Anno's new Evangelion films. But the emotional impact overshadows the visuals, as each of the main characters must rise to face a dire challenge. Edward and Alphonse discover how much they're willing to sacrifice for each other. Mustang destroys Envy, avenging Colonel Hughes, but Ed and Lieutenant Hawkeye make him realize that his anger threatens to destroy him. The initial Fullmetal Alchemist series, which was completed before manga artist Hiromu Arakawa had envisioned her story's outcome, ended with the setup for the feature The Conqueror of Shambala (2005). Brotherhood, which follows the original manga so closely that much of the dialogue is taken verbatim, reaches a much more satisfying and definitive conclusion. Saying good-bye to two of the most beloved characters in anime history might be the price viewers pay for an appropriate ending to their story--and an example of "equivalent exchange." But the adventures of Edward and Alphonse Elric continue, beginning with the feature Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos (2011). (Rated TV 14: violence, grotesque imagery, brief nudity, tobacco and alcohol use) --Charles Solomon

(34. Ice Queen, 35. The Shape of This Country, 36. Family Portrait, 37. The First Homunculus, 38. Conflict at Baschool, 39. Daydream, 40. Homunculus (The Dwarf in the Flask), 41. The Abyss, 42. Signs of a Counteroffensive, 43. Bite of the Ant, 44. Reviving at Full Throttle, 45. The Promised Day, 46. Looming Shadow, 47. Emissary of Darkness, 48. The Oath in the Tunnel, 49. Filial Affection, 50. Upheaval in Central, 51. The Immortal Legion, 52. Combined Strength, 53. Flame of Vengeance, 54. Beyond the Inferno, 55. The Adults' Way of Life, 56. The Return of the Fuhrer, 57. Eternal Leave, 58. Sacrifices, 59. Lost Light, 60. Eye of Heaven, Gateway of Earth, 61. He Who Would Swallow God, 62. A Fierce Counterattack, 63. The Other Side of the Gateway, 64. Journey's End)