Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 2 (Viz Media and Chuang Yi)

Happy Halloween Everybody!

Believe me when I say I've been meaning to get back into doing these posts for months and several posts about other titles are half complete. However, it was always a struggle to complete them as it was often a series I wasn't very motivated to look into. Last week I decided I'd had enough of my own laziness. I thought to myself, What series am I motivated to compare and the answer hit me immediately. And here we are.

I have kept collecting and am currently only two volumes away from my Chuang Yi Fullmetal Alchemist collection being complete. So now I really have no excuses other then I'm lazy and can't keep a consistent schedule. However, I still plan to do those other titles to mix things up.

Additional: Yes, I am aware of the Fruit's Basket Collector's Editions. I have bought the first omnibus so you can expect a do-over of that comparison in the future. I have also pre-ordered Yen Press's Twinkle Stars release for a future comparison with it's Chuang Yi counterpart.

Last Important Note: Because I don't own a copy of the Japanese volume nor have any knowledge of the language, I will not be comparing the English releases to the original Japanese. 

That's enough stalling, let us move on!

Apologies and the Loss of Chuang Yi

My Apologies To Anyone Who Reads This Blog

I am very sorry for this delay and do my best not to let it happen again. I'm really embarrassed it has taken me so long to get this out.

So what are my excuses? Procrastination mainly.

My next post was going to about Chuang Yi's "Vampire Knight", but to be honest my feelings towards this series as a whole are lukewarm at best so the motivation just wasn't there at the best of times. It was a chore to read and a chore to write about.  Several months passed before I could borrow the Viz edition out of the library. What I should have done is switch to another title. I moved house in January too to be closer to work.

None of these are valid excuses, but I hope you can forgive me. Vampire Knight will come out at some point, but for July I have other plans, which I will detail below.

Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 1 Comparison (Viz Media and Chuang Yi)

"Alchemy: the science of understanding, deconstructing, and reconstructing matter. However, it is not an all-powerful art; it is impossible to create something out of nothing. If one wishes to obtain something, something of equal value must be given. This is the Law of Equivalent Exchange, the basis of all alchemy. In accordance with this law, there is a taboo among alchemists: human transmutation is strictly forbidden - for what could equal the value of a human soul...?"   (Narrator, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood)

The answer is a right arm! It says so in the FIRST VOLUME!

Introduction

Greetings to all manga fans, otaku, wherever you may be!

Let me begin by thanking anyone and everyone who reads this as this is my first blog and am still unsure of the ins and outs of writing one of these. The story of my love of anime and manga goes back to when I was, but 10 years of age. It was long ago, in times of old, when saying you liked Pokemon was actually acceptable and even prompted praise. 

Anyone else remember those times?!

My life began in merry old England, among the cobblestone streets and thatched cottages...oh, who am I kidding?! I was born in the city port of Southampton. Still England though! I didn't make that up!  I spent most of my happy childhood there before my Dad's job sent us abroad for a number of years (Switzerland and Thailand). A story for another time though. Back to the anime.