4 ms·

I watched few episodes of FMA and came back unimpressed and bored. The plot devices as you mention is not much different than the usual hero saves world anime.

I watched few episodes of FMA and came back unimpressed and bored. The plot devices as you mention is not much different than the usual hero saves world anime. Probably because I've watched enough of 'starter' anime that I'm sick of it. That said it seems to be a bit more grounded unlike the usual starter anime - for example Naruto where a promising story turns into a unstoppable train wreck of terribly written characters and stretched out plots

GhettoComputers 5y ago
I limit it to less episodes or OVAs to prevent bad plots. Ever watch Gurren Lagann? I’d say it’s if Eva was silly and had character development. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUzzAlorT7Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUzzAlorT7Q
- thealig 5y ago
  same, prefer shorter shows for that reason. thanks for the rec, will check
  - dragontamer 5y ago
    Gurren Lagann is a Hero's Journey, but in 100% over-the-top Studio Trigger style. They make it the biggest, most absurd, comically over-the-top Hero's Journey ever. (With great references to those who know the Hero's Journey: Viral == "The Rival", anagram. Viral's mech is "Enkidu", who was "The Rival" to Gilgamesh, the original Hero's Journey story). Gurren Lagaan is quite stupid at face value. But the writers clearly spent a lot of time thinking about the details of the hero's journey and how to make it incredibly over-the-top. Stupid at face value, but actually well thought out in details / references, so you can just turn off your brain and have fun... or you can turn your brain on and try to see how the show plays with the Hero's Journey plot and take a more serious perspective.
dragontamer 5y ago
Yup. FMA: Brotherhood just hits the classic hero tropes and tells it to you straight. I don't think its a bad thing. The Hero's Journey / Monomyth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey) has been told again and again in almost all media across all cultures. Its just a storytelling style that's somehow got permanent, widespread appeal. Since its a "familiar story", I definitely think it plays to the advantage as a "starter anime". It gives a sense of familiarity to the audience, especially if they aren't used to anime yet. Since the Hero's Journey / Monomyth is so popular, of course there's tons of animes that follow that style (and most "starter" animes IMO are a large-scale hero's journey). Given the shear number of choices: Naruto, FMA, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, Bleach, Dragonball Z, Soul Eater, Sailor Moon, etc. etc... there's a lot to choose from. FMA: Brotherhood just so happens to be the one I think is best. -------- I'm mean... we're into what? The 14 year of Marvel movies following the Monomyth formula? This Monomyth / Hero's Journey is hardly unique to anime. The few other mainstream shows that come out with widespread appeal (John Wick, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc. etc.) are just more of the Hero's Journey formula. Its not a bad formula, not by any stretch of the imagination.
- thealig 5y ago
  Agreed, to clarify - the Heros' Journey is prevalent in effectively every movie/TV industry I'm familiar with - part and parcel of the mainstream. There are some good creative movies, but most of them are typical rehashes with some variety(story backdrop, scene settings etc) baked in which gets cliched pretty quickly.

GhettoComputers 5y ago

I limit it to less episodes or OVAs to prevent bad plots. Ever watch Gurren Lagann? I’d say it’s if Eva was silly and had character development. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUzzAlorT7Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUzzAlorT7Q

thealig 5y ago
same, prefer shorter shows for that reason. thanks for the rec, will check
- dragontamer 5y ago
  Gurren Lagann is a Hero's Journey, but in 100% over-the-top Studio Trigger style. They make it the biggest, most absurd, comically over-the-top Hero's Journey ever. (With great references to those who know the Hero's Journey: Viral == "The Rival", anagram. Viral's mech is "Enkidu", who was "The Rival" to Gilgamesh, the original Hero's Journey story). Gurren Lagaan is quite stupid at face value. But the writers clearly spent a lot of time thinking about the details of the hero's journey and how to make it incredibly over-the-top. Stupid at face value, but actually well thought out in details / references, so you can just turn off your brain and have fun... or you can turn your brain on and try to see how the show plays with the Hero's Journey plot and take a more serious perspective.

dragontamer 5y ago

Yup. FMA: Brotherhood just hits the classic hero tropes and tells it to you straight. I don't think its a bad thing. The Hero's Journey / Monomyth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey) has been told again and again in almost all media across all cultures. Its just a storytelling style that's somehow got permanent, widespread appeal. Since its a "familiar story", I definitely think it plays to the advantage as a "starter anime". It gives a sense of familiarity to the audience, especially if they aren't used to anime yet. Since the Hero's Journey / Monomyth is so popular, of course there's tons of animes that follow that style (and most "starter" animes IMO are a large-scale hero's journey). Given the shear number of choices: Naruto, FMA, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, Bleach, Dragonball Z, Soul Eater, Sailor Moon, etc. etc... there's a lot to choose from. FMA: Brotherhood just so happens to be the one I think is best. -------- I'm mean... we're into what? The 14 year of Marvel movies following the Monomyth formula? This Monomyth / Hero's Journey is hardly unique to anime. The few other mainstream shows that come out with widespread appeal (John Wick, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc. etc.) are just more of the Hero's Journey formula. Its not a bad formula, not by any stretch of the imagination.

thealig 5y ago
Agreed, to clarify - the Heros' Journey is prevalent in effectively every movie/TV industry I'm familiar with - part and parcel of the mainstream. There are some good creative movies, but most of them are typical rehashes with some variety(story backdrop, scene settings etc) baked in which gets cliched pretty quickly.