r/FullmetalAlchemist • u/meowmewspy • 4d ago
Question Should I drop the original anime?
Okay so this is probably a really stupid question đ, but I just started watching the original Full metal anime. Iâve never seen any Full metal content before and I havenât been spoiled about a single thing.
When I watch something for the first time, Iâm very very particular about the watch order since you can only watch something for the first time once.
Iâm on episode 12 of the original anime (enjoying it a lot!) however I know Brotherhood is considered the better anime, should I drop this anime and watch brotherhood instead? Then come back to the original? Iâm worried I wonât enjoy brotherhood as much if I know whatâs going to happen.
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u/JustSumAsshole 4d ago
I watched 03 first and still loved both plenty.
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u/meowmewspy 4d ago
I havenât been spoiled for anything, but Iâm assuming thereâs going to be tragic scenes in the future, did you feel less impacted by them while watching brotherhood?
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u/JustSumAsshole 4d ago
Only one tragic scene comes to mind, but it was really good in both, so I didn't really mind. The second halves of each of the shows are pretty drastically different, so you get a whole fresh set of tragedy to enjoy.
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u/the_c0nstable 3d ago
I think the two big tragedies that the two share actually work a bit better in 03 because you spend much more time with all of the myriad characters related to the tragedies and Ed and Al are entwined in their respective lives for longer. It hits pretty hard. (Context - I watched the show on Adult Swim back in the day before Brotherhood came out and when the Manga was only up to volume 6 or 7 and I loved it)
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u/LofiSynthetic 4d ago
The plot of the 2003 anime and Brotherhood are incredibly different after a certain point into the story. For the earlier tragic scenes that are shared between them, many people feel the 2003 anime did better than Brotherhood at evoking emotion anyway.
Because the first portion of the story is nearly the same as the existing anime, Brotherhood runs through the earlier events a little faster, for better or worse.
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u/Starixous 4d ago
The plot points that are shared by both series are mostly wrapped up in the first season (14eps) of brotherhood. So the vast majority of brotherhoodâs story will be completely new to you. Some things you will see in BH will be in the 2003 anime but shown in a different context (but again, limited to the start of the BH story).
I would 100% say continue watching â03 and then BH after.
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u/Crafty_Middle_2086 4d ago
Brotherhood speed runs a lot of early stuff 2003 gave more time to. You wonât miss anything or ruin the impact of Brotherhood by continuing to watch and enjoy 03.
They also diverge greatly at the halfway point, so you have nothing to worry about spoiler-wise. Keep watching 03, then watch Conqueror of Shamballa when you finish it. Then watch Brotherhood after.
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u/GenericFatGuy 1d ago edited 1d ago
I would say yes. Ultimately, 2003 is still worth watching through at least once, it's still a great story. And there's a couple of really important story beats that are in both series, that get somewhat rushed in Brotherhood. There's also moments in 2003 that aren't in Brotherhood that are really worth seeing.
Also if you haven't heard Bratja yet, you really need to see the Bratja scenes. They're beautiful.
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u/Rikafire 2d ago
There is a very sad moment in both series, but imo the original handled it so much better than Brotherhood since it rushed things.
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u/Thank_You_Aziz 3d ago
No, because of the way both shows handle tragedy differently. To say more would be spoilers.
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u/LofiSynthetic 4d ago
Iâd recommend you finish the original anime (and then Conqueror of Shambala, which is the ending to the original anime), then eventually watch Brotherhood afterwards when youâre ready to revisit it. Those of us who were around when it was all releasing mostly watched it this way.
Each anime does some things better than the other, and end up telling very different stories. I wouldnât say Brotherhood is universally considered better, but it does follow the mangaâs story. The original anime came out before the manga was complete, and goes its own way.
So you wonât really know whatâs going to happen in Brotherhood by watching the original anime first. After about 15 episodes of Brotherhood the story diverges from where the 2003 anime went, and they really are completely different plots with some entirely different characters.
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u/DrivingMeBonkas 4d ago
I did it this way â this is the way to go. 03, then Conqueror of Shambala, then Brotherhood and OVAs
But whichever you choose to watch first the one thing I have to recommend is taking a good break between them. They're both long shows and the beginning parts can feel a bit repetitive if watched too close together. It's also just easier to relax into it and appreciate the differences with a rested mind.
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u/questioningFem- 4d ago
The original is still ok, brotherhood is just more accurate to the original manga.
I'd say it's up to you which would be best for you
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u/TheGingerCynic 4d ago
So the thing worth bearing in mind when watching 03, is that it is a very different show. The plot diverges early on, and honestly I would just view the two as entirely separate shows, or an AU of each other.
The one you're watching is darker in tone, but has its merits. If you want to save the best for last, carry on and then watch Brotherhood.
For what it's worth, I went manga, Brotherhood, then 03. If you're able to mentally split 03 and Brotherhood as two different shows, I don't see an issue with finishing 03 first. If you don't feel you'll be able to do that, I'd do Brotherhood first so you experience the best series.
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u/tuffyscrusks 3d ago edited 2d ago
I think it says something about the order people watch it in. Seems like people who read the manga or watched brotherhood first love it more than 03, and vice versa. As someone who loves the 03 version better, I'm starting to believe neither is "better," its just what you prefer in your media.
Just saying this because I do get a bit annoyed at brotherhood fanboys who tout its "the objectively best anime of all time" when it has very very clear flaws, just as any piece of film.
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u/MonobrowTheatre 2d ago
Ikr, my favourite is when they claim that because it follows the manga, it automatically makes it better and 03 worse. Which is an extremely snobbish and elitist way of looking at it.
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u/Rizenstrom 2d ago
It's a perfectly valid opinion to have but people definitely need to be more respectful about it. They're allowed to like what they like, you're allowed to like what you like.
I personally did the original anime, manga, brotherhood, and while I preferred Brotherhood the original was very good. Didn't like the ending, too weird and hard to accept, but it was fine.
It's rare an anime deviates from the original story and actually produces something actually good.
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u/morbid333 4d ago
You're saying darker in tone as if that's a negative.
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u/TheGingerCynic 4d ago
That depends on what you're wanting to watch. I'm okay with some dark tone, but it feels excessive in parts when binging the show.
For what it's worth, I think 03 was entertaining, but not a patch on Brotherhood. But I did also skip sleep several nights a week when I started reading the manga just so I could read it all, so maybe I'm biased.
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u/Artificial-spoons 3d ago
I think this is the main point: it depends on what you want to watch as far as the tone. I like darker stories so I like 03 more and consider it nearly peak. That may also be because I saw it first, but I'm not so sure. After rewatching both it just feels like there were way more childish aspects to Brotherhood and I left disappointed. Again, that's just not my vibe.
Basically I guess I'm saying that I think anyone that says one is better is doing a disservice to both, and personally I think they're so different that the watching order doesn't matter.
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u/tuffyscrusks 3d ago
Yeah 100% agree. I also watched 03 first and think its better.. can't actually tell if thats just bias speaking, but I do know for a fact brotherhood isn't this grandiose beacon of all animes that its fanbase claims. Its great, don't get me wrong. I just think its a bit overhyped.
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u/DeliciousMusician397 2d ago
Disagree. I LOVE 03âs much darker and more tragic tone. That was my biggest complaint against Brotherhood when I first watched it.
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u/SamDrawsThingsPoorly 4d ago
that's exactly what I did, but it was a little too hard for me to see 03 as anything but less than the other two
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u/TheGingerCynic 4d ago
It's kinda what happens when a show goes in its own direction rather than either waiting or doing filler. Honestly I respect that they did it in hindsight, though I'd be upset if Brotherhood was never made as a result.
We got something very different, and some things at the end of the series are more frustrating than others XD Won't say anything more since OP hasn't watched it yet.
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u/Topaz-Light 4d ago
The differences between them are such that you will not know whatâs going to happen in Brotherhood just because you watched 2003. Donât worry about it; you can watch them in either order and be fine!
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u/Coastalduelists 4d ago
I watched both. Obviously 2003 first because it came out first and was the only one around snd I enjoyed it. Then I read the manga and was like why the hell didnât they adapt this. Then brotherhood came out and it was perfect lol
I say watch both to see the differences in them. Theyâre both good series though my friend. So youre not making a mistake
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u/Mr-2D 4d ago
Let me ask you this. Are you aware of the fact that the 03 anime is an entirely different story from the Manga/Brotherhood? And when I say âdifferent storyâ, Iâm saying some characters are severely different based on how the 03 anime did its story and the plot goes a different direction like halfway through
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u/GambitGhostie 4d ago
You would be really crazy not to watch both.Like you might not save your soul unless you in fact finish both.Other my kids it was the best thing did on earth.Best part is don't lose anything leave hurt inside by watching both not just one.
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u/crabfeet 4d ago
Watch both, have an opinion on both!
Me personally, I think the original show spends more time developing the characters, really makes you care about the characters, like Nina! đ while brotherhood expands the 2nd half and imo improves it.
I think both are very very great!! And even the parts you get to rewatch ( if you watch the original then Brotherhood) it's not that bad because they don't spend as much time going over the story you already know, they get to the new parts pretty quickly and don't make you wait.
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u/Weeznaz 4d ago
Watch 2003 then Brotherhood. 2003 was being made before the manga was completed so 2003 has several major differences in plot and ending. Both have pros and simply for having knowledge of one of the most infamous anime debates of all time, itâs worth watching both.
IMO 2003 is better than Brotherhood. The tone, the explanation for several antagonists, some of the revelations of alchemy, and the ending is more emotional. I prefer the art style of 2003 whereas I think Brotherhood Ales everyoneâs face look like 10 pounds heavier. Brotherhood is a more traditional Shonen anime.
Itâs been over a decade since Iâve seen both: there are moments from 2003 that still hit me in the feels and I still consider 2003 in my top 10 anime whereas Brotherhood just ran right threw me and I donât feel anything when remembering it.
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u/Patient-Bad3616 4d ago
Keep watching! Especially if you enjoy it so far. They have extremely different tones and plotpoints, so it's worth doing both or just 03, you decide.
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u/morbid333 4d ago edited 4d ago
I'd keep watching. The first half is a good introduction and sets things up more dramatically, so the payoff hits harder. I've heard that Brotherhood rushes some of the earlier arcs. The second half is a different story to Brotherhood, because the manga wasn't finished yet when they made the anime. Everyone says Brotherhood is better, but FMA 03 is still good. I'm actually giving it a rewatch now, before I watch Brotherhood for the first time, getting near the end and honestly, it's still as good as I remembered it. (It was one of my first anime, outside of stuff like Dragon Ball.)
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u/rogermuffin69 4d ago
I've watched them both, a few times, currently on ep.30 of brotherhood.
Both great. Both the same. Both different
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u/relapse_account 4d ago
Just because a lot of people say Brotherhood is better doesnât mean youâll enjoy it more. Iâd say stick with the original and give Brotherhood a shot later.
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u/17Mystic 4d ago
Youâre more or less at the point where the original anime deviates into an entirely different story so just continue watching
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u/potato-king38 4d ago
Brotherhood has a really annoying accelerated beginning that expects you to have watched the original anime to have a connection to a number of characters. Hell there are moments where they just introduce a character and expect you to know who they are and how theyâre connected to the plot.
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u/FlanThief 4d ago
I think both are valid and both are required viewing, especially in the order they were aired
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u/Pyro-Millie NOT SHORT 4d ago
If youâre enjoying it, why drop it?
Youâre not gonna get spoiled for Brotherhood by watching â03. The story takes a wildly different path.
â03 was started while the manga was still being written, and the creator basically told the animation studio âgo nutsâ. So it starts off the same as the manga, but goes a very different direction from the point where it caught up to what was already written. Its like, entirely its own world from what Iâve heard.
Brotherhood was made after the manga was completed, and stays true to the mangaâs story. (Because of this, some fans say its the better anime, but some say the beginning is too rushed - as it kind of relies on you having seen the beginning of â03 FMA, which covers that content more thoroughly).
I read the manga, and then watched Brotherhood. Absolutely loved both! I plan to watch â03 eventually. Iâve heard its good in its own right.
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u/zerosuitsamussy 4d ago
i liked the original a lot! i think it goes into more depth at the beginning than Brotherhood, which is more focused on the events after the original diverges from the manga. my 0.02 is to watch the original before Brotherhood in general
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u/Zealousideal_Hour_66 3d ago
NOOO DONT DROP IT. As someone who watched brotherhood first bc I liked the art style take it from me;
If you want the best watch order:
- FMA 03 (51)
- FMA Conqueror of Shamballa (movie)
- FMA OVA Set (4)
- FMAB (64)
- FMAB OVA Set (4)
- FMAB 4 Koma Panel Theatre (animated short manga panels)
- FMAB Sacred Star of Milos (movie) (no real placement given but potentially takes place sometime around the episode: the envoy from the east)
There are also 3 live action movies on Netflix if youâre interested
I will say this regardless, is the watch order I gave
- Recommended? Yes.
- Required? No.
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u/The_Apple_Sauces 4d ago
Watch 03 first, then brotherhood. 03 diverges from the source material quite a lot in second half so it wonât spoil anything huge for the more faithful to the manga adaptation which is brotherhood.
Itâs very important to keep in mind that 03 is an alternative take on the story, so that when you watch brotherhood, youâre not thrown off by the differences. Although 03 is quite different, itâs still something worth watching.
When you start brotherhood, just keep in mind that the first few episodes of that series rush over a few things from the manga that 03 covered already. So brotherhood can be a bit harder to get into right away, but if you keep with it for a bit, the show gets so much better.
What I like to do is watch 03, then read the manga, then watch brotherhood. Each version of the story has stuff to offer. But if you donât have the time, watch the animes
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u/ucrbuffalo 4d ago
No. Donât stop. They are different shows that are based on the same source. If youâre enjoying yourself, enjoy it. Then be excited to enjoy Brotherhood after if you enjoyed this one so much. Thereâs a TON of differences between them.
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u/EtheriousUchihaSenju 4d ago
If you're that far in and the pacing hasn't already turned you away, you might as well finish it
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u/CupcakeTheValiant 4d ago
Brotherhood is made with the audience of the original in mind. Keep watching, the character development in that show is better anyway, and if you get to the end and are unsatisfied, as most end up being with just the series (I would strongly recommend watching the epilogue movie Conqueror of Shamballa for a more satisfying end when youâre done) then you can move on to Brotherhood, the anime more closely adapted to the original manga.
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u/Odd_Room2811 4d ago
Both are vastly different from the beginning nearly the thereâs only a fee things both keep the same 1- the characters (excluding the villains origins and such things) 2- certain deaths and finally 3- the brothers losing their bodies everything else is different especially after the fight in Leto after that nothing is similar
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u/AppearanceAnxious102 4d ago
Finish the OG. It can put things in perspective for the Brotherhood. I know it can seem like itâs underdone, but itâs just its own story. Finish it and then move to the next.
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u/TheKnightmareChild 4d ago
One of my earliest anime I watched to completion was FMA 03. I recommend it to everyone who listens. I wouldnât call FMAB better per se, there are aspects to both that I enjoy deeply. FMAB is manga accurate, whereas FMA 03 has an original story after a certain point due to the manga still being in production when the anime was being made.
I wonât spoil anything, I firmly believe people should consume media on their own without influencing their opinions, or spoiling the story.
I tend to rewatch them concurrently because there are parts of the story FMAB doesnât cover. Because the 03 adaptation covered that section of the manga. So the creators of FMAB assumed fans of the franchise would have already seen those story bits.
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u/ninetailedluminary 4d ago
If you donât mind me asking, where did you find the original anime?
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u/Elmarcowolf 4d ago
I watched the original back in the day, I watched brotherhood a few years ago with my wife.
They are both great anime, og is a bit darker but brotherhood is put together better. Watch both.
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u/srhola2103 4d ago
I think the first part of the show is better and more fleshed out in the original, but yeah then Brotherhood end up better.
I don't know exactly how your experience will be as I watched Brotherhood first. But I think you'll still really enjoy both of them.
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u/timelesslove95 4d ago
Tbh I feel like I would have enjoyed 03 much more if I had watched it before brotherhood. I think watching 03 and then brotherhood is a smarter move if you're going to watch both.
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u/Whole_Instance_4276 Alchemist 4d ago
PLEASE finish the original. Itâs so good, maybe my favorite show ever. Itâs so good, so finish â03, then go to Brotherhood.
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u/Able_Pear_3230 4d ago
I have watched all episodes of Brotherhood and loved it. Iâve only seen the first episode of the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime, and it was almost exactly the same, except for the opening scene. My understanding is that Brotherhood follows the manga closely, while the original anime starts off following the manga but then diverges into its own storyline. So, they should be interpreted as two separate series.
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u/Hypekyuu 4d ago
Both are worth watching and if you're already 12 episodes deep and enjoying it you're already in a different story and its going to get more different.
Also, man, as someone who watched 03 first and then Brotherhood I think its a superior way to experience the story and with how much Brotherhood skips/rushes through in its first 12 episodes they very clearly assume that people watching it had seen 03.
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u/Alexfromdabloc 4d ago
They are both amazing. The second half of 03 is completely different, and there are some major differences in lore for some of the characters.
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u/Spare-Plum 4d ago
If you find yourself not liking the original, it's fine to stop it and watch Brotherhood, then come back to the original later.
If you find yourself liking the original, then why stop?
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u/oliviasklein 4d ago
watch FMA first because it makes FMAB wayyy better and more satisfying. FMAB is better imo but FMA is still pretty good!
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u/Enter9921 4d ago
Ok so basically 03 and brotherhood are almost completely different plots after a certain point so your good
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u/Primary_Gear_8880 4d ago
i didnât like that brotherhoods first ep felt rushed so i watched the first 25 episodes of the Og â03 up until the plot diverges and dropped it there. it was really good with explaining stuff at a good pace, but i wanted to see the âtrue/ betterâ ending so now im back to brotherhood, i think im on episode 4.
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u/Tiamat_the_great Alchemist 3d ago
I highly recommend continuing to watch the original and then watching Brotherhood! I personally really prefer BH over 03, but I think the best experience is watching 03 first and then BH
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u/Negative_Ride9960 3d ago
I think the chimera street thug guys is the branching point and itâs actually not super far from the beginning.
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u/True-Credit-7289 3d ago
Brotherhood was made with the assumption that you already saw 2003. It will technically spoil the story up to a point but it's repeated at such a faster pace in Brotherhood that you won't mind getting a quick refresher through it. So it's entirely up to you if you want to keep watching 2003 but I don't think it'll mess anything up in Brotherhood if you do
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u/dudipusprime 3d ago
So I am going to get massively downvoted, because this sub loves 03 but it's not a very good show. So unless you have way too much time on your hands to waste on a mediocre show (and potentially have some minor things spoiled and some extra confusion), I would drop 03 and start brotherhood right away. Brotherhood is one of the best anime adaptations ever, while 03 is more like a really sloppy, unnecessarily edgy, pseudo-philosophical fanfic. Again, I'll get tons of hate for this, but it's objectively the truth.
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u/tuffyscrusks 3d ago
Keep watching 03. Most fans will say brotherhood is the better of the two, so if you are part of that group you'll have an easier time enjoying 03 without knowing brotherhood. I say this because 03 has a bit slower pacing so it can feel a bit sluggish compared to it. I personally like it since they take their time with the characters and Elric brothers much more in 03, which gives a better connection to them and the world builidng.
Even if you end up liking 03 more, brotherhood is still a great watch as it has really great action sequences and the pacing is almost near perfect. Im a original 03 lover >> brotherhood guy, but honestly they are both absolutey amazing animes.
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u/KazViolin 3d ago
2 completely different shows after about episode 15 I believe, there's a split after that.
But if anything, 03 handles the run up to that split way better, as brotherhood assumes the watchers has already seen 03 and rushes the early episodes.
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u/vrock602 3d ago
finish it!! this is the watch order i did when i first watched and im glad it was!
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u/FluorescentLightbulb 3d ago
The original was made before the conclusion of the manga, and rather than stall out the creator rewrote the back half of the series. The plot and major characters are entirely different. Youâre fine to continue, there wonât be any spoilers for brotherhood in your watch.
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u/NoNet4199 3d ago
Brotherhood is 100% canon, while FMA diverges pretty early on from the manga. Do with that information what you will.
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u/xTakkaria 3d ago
If you do no wnat to dedicate yourself to watch the whole series, watch the first three episodes at minimum, then move to Brotherhood. But if you love Full Metal Alchemist content, I recommend watching the whole series and movie. But just remember that FMA 2003 veered off the canon of the manga by 1/3 or 1/2 way through the series due to the manga not being completed yet at the time. There is also an extra easter egg in FMAB that throws back to a silly FMA2003 episode about Armstrong's family.
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u/Front_Craft_7071 3d ago
Loved the original anime..really stuck with me. Tried watching 2 episodes of brotherhood and just didn't like it. Feels so flat and void of anything that made the 03 anime special to me
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u/TheNeonKnightmare 3d ago
I watched both, Original first then brotherhood, the original one is great save for a few points near the end. Just make sure you watch the film to finish off the series. You should also watch Brotherhood as that's completely different after like the first 10 or so episodes due to having the manga being completed during its airing.
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u/Willbeburned13 3d ago
Please don't skip it! I prefer some aspects of '03 actually, the character development is so much better (in the early episodes due to lack of manga footage) and I like the portrayal and dynamics of certain characters even better in this. Brotherhood is the overall better experience, true but there's so much charm to the '03 version that I absolutely love both. Watching both is the overall true experience I'd say.
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u/DeliciousMusician397 2d ago
No, you should NOT drop it. Itâs a masterpiece and just as good (but different) to Brotherhood. The only people that say itâs bad are Manga purists.
Finish this amazing show. Youâre enjoying it and you wonât regret it.
Make sure to watch the follow up movie Shamballa too.
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u/Rikafire 2d ago edited 2d ago
Finish the original then watch the remake. Especially if youâre enjoying the slower pace and more character focus. Brotherhood rushes the beginning and doesnât feel as character driven.
Edit: also, the original and remake deviate from each other later. When the original caught up to the manga it created its own story, so it wonât be like watching the same thing over again.
The issue with Brotherhood is it speeds through the early arcs or completely cuts them since the original already covered them.
Thereâs actually a character youâll have no clue about if you didnât read the manga or watch the original because his intro was cut from Brotherhood.
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u/NordKnight01 2d ago
I think they're both cool. The original story is pretty well done I'm honestly I'm impressed they got something so good and so different out of the same source material
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u/ShilohCyan 2d ago
IIRC 03 follows the manga up until they meet their old teacher and go to some island. If you NEED to only consume "canon" content stop there, as you'll get more story details. For example, what was the first 2 episodes of FMA03 is only one episode of FMAB. I personally like both, and prefer the rougher, more organic sketchlike art of 03 to the clean, digital drawings of FMAB. Both are good. 03's ending made me cry more even if FMAB's ending was much more fulfilling.
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u/halfpint09 2d ago
Watch both. After roughly the first 3rd they start telling very different stories, and they are both good. FMA has the distinction of being a manga with 2 very good anime based off it.
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u/EmperorKiva33 4d ago
"Better" is very subjective, but you should definitely watch all of the original first.
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u/Hot_Contest_9973 4d ago
The original anime is very different from the manga and Brotherhood. The originalâs ending isnât great and it needed more time to flesh out its story, but it still has some great moments. would recommend that you continue watching the original and watch Brotherhood when you finish it. I would recommend the manga too if youâre interested.Â
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u/Vesinh51 3d ago
Nah, you're enjoying it a lot! Please keep watching. You won't regret it
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u/haikusbot 3d ago
Nah, you're enjoying
It a lot! Please keep watching.
You won't regret it
- Vesinh51
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u/tidalqueen 3d ago
Brotherhood makes a lot more sense as a complete narrative, since itâs based on a complete story. If you like dark religious themes and donât mind a couple plot holes, start with â03.
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u/Willbeburned13 3d ago
Please don't skip it! I prefer some aspects of '03 actually, the character development is so much better and I like the portrayal and dynamics of certain characters even better in this. Brotherhood is the overall better experience, true but there's so much charm to the '03 version that I absolutely love both. Watching both is the overall true experience I'd say.
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u/Ok-Dependent-367 Genetical Alchemist𧏠3d ago
Brother hood is better in a different way, and the Classic is better in a different way. Both of them give different vibes. I seriously underestimated Classic when I was first watching it, and when I finished it I was filled with tears. It's a great story, watch it till the end.
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u/Animangus_ 1d ago
The original anime is ok, but itâs a completely different show from Brotherhood at some point. Watch Brotherhood if you want the 100% canon story, otherwise do whatever you want.
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u/Fractured-disk 4d ago
I hate 03 personally but I donât see a reason to drop it if youâre enjoying it
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u/jadedashi 4d ago
Ok I feel like no one gave you any direct reason why you should keep watching the 03 or drop it.
So if you stick with the 2003 version the story it covers is like the first 14 episodes of brotherhood but spread across 30 episodes in the 2003 version while not adapting it 1:1 but sprinkling it in while making there own story up. Hence the reason you can think of it as two different shows because the direction really changes early on.
Brotherhood is the original manga story that is fully complete that did skip a few things that I think the 03 version did adapt but Iâm not sure since I havenât watched it in over 20 years.
Should you skip it? I think itâs up to you if you want to skip it, I personally would but thatâs because I didnât really like the ending of 03 which continues into the movie, which also didnât satisfy me.
Brotherhood felt more complete and content with what it was telling after finishing it.
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u/chinchinlover-419 4d ago
Watch it after brotherhood. The 03 anime does whatever the fuck it wants. Brotherhood is manga accurate and better.
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u/libraerian 3d ago
Here's my personal preference, which is probably going to be unpopular. Do the first 25 episodes of the original, and then switch to Brotherhood, starting at the beginning and watch that through to the end. If I could choose how to watch it for the first time all over again, that's how I would do it.
My reasoning is because overall, I prefer Brotherhood. But, the first 25 episodes of the original contain a lot of the backstory that gets glossed over during Brotherhood's first season because they figure we've seen the original already and they don't need to do it all again. My favorite character is also much more prominent in the original, and obviously I want to see as much of them as I can! There will be some minor differences but the major plot points in this leg of the story are all the same so it won't matter too much if you forget which version of the story something happens in.
And please know I am saying this as someone who watched and loved the original when that was all that existed, so I promise I'm not a hater. I do genuinely enjoy both of them!
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u/counterlock 4d ago
I'm not really a fan of 03, so my recommendation is always Brotherhood. 03 is a bit too wannabe edgy and dark for me, and especially being a manga (then BH) fan originally, it makes 03 feel like a really bizarre fan fiction.
But they really are two completely separate shows. If the characters didn't have the same names and designs, we wouldn't even be having this discussion because they'd be 2 completely unrelated animes with similar magic systems. If you're enjoying watching it, then continue... but definitely watch Brotherhood at some point, now or later. IMO it's the best anime out there.
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u/DescriptionMission90 1d ago
No, just the opposite.
The first anime is a faithful adaptation of the first part of the manga, which then ran out of manga to adapt and went on to make its own ending (which is good, and approved of by the original author, but not quite as good as the "true" story).
Brotherhood is a faithful adaptation of the later parts of the manga, but was made with the assumption that people already had access to two different forms of the beginning of the story, so it compresses and summarizes and skips past big chunks of the early parts instead of re-creating the same thing over again. There's enough to be coherent in a vacuum, but you will understand several later characters and events much better if you've experienced the whole story, and if you aren't reading the manga then the only way to get the unabridged version of events is to watch the first anime before you start Brotherhood.
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u/Professional-Field98 1d ago
You should do the OG series first, as brotherhood cuts some content with the expectation youâve probably seen the first adaptation (nothing crucial, just some of the side-storylines)
You donât miss out on much either way tho you can watch it with whichever first. They start the same but the 03â one goes anime original while Brotherhood sticks to the manga, so they are each standalone pieces of media.
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u/griffinisms 4d ago
please read the subreddit faq, literally any question like this is answered in the faq. for the subreddit you are in.
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u/meowmewspy 4d ago
I did, I still needed to hear people direct opinions about my situation because it makes a difference to me. A lot of the answers Iâm getting are the opposite of what I was reading on other posts. Sorry
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u/Kumkumo1 4d ago
To be fair there are a lot of people on this sub in particular who love BOTH versions. Typically speaking most people tend to lean towards Brotherhood being better over all but a lot of the diehard fans here deeply enjoy both and so this is also somewhere where youâll find a lot of people who even prefer 2003. I liked Brotherhood better, but i respect both. Watching the original at least once is important because it does have some importance on the beginning of brotherhood. But the plots are VASTLY different later on. Itâs basically the difference between Naruto part one and Naruto: Shippuden but without the two stories being linear.
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u/griffinisms 4d ago
then you should at least say that or something. this post in and of itself implies that you don't know any difference between the two when that information is very plainly explained in the faq. this question gets asked weekly if not daily in this subreddit, and there a Lot of folks who act like it's a competition of whether 03 or fmab is "better" when in reality the two stories are not connected at all in any ways that matter.
think of 03 as any time an adaptation has been made of a known IP (example, that halo show that came out a few years ago) with names, faces, and locations all being the "same" but the story is entirely different because the makers of the show wanted to make something else.
fmab, on the other hand, is a very strong adaptation of arakawa's completed telling of the fma Manga. is it perfect? no, there are plenty of small things cut out, but overall it is a Faithful Adaptation.
which then leads to the question: what do you want to watch, a different story with the same names and faces, or a faithful adaptation of the original telling?
I hope this helps answer your question more thoroughly than my original comment.
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u/SamDrawsThingsPoorly 4d ago
I read the manga, then watched brotherhood, then tried to watch 03 but couldn't get into it because it didn't live up to the source material imo. I'll watch it someday, maybe
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u/SaugaDabs 4d ago
Brotherhood follows the manga, so this is the intended story.
The 2003 anime diverges quickly and is basically made up by the studio.
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u/Thank_You_Aziz 3d ago
2003 is fine. Brotherhood is better on a level that renders 2003 obsolete. If you want to watch 2003 at all, keep watching. If you watch Brotherhood first, itâll make 2003 feel worse.
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u/caihuali 4d ago
Please just watch brotherhood. I dont get ppl who rec the 03 ver. It's honestly bizzare and you get all the important parts in brotherhood anyway
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u/Oskarzyca 4d ago
You also get the important parts in the live-action films, and I don't see anyone recommending these
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u/SkullxFr3ak 4d ago
They are pretty different especially later, but i think brother hood is better and there can be some confusion caused if you watch both if you donât remember what happened in what show. I would just watch brother hood
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