Warning: Thirteen-year-old spoilers ahead!

In an attempt to revive their mother through the science of alchemy, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse’s soul was trapped in a suit of armor. Determined to get their bodies back, the two brothers are travelling all over Amestris in search of the Philosopher’s Stone—a legendary substance that will allow them to bypass the laws of equivalent exchange. But there’s trouble lurking in the shadows: creatures called homunculi have big plans for the country—and the Elric brothers are key pawns in their plot. 

Serialized from 2001 to 2010 and spanning 27 volumes, Fullmetal Alchemist has sold over 70 million copies worldwide. It was adapted twice into an anime—2003’s Fullmetal Alchemist and 2009’s Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood—and has inspired dozens of games, books, and other media. This year, VIZ Manga is publishing a brand new, fully remastered edition. Featuring new cover art, a hardcover binding, a completely new translation, and more, this book is not only a celebration of the series, but a beautiful way to introduce one of the world’s most beloved manga series to a new generation of weebs.

© 2011 Hiromu Arakawa/SQUARE ENIX

Even if you already own the English translation originally published by VIZ Media between 2005 and 2011, Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Volume 1 deserves a spot on your shelf. This edition is designed to look pretty—and look pretty for a loooooong time. The volume is printed on large-trim bright white archival paper, making the art and text easy to look at and read. As with other collector’s edition manga, the volume also contains color inserts and original concept sketches by creator Hiromu Arakawa.

© 2011 Hiromu Arakawa/SQUARE ENIX

The volume is also longer; compared to the first US paperback edition (in English), which included chapters one through four, the Fullmetal Edition contains chapters one through six, ending just as Ed gets his automail trashed by Scar. Story-wise, it’s a smart editorial decision to end here: it’s a much more natural cliffhanger when compared to where the first US paperback edition ended which was with the introduction of Roy Mustang. It’s also more compelling and clearly a critical moment in the brother’s journey—how could you not want to read Volume 2?!

One of the major selling points of this new edition is the updated translation and copy. Visually, the difference between the first US paperback edition and the Fullmetal Edition is obvious: VIZ definitely took advantage of the larger pages, increasing the size of the speech bubbles and sound effects in order to re-key the text. The line breaks are less awkward and easier to read now, while sound effects have been reworked in new fonts and carefully placed so they’re better integrated into the illustrations rather than awkwardly on top of them.

© 2011 Hiromu Arakawa/SQUARE ENIX

As for the translation itself, the change is subtle but makes a big impact. Mostly I found that the revised translation rephrases certain lines to clarify the tone and meaning or general flow of dialogue. There are also far fewer ellipses and updated punctuation in general. For example:

First US paperback edition: “That’s the way things are in this business.” -Alphonse (to Rose), p. 76
Fullmetal Edition: “That’s the fate of the path we’ve chosen.” p. 74

First US paperback edition: “Don’t make a big deal out of one or two arms!” -Edward (to Father Cornello), p.85
Fullmetal Edition:“Don’t make a big deal over an arm or two!” p. 83

First US paperback edition: “@#$%…I wouldn’t have helped out if I knew it was in your district.”-Edward (to Roy), p. 175
Fullmetal Edition: “@#$%…I wouldn’t have helped out if I’d know I was in your district.” p. 175

I’m as far from an expert when it comes to the business of translation as Japan is from D.C., but as a native English reader, I found the updated lines more natural in the way of speech and easier to read. Longtime readers will be pleased to hear that even after a decade, VIZ is taking the “updated translation” seriously and handling it with fresh eyes and the love a beloved series like FMA deserves. (At the very least, we can look forward to a consistent translation of Riza Hawkeye’s name, which was one of my biggest complaints about the original release of the manga volumes.) I can’t wait to have all these new hardcover editions on my shelf.

Story: 5 out of 5 stars
Art: 5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars

[coffee]