(no subject)

[amethyst_koneko]

It will come as no big surprise to any of you that I do not like the way the manga ended. The reasons are numerous so I decided to put at least some of them down on paper just so they wouldn't be just inside my head driving me nuts anymore. (I now understand what you writers are talking about when you say the bunnies won't leave you alone! :D) After doing that, I decided to share my masterpiece with you all. This is your last chance to look away! ... Oh well, can't say I didn't warn you! ^_^ Beware flying f-bombs! :D

Arakawa-san,

I want to let you know exactly how I feel about what the end of the FMA manga has done to me, or rather, what you have done to me. I am deeply hurt and grievously disappointed. First of all, your ending sucked major ass. What a cop-out! How dare you, after all the years of hardship and struggle that Ed and Al endured (with us along for the ride), give us this cotton candy fairy tale ending! FMA taught us that life isn't fair, that you have to make the best of what you've got, and yet you give us this contradictory bullshit drivel for an ending?! Everything was resolved by using Philosopher's Stones and human transmutation - the very things that got Ed and Al into this mess to begin with, the very things that we've been taught all along are the most heinous of crimes! The hell?!? Our heroes save the world and the only sacrifice is Ed's supposed pride?? The good guys fought, bled, and died to save a nation from annihilation and the result is Ed learns to be humble?? Are you fucking kidding me?!? To add insult to injury, you took Ed's alchemy from him! Alchemy, the very thing Ed's entire world has been built upon, the very thing he's best known for, the very thing he's used his whole life to help others with, the very thing that he's been focused on his entire life, is suddenly gone and it's supposedly OK?! How can you rip away the entire foundation of Ed's world and expect him and us to act like nothing's happened?? You seriously want me to believe that some fucking apple pie and the sight of some sunny fields is a magic cure all?? I don't hardly think so!

And let us not forget the huge WTFery that you did with Al! The boy sat in complete sensory deprivation for YEARS and yet when he's restored he's perfectly OK with the sudden rush of sensation?? The touch of Hohenheim's hand only sends a shiver running over him and the bone crushing hugs Mei and Sig give Al don't even faze him?? "It's so warm"?? That's all he can say? That's the best you could do? I can't believe you would insult my intelligence like this. Shame on you. With this tripe, you have insulted us the fans and cheapened everything the characters have worked so hard for.

Now let's talk about Hohenheim. Why didn't you sacrifice him to bring back Al? Hohenheim's leaving set into motion everything Ed and Al did so why not let him be the means by which they are restored and reunited? It's called coming full circle in case you didn't know. Hohenheim was dying anyway and wanted to make amends so why not let him do it? Were you afraid of him upstaging Ed somehow? That's just pathetic. Hohenheim's sacrifice not only was the best solution to their situation, it was the one that was most believeable and the one most fans expected and deemed appropriate.

Lastly, would you kindly explain how in the hell Ed managed to turn himself into a Philosopher's Stone? Was this even more forbidden human transmutation? Funny how Ed seems to have no trouble performing this bit of taboo alchemy to save his own ass but won't even consider using a Philosopher's Stone to save Al. How was Ed with a Stone of just one soul able to overcome and defeat Pride with a Stone of innumerable thousands? You seriously expect me to believe that Kimblee distracting Pride was all it took for Ed to win? Again you try and break my ability to suspend disbelief if you think any of this is even remotely plausible.

signed
amethyst_koneko,
disappointed and dismayed fangirl

Wankers need not apply. Move along please.

Comments

[binaryalchemist.livejournal.com]

I love you.
I could not have said it better or more sincerely.
I have a few other points I've belabored elsewhere so I won't launch into them here. I had a day off today and finally it all came to a head. The story "One Candle Shines Through A Thousand Doorways" was written basically in a single sitting from 5am this morning until it was done around llam. I wrote until my muscles cramped and I had tears pouring down my cheeks...because I HAD to get this out. If I never write another FMA fic I had to get this out of my system before it broke my heart. FMA is a modern myth--as valid as those of any culture. It is the Hero's journey--it feeds the hearts of a lot of people. It came into my life right after I had lost EVERYTHING---my parents, my marriage, my job, my home, my hope--everything. My friend Tacoma who was dying of AIDS ordered me to watch--told me that it was what my heart needed. He took such comfort and strength in the FMA myth before he died. This Is Not A Goddamned Cartoon Or Comic Book. It is a powerful mythos to me....and I will never forgive Cow for what she did. And the ending--seeing Ed dressed like Hohenheim, getting on the train alone...seeing history repeat itself to the second generation...just nauseates me. I know Cow was writing for a shonen audience with clearly defined rules about what is 'normal'--but she was being a conduit for one of the Great Stories....and in the end she fucked it all to hell.
::cries with you::

[priestess-grrrl.livejournal.com]

*passes out tissues*

It is upsetting when something you put your whole heart and soul into turns out to be a lot less than you thought it was. I don't let just anything become part of the fabric of my world - it's got to be really good. It's got to suck me in right from the beginning and refuse to let go. It's got to hit me right at my core, in those locked places that I've kept hidden away, buried down deep, the ones that no one gets to see.

FMA did all that. It was that good. I can't tell you how many nights I spent crying my EYES out for Edward. And for Roy. They would grab a hold of me and absolutely refuse to let go. I leaped into their world headfirst, with abandon, and it was incredible... so much creative fire, so much emotion... I was just swept away by it.

It's not FAIR when this happens, it really isn't. I wouldn't have signed up for this if I had known that this would happen at the end. It's... just so unfair. I'm so unhappy. I don't know what else to say about it. ;_;

[randomcheeses.livejournal.com]

You know, I was pretty okay with the end of the manga. And then I read this rant. And now I am really, really angry at Arakawa. Gah! I must stop being such a sap for happy endings.
And was anyone else really annoyed at the lack of resolution for Roy and Riza? I don't even ship them and I was like 'WTH? All that shippiness in the last few chapters and they just get a photograph where they both look sorta depressed? And wth was up with Riza's hair?

[nochick-fics.livejournal.com]

*pokes in*

Lack of resolution for Roy and Riza was one of the few things that DIDN'T suck about the chapter. If Cow would have thrown Royai into this clusterfuck, I probably would have stabbed something. But maybe that's just me; I've never been one to assume people needed to be shipped because they happen to be around each other, no matter how hard the creator tries to make the reader see it their way (and boy did she try with Ed/Win and Roy/Riza). Besides, a relationship really has no place in Roy's aspirations, imo. Not trying to start a debate or anything; just wanted to point out what I thought was one of the few saving graces of 108.

Anywho, amethyst dear, very well said and I applaud you for speaking your opinion in such a way that clearly expresses what I think many of us feel to varying extents. As much as I cling to my love of the first anime, which is the only thing that matters to me canon-wise, I'm just disgusted by the bullshit, cop-out of an ending for the last chapter. Shame on her as a creator. FMA deserved better. I don't want my last memory of a manga I was trying hard not to hate in the first place to be a picture of Ed and Trisha 2.0, aka Winry. Just... ugh. No.

[binaryalchemist.livejournal.com]

And the last picture of Ed getting on the train looked like Hoho 2.0--right down to he clothes on his back. They are trying to give Ed and Oedipal complex--I've heard that for years but to see it played out is simply nauseating. I've come to realise that the manga/brohood was written for Japanese shonens who are expected to 'conform' and 'be normal'--well, Ed and Al are anything BUT. I'm not sure I'll download the final episode unless I can figure out how to edit the parts that make my blood boil and stomach heave.

[dragonimp.livejournal.com]

I felt kinda bad for Riza, but I also thought that any kind of romantic resolution would've been OOC for Roy. Though I do think the man needs to get a life outside of work, he's never shown any indication that he wants to. So that was one instance where I'm glad she didn't tie up everything in a neat bow.

[randomcheeses.livejournal.com]

I guess. It was more that they seemed, I dunno, depressed, or bored. I mean, c'mon Arakawa, give them a smile, or a satisfied smirk. Something!

[amethyst_koneko]

I think Riza just cut her hair off really short like Maria Ross. I like her with shorter hair for some reason. What happened with Roy and Riza was perhaps the only thing to happen that actually made sense. Royai, as much as the het fans love it, just isn't who they are. I'm sure they care deeply for one another but I don't get the feeling that they will ever be more than colleagues, friends with benefits at the most. I think the reason they look so stern in that pic is because it looks like they're conducting a troop inspection, hardly the time or place to act all giddy and smiley! :)

[amethyst_koneko]

Oh and sorry if I've ruined the manga for you now! *^_^*

[lectawindwalker.livejournal.com]

I have to say, you said it all perfectly. I completely agree with each and every point you made.

Arakawa dropped the ball with this ending. It was too sugary and sweet. The one thing that didn't piss me off was the fact that Ed still had his automail leg. That was believable and just about the only part that was. (Mrs Bradley, how the hell did you not freak out when you learn that your son wasn't human. That would freak me out!)

But kudos to wording your thoughts so well! If I tried now, it would probably be all ASDHRWWRET RAWR!

[amethyst_koneko]

Mrs Bradley, how the hell did you not freak out when you learn that your son wasn't human.

I know! That look on her face when Ed presents her with thumb sized Selim should have been 'the hell is this??' not 'oh my baby! I've missed you so! T_T' :p FAIL! That thing on his forehead alone would have given me the hebbie-jebbies! :)

[dragonimp.livejournal.com]

I had to take a look after binary mentioned your post - I agree completely. I think that most of the problems I had with this last chapter can be summed up with lack of repercussions. Magic fix for Roy's eyes - check. Guilt-free solution to get Al back - check. Al's immediate adjustment - check. White picket fences - check. I know the chapter ran long as it was, but come on. Are we really supposed to believe that everything was suddenly perfect?

[binaryalchemist.livejournal.com]

Interesting thing I saw on the mobuta.com board (not the site--that has been mysterious pulled down--and not mention of it going back up again--I was trolling to see if I could find a fan address for emailing our 'feedback')and it stated that Cow actually had to rush to finish the manga because she had an agreement that the end would coincide with the end of Brohood. Gee...maybe THEY should have waited on her...we might not have had the shitty ending we got stuck with.

[dragonimp.livejournal.com]

... while most of the problems in Brotherhood were because they were rushing through it.

I hate them. -_-;;

[binaryalchemist.livejournal.com]

There was so much pandering to the shonen crowd and things got so absurd--when they let Ed 'become a stone of one' and heal himself (and go through instant puberty) and the sexual overtones that started after that (the ponytail erection reaction to the infamous boob shot) was the point when I originally said 'fuck the manga' and wiped it off my hard drive, swearing never to read it again. Then when all the brouhaha began about Brohood I decided to read the damn thing anyway...and damn it, she kept breaking her own rules, over and over. When Ed transmuted himself, he didn't see TRUTH again and didn't have anything TANGIBLE taken, like his sight or his limbs. Allegedly he aged a few years but that just sounds cheap and suspicious to me. And ROY wasn't the one who did the transmutation--he was an innocent victim but he was the one who lost his sight. THAT was cheap. You create a 'verse, you damn well better stick to its rules...

[dragonimp.livejournal.com]

And she might have perfectly good explanations for all of those - but the story didn't share them with us. Ed did at least call out that Roy having something taken didn't make sense, but it was left at that.

I think I could've been fine with Ed using himself as a stone if it had only been that one time. But the fight with Pride ... as exciting as that scene was, it was overkill. There'd already been an established method for reducing a homunculus to its "true" form that didn't require any sort of soul/stone transmutation, so why did Ed have to invade Pride like that? No explanation given. (And speaking of, how come Pride seems to have lost all his memories and personality? Envy didn't.)

I still think the story and the sheer plotting of the manga are incredible, and for the most part I still love the characters, but yeah, there were some places were it fell short.

[nochick-fics.livejournal.com]

Such unbelievable fail.

[amethyst_koneko]

If the Cow had to rush to meet a deadline, that would explain at least some of how it ended. If time was against her, she may have had no choice but to pull out the old "and they all lived happily ever after" shtick. If that's the case, I can go back to blaming BONES for every fail thing about FMA. They reeeeeally should have waited on Cow. The story took 9 years to tell; what would it have hurt to wait a few more days? :p

[binaryalchemist.livejournal.com]

Y'know...as much as it might get her off the hook...I'm not buying it. She knew the ending when she told the full story to the directing team at BONES for the first series and movie (she states this in the manga volumes and in interviews) and had told the ending of the manga to the Bro'hood team before they started. So I blame BONES for the poor quality of Brohood but Cow takes the credit for the shitty ending--she planned it years ago.