Fullmetal Alchemist (2003)
One of the bigger shows of the last decade is getting a new lease on life in Japan as the original 2003 version of Fullmetal Alchemist is coming to Blu-ray. The 51 episode series, which was produced while the manga was ongoing and turns in its own original direction about halfway through, is set for an HD remaster release on October 29th, 2014 alongside a release of the movie as well. While it’s being listed as an HD remaster, it’s expected to be an upscale but more details are likely to come in over the next few months. The series is slotted to bring out the clean opening and closing sequences and little more than that overall. The show will get an 8 disc release in the box and come with a booklet.
- Fullmetal Alchemist BD-Box LE (51 eps.): 37800yen
- Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie – Conqueror of Shamballa (Blu-ray): 5184yen
Plot concept: The rules of alchemy state that to gain something, one must lose something of equal value. Alchemy is the process of taking apart and reconstructing an object into a different entity, with the rules of alchemy to govern this procedure. However, there exists an object that can bring any alchemist above these rules, the object known as the Philosopher’s Stone. The young Edward Elric is a particularly talented alchemist who through an accident years back lost his younger brother Alphonse and one of his legs. Sacrificing one of his arms as well, he used alchemy to bind his brother’s soul to a suit of armor. This lead to the beginning of their journey to restore their bodies, in search for the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.
[Source: Fullmetal Alchemist BD-Box]