Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Law of Equivalent Exchange: A Fullmetal Alchemist manga podcast

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So just what was it that Scar’s brother noticed about Amestris’ alchemy (back in chapter 59!) that was “strange”? At last we find out, as Scar employs is brother’s plan to counteract Father! But Father has other tricks up his sleeve... Meanwhile, Ed has his final faceoff with Pride, as a familiar face from the past makes one final appearance. Tim and Patrick dig into FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 106, and an excellent batch of back matter in the series’ penultimate volume!

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Father’s plan is coming to fruition! As the eclipse continues, he takes advantage of ALL his countrymen to get ALL the power! Can Ed, Al, Hoenheim and their comrades turn the tables on him? Tim and Patrick discuss FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 105, things you don’t know about us (that might be fiction), unwritten rules of sound effects, and more.

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The eclipse is here! Father/"Mr. Eyeballs" sets his plan in motion! Can Ed, Al, and company fight back? Tim and Patrick give the play-by-play on FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 104, with ... well, fewer digressions than usual.

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It becomes clear in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 103 that causing Mustang to open the portal shouldn’t have been possible, and Pride did it at some cost to himself. How will that play out? Will Mei be able to beat Father, a.k.a. “Mr. Eyeballs”, in a fight? And what’s up with these Ishvalans - are they setting up to play a party game? Probably not, but these are all questions raised by the chapter, as we wrap up volume 25!

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What happens when Mustang is forced to open the Gate of Truth against his will? Ever seen two nameless men fight to the death? And why on earth would Al turn down a chance to get back in his real body? As we move closer to the climax of the story, Tim and Patrick discuss FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 102!

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FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 101 asks some important questions: Will Hawkeye bleed to death? How will Pride and Father open the portal? And… is it possible to talk while strangling someone with your tongue? Tim and Patrick have (correct?) answers!

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Can you believe we’ve done 100 episodes now? Can you believe we’re almost done with the series??

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 100 hits us hard, with two deaths, a serious injury, and … whatever that is that’s happened to Hoenheim. The eclipse is almost here, and the human sacrifice candidates are being gathered; can they turn the tables in time??

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Stuff gets real as Foo and Bradley fight it out! Ed, Al (finally in Central City), and Izumi disappear from their respective locations! Tim and Patrick discuss FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 99. Plus: Volume 24 back matter! Does a video game ad reveal something unexpected about Ed???

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Battles continue, as Lin/Greed takes on Bradley, and Olivier and Izumi continue to kick butt and take names. Who else is stepping in to take on Bradley? Who has the strongest abs? Will we actually SEE Ed or Al this time? Tim and Patrick discuss.

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A transformation by Father, the return of the bad guy we just KNEW would be back, and the terror of facing off against a toilet-slipper-wielding Izumi Curtis feature in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 97! Tim and Patrick are wondering where the %&#@ Ed and Al are!

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As the dolls continue their rampage, the tide turns against Sloth, and we finally get a look at the showdown between Hoenheim and Father, our discussion of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 96 stumbles over one very confusing (at least, to us) panel!

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Can Mustang avoid being consumed with revenge? Can the Armstrongs and military avoid being consumed by artificial soldiers? Will fighting consume too much energy for Sloth? It’s FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 95 - and we talk about the back matter of volume 23 as well!

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As the fight continues in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 94, we have questions: Why has broadcast media seemingly advanced more in Reole than other cities? How has the Amestrian military flunked Controlling the Media Narrative 101? And more importantly, what can Mustang stand to learn from, of all people, Scar? As Tim and Patrick look for answers, Hiromu Arakawa pulls a cool fakeout on us!

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It’s another chapter with several simultaneous fights! Marcoh’s life is saved, hilariously, from Pride’s spike; the Armstrongs continue to battle Sloth; and Mustang demands to know who killed Hughes. Also, what was the crazy chapter title in the original Japanese? Tim and Patrick discuss the emotional roller coaster of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 93!

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If you’re up for epic alchemical battle scenes, FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 92 is for you! Al, convinced that getting the help of the souls trapped in a philosopher’s stone is the right thing to do, battles Pride and Kimblee, while the Armstrong siblings go up against Sloth - who turns out to have more tricks up his sleeve than we might have thought! Tim and Patrick give the play-by-play. Also, Tim runs a stop sign.

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Chaos continues at military HQ, as the soul-powered artificial soldiers run rampant in the underground passages — fought off by Ed and co. — while upstairs, Olivier Armstrong kicks butts and takes names. And Heinkel comes up with a certain prop that we haven’t seen in many chapters! Tim and Patrick discuss FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 91, and the back matter of volume 22!

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The battle has begun, and Ed and company jump into action! But will the military fight them off by activating the philosopher’s stone-powered unkillable artificial soldiers? Is trapped Selim Bradley as helpless as he appears? Tim and Patrick examine FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 90!

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Soldiers do return in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 89 - a number of soldier characters that we haven’t seen in quite some time! As Mustang’s gang and the troops from Briggs begin their attack, we see what good leadership can do - an advantage that the homunculi definitely DON’T have. But will leadership be enough? Tim and Patrick discuss the chapter.

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Pride has consumed Gluttony and is now bigger and more powerful. How can he be contained? Ed doesn’t like the containment plan that’s successfully carried out without his knowledge - but what is it that’s *really* bothering him about it? Tim and Patrick are joined by “Fiendish” creator (and Fullmetal fan) Irene Strychalski to dig into FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 88!

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As our heroes battle Pride in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 87, a character who’s been around almost since the beginning leaves the stage for good! Can Ed and Al survive the experience? Tim and Patrick discuss, and mostly stay on topic!

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Al’s armor has been taken over by Pride! Can Ed, Lin, and the chimeras defeat him? And how was Pride able to locate them? Some surprise character returns punctuate FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 86! Tim and Patrick break it down, and get into a somewhat contentious discussion about (what else?) sound effects!

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The Briggs troops make a surprise move against a dangerous enemy. Will it be successful? Meanwhile, Ed finally meets up with Al again, but….something is different about him. Is Al’s armor now a threat? Tim and Patrick discuss FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 85!

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In FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 84, Arakawa gives us a taste of Hokkaido (again), a comedic kerfuffle at Winry’s house, the return of a homunculus, and Al in danger. We talk about all that plus - Star Wars! Huh?

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In FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 83, Ed makes a surprising ally, the Armstrongs battle each other, and other characters play a clandestine game of “telephone.” Tim and Patrick are joined by CBR.com writer Louis Kemner to discuss the chapter, as well as transliteration of foreign names in katakana, Japanese dog breeds, and… what happened to the third “klang”??

Louis on our major Fullmetal PTSD moment, chapter 5!

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FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 82 is one of the funniest in a while! But it has serious moments, as well, as Al catches up with his long-missing dad, and Lin/Greed makes an irreversable decision. Also, Tim and Patrick come across a deja vu scene - didn’t the same thing happen earlier in the series?

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How does the first conversation between Al and Hoenheim in ten years go? How has Rosé changed since volume 1? What are the names of the “chimera guys”? Can a pocket watch make the same sound as a suit of armor? These questions and more are answered as Tim and Patrick discuss FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 81!

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In chapter 80 of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, Ed is still nowhere to be seen, but finally the other characters are starting to notice that fact, so surely it won’t be long till his return! Also, Yoki gets a sense of who his friends really are; a character nearly leaves for home, but then doubles back; and Scar does something genuinely humorous! Also, Tim notices an alternative name for the Purification Arts/Xing Alchemy, and Patrick sees a theme of community service running through the chapter.

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Chapter 79 of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST belongs to Dr. Marcoh, as he faces off against a more powerful foe! Tim and Patrick discuss.

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Things are going from bad to worse, and more wars break out along the Amestris border. Hoenheim makes a surprising stop in a vaguely remembered town, and issues a warning. And does the Scar/Marcoh party have a turncoat in their midst? Tim and Patrick discuss FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 78!

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After the mineshaft cavein, Ed is in danger of bleeding to death without the help of some assumed enemies. Mei Chang makes a startling discovery about Scar’s brother’s alchemy notes. And Kimblee meets one of his compatriots for the first time. Tim and Patrick discuss FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 77, including the usual fun with translation errors and sound effects!

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As Scar, Mei Chang, and co. try to figure out Scar’s brother’s notes, the Briggs’ troops’ plan goes awry. Ed fights more chimeras. And isn’t the guy in the armor somehow different from usual? Tim and Patrick discuss FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 76!

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At last, FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 75 reveals the origin story of Hoenheim and Father! (No, they’re not the same person! heh heh) What’s the connection? Why do they look the same? Why doesn’t Hoenheim age? Plenty is revealed to us, but Ed and Al are still in the dark!

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As Olivier Armstrong makes a risky move, in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 74, Hawkeye reveals a stunning fact to Mustang, and we finally begin to get some glimpses of Hoenheim’s origin story. Also, a long-forgotten character makes another appearance…

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Count on Hiromu Arakawa in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST to make all her characters complex. As we see again in chapter 73, even henchmen have depth! This chapter also reminds us how well plotted the story is, as our heroes face a complex situation with a lot of moving parts, and they deal with complications in ways that seem like exactly what needed to happen to move the story forward.

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Amid action-packed pages, FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 72 gives us several very moving scenes that remind us of one reasons we love this manga, along with the humor, the action, the careful plotting, is that it’s also imbued with so much MEANING. We discuss Winry’s act to break the cycle of hate and Scar’s eye-opening talk with Miles.

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What did Kimblee mean about “carving a crest of blood” at Briggs, and how does Kimblee try to get Ed to do it? Hey, is that a Marvel character popping up in Chapter 71 of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST? Maybe not, but we do get to see what happens when two of our roving bands of characters reunite. 

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Ed feels the noose tighten as he’s ordered to do horrible things. Winry makes an amazing admission, at least to the reader if not to other characters. And Pride, the “First Homunculus” is finally revealed! Tim and Patrick discuss FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 70!

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After Raven undoes a setback to the military’s plans at Briggs in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 69, Olivier Armstrong does something shocking. Meanwhile, we check in with Mei Chang and Marcoh in the secluded cabin with Scar’s brother’s writings, Mustang gathers information, and Kimblee escorts a visitor to see Ed and Al.

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Remember that photo of toddlers Ed and Al with their parents? We’ve seen most of it, but in chapter 68 of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, we finally see ALL of it and learn what’s been hidden about it up till now, as well as getting tantalizing hints about Hoenheim’s true nature and motives. Meanwhile, the tunnel under Briggs turns out to be deadly, and Ed and Al meet Kimblee for the first time.

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Many things are revealed in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 67 about the corrupt military’s plan, and Tim is pleased to find that at least he remembered SOMETHING about this story accurately! Will Major General Armstrong trust Ed and Al? Can Lt. General Raven be conned? Did we get a cameo from another manga series in this chapter? We discuss all this and closely examine the map of Amestris in this episode.

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At the Briggs military base, Ed and Al face a previously unknown homunculus, and face the dilemma of showing they know how to deal with it without revealing their own secrets to Major General Olivier Armstrong. As we discuss FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 66, we have our own guest, fully human and much more welcome than the one who burrowed into Briggs: our most vocal fan on Twitter, Memory Echo!

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This time we get an inside look at the Briggs base, including a rather cute, headbanded doctor, a soldier with a surprising lineage, and weird sounds coming from the basement, as Tim and Patrick discuss FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 65!

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As Kimblee tracks Scar, Ed and Al head for the north and run into a blizzard — and a lot of other problems they didn’t expect! Also, we move a step closer to finding out what’s “strange” about Ishvalan alchemy, in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 64!

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In FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 63, we’ve fully digested the flashback to the Ishvalan war and things are moving forward, as Tim and Patrick dig into Ed and Al’s search for Mei Chang, Dr. Knox’s battle with his guilt, Mustang’s next steps to counteract the rot at the highest levels of the military, and what the homunculi have planned for Dr. Marcoh. 

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Chapter 62 of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST brings us back to the present day, as Ed and Al mull over what they’ve learned about the Ishval war. It also reminds us where many of the characters currently are, and the action begins to move toward the next major confrontation. We look at the Elrics’ next step in their search for a way to return their original bodies, and the secret of Mustang’s chess set.

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The Ishval War volume of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST concludes with chapter 61. What it lacks in comic moments, it makes up for in reveals that cause us to see some characters and story points in new ways. Tim and Patrick explore these developments, and — some comedy at last! — the back matter of volume 15.

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The story of the Ishbal (Ishval?) war continues, without a single joke - so we make a few of our own! Still, chapter 60 of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST continues to be a sobering look at a war even more senseless than most - and Hiromu Arakawa has some harsh words for religion in this one, too.

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The flashback to the Ishbalan war gets darker in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST chapter 59, as we see what Ed and Al’s military comrades were obliged to do in it, even as they wondered “What is our goal here? Why are we destroying Ishbal?”

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What really happened in Ishbal? Ed tells Hawkeye “My ignorance is astounding,” and we feel the same way. Chapter 58 (and the entire 15th volume) of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST fills us in on the messy backdrop of the series. Lots of familiar faces in … uncomfortable situations. Our reaction begins here!

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FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST ch 57 leads us (not unusually) to question the translation: Is there a difference between a soldier “deserting” vs. simply disobeying an order? Also, book abuse, Tim dad-jokes it up, and, by the way… Is Winry a surgeon?