Fullmetal Alchemist Art Book Complete Art of Fullmetal Alchemist
I take a problem with manga artbooks…mainly, that I can't resist them! And then years agone, when VIZ Media licensed The Art of Fullmetal Alchemist and its follow-upwardly, of course I bought them! Just over the years, I had kind of forgotten near them and the fact that the third art collection went unreleased.
Well, to coincide with the Fullmetal Alchemist deluxe re-release, VIZ Media appear The Consummate Fine art of Fullmetal Alchemist. The proclamation reported that there would be tons of new art, but for those of usa who bought the two originals, is it a necessary upgrade? Is it even worth information technology at all to the boilerplate fan, or is the Fullmetal Edition of the manga enough for those who crave some color imagery?
At most 300 pages, The Complete Art of Fullmetal Alchemist looks similar a deluxe video game strategy guide. The foil on the cover and spine will pair perfectly for those of you lot springing for the new version of the manga, and using a white cover instead of black like the Japanese emphasizes this. The only downside is that the cover doesn't match the black chapter introduction pages.
Folio quality appears to be skilful, thicker than the Fullmetal Edition of the manga. Anyone who has ordered these type of paper-thin hardcovers know that corners tend to be crushed or smushed. The bigger concern is the binding: while it has a expert amount of give, I am already finding a couple of weak spots despite minimal employ. For these type of releases, ever make sure to buy from a reliable retailer or, better yet, go to the store and pick out the all-time copy.
The art inside is divided by years, so information technology's like an abridged journeying through Fullmetal Alchemist's history. The organisation is sometimes strange to me, like some manga covers featured as large spreads while others are but postcard size. A few drawings have Japanese text, and translations are placed near the picture.
The first principal attraction is the promotional fine art — the stuff drawn for calendars, prizes, magazine covers, and ads. It's like shooting fish in a barrel to forget how much manga fine art isn't actually found in the manga volumes. Some are dramatic, powerful images that make a statement, others reflect holiday and seasonal spirit. The ones I absolutely dear are Arakawa's quirky, just-having-fun drawings. Ever wanted to see the armed forces make an Armstrong snowman? Now you can!
Also included is material from Fullmetal Alchemist media that never made information technology to the US (like Wii games) and post-serialization drawings. I desire to take the one of Osamu Tezuka's artwork popping out of a book Ed and Al are reading and put information technology on my wall.
Now hither is where it's going to get muddied.
Original manga release, Fullmetal Edition, Complete Art, Art of FMA 1
If y'all only own VIZ Media'southward original release, this is a great way to relive it so some. You'll get to see the color versions of the manga's splash pages equally well as obtaining covers of the Fullmetal Edition. (Plus all the outside fabric, manifestly.) Call up of this collection every bit a relatively inexpensive way of upgrading.
For those of you lot who are purchasing the Fullmetal Edition, you lot'll already have (or will accept) the title pages. Plus, you'll have actress color art because of the colored manga pages, which aren't included hither (equally is normal for artbooks). So while buying is less essential, if y'all're springing for the deluxe manga, it seems silly non to get to get this as a companion. Tons of drawings will even so be new to y'all, including the original manga covers which are more interesting than the character portraits of the new covers.
Now, original The Art of Fullmetal Alchemist and its sequel owners…
Surprisingly, this isn't much of a double-dip. Besides the 100 pages of new-to-English language readers cloth, while the original artbooks shows her drawings as the full versions including the edges and excess, The Consummate Fine art of Fullmetal Alchemist has the final, to-impress ones. I would say The Consummate Art of Fullmetal Alchemist has slightly richer coloring, but that'due south considering of the difference between the painted pictures and the get-to-printing ones. Personally, I like the more handcrafted style in the original. In addition, Complete lists where the moving picture originated from merely does not include any commentary from Arakawa. So yous'll miss brilliant insights like, "The colonel got fat." Character sketches from the games are not included. Also, the fine art is often presented differently. Many pictures are bigger or smaller, others have different backgrounds.
The very cease features six pages of Arakawa beingness interviewed and showing her drawing process. Of course, it's just bonus forage since information technology's the 300 pictures that you actually want. And aye, you do want this. Whether information technology'south Al petting cats, Riza loading her gun, or Scar and Olivier glaring at the world, there is merely and then much good stuff to look at. Large 2-folio spreads or small buttons, heartrending scenes from the characters' histories or alternate universes, Arakawa'southward art is full of spirit.
VIZ Media is releasing The Consummate Art of Fullmetal Alchemist just in time for the holiday flavor, and if yous or someone you lot know is a fan of the serial, it will make a gorgeous add-on to any fan'southward bookshelf. There are features from the original artbooks that I wish were continued hither, and I have some concerns about the book's lifespan. Just just as Hughes likes to prove off pictures of his girl, I'thou going to like showing off pictures from The Consummate Art of Fullmetal Alchemist.
Source: https://www.theoasg.com/reviews/manga/the-complete-art-of-fullmetal-alchemist-review/10941
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