Portals! Father! What is even going ON?!

Man this story is taking a real turn of the very very weird. But in a good way?

Chapter 50: In the Belly of the Beast



Gluttony has an eye in his belly and a super stretch creep rib cage. Because eating everything (and wanting to eat everything) wasn't bad enough.

Chapter 51: A Portal in the Darkness



Well. That's the inside of Gluttony then. But hey! It could work! He made (or at least fixed) a radio way back, didn't he? Isn't there enough material eaten for that to work?

Chapter 52: Lord of the Demon's Lair

Roy knows and FPKBradley knows he knows and it's all so weird and confusing.

Chapter 53: Signpost of the Soul



... that's Father? He looks really familiar. Altar egos or something?



Hearing this talk about the workings of alchemy makes me want to know more. I guess it may be better in theory than practice, but I hope we get a deeper look before this is all said and done.





( )

A good change. Gluttony is my favourite , the cutest villain ever and to think of the power it has. I am amazed. I loved the plot twist regarding Roy Mustang and King Bradley. ( )

Characters I like -- except for the increasingly useless Lin Yao -- wander around for much of the volume doing somewhat interesting stuff, y'know, just up to the verge of much more interesting stuff? A pleasing enough middle chapter of a long saga, but the core characters are all separated for most of it, and their interaction is the main draw. ( )

The story part was good, but a lot of the fight scenes were just gross. (Yes, I realize, Envy is supposed to be gross in his true form. That doesn't make it pleasant to read.)

Still an enjoyable graphic novel. Many of the characters do some dumb things, though. Given where we are in the series, this makes sense. Things have to get bad – really bad – in order for them to get better. But understanding the arc structure doesn't make this installment my favorite. ( )

In unlucky volume 13 various characters together or on their own realize that in their arrogance, their hubris, they have done something that has unveiled to them just how unprepared they are and just how far in to really serious trouble they have gotten. The brothers along with the Prince of Xing attempt to capture and take down a homunculus only to seriously underestimate the depth of their power and the extent to which they have already gone to get what they want. Colonel Mustang also attempts to confront the military about the secret he has about King Bradley only to realize that the corruption and power Bradley has brought to bear is far more sinister than he ever could have imagined. And when May and Scar attempt to find her panda it is to discover the root of what feels so wrong with this country as their journey leads them to some horrific discoveries of what truly lies beneath Central.

Even though this is by far one of the most dark and terrifying volumes (for the implications given alone, let along everything else) in the series Arakawa still manages to balance it with brief moments of lightness, even if the only ones laughing are the readers themselves. Ed's hot temper and over emotional moments continue to be hilariously drawn, and of course May's moments when she is free to give her version of events are very funny to read about as she elevates Al to level of monster and Ed is the "small pet" behind him.

The entire tone of the series is changing as everyone is coming to the realization that things run far deeper and are far more sinister and evil than they could have imagined. Everyone begins to deal with the fallout as they realize just how powerless they are in this situation. Though just how deep things go and just what the homunculuses and their father are up to has yet to be revealed. ( )