Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 13: Brotherhood (Episodes 49-51)

Product Description At the end of destiny, where will peace be found? The brothers Elric will consider the answers that are left once the Philosopher?s Stone has guided their saga to its end. True sacrifice, the deep love of family, the cruel truths of life and death? these are the realities that will bring the Fullmetal Alchemist?s tale to a close. Episodes: The Other Side of the Gate Death Laws and Promises DVD Features: Character profiles Production art Image gallery Textless songs Amazon.com Fullmetal Alchemist reaches its appropriately wrenching conclusion, as Ed's and Al's powers and commitment to each other are put to the ultimate test. The fate of their world (and, possibly, this one) is at stake: If the Elrics fail, the Homunculi will continue their murderous deeds. But Fullmetal Alchemist isn't just a simple story of good versus evil, as revelations about the origins of Envy and the role of Hohenheim prove. The drama, the adventure, the comedy, and, above all, the loving relationship between Edward and Alphonse make it a truly noteworthy series in the history of anime, one whose influence is sure to be felt for years. At the end of volume 13, viewers may feel the same sort of emptiness an earlier generation of readers experienced when Sherlock Holmes went over Reisenbach Falls, although episode 51 sets up the feature, The Conqueror of Shamballa--which robs the ending of a little of its punch. But Hiromu Arakawa's original manga continues, and fans of the Elric Brothers will enjoy The Art of Fullmetal Alchemist: The Anime, a collection of illustrations by artists who worked on the series, including a nicely incongruous painting of the cast in traditional Japanese costume. (Rated TV PG: violence, grotesque imagery, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon