Japanimation Station #03 – Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa (2005) Review & Discussion

Aug 16, 2022

Welcome to Japanimation Station, an anime podcast brought to you by the folks at The Weekly Stuff Podcast. We are here to dive into the wide and wacky world of anime, and you can subscribe on all platforms at JapanimationStation.Com.

The first Fullmetal Alchemist anime comes to its ultimate conclusion in the 2005 feature film Conqueror of Shamballa, a narratively messy but beautifully made movie that showcases the best and the worst that this ‘alternate’ version of Fullmetal Alchemist has to offer. With Edward Elric lost in ‘our’ world on the other side of the gate, Conqueror of Shamballa is set primarily in 1923 Germany on the eve of the Nazi Party’s ‘Beer Hall Putsch,’ with Ed navigating a society on the brink of collapse into genocidal fascism. It’s a fascinating and often quite effective setting, while the action back in Amestris – where Alphonse Elric, back in his human body, is searching for a way to get back to his brother – feels pretty threadbare. The worlds eventually collide, and we see how Seiji Mizushima and company bring this version of the story to a close, with Sean and Jonathan giving their final thoughts on how the 2003 version of Fullmetal Alchemist stands the test of time nearly 20 years later.

Enjoy, and come back throughout the week for a series of Dragon Ball bonus episodes leading up to the American release – and our review of – the new film Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero!

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