“What is human life worth?” A.M on Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, Hiromu Arakawa
Hiromu with her manga, WomenInComics Fandom
This morning, at some point while supporting my AWS re/Start class at Per Scholas this Friday before Memorial Day Weekend 2023, I Googled “hiromu arakawa”
Then I started listening to the FMA Brotherhood OST.
Warning, beautiful piano music.
“Hiromu Arakawa is a Japanese manga artist and writer. She was born on May 8, 1973, in Hokkaido, Japan.
Arakawa is best known for creating the popular manga series "Fullmetal Alchemist." She began her career as a manga artist in 1999 with the series "Stray Dog," but it was "Fullmetal Alchemist," which ran from 2001 to 2010, that brought her widespread recognition and success”
-ChatGPT, “who is Hiromu Arakawa?”
In honor of her 50th birthday being earlier this month, I decided I am going to geek out and blog about how much I love FMAB ever since I first saw it as a child on IP connected screens.
Happy Friday!
I have two brothers, and I would do anything for them.
But to the Homunculi, the three of us are ingredients for a Philosopher’s Stone.
It begs a bigger question for the Elric brothers as they journey to learning, acquiring, losing, this Stone.
The question is:
“what is human life worth?”
The series does not provide a straightforward answer.
It does shows lots of red, though.
Let’s talk about the color red for a second.
Philosopher’s Stone, red.
Like human blood.
Martin Scorsese, Italian-American filmmaker, uses the color red in a number of his films.
NoFilmSchool has a good article about the significance of the color red to Scorsese.
FilmScalpel also has a good montage of Scorsese clips that are red, set to “Gimme Shelter”.
You see, the young, male brother protagonists in "FMAB" often grapple with the value of their souls, and the significance of the lives they encounter in the world of Amestris.
Spoiler: this country was designed by an evil old “Father” homunculus guy who wants to sacrifice everyone to live forever and maybe, swallow God, the Truth, Whatever.
So to the Elrics, humans are well, humans. Moms and Dads and Babies and You and me.
But the Homunculi? Humans are like batteries.
You might feel like a battery for your corporation sometimes, not even human.
So take this weekend to celebrate your humanity, which means the angelic parts, and the demonic ones.
Figure out what human life means to you.
Until next time, reader.
