The Anime That Held MyAnimeList’s #1 Spot for Over a Decade
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (#FullmetalAlchemistBrotherhood, #FMAB) achieved what no anime before or since managed - near-universal acclaim, maintaining MyAnimeList’s top ranking for 13+ years while introducing millions to anime through perfect blend of action, philosophy, and emotional storytelling.
The 2003 vs. 2009 Divide
Two adaptations of Hiromu Arakawa’s manga created permanent fandom schism:
FMA 2003 (Studio BONES): Original anime caught up to manga, created anime-original ending, darker tone, Dante as villain, divisive conclusion.
FMAB 2009 (Studio BONES): “True” manga adaptation after series concluded, following Arakawa’s intended story, Father as antagonist, consensus “superior” version.
Endless debates: 2003 fans defending character development depth vs. Brotherhood fans citing coherent plot, newcomers asking “which to watch first?”
The dual adaptations created rare phenomenon - two high-quality versions of same story with passionate advocates.
MyAnimeList Dominance (2009-2023+)
FMAB’s #1 MAL ranking became anime community constant:
- 9.10+ average score - highest-rated with 2M+ votes
- Review-bombing battles - fans of other anime downvoting FMAB to elevate favorites
- “FMAB defense force” - counter-upvoting maintaining #1 position
- “Is FMAB overrated?” - eternal Reddit question generating 500+ comment threads
- Dethroning attempts - Attack on Titan, Steins;Gate, Gintama fans’ futile campaigns
The ranking wars became anime fandom’s version of sports rivalries.
Gateway Anime Excellence
FMAB’s accessibility made it perfect entry point:
Contained story: 64 episodes with complete beginning/middle/end, no sequel-baiting or filler.
Dub quality: Funimation English dub considered equal or superior to original Japanese, rare achievement.
Universal themes: War, mortality, power, family accessible without cultural knowledge.
Toonami exposure: Adult Swim broadcasts introduced millions of non-anime fans.
Complexity without confusion: Intricate alchemy rules, multiple plot threads, but narrative remained clear.
Philosophical Depth
The series tackled mature themes in action shonen framework:
Equivalent Exchange: Central alchemy principle as life philosophy, karma, balance, sacrifice.
Human transmutation taboo: Playing god consequences, grief processing, accepting loss.
Military fascism: Amestris as allegory for Nazi Germany, complicity in genocide, war crimes.
Ethics of revenge: Scar’s Arc, cycle of violence, Ishvalan genocide parallels to real-world atrocities.
Human value: Homunculi representing sins, humanity’s darkness, nature vs. nurture.
High schoolers wrote philosophy papers on FMAB, universities using in ethics courses.
Character Ensemble Excellence
The show’s massive cast developed without neglecting anyone:
Edward & Alphonse Elric: Brother bond driving narrative, codependency, mutual sacrifice, ultimate love.
Roy Mustang: Ambition vs. morality, military dictator potential, choosing democracy, complexity.
Riza Hawkeye: Military trauma, controlling Mustang’s darkness, romance without consuming identity.
Scar: Villain to ally, genocide survivor, complex antagonist, redemption without erasing crimes.
Greed/Ling: Sharing body, unlikely friendship, greed redefined as wanting everything life offers.
Every side character had complete arc, unusual in 64-episode series.
Emotional Devastation Moments
FMAB produced anime’s most traumatic scenes:
Nina Tucker: Human-chimera transformation, “Ed…ward…”, internet’s collective trauma, still triggering in 2023.
Hughes’ funeral: Elicia asking why daddy won’t wake up, grown men sobbing.
Envy’s jealousy reveal: Humanizing homunculus, pathetic death, unexpected sympathy.
Hohenheim’s final scene: Smiling at family photo, peaceful death, fulfillment.
The series earned its emotional beats through 60+ episodes of buildup.
Action Choreography and Animation
BONES delivered consistent quality across 64 episodes:
Alchemy combat creativity: Roy Mustang’s fire alchemy, Edward’s creative transmutations, each alchemist unique fighting style.
Father final battle: Every character contributing, earned victories, spectacle with substance.
Greed vs. Wrath: Elderly Bradley’s superhuman combat, tragic antagonist’s last stand.
Mustang vs. Envy: Revenge rage, Hawkeye intervention preventing murder-suicide, character over action.
Music Legacy
The series’ four opening themes became anime standards:
“Again” by YUI: OP1, 100M+ views, English covers dominating YouTube.
“Hologram” by NICO Touches the Walls: OP2, energetic battle anthem.
“Golden Time Lover” by Sukima Switch: OP3, narrative midpoint intensity.
“Period” by CHEMISTRY: OP4, finale arc emotional weight.
Convention karaoke featured all four regularly, decade+ after airing.
Toonami Cultural Impact
Adult Swim’s broadcasts created American FMAB fandom:
Marathon events: Holiday FMAB marathons tradition, family viewing phenomenon.
English dub normalization: Proving dubs could match subs in quality, bridging anime gap.
Mainstream acceptance: Parents watching with kids, anime as family entertainment.
Pipeline creation: FMAB to Attack on Titan to deeper anime rabbit hole, gateway sequencing.
Ending Satisfaction
The finale achieved rare accomplishment - pleasing nearly everyone:
Promise delivered: Truth returning bodies, equivalent exchange fulfilled, 64-episode setup paid off.
Sacrifices that mattered: No ass-pulls, victories earned through permanent costs.
Character conclusions: Everyone’s arc completed, futures implied without needing sequel.
Epilogue perfection: Seeing characters’ growth, relationships, peaceful world, “thank you” to viewers.
The ending became standard for “how to conclude anime” alongside Mob Psycho 100.
Cultural Longevity
FMAB’s relevance persisted decade+ beyond conclusion:
Constant recommendations: Every “what anime should I watch?” thread included FMAB.
Meme perpetuation: Nina chimera, Hughes death, Mustang’s rain excuse - perennial references.
Rewatch culture: Annual rewatches revealing new details, themes aging gracefully.
Introduction tool: Safe recommendation for non-anime friends, parents, skeptics.
Academic analysis: University courses using FMAB for philosophy, ethics, political science.
The “Overrated?” Discourse
FMAB’s consensus praise generated inevitable backlash:
Contrarian critiques: “It’s good but not THAT good,” MAL ranking inflation, voting patterns suspicious.
Pacing complaints: First 13 episodes rushing 2003 territory, assuming prior knowledge.
“Entry-level” dismissal: Anime elitists treating FMAB recommendation as basic, gatekeeping.
Defense arguments: “There’s a reason it’s beloved,” accessibility as strength, consistent quality.
The debates proved impossible to resolve, becoming anime fandom’s eternal stalemate.
Sources: MyAnimeList statistics, Funimation viewership data, Toonami ratings, Billboard Japan, Anime News Network retrospectives, Reddit sentiment analysis (2009-2023)
Related: #AttackOnTitan, #SteinsGate, #AnimeGateway, #MyAnimeList, #Toonami