Manga Review – Fullmetal Alchemist 3 in 1, Vol 2 (Books 4 ,5 ,6) by Hiromu Arakawa (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Manga/Steampunk
Length: 576 pages
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Release Date: August 2, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1421540191
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Fullmetal Alchemist Omnibus series (Books 4-6 of the original series)
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars

“Trapped and injured in a secret alchemical laboratory, Edward Elric is at the mercy of his enemies, Lust and Envy. But they don’t want him dead…they have other plans for him. As the laboratory goes up in flames, the brothers find themselves back at square one, with only an inkling of the massive scale of the Philosopher’s Stone conspiracy. But then, Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes uncovers a shocking secret…”

This continues to be a fantastic manga series. I love the characters, the world, the story and the illustration. My 12 year old son and I continue to be really impressed with this series and find it highly entertaining!

Ed and Al are both injured and trapped in a secret alchemical laboratory, but their fates take a turn for the better (maybe?) when Lust and Envy decide to let them go. Although they are grateful to be alive, then end having to start their search for the philosopher’s stone all over. This leads them back to their old teacher and back to their past and how they ended up where they are today.

I really continue to love this series. The story is so involved and intricate but never gets confusing. The characters are amazing; many characters are introduced but, again, this is done in such a way that it’s never confusing. The illustration is well done and easy to follow. I love all the action and humor in here and how balanced it is with the rest of the story.

I also really enjoyed the flash back to how Ed and Al got to where they are today, this provides some awesome background and helps us understand these characters better.

Overall this is quickly becoming one of my favorite manga series of all time. I definitely plan on continuing and would highly recommend to those who like action packed manga balanced with an excellent story, intriguing characters, and amazing world building.