Manga Review – Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol 22-24 (Fullmetal Alchemist 3-in-1, Vol 8) by Hiromu Arakawa (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Manga/Fantasy
Length: 576 pages
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Release Date: July 8, 2014
ISBN-13: 978-1421554969
Stand Alone or Series: 8th volume in the Fullmetal Alchemsit 3-in-1 series
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5 stars

“In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical “”auto-mail”” limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother’s bodies…the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.

With the Day of Reckoning at hand, war breaks out in Central City. On one side, the homunculi and corrupt military; on the other, the Elric family, Ishbalan refugees, and a ragtag alliance of soldiers loyal to Major General Armstrong of Fort Briggs and Roy Mustang. While Hohenheim confronts the homunculi’s “father,” Mustang finally learns the truth about Hughes’s murder. Will he be consumed by hatred and do the unthinkable?”

Series Info/Source: This is the 8th volume in the Fullmetal Alchemist 3-in-1 series and covers the original volumes 22 to 24. I bought this.

Story (5/5): At this point the story is pretty darn complicated so I won’t rehash it all. This volume sees some interesting twists and revelations. We finally get to see a confrontation between Hohenheim and the Father. We also get to see more of Mustang. Major General Armstrong and her brother have an awesome fight scene against Sloth that I really enjoyed.

Characters (5/5): Love the characters in this series, they are incredibly well done. Every single one of them has a backstory and a lot of depth and I enjoy them all so much.

Setting (5/5): I continue to love this steampunkish world driven by alchemy and dicey politics.

Writing/Drawing Style (5/5): This whole series is beautifully drawn and amazingly written. This is definitely one of the highest quality manga series I have ever read.

Summary (5/5): Overall I loved this and feel like my reviews of these books are getting a bit repetitive. This series has amazing characters, in a wonderful world, with an exciting and complex story. I love the drawing style and these are just truly a treat to read. I am a bit sad that the next volume is the last in this series.