Here is a comparison of the animated sequences. FMAB might follow the entire manga more accurately, but 03 has a much…

Here is a comparison of the animated sequences. FMAB might follow the entire manga more accurately, but 03 has a much more cohesive vision, and the scenes that it adapted faithfully do an excellent job at elevating the source material. 🧵

Anime Posts@animeposts · Nov 1, 2025

PEAK

The first episode of 03 is a fairly straightforward adaptation of the manga's first chapter. Both of them take the time to build up to "the reveal" at the very end. Arakawa emphasizes this with a full-page spread, while 03 uses rapid panning before zooming out to the full shot.

Here's the full scene in 03. 4 pages are carefully adapted into 1m30s of footage. The detailed animation when he tears his coat and top is palpable. Edward's line is intensely delivered, and the music only cues in when he finishes talking, giving his line more impact.

03 takes its time with these early chapters and sets the tone for how somber and pensive the story can get. Though it eventually strays from the source material, the production as a whole has a harmonious grasp on what makes Arakawa's characters and setting interesting.

In FMAB, there's much less build-up. This scene takes a mere 30 seconds and occurs halfway through the episode. Ed's line is omitted, and a generic track that you will hear countless times throughout the show plays throughout the entire sequence.

There's a rushed carelessness to these earlier episodes of FMAB. A minor example in this episode how Ed's top isn't shown to be torn when he goes to remove his coat. Yet when he takes it off, it's missing entirely. 03 and the manga are careful about small details like that.

The reveal is dampened because it's not even the first time we see his automail. FMAB starts with a bland original episode & explains their backstory in episode 2. I get they wanted the audience to know that this adaptation would be different, but there are better ways to do so.

Compare Fruba 2019's 1st episode, which, like the old adaptation, closely followed the manga's first chapter, but added an original scene to convey to the audience that we are going to tread new ground. It maintains the spirit of the manga, despite changing the introduction.

I still see people disregard 03 entirely. Even in the replies and QRTs to that original tweet, there are plenty of people saying 03 isn't as good because it "isn't accurate." While I personally prefer the manga over either of them, I would rather watch 03 than Broho any day.

I always feel that a "faithful" adaptation that lacks a strong audiovisual identity and doesn't take advantage of the new medium will always be inferior from an adaptation that strays from the source material here and there, but embraces the new medium.

Broho has some fantastic animation, and I think it really delivers on those last episodes. But I think the way is zooms past those earlier chapters to get to the "new" material really hurts the pacing and characterization in a way you can't understand unless you watch 03.

If I want to experience the "authentic" FMA story, I can just read the manga again, since FMAB still omits several key scenes anyway. But if I want to watch a good anime, I would choose 03.