Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Episode 37 ENGLISH DUB Review

Episode 37, "The First Homunculus"

"Must fight urge... to eat... watermelon Jolly Rancher!"


 *****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: As attaches for him special cold weather style automail, Edward warns Winry not to trust Kimbley, but she recalls first meeting him when he picked her up and how he had kind words about her parents. Olivier has Buccaneer and other soldiers take the hatch Edward made into the tunnel to find the soldiers that hadn't returned. Olivier tells the others to blame her should Central become suspicious of Raven's disappearance. Roy meets with a flower-selling woman who passes along information from Olivier. Underground in Briggs, Buccaneer's team finds two survivors of the first team that went underground, who fear the living shadow that attacked. The shadow retreats for the time being. In Central, Riza delivers papers to the Fuhrer's residence at night, which are taken by his wife. Selim Bradley appears and Mrs. Bradley tells Riza about him having been adopted from his father's side of the family. Riza walks off stunned, realizing what that must mean, and she's right: Selim appears again, revealing himself to be the shadowy homunculi, Pride, who warns her not to reveal his secret. In Briggs, Kimbley reveals to Edward in private his intention to get Ed to kill enough people there to help complete the nationwide circle, in return for giving Edward a Philosopher's Stone. Edward agrees, but Alphonse realizes he's just going along with him. They tell Winry that she's being used against them. Ed and Al are taken with Kimbley to go hunt down Scar, and Winry decides to join them.

Comments:

While I will admit that Caitlin Glass is doing a better job in Brotherhood as Winry than she did in the first FMA TV series or the movie, it's really not that great. In fact, there seems to be a lot of inconsistency, because now and then she sounds like she did in the first TV series, and other times she seems to have a better grasp and be less shrill, even during Winry's freak outs. It varies from scene to scene, which can be even more bothersome than just a plain bad performance. But then, I'm not super keen on Megumi Takamoto's Winry, either. It was okay, but I was a way bigger fan of Megumi Toyoguchi from the first TV series. Takamoto's is a little too cutesy for my tastes. I think the real test for Glass will be the next couple of episodes when she confronts Scar again.

While I love the voices and performances lent to most of the Briggs group, I noticed that Henshel sounds a little too old, like he's at least five or six years older than even Buccaneer or Miles. I would have pegged him as maybe around the same age as Olivier (about in their thirties). He sounds like he's in his mid to late forties, even early fifties at times. The VA does a good job delivering his lines, but the voice seems a little old. It's just a minor crack in an otherwise solid performances for the Briggs crew.

I enjoy the voice of Selim (pronounced SAY-LEEM for some reason), but I don't like the VA's Pride voice very much. I think that Pride should sound colder, more distant. The English Pride sounds like they were going for more of an "alien" feel, and it comes off a little silly. It totally took the wind out of the scene where he threatens Riza (not that the series did that great with this scene to begin with), making it almost comical. And Colleen Clinkenbeard was doing such a great performance as Riza, too. I really don't feel like Pride is very intimidating with that voice.

Another scene that got butchered both by the TV series itself, as well as the dub, was Edward's scene with Kimbley. Some dialogue from the manga didn't seem to make it into the conversation and it felt a bit rushed. It didn't help that neither Vic Mignogna or Eric Vale sold the scene at all. It sounded like they were competing for who had the raspier voice. It's a good thing Wendy Powell's Envy wasn't around, or there wouldn't be any competition. Whoever won would go on to compete with Stephanie Naldony's Gohan. Being really raspy isn't the same as acting, folks. Try to put some emotional gravity into your acting. Well, I guess Vic can't, but I know Eric Vale can when he tries.

Overall ENGLISH DUB Score:

3 out of 5


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