|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 7:29 pm
Symbolism in Fullmetal Alchemist
Fullmetal Alchemist is a manga and anime ripe with the lucious fruits of symbolism. If you're a nerd like me who's noticed this, please come join in the chat! If this is new for you, please join in anyway. Read the thread to learn more about the manga/anime you love and feel free to ask questions!
Discuss:
What is the most commonly seen symbol in FMA?
The gate and Equvilent Exchange can take on many different meanings. What do you think about them?
Many alchemic symbols have been pointed out throughout the series. How many can you find?
What does Amestres symbolize? Xing? How do these two countries differ?
In Shambala, many different characters represented many different things. What do you beleive is significant about this?
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 3:24 pm
-:[Puu~! <3]:-  ------------------
What is the most commonly seen symbol in FMA?
Perhaps the most commonly seen symbol in the series is sin and repentence or trying to make up for the sin by fixing the mistakes that you made.
The Gate and Equivalent Exchange can take on many different meanings. What do you think about them?
Equivalent Exchange is a concept very similar to Newton's laws. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, thus product is equal to the input. If you think about it, everything in life can be thought of as Equivalent Exchange. To reply to this forum requires my time and thought to type and produce a response! xd
What does Amestris symbolize? Xing? How do these two countries differ?
I believe that Amestris symbolizes greed, corruption, and a lust for power. On the other hand, to me, Xing symbolizes hope and powers being used for the good of the people and to enhance and prolong life, rather to destroy it, like Amestris.
In Shambala, many different characters represented many different things. What do you beleive is significant about this?
I think that Shambala was used to present the idea that different situations and circumstances have different influences on a character. I mean, Hughes went from the doting father to a Nazi. o3o I think it was also really interesting how that Amestris and "our" world had different color schemes and that "our" world was kind of dull, washed-out, and bleak while Amestris' was vibrant with color. Perhaps I'm just reading too far into things and this was all just part of distinguishing the two worlds, but I think that the way the worlds were portrayed really said something about them.
-------------------:[Puu~! <3]:-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 7:49 pm
I was going to respond to this earlier, but the awesomeness of the art prevented my brain from working in a coherent way. o__O; It's such a shame that I never really looked at those before now. (I usually just skipped to the end without answering the questions since I figured no one would just want me to randomly interrupt... xD)
Anyway. What were we talking about in the previous thread? Oh, wait; Winry and her deviousness. xD And symbolism in Kimblee's speech.
What is the most commonly seen symbol in FMA?
This is a hard question. The more I think about it, the less I'm sure. Because the whole idea of the "flow of the world" is really predominant through the whole manga; that is, you can't disrupt the flow by trying to bring someone back to life. The people who try to do so end up with... issues. xD
Then again, I agree with Petite Parfait that the whole idea of sin is huuge~ But I won't go into that since she covered it quite well, yes.
The gate and Equivalent Exchange can take on many different meanings. What do you think about them?
Geez. Well. It's true that it's just the basic law of science that you can't create anything without presenting something of an equal value. But it doesn't always work. (I mean, Ed and Al gave up so much, but so far we don't know what they've gotten in return. I mean, it waws proven in that one chapter that the thing they brought back, briefly, wasn't even Trisha.)
As far as the gate goes, it definitely represents knowledge in the manga, but I'm still not so sure about what else it could symbolize. It also proves that equivalency can be figurative. (That is, Al says, when he breaks that radio in Chapter 1, that he couldn't turn it into something else, but then how can literal arms and legs be traded for figurative knowledge?)
Many alchemic symbols have been pointed out throughout the series. How many can you find?
Um. Lots. The Stone itself is a symbol, but then there's symbols like the Ouroboros and flamel, etc., plus representations of the Stone like the lion eating the sun and hermaphroditism. If we look at it literally, all of the circles themselves are symbols. I've never looked much into what's been drawn on the floors, etc., but something definitely could be found by going there. Oh, there's pharmacy, too...
Also, there's clapping, in terms of Ed and whoever else. I don't know if that counts as an alchemical symbol, but I love how Ling compared it to praying. I was like, "Whoa, irony."
What does Amestris symbolize? Xing? How do these two countries differ?
I once had this theory that Amestris symbolized the lion and Xerxes symbolized the sun, and that's why it was destroyed. However, that was probably crack, so I'd not think too deeply about it.
And I DEFINITELY like the idea of Xing representing the use of alchemy to prolong life and not destroy it. Niiice thought, there. I haven't thought too much on this, so maybe I'll come back. This post is already long.
In Shambala, many different characters represented many different things. What do you believe is significant about this?
I pretty much deny the existence of the movie, so I'm going to skip this question. However, I'm sure there's something behind the choices. I like the point about the colours being muted, though. I noticed that as well. I think that's partially why we were all like, "Ed's an emo kid!"
Thinking seriously, though, it might have something to do with how you change if you're born into different circumstances. Then again, if we hadn't seen them before in Amestris, would we still think of them as being so cold? Huge contrast there.
Uh, okay. I'M DONE. *goes back to ogling picture*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 10:18 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 7:18 pm
Yeah, I'm waiting for the weekend. I have to get through a crap-load of schoolwork first.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 8:28 pm
Letishia Yeah, I'm waiting for the weekend. I have to get through a crap-load of schoolwork first. Ugh, I know what you mean. I don't know how I had the time to answer the questions. Maybe I was thinking about them subconsciously at work. xD lol, school sucks. D:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 3:50 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 1:38 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 1:42 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 8:57 pm
I dunno. I have to agree with Rekki that I don't thing Ed makes a very good Jesus!figure at all. I mean, Ed and Al and everyone else make it such a big point that they're sinners. It just doesn't quite fit for me.
Anyway, I do think the Gate has some very God-like qualities. By understanding it, you can achieve great knowkledge, and it knows the truths of the world and everything beyond it. It can also choose what happens to you (to a certain degree); that is, it chose to take Ed's arm and leg, not some other part. Or his life. Or some figurative thing, like... emotion.
It also relates to how Ling compared Ed's alchemy to praying; people pray to their Gods for assistance, and in some way, Ed prays to the Gate for assistance (for one has to reach through the Gate, to knowledge, to produce alchemy).
(If you guys read the extra notes for one of the recent chapters... ZOMGFTA points out that Ed says, "Namusan!' which is like, "Three prayers attack!" Somewhat random, but maybe it's significant in some way.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 8:54 pm
i believe that metal in fma equals sin. i think ed's braid is showing his regret cause he never cut it from that day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 12:23 pm
LenaleeLee i believe that metal in fma equals sin. i think ed's braid is showing his regret cause he never cut it from that day. Hmmm... It's an interesting concept... but I'm not positive I agree with you... There are more and greater sins than human transmutation; it's just one of the greatest sins in alchemy. I think that the metal bascially more represents what was lost in the process of committing sin. I don't know if the fact that it's metal really has a lot to do with it. (I mean, it makes sense that Al is metal; armour is metal. And since Ed needs heavy-duty prosthetics and the technology isn't like it is today, it makes sense that they's make them out of metal.) I mean, obviously prosthetics represent things that were lost. HAHAHA, that's not even a symbol. And anyway, Izumi also committed a sin, the same one as Ed and Al, and she doesn't have any kind of metal to remind her of it. Besides, my whole point is that sin is represented for everyone in different ways, and it all depends on what we're actually seeing as sin. (We could call Roy a sinner for all of the crimes committed in Ishvar, but there's no solid evidence of what he lost there. [Same goes for Riza...]) As far as the braid goes, I think I'm more into the idea that he braids it in defiance of Hohenheim. xD And anyway, I think his hair would be longer if he never cut it at all... (Someone can argue with me on this. I really don't know what I'm saying.) Okay. Wow, you made me say a lot. *head-desk*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 2:07 pm
some actual symbols, the Orobourus [sign of the Homunculi] is a dragon eating its own tail. It signifies long life and self destruction The Homunculi have Eternal life, yet wish to be human, this wish to be mortal leads to their deaths.
The flammel, [Ed, Al, Izumi, Dante's symbol] is the crusifixion of the winged crowned serpent, traditonaly its a symbol of pureifying something
[still working on the reserch connecting this one to the storyline, any help?][[and pardon my bad spelling]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 7:17 pm
Kya-Kitty some actual symbols, the Orobourus [sign of the Homunculi] is a dragon eating its own tail. It signifies long life and self destruction The Homunculi have Eternal life, yet wish to be human, this wish to be mortal leads to their deaths. The flammel, [Ed, Al, Izumi, Dante's symbol] is the crusifixion of the winged crowned serpent, traditonaly its a symbol of pureifying something [still working on the reserch connecting this one to the storyline, any help?][[and pardon my bad spelling]] That's really cool! I never knew about the serpent on the cross thing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 7:19 pm
Nandayo~ LenaleeLee i believe that metal in fma equals sin. i think ed's braid is showing his regret cause he never cut it from that day. Hmmm... It's an interesting concept... but I'm not positive I agree with you... There are more and greater sins than human transmutation; it's just one of the greatest sins in alchemy. I think that the metal bascially more represents what was lost in the process of committing sin. I don't know if the fact that it's metal really has a lot to do with it. (I mean, it makes sense that Al is metal; armour is metal. And since Ed needs heavy-duty prosthetics and the technology isn't like it is today, it makes sense that they's make them out of metal.) I mean, obviously prosthetics represent things that were lost. HAHAHA, that's not even a symbol. And anyway, Izumi also committed a sin, the same one as Ed and Al, and she doesn't have any kind of metal to remind her of it. Besides, my whole point is that sin is represented for everyone in different ways, and it all depends on what we're actually seeing as sin. (We could call Roy a sinner for all of the crimes committed in Ishvar, but there's no solid evidence of what he lost there. [Same goes for Riza...]) As far as the braid goes, I think I'm more into the idea that he braids it in defiance of Hohenheim. xD And anyway, I think his hair would be longer if he never cut it at all... (Someone can argue with me on this. I really don't know what I'm saying.) Okay. Wow, you made me say a lot. *head-desk* I always think of the metal more as a symbol of hope, since the metal limbs give Ed the ability to walk and such again. 3nodding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
