Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Arts & Culture

SDAFF Pick: 'Full Metal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos'

"Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos"
Bones
"Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos"

Japanese Anime is Tonight's Highlight

"Full Metal Alchemist" is one of the best animes to ever come out of Japan. The San Diego Asian Film Festival highlights the latest feature film in the series, "The Sacred Star of Milos" (screening at 9:10pm tonight at the Ultrastar Mission Valley Theaters at Hazard Center).

"The Sacred Star of Milos" is the second animated film spun off from the popular "Fullmetal Alchemist" manga and anime. The story, like the series, takes place in a fictional universe where alchemy is an accepted science. But it's a science that exacts a steep cost, as Alphonse notes: "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange." The premise for the manga and series involves the brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric who are in search of the Philosopher’s Stone in order to restore their bodies after a failed attempt to bring their mother back to life through alchemy.

Here's the trailer:

Advertisement

I ran an anime club at my son's middle school and "FMA" was one of the most popular animes I could bring to class. The show, like so many of the best anime, offered a complex narrative that did not talk down to kids. It mixed low comedy with difficult notions about morality and responsibility so it could be hilariously silly or thought provoking. "The Sacred Star of Milos" continues in this tradition and is great for fans of the series. Although it is best enjoyed by someone with a familiarity with the series or manga, newbies can still enjoy the action, animation, and storytelling of this second feature.